Barberville, FL — (February 11, 2016) — Donny Schatz surpassed his Wednesday night performance by one position on Thursday evening, mastering the Volusia Speedway Park half-mile en route to a $5,000, Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions victory. Schatz, who charged from the fifth row to secure his position in victory lane, increased his Arctic Cat All Star win total to 12 on his career. The Fargo, North Dakota, native cruised to the final checkers by a near four second lead. Dale Blaney and Jason Johnson rounded out the podium finishers.
“This is an incredible race team” Donny Schatz said, “I didn’t want to have to call the boss tonight and tell him I left something on the table. Just an incredible effort by these guys.”
Danny Lasoski and Jason Johnson led the 24 feature starters to green at Volusia Speedway Park. Lasoski controlled the opening lap before losing the top spot to Johnson. The “Ragin’ Cajun” made his way to the top-side of the speedway, eventually extending his lead over Danny Lasoski and Dale Blaney. Traffic would soon come into play, but a lap ten caution would bring the field to a stop for the first and only time. Paul McMahan made contact with the turn one wall; he would walk away unharmed.
Johnson brought the field back to life during the lap 10 restart, returning to the point position over Danny Lasoski and Dale Blaney. Donny Schatz, who started tenth on the grid, climbed his way to a top-five position for the first time during the restart. The pilot of the familiar Tony Stewart Racing/No. 15 continued his pursuit toward the front, ultimately capturing the fourth position by lap 13 and the third position by lap 14, utilizing all lanes of the slick, Volusia Speedway Park surface. Schatz continued to waste little time, eventually taking command of the runner-up position over Danny Lasoski on lap 17. It would only take three more green flag circuits before Schatz could diminish Jason Johnson’s charge at the front of the field, taking the top spot officially on lap 20.
“You have to go where everyone else isn’t” Schatz explained, “We were decent, I just had to find my way around. Once we got going, we were pretty good. This race team is incredible for sure. I have the best job in the business.”
Six-time and defending Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Dale Blaney attempted a late-race charge, but would fall short. The “Low Rider” started fourth on the feature grid and raced inside the top-five during the entire distance. Blaney made his final move of the 30-lap main event on lap 25 when he raced around Jason Johnson for second.
“We’ve been really good all year, really” Blaney explained, “The guys have been working hard. Can’t thank Big Game, Muddy, CH Motorsports enough. I’m not sure if I needed that red. I felt like I couldn’t get going after that. This is a great group of cars racing down here. We’ll take second, come back tomorrow and see if we can do one better.”
With their 2016 Florida campaign officially in the history books, the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions will now spend the next six weeks preparing for their first points event of the 2016 season. The Arctic Cat All Stars will next invade the Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio. The “Rumble in the Hills” program will feature a $5,000 top prize on Saturday evening, April 2; the first visit by the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions since August 1, 2015. The “Low Rider” Dale Blaney is the most recent Arctic Cat All Star main event winner at the Atomic highbanks, capturing the $10,000 Open Wheel Championship over Ryan Smith and Sheldon Haudenschild. Those who would like to know more about the 2016 “Rumble in the Hills” program on Saturday, April 2, should visit Atomic Speedway live on the Web at www.atomicspeedway.net.
Contingency Awards/Results – Volusia Speedway Park – Thursday, February 11, 2016
DIRTcar Nationals (Non-Point Event)
Entrants: 30
State Water Heaters Warm-Ups: Greg Hodnett – 13.648
Lincoln Electric Fast Qualifier: Jason Johnson – 13.329
Kistler Racing Products Heat #1: Brad Sweet
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2: Dale Blaney
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3: Danny Lasoski
JE Pistons Dash: Danny Lasoski
Daido Engine Bearings Main Event Winner: Dale Blaney (2nd)
Outback Steakhouse A-Main 5th Place Finisher: Bryan Clauson
Outback Steakhouse A-Main 10th Place Finisher: Greg Hodnett
Outback Steakhouse A-Main 15th Place Finisher: Kerry Madsen
Qualifying
1.41-Jason Johnson, 13.329; 2.17W-Bryan Clauson, 13.337; 3.27-Greg Hodnett, 13.417; 4.49-Brad Sweet, 13.428; 5.45-Tim Shaffer, 13.493; 6.10H-Chad Kemenah, 13.524; 7.15-Donny Schatz, 13.531; 8.71m-Dave Blaney, 13.542; 9.1-Dale Blaney, 13.550; 10.5-David Gravel, 13.563; 11.1s-Sammy Swindell, 13.570; 12.2L-Danny Lasoski, 13.581; 13.1A-Jacob Allen, 13.622; 14.83-Joey Saldana, 13.641; 15.7C-Caleb Armstrong, 13.692; 16.07-Doug Esh, 13.705; 17.9-Daryn Pittman, 13.719; 18.7-Paul McMahan, 13.767; 19.70-Danny Holtgraver, 13.775; 20.1Z-Lucas Wolfe, 13.830; 21.11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.846; 22.71mx-Paul May, 13.858; 23.4-Danny Smith, 13.859; 24.24-Terry McCarl, 13.869; 25.29-Kerry Madsen, 13.916; 26.2-Shane Stewart, 13.966; 27.8M-TJ Michael, 14.067; 28.71A-RJ Johnson, 14.217; 29.59-Austin McCarl, 14.222; 30.1SX-Logan Schuchart, 99.520
Heat 1, Group A – (8 Laps)
1. 49-Brad Sweet[1] ; 2. 27-Greg Hodnett[2] ; 3. 17W-Bryan Clauson[3] ; 4. 45-Tim Shaffer[5] ; 5. 41-Jason Johnson[4] ; 6. 83-Joey Saldana[7] ; 7. 10H-Chad Kemenah[6] ; 8. 07-Doug Esh[8] ; 9. 8M-TJ Michael[9]
Heat 2, Group B – (8 Laps)
1. 1-Dale Blaney[2] ; 2. 71m-Dave Blaney[3] ; 3. 15-Donny Schatz[4] ; 4. 7-Paul McMahan[6] ; 5. 9-Daryn Pittman[5] ; 6. 7C-Caleb Armstrong[1] ; 7. 11K-Kraig Kinser[8] ; 8. 29-Kerry Madsen[10] ; 9. 24-Terry McCarl[9] ; 10. 70-Danny Holtgraver[7]
Heat 3, Group C – (8 Laps)
1. 2L-Danny Lasoski[2] ; 2. 1s-Sammy Swindell[3] ; 3. 1A-Jacob Allen[1] ; 4. 5-David Gravel[4] ; 5. 2-Shane Stewart[8] ; 6. 1Z-Lucas Wolfe[5] ; 7. 1SX-Logan Schuchart[10] ; 8. 59-Austin McCarl[9] ; 9. 71mx-Paul May[6] ; 10. 4-Danny Smith[7]
Dash 1 – (6 Laps)
1. 2L-Danny Lasoski[2] ; 2. 41-Jason Johnson[1] ; 3. 71m-Dave Blaney[4] ; 4. 1-Dale Blaney[6] ; 5. 17W-Bryan Clauson[8] ; 6. 49-Brad Sweet[3] ; 7. 1s-Sammy Swindell[5] ; 8. 27-Greg Hodnett[7]
B-Main 1 – (12 Laps)
1. 10H-Chad Kemenah[1] ; 2. 11K-Kraig Kinser[4] ; 3. 70-Danny Holtgraver[3] ; 4. 29-Kerry Madsen[8] ; 5. 07-Doug Esh[2] ; 6. 24-Terry McCarl[7] ; 7. 71mx-Paul May[5] ; 8. 59-Austin McCarl[10] ; 9. 8M-TJ Michael[9] ; 10. 4-Danny Smith[6] ; 11. 1SX-Logan Schuchart[11]
A-Main 1 – (30 Laps)
1. 15-Donny Schatz[10] ; 2. 1-Dale Blaney[4] ; 3. 41-Jason Johnson[2] ; 4. 2L-Danny Lasoski[1] ; 5. 17W-Bryan Clauson[5] ; 6. 71m-Dave Blaney[3] ; 7. 1A-Jacob Allen[11] ; 8. 49-Brad Sweet[6] ; 9. 45-Tim Shaffer[9] ; 10. 27-Greg Hodnett[8] ; 11. 5-David Gravel[13] ; 12. 83-Joey Saldana[16] ; 13. 9-Daryn Pittman[14] ; 14. 11K-Kraig Kinser[20] ; 15. 29-Kerry Madsen[22] ; 16. 10H-Chad Kemenah[19] ; 17. 70-Danny Holtgraver[21] ; 18. 24-Terry McCarl[24] ; 19. 7C-Caleb Armstrong[17] ; 20. 2-Shane Stewart[15] ; 21. 1s-Sammy Swindell[7] ; 22. 1Z-Lucas Wolfe[18] ; 23. 7-Paul McMahan[12] ; 24. 07-Doug Esh[23]