Schatz defeats Shaffer in classic western duel to open Thunder Through the Plains
WEST FARGO, N.D. (7-29-10) By Brian Liskai – In a classic wild west shoot out, four-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz thrilled the hometown crowd with a late race pass of defending OReilly Auto Parts All Star champion Tim Shaffer to claim the opening night of Thunder Through the Plains at Red River Valley Speedway.
The fans were treated to an awesome race, as first Shaffer battled NASCAR star Tony Stewart and then Schatz, the later using a lapped machine to take the lead with 7 laps to go. Stewarts night would end as he battled Shaffer for the lead, he clipped an infield tire barrier, damaging his machine.
After Schatz took the lead, Shaffer would battle back as the two sliced and diced through traffic, nearly regained the lead with 4 laps to go. But Schatz made a daring move, splitting a lapped machine, to hold onto the lead and take his eighth career All Star Circuit of Champions victory.
It feels awesome to win anywhere, said Schatz, whose father Danny took over promotion of Red RiverValley over the winter. It was an awesome race if you were running second or third. I caught Timmy out there in lapped traffic. Man we were going by cars left and rightit was a fun race.
Sometimes when youre leading them things you get caught and you dont know where to go. And the bottomman that thing was slick. I think being down a 100 horsepower actually helps you here tonight.
It was a great night. I have to thank team Armor All for letting me come do this and have fun. I have to go back tomorrow and get back with the grind. But we had a great time tonight and thank everyone for coming out, said Schatz beside his Tony Stewart Racing #15. Tony had a great car. He was doing a great job there but kind of nipped them tirestheyll get you. I hit them once but didnt knock the front end out of it.
The race started with Bill Rose and Tim Kaeding pacing the field. It was Shaffer, The Steel City Outlaw, who wheeled his Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook machine around both as the green flew. Setting a blistering pace the defending All Star champion and current point leader soon encountered lapped traffic which allowed fourth-place starting Stewart and Kaeding to close. A caution with just five laps in the books for a Cap Henry, Mitch Mack tangle gave Shaffer a clear track to pull away slightly.
On lap 12, another caution, wiped out Shaffers lead. Shaffer once again hit the back of the field quickly, and as he tried to figure out ways around the lapped machines, Stewart was closing as was ninth-starter Schatz. Stewart and Schatz traded the runner-up spot several times as they negotiated through traffic. However, Stewarts night would come to an end with 10 laps remaining when he clipped one of the inside tire barriers, damaging the front end on his Bass Pro Shops/Chevrolet backed #14.
On the restart, Schatz was right on Shaffers tail. When Shaffer would go high, Schatz would dive low and when Shaffer would try the low line, Schatz would jump to the top. With seven laps remaining, Shaffer would dive low battling traffic, allowing Schatz a shot on the outside which he used to his advantage to take the lead. The pair continued to race in and out of traffic battling for the lead and with four laps to go, Shaffer attempted a move to the outside of Schatz, who drove into the corner hard, splitting a lapped machine and Shaffer to hold onto the top spot. Schatz would drive to victory lane over Shaffer, Kaeding, a hard-charging Greg Wilson (up from
21st starting spot) and Tyler Walker.
Where ever he (Shaffer) went I wasnt going there. If he went on the bottom I was going to the topif he went to the top I was going to the bottom. Thats how you win races and thats how you can lose them. You lose a lot more than you winbut not tonight, said Schatz of his winning strategy.
You always want to win. I didnt move around enoughI should have found the rubber out in the middle but thats just part of it, said Shaffer, who has not finished out of the top three in the last seven All Star events.
We have a lot of lights in the road (races in the plains) here were going to race before the nationals (Knoxville) and we want to keep everything in one piece but still race good. You have to be aggressive but smart. Tonight, coming out of here secondhopefully part of a great week for us, added Shaffer beside his Technique Roofing, Kistler Engines backed #83. For Kaeding, his third place finish is hopefully a sign of good things to come.
You just have to be careful in lapped traffic. Half the time some people dont know where theyre going and other times they do. Its a very slick race tracka lot of guys are out here just holding on including us. So were happy to finish thirdwe rolled a decent finish out of it, said Kaeding who hails from San Jose, Calif.
We were a little loose therejust really couldnt get going there too good. I have to thank my crew guys..they bust their tails every week, day in and day out on this HR Cattle car. I have to thank Dennis and Theresa Roththeyve given me a great opportunity to come back here and race again. Hopefully we can click off a few of these All Star races this week. Tim Shaffer is fast and hopefully we can put that #83 behind mine, added Kaeding.
Qualifying – Kistler Engines
1. 20-Tony Stewart, 14.367; 2. 89G-David Gravel, 14.414; 3. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton, 14.600; 4. 83JR-Tim Kaeding, 14.659; 5. 17-Tyler Walker, 14.668; 6. 92-Mitch Mack, 14.690; 7. 83-Tim Shaffer, 14.734; 8. 6-Bill Rose, 14.802; 9. O-Brandon Wimmer, 14.812; 10. 21K-Lou Kennedy, 14.820; 11. 1-Chris Shirek, 14.821; 12. 15-Donny Schatz, 14.864; 13. 8-Casey Mack, 14.886; 14. 13-Mark Dobmeier, 14.936; 15. 10TR-Bob Martin, 14.998; 16. 27-Chris Ranten, 15.089; 17. 20K-Tom Kennedy, 15.089; 18. 31-Shane Roemeling, 15.218; 19. 96AU-Bruce White, 15.230; 20. O4-Cap Henry, 15.254; 21. W20-Greg Wilson, 15.265; 22. 5-Dave Glennon, 15.288; 23. 11J-Nick Shirek, 15.311; 24. 9N-Wade Nygaard, 15.536; 25. 12-Jared Ridge, 15.570;
26. 16-Rayce Martin, 15.599; 27. 14-Tom Egeland, 15.604; 28. 2-Austin Pierce, 15.814
Heat 1 – MSD Ignition (8 Laps)
1. 20-Tony Stewart; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer; 3. 21K-Lou Kennedy; 4. 83JR-Tim Kaeding; 5. 2-Austin Pierce; 6. 96AU-Bruce White; 7. 12-Jared Ridge; 8. 27-Chris Ranten; 9. 5-Dave Glennon; 10. 8-Casey Mack
Heat 2 – Kear’s Speed Shop (8 Laps)
1. 13-Mark Dobmeier; 2. 20K-Tom Kennedy; 3. 17-Tyler Walker; 4. 89G-David Gravel; 5. 6-Bill Rose; 6. 11J-Nick Shirek; 7. 16-Rayce Martin; 8. O4-Cap Henry; 9. 1-Chris Shirek
Heat 3 – All Pro Heads (8 Laps)
1. 15-Donny Schatz; 2. O-Brandon Wimmer; 3. 31-Shane Roemeling; 4. W20-Greg Wilson; 5. 9N-Wade Nygaard; 6. 10TR-Bob Martin; 7. 92-Mitch Mack; 8. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton; 9. 14-Tom Egeland
Dash – Rubbn’ Repair (6 Laps)
1. 6-Bill Rose; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer; 3. 89G-David Gravel; 4. 17-Tyler Walker; 5. W20-Greg Wilson; 6. O-Brandon Wimmer
A-Main OReilly Auto Parts (35 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 15-Donny Schatz[9]; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer[3]; 3. 83JR-Tim Kaeding[2]; 4. W20-Greg Wilson[21]; 5. 17-Tyler Walker[6]; 6. 13-Mark Dobmeier[10]; 7. 21K-Lou Kennedy[8]; 8. O-Brandon Wimmer[7]; 9. 89G-David Gravel[5]; 10. 8-Casey Mack[14]; 11. 1-Chris Shirek[13]; 12. 6-Bill Rose[1]; 13. 9N-Wade Nygaard[24]; 14. 11J-Nick Shirek[23]; 15. 31-Shane Roemeling[18]; 16. 20K-Tom Kennedy[17]; 17. 10TR-Bob Martin[15]; 18. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[11]; 19. 16-Rayce Martin[26]; 20. 92-Mitch Mack[12]; 21. 12-Jared Ridge[25]; 22. 14-Tom Egeland[27]; 23. 5-Dave Glennon[22]; 24. 2-Austin Pierce[28]; 25. 96AU-Bruce White[19]; 26. 20-Tony Stewart[4]; 27. O4-Cap Henry[20]; 28. 27-Chris Ranten[16]
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