im Shaffer Wins First Gene Tallman Memorial at Elkins Speedway
Camargo, IL (6-6-09) by Kelly Brown - Public Relations Director – On a night when the drivers of the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions were paying respect to one of the greats in West Virginia racing history, Gene Tallman, it was a night in which youth was served. All Star veteran Tim Shaffer may have taken the win with three plugs holding together his right rear tire, but one of the leading stories of the night was several drivers recording their career best finishes.
With sophomore driver Ryan Myers starting from the pole for the first time in his career and Rookie-of-the-Year title contender Brandon Wimmer lined up in second, the young guns of the series started the night out front ready to fire when the Green Flag flew. On the start it was Wimmer who got the early jump, with Myers and Shaffer in his tire tracks.
In the early laps Shaffer was on the move. He spent a few orbits of the course sizing Myers up before pulling underneath him to take the second position on Lap 9. With ten laps in the books the top-five was consisted of: Wimmer, Shaffer, Myers, Daron Clayton, and Dale Blaney. Justin Henderson did sneak into the top-five for a short time, as he battled Blaney for the fifth position.
At this time fellow Rookie-of-the-Year contender Daron Clayton decided to make a charge to the front diving under Myers on Lap 15, then went to work on the 83 car. Feeling the heat, Shaffer made a move on Wimmer stealing the lead for a split second. Wimmer battled back though retaking the lead, but it was Shaffer with a stiff upper hand establishing himself in the top spot with a move under the 0 car with ten laps to go.
With the laps winding down, Clayton could hear the clock ticking and began to make his presence known sliding his way into the second position, but it was short lived as he got into the 7au of Roddy Bellbowen, who was not on the lead lap. Both cars went spinning and flipping, causing a Red Flag. The restart order was: Shaffer, Wimmer, Henderson, Myers, and Blaney.
When the field saw the Green Flag again it was Doug Esh who was on the move. On the restart he got a good jump picking up four positions, moving from eighth to fourth in the final laps of the event. With the Checkered Flag flying in the air it would be Shaffer picking up his second All Star race win in 24 hours. He was followed by Wimmer, Henderson, Esh, Blaney and Myers.
This was Shaffer’s third victory of the season; his first came in the season opener at Ocala Speedway in Florida and his second came last night at his home track of Lernerville Speedway. This is his fourteenth All Star career win.
Drivers turning in career best finishes tonight included: Wimmer who recorded his first runner up finish, Justin Henderson who appeared in the top-three for the first time, Ryan Myers tying his best career finish of sixth, and David Gravel with his first career top-ten finish.
- Ross Paulson on Mar 26, 2020
- Article Date: 6/6/2009 by Kelly Brown