WOO: Shaffer Dominates Grays Harbor Preliminary Program

24 August 1998

By Richard Day

ELMA, WA - The Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' Wild, Wild Northwest Tour just seems to bring out the best in David Helm's #11H Vivarin Eagle.

Helm celebrated his car's first Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' victory when the series opened the 1997 Wild, Wild Northwest Tour at Sweetwater Speedway last August 19th. Tim Shaffer, who Helm hired as his driver in late July, put the #11H in victory lane a year and two days later when the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series opened a double-feature event at Grays Harbor Raceway Park Friday.

"It feels really good to be here (in victory lane)," Shaffer said. "I just have to thank Dave (Helm), Sonny (Kratzer), Vivarin and Selma Shell."

Shaffer deserves plenty of credit as well. After recording the fifth-fastest qualifying lap in the 42-car field, he won the First Racing Champions Heat Race and the Channellock Dash before leading all 25 laps in the Preliminary Feature. It was the Aliquippa, PA, driver's first visit to Grays Harbor Raceway Park.

Shaffer earned the right to start the Preliminary Feature on the pole by winning the Channellock Dash. He burst into the lead as the green flag fell in the evening's main event, only to have Drew Church flip in turn one.

Shaffer drove the #11H Vivarin Eagle ahead of the field again when the green flag replaced the red, and opened a comfortable advantage as Andy Hillenburg and Mark Kinser passed outside polesitter Tyler Walker during the opening lap.

Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner Jac Haudenschild was trying to pass Walker late in lap two when they collided in the fourth corner. The red flag fell when Walker's #35 Air Sep Eagle turned over on its side. Both Walker and Haudenschild were able to restart the race.

Shaffer controlled the ensuing restart and was eight car- lengths ahead of Hillenburg when he entered lapped traffic during the eighth lap. Although dense traffic allowed Hillenburg to narrow the gap to four car-lengths within three laps, Shaffer extended his advantage to 12 car-lengths midway through the race.

Hillenburg closed to within three car-lengths by the 18th lap, and caught Shaffer the next time around. He steered his #2 J&J into the low groove between turns one and two early in lap 19, but was unable to surge ahead. The caution flag fell seconds later as Walker and Jim Carter spun between the third and fourth corners.

Hillenburg was unable to keep pace with Shaffer when the green flag replaced the yellow, and was six car-lengths behind at the checkered flag.

"Andy's been running hard here lately, but any time you win a World of Outlaws race you beat the best there is," Shaffer said. "There was some pressure jumping into this ride, especially right before the biggest races of the year. I just go out and do the best I can. Getting a win means a lot to me. I've wanted this for a long time."

Sammy Swindell, who started a seven-feature winning streak at Grays Harbor Raceway Park a year ago, flipped his #1 Channellock Stealth in hot laps and had to bring out a backup car. The defending Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series champion started the Preliminary Feature inside the 12th row and passed 18 cars during the first 18 laps. He raced past Amoco Knoxville Nationals champion Danny Lasoski for fourth place late in the 22nd lap, and battled Mark Kinser for third during the final three laps.

Finishing 1-4 in the Preliminary Feature assured Shaffer, Hillenburg, Kinser and Swindell of the first four starting positions in Saturday's Channellock Dash.

Lasoski finished fifth, ahead of Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series points leader Steve Kinser, Stevie Smith, Jeff Swindell, Dale Blaney and Haudenschild.

Haudenschild received his eighth Vivarin Fast-Time Award of the season after circling the high-banked, 3/8-mile oval in 13.100 seconds. The 103.053-m.p.h. lap is Grays Harbor Raceway Park's new single-lap record.

Donny Schatz came back strong after crashing his #15 Blue Beacon Gambler into the turn-one retaining wall during the First Racing Champions Heat Race. Bringing out a backup car, the 1997 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series Rookie of the Year passed seven cars to win the "C" Feature. He passed 13 sprinters to finish third in the "B" Feature, then raced into 13th place from outside the 12th row in the evening's main event.

1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series
Grays Harbor Raceway Park, Elma, WA
Friday, August 21, Preliminary Program

Qualifications: 1. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 13.100 (new single-lap record); 2. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 13.141; 3. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 13.246; 4. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 13.277; 5. Tim Shaffer, Helm 11H, 13.315; 6. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 13.325; 7. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 13.417; 8. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 13.427; 9. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 13.452; 10. Dale Blaney, Hylton-Blaney 93, 13.464; 11. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 13.468; 12. Paul McMahan, Stanton 75, 13.549; 13. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 13.575; 14. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 13.622; 15. Craig Dollansky, Fauver 64, 13.659; 16. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 13.681; 17. Kasey Kahne, Kahne 23K, 13.689; 18. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 13.691; 19. Dale Smith, Smith 75S, 13.731; 20. Jay Cole, Cole 0J, 13.868; 21. Jim Carter, Rudeen 14, 13.975; 22. Drew Church, Church 71, 14.045; 23. Jay Smith, Huson 3D, 14.197; 24. Steve Tupper, D&S Enterprises 48, 14.260; 25. Kirk Fellers, Fellers 77F, 14.285; 26. Randy Ridge, Kennedy/ Melnick 39, 14.375; 27. Shawna Wilskey, Wilskey 5, 14.482; 28. John Youngquist, Youngquist 56, 14.496; 29. Jackie McGahan, McGahan 77, 14.510; 30. Trevon Wilson, Wilson 5W, 14.742; 31. Ron Reed, Reed 97C, 14.829; 32. Kirk Haefs, Haefs 32K, 14.848; 33. Steve Walker, Walker 7W, 14.850; 34. Mike Zvono, Zvono 85, 14.873; 35. Tony Thomas, Thomas 91, 14.902; 36. Jimmy Kirkham, Kirkham 62K, 14.928; 37. Gary Taylor, Taylor 7, 15.248; 38. Kerry Sample, Glick 20, 15.352; 39. Dan Dunlap, Dunlap 15D, 15.364; 40. Rick Fauver, Fauver 51x, 15.556; 41. Michael Thompson, Thompson 32, 15.780; 42. Manny Gobel, Gobel 51, 15.826.

First Racing Champions Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Tim Shaffer, 2. Joe Gaerte, 3. Jac Haudenschild, 4. Kasey Kahne, 5. Jim Carter, 6. Kirk Fellers, 7. Gary Taylor, 8. Steve Walker, 9. Donny Schatz, 10. Jackie McGahan. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Second Racing Champions Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Johnny Herrera, 2. Drew Church, 3. Lance Blevins, 4. Dale Blaney, 5. Danny Lasoski, 6. Stevie Smith, 7. Kerry Sample, 8. Randy Ridge, 9. Mike Zvono, 10. Trevon Wilson, 11. Manny Gobel. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Third Racing Champions Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Sammy Swindell, 2. Mark Kinser, 3. Jay Smith, 4. Tyler Walker, 5. Dale Smith, 6. Ron Reed, 7. Tony Thomas, 8. Craig Dollansky, 9. Dan Dunlap, 10. Shawna Wilskey. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Jeff Swindell, 2. Steve Kinser, 3. Andy Hillenburg, 4. Paul McMahan, 5. Jay Cole, 6. Jimmy Kirkham, 7. Steve Tupper, 8. John Youngquist, 9. Kirk Haefs, 10. Rick Fauver. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Channellock Dash (seven laps): 1. Tim Shaffer, 2. Tyler Walker, 3. Andy Hillenburg, 4. Mark Kinser, 5. Danny Lasoski, 6. Jac Haudenschild, 7. Joe Gaerte, 8. Steve Kinser. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the Preliminary Feature)

C Feature (eight laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Jimmy Kirkham, 3. Tony Thomas, 4. Gary Taylor ($100); 5. Kerry Sample ($80); 6. Manny Gobel ($60); 7. Dan Dunlap ($50); 8. Rick Fauver ($40). (first three qualified for the "B" Feature)

B Feature (12 laps): 1. Craig Dollansky, 2. Stevie Smith, 3. Donny Schatz, 4. Kirk Fellers, 5. Steve Tupper ($150); 6. John Youngquist ($125); 7. Randy Ridge ($100); 8. Jimmy Kirkham ($95); 9. Kirk Haefs ($60); 10. Steve Walker ($50); 11. Mike Zvono ($40); 12. Trevon Wilson ($40); 13. Jackie McGahan ($40); 14. Tony Thomas ($60); 15. Ron Reed ($40); 16. Shawna Wilskey ($40). (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

A Feature (25 laps): 1. Tim Shaffer ($4,500); 2. Andy Hillenburg ($2,500); 3. Mark Kinser ($1,700); 4. Sammy Swindell ($1,500); 5. Danny Lasoski ($1,350); 6. Steve Kinser ($1,250); 7. Stevie Smith ($1,220); 8. Jeff Swindell ($1,100); 9. Dale Blaney ($1,075); 10. Jac Haudenschild ($1,050); 11. Joe Gaerte ($1,000); 12. Craig Dollansky ($820); 13. Donny Schatz ($740); 14. Kasey Kahne ($630); 15. Lance Blevins ($400); 16. Johnny Herrera ($400); 17. Tyler Walker ($300); 18. Jay Smith ($300); 19. Dale Smith ($300); 20. Kirk Fellers ($320); 21. Jay Cole ($300); 22. Jim Carter ($300); 23. Paul McMahan ($300); 24. Drew Church ($300).

Lap leader: Tim Shaffer 1-25

Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Jac Haudenschild