From Aaron Fielder
Lawrenceburg, IN — (October 16, 2015) — From the peak of spring where things seemed to be coming together to the desolation of a frustrating summer, Paul McMahan was a driver relieved Friday night at Lawrenceburg Speedway after he scored his first World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory in more than five months.
“It’s been a long time,” an emotional McMahan said as he walked to his victory lane interview. “Man, this has been a hell of an up-and-down year for me all year long. We’re not accustomed to be running where we’ve been running. This is where we’re accustomed to running.”
With his father and son in attendance, the CJB Motorsports driver took the quick time earlier in the night, his second in a row and sixth on the season.
Christopher Bell and Shane Stewart led the field to the green flag in the 35-lap feature which had been postponed to tonight following a rain out in May. Stewart jumped to an early lead in his No. 2 GoPro/Eneos/KickIt car as McMahan quickly moved into fourth from a fifth-place starting position.
McMahan ran down Bell, then in third, as the leader, Stewart, began working his way through traffic. A caution flag waved on lap seven and on the subsequent restart, McMahan took the position. For the next 10 laps McMahan and Madsen engaged in an intense back and forth for second place. Both drivers worked much of the track – Madsen trying to hold off McMahan and McMahan looking for a way around.
McMahan was able to successfully clear the No. 29 as they exited turn four to complete lap 17. The next lap by another caution flew, one of the pivotal moments of the race for McMahan. On the restart, he, Madsen, Bell and Stewart fanned out across the track, crossing the start, finish line several cars deep. By the time they hit the exit of turn two, McMahan was in the lead.
Farther back, Donny Schatz, who has already clinched the 2015 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series title in the midst of a historic season, started 12th in his No. 15 Bad Boy Buggies/Chevrolet Performance car and made steady progress up through the field. By the time McMahan took the lead, Schatz was battling David Gravel for the third position. He got around on lap 21.
Disaster nearly struck for McMahan and his No. 51 CJB/ Bair’s Tree Service/All-Star Performance car on lap 25 as a caution flew and set up a double file restart.
“We had a good racecar, we got around Shane there,” McMahan said. “On that double file restart I spun the tires a little bit and let him keep even with me into turn one. Fortunate for me, I got a second chance.”
Just as Stewart took over the lead, a caution flag flew and set them up for a second restart, this time single file.
As the race returned to green, McMahan quickly built up a stubborn lead as Stewart looked for a way around. Ultimately, it was McMahan claiming his third World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory of the season and 26th career win. He passed Bobby Allen on list of all-time winners, taking over the 17th position.
“I don’t know if it started taking a little bit of rubber there, I found it before anyone else did and was able to get by and hold on for the win,” McMahan said of the track. “Shane had a heck of a pace going and sometimes when you’re running second you can move around and try different things and that’s what got me the lead. Fortunate enough, I didn’t screw it up. I tried to – I got a second chance and came home in victory lane tonight.”
“(My crew chief Barry Jackson) works his butt off,” McMahan said. “(Sammy Swindell) came along as our teammate and he’s helped us out a bunch. My guys, Derek and Steven, they bust their butt everyday trying to make this racecar better. (My car owners) Chad and Jen Clemens give me the opportunity to come out here and do what we do.”
Stewart, who has nine wins in his first full World of Outlaws season with Larson Marks Racing, said it was hard to know if running a different line would have made a difference for him.
“I felt like I had a decent pace there and obviously it started taking a little bit of rubber towards the middle of the race track and I didn’t see it,” Stewart said. “I had a great restart the one time and then the yellow came out and single file after that. I knew it was going to be pretty tough to get by Paul. Congrats to them. I know that these races are very, very hard to win. It’s very disappointing when you lose on like that but my guys gave me a great car all night.”
Stewart said he hopes to keep the momentum going into the final races of the season and add to what has been a remarkable year for his still young team.
With another podium finish for his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team, Donny Schatz continues to add to a season that has seen him first or second 47 times with now 12 other nights in top-five finishing positions. Tonight was the first time in two seasons Schatz has not stood atop the podium at Lawrenceburg.
“It’s this race team – they always do a phenomenal job adjusting to the track conditions,” Schatz said. “That threw us for a little curve there – I didn’t expect that to happen. We got a good respectable finish out of it… Tried moving around, tried to do everything I could and some nights you’re just going to have that so we’ll leave here happy.”
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series takes on its final features before the Bad Boy Buggies World Finals with stops at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway and Weedsport (N.Y.) Speedway. To find out more information about the events and to learn how to buy tickets, visit http://www.WoOSprint.com.
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
Lawrenceburg Speedway
Lawrenceburg, IN
Friday October 16, 2015
Qualifications:
1. 51 – Paul McMahan, 12.005
2. 2 – Shane Stewart, 12.060
3. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 12.100
4. 7 – David Gravel, 12.108
5. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 12.193
6. 11 – Steve Kinser, 12.227
7. 22 – Cole Duncan, 12.229
8. 71MX – Paul May, 12.265
9. 15 – Donny Schatz, 12.310
10. 67 – Christopher Bell, 12.315
11. 71M – Joey Saldana, 12.318
12. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 12.347
13. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 12.354
14. 1 – Dale Blaney, 12.357
15. 17B – Bill Balog, 12.510
16. 60 – Kory Crabtree, 12.538
17. 49 – Brad Sweet, 12.092
18. 1A – Jacob Allen, 12.590
19. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 12.610
20. 99 – Brady Bacon, 12.654
21. 20N – Hunter Schuerenberg, 12.675
22. 21 – Cap Henry, 12.700
23. W20 – Greg Wilson, 12.721
24. 41 – Jason Johnson, 12.728
25. 64 – Scotty Thiel, 12.730
26. 7S – Jason Sides, 12.747
27. 22B – Ryan Broughton, 12.755
28. 1ST – Gary Taylor, 12.764
29. 4 – Danny Smith, 12.765
30. O5 – Brad Loyet, 12.771
31. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 12.794
32. 4K – AJ Bruns, 12.845
33. 2L – Logan Forler, 12.910
34. 11K – Mikey Kuemper, 13.337
35. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 13.359
Heat Race #1:
1. 29 – Kerry Madsen
2. 15 – Donny Schatz
3. 10H – Chad Kemenah
4. 51 – Paul McMahan
5. 20N – Hunter Schuerenberg
6. 49 – Brad Sweet
7. 2L – Logan Forler
8. 4 – Danny Smith
9. 64 – Scotty Thiel
Heat Race #2:
1. 67 – Christopher Bell
2. 11 – Steve Kinser
3. 2 – Shane Stewart
4. 1 – Dale Blaney
5. 21 – Cap Henry
6. 7S – Jason Sides
7. O5 – Brad Loyet
8. 1A – Jacob Allen
9. 11K – Mikey Kuemper
Heat Race #3:
1. 71M – Joey Saldana
2. 17B – Bill Balog
3. 22 – Cole Duncan
4. W20 – Greg Wilson
5. 9 – Daryn Pittman
6. 49D – Shawn Dancer
7. 5W – Lucas Wolfe
8. 22B – Ryan Broughton
9. 11N – Randy Hannagan
Heat Race #4:
1. 1S – Logan Schuchart
2. 7 – David Gravel
3. 99 – Brady Bacon
4. 1ST – Gary Taylor
5. 41 – Jason Johnson
6. 60 – Kory Crabtree
7. 71MX – Paul May
8. 4K – AJ Bruns
Dash:
1. 67 – Christopher Bell
2. 2 – Shane Stewart
3. 29 – Kerry Madsen
4. 9 – Daryn Pittman
5. 51 – Paul McMahan
6. 7 – David Gravel
7. 71M – Joey Saldana
8. 1S – Logan Schuchart
B-Main:
1. 49 – Brad Sweet
2. 5W – Lucas Wolfe
3. 71MX – Paul May
4. 60 – Kory Crabtree
5. 1A – Jacob Allen
6. 7S – Jason Sides
7. O5 – Brad Loyet
8. 4 – Danny Smith
9. 2L – Logan Forler
10. 11N – Randy Hannagan
11. 22B – Ryan Broughton
12. 11K – Mikey Kuemper
13. 49D – Shawn Dancer
14. 4K – AJ Bruns
15. 64 – Scotty Thiel
Feature:
1. 51 – Paul McMahan
2. 2 – Shane Stewart
3. 15 – Donny Schatz
4. 7 – David Gravel
5. 9 – Daryn Pittman
6. 67 – Christopher Bell
7. 49 – Brad Sweet
8. 71M – Joey Saldana
9. 1 – Dale Blaney
10. 21 – Cap Henry
11. 5W – Lucas Wolfe
12. 29 – Kerry Madsen
13. 99 – Brady Bacon
14. 22 – Cole Duncan
15. W20 – Greg Wilson
16. 1ST – Gary Taylor
17. 7S – Jason Sides
18. 71MX – Paul May
19. 11K – Mikey Kuemper
20. 1S – Logan Schuchart
21. 41 – Jason Johnson
22. 17B – Bill Balog
23. 10H – Chad Kemenah
24. 20N – Hunter Schuerenberg
25. 11 – Steve Kinser
26. 60 – Kory Crabtree