FREMONT, Ohio – In any sport when you struggle you start to question yourself…you lose confidence. Sprint Car racing can amplify that feeling. Just ask Tim Shaffer.
The former four time University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions titlist won only one series event last year and this year has struggled. But, Shaffer and his Bryan Grove Racing team rolled up their sleeves and went to work, and it paid off Sunday at Fremont Speedway.
“The Steel City Outlaw” would battle with James McFadden – the previous night’s winner – throughout the last half of the 50-lap race on Budweiser Night before grabbing the lead on lap 47 and drove to the $10,000 victory. It was Shaffer’s first All Star win at Fremont since 2012 and was his 9th career series win at “The Track That Action Built.” Shaffer now has 14 career wins at Fremont and 55 total All Star victories as he sits fifth on the series’ all-time win list, only one win away from hall-of-famer Jack Hewitt.
“Hats off to the guys…Todd and Five-O…we have everybody here helping. Thank you. It’s been so tough. You go along there for a long spell…like a year and half and you’re struggling and struggling and you just keep fighting. It seemed like the harder we fought the worst it got and you get to a point where it’s like ‘can I drive any more.’ It’s great to be standing back up here again…it’s been a long time,” said an emotional Shaffer in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
“What’s amazing is I’ve been up here and I’ve gotten to win this a couple of times. If everything is going right and the car is operating and you do your job it will come to you. It’s 50 laps…you have to be aggressive but patient. I think these new tires have really thrown a loop to every body….it really changed how we feel in the car. It doesn’t feel good…nothing like it felt before. I just needed to man up and quit whining,” added Shaffer beside his Canton Erectors, VRP Shocks, Gressman Powersports, Helms Construction backed #45.
For McFadden, who took the lead from Brady Bacon on lap 9, lost it on lap 28 to Shaffer, regained it on lap 31, lost it to Shaffer again on lap 43, regained it for a lap with four to go, only to watch Shaffer drive by for the win a lap later, it wrapped up a successful return to the United States. Since coming from Australia on Friday, McFadden has recorded a third at Plymouth, a win Saturday at Fremont and a second on Sunday against the UNOH All Stars.
“It was a pretty cool race…I bet it was a great race for the fans. I got stuck a little bit behind that lapped car and I should have zigged when I should have zagged and it was enough to give up the lead. Congratulations to those guys. We’ve all struggled at times and to get that win is awesome. I’m happy for my team but a little disappointed. I kind of thought I threw that one away a little bit. We did 48 good laps and ran second,” said McFadden beside his Gaerte Engines, XYZ Machining, Townline Variety, All Star Performance, Hills Racing #3G.
Current All Star point leader Dale Blaney rallied from near disaster on the first lap of the feature, and was closing on the top two only to run out of laps and finish third.
“I was going to be patient there for awhile and I just got into two a little too low and hit that hole…I don’t know how it stayed on the ground. We lost so much ground there it was hard to make up. But, we got back to third and had a chance. If we could have gotten back to traffic about 10 laps of traffic it would have helped and given me an opportunity. I wasn’t as good as the 45 or the 3G. We’ll take third tonight,” said Blaney beside his CH Motorsports, Go Muddy.com, Big Game Tree Stands #1.
The UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions return to action on Saturday May 30th at Wayne County Speedway in Orville, OH. For more information log onto AllStarSprint.com
- Blake Anderson on May 26, 2015
- Article Date: 5/26/2015 by Brian Liskai