20,000 Reasons to Smile: Jason Meyers Wins Finale at Skagit Speedway
Jason Meyers got around early leader Jayme Barnes in heavy lapped traffic on the ninth lap and endured four cautions over the remainder of the 40-lapper to earn his sixth win of the 2009.
Courtesy: WoO Sprint Car Series
Alger, WA— September 5, 2009—For the second consecutive season, Jason Meyers found himself leading the finale of the annual two-day World of Outlaws event at Skagit Speedway in Washington on a lap-32 restart with Joey Saldana lining up behind him. The end result was the opposite of one year ago, as Meyers would keep the top spot and claim the $20,000 triumph with Saldana finishing behind him.
Meyers got around early leader Jayme Barnes in heavy lapped traffic on the ninth lap and endured four cautions over the remainder of the 40-lapper to earn his sixth win of the 2009 campaign aboard the GLR Investments KPC. He also was able to gain 14 points on Donny Schatz in the series standings and now is just 38 points out of the top spot as he chases his first career title.
“For us it wasn’t about the money tonight, but that sure will be nice,” said Meyers. “I’ve worked real hard here for a lot of years to win a race. I’d been close a few times and had just come up short. To get this one tonight feels real good. We haven’t won for a while and were struggling a little bit. We won the race and got a lot of points in the championship. All in all it was a magnificent night for this team.”
After finishing on the podium in both races at Skagit Speedway last season as well as in the opener on Friday night, Meyers was able to win for the first time in his career at the high-banked bullring, where he competed for the first time back in 1998. He used strong restarts three times down the stretch with Saldana right behind him.
“I had him (Saldana) behind me last year and after about six or seven restarts, I gave him the race,” stated Meyers. “I was just trying real hard to get off turn four well. That’s where I made a mistake last year. I actually got off (turn) four bad on that last restart, but I was able to carry my speed through (turns) one and two pretty good. It was just a great race car tonight and that makes your job easier. I have a team that works hard each and every day to give me that and today they did an exceptional job.”
The race began with Jayme Barnes, who started on the outside of the front row, taking the lead from Jason Sides in turns one and two, though third-starting Travis Jacobson got upside leading to a red flag and a complete restart. On the second start, Barnes again got the jump on Sides and paced the field.
Meyers took the second position on the second lap from Sides, though the yellow came out negating that pass. On the ensuing restart, Meyers blasted his way around Sides on the high side of turn two and began to set his sights on Barnes.
The leaders found themselves in lapped traffic on the fifth lap, with Meyers closing right up on Barnes. While in heavy lapped traffic on the ninth lap, Barnes was held up coming off the fourth turn by a couple of slower machines causing him to nearly spin, and giving Meyers the opening he needed to dive under him and take the top spot, which he would not relinquish the rest of the 40-lapper.
“40 laps is a long time here and there is a lot of time for people to make mistakes,” Meyers noted. “With the way the cars are and the wing package is you have to get to the front as soon as you can. The clean air is very important. We went hard right out of the gate trying to get to the front. I had a great car all race long. It was great with the fuel load and it was great without. It was probably the best car I have had here in a long time.”
After winning the opener at Skagit Speedway on Friday night, Saldana settled for a runner-up performance in the Budweiser Maxim in the finale. He battled Jason Sides early in the race for the runner-up spot and took that position on the 11th circuit.
“It was a good solid run,” said Saldana. “We had a good car, we just screwed up in the dash. Track position is so important and that put Jason (Meyers) up in front of me and I had to try to pass him. He did a great job and ran a flawless race. I thought in lapped traffic we may have something, but he was getting through lapped cars as well as I was. There wasn’t much there and I don’t know if I broke a spark plug or something running up in that stuff, but the motor wouldn’t take off. Once I got going I was ok, but I just couldn’t get a run on him. You had to either do it on a restart or get him in lapped traffic.”
Near the halfway point of the 40-lap contest Saldana was able to gain some ground on Meyers in heavy lapped traffic as the latter was held up by a few slower machines. The caution flew on the 27th lap putting the leaders in open traffic. Saldana tried everything he could on a couple of late restarts, but was not able to get a run on Meyers.
“I was as good as he was, but when you are running someone that good, they have to make a mistake or something’s got to happened and nothing happened and we finished second,” explained the native of Brownsburg, Indiana. “It was a very good effort for our whole team. This is a race you definitely want to win with the big payout. I got him last year on a restart and he ran second and tonight he was definitely faster and deserved to win.”
Jac Haudenschild charged his way around the top side of the track on Saturday night to come from the eighth starting spot to finish third in the Owens-Corning Fiberglass Maxim. For the native of Wooster, Ohio it was his fifth third-place run of the season as he closes in on his first win of 2009.
“I’m glad to get back up in the Top-Three,” said Haudenschild. “We’ve been off here a little bit lately and I think we’ll get back on it now. The car felt good tonight. I would have liked for it to have gone non-stop, but I’m glad to finish third.”
Shane Stewart came home fourth in the K&B Racing ART, after a broken driveline forced him out of the dash while leading that eight-lap race with two laps to go. For the 2005 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, it was his best finish of the season with the World of Outlaws.
Jason Sides, who began the night by setting a new track record in time trials, ended up fifth in the Wetherington Tractor Service Maxim. Sides made history becoming the first drive in the 55 year history of Skagit Speedway to turn a sub-11 second lap in qualifying. He also won the Crane Cams Dash to earn the pole position for the A-Feature.
Donny Schatz came all the way from the 21st starting spot to finish sixth in the Armor All J&J to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award. Kraig Kinser was seventh piloting the Bass Prop Shops Maxim. Jayme Barnes, who led the first eight laps of the race, wound up eighth in the Law Motorsports XXX. Jason Solwold was ninth aboard the Shark Racing Engines XXX. Steve Kinser came all the way from the 23rd starting spot to finish 10th in the Quaker State Maxim.
The World of Outlaws return to action on Labor Day, Monday, September 7 at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington.
SKAGIT SPEEDWAY NIGHT #2 NOTES
• FAST QUALIFIER: Jason Sides paced the 32 cars that took time with a record setting AMB i.t. timed lap around the high-banked three-tenths-mile oval at 10.872 seconds at 99.338 mph. For his qualifying effort, Sides earned five bonus points. The next four fastest qualifiers also earned bonus points, including: Jayme Barnes (4), Shane Stewart (3), Jason Meyers (2), and Travis Jacobson (1).
• QUALIFYING WINNERS: Jonathan Allard, Joey Saldana, Jac Haudenschild and Lucas Wolfe won heat races. Jason Sides won the Crane Cams Dash. Travis Rutz won the B-Main.
• FEATURE WINNERS: There has been 54 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature event held in 2009. The winners include: Joey Saldana (Volusia Speedway Park, Silver Dollar Speedway, Thunderbowl Raceway, Lone Star Speedway, Houston Raceway Park, The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Virginia Motor Speedway, Lawrenceburg Speedway, Dodge City Raceway Park-twice, U.S. 36 Raceway, 34 Raceway, I-55 Raceway, Castrol Raceway-twice and Skagit Speedway), Donny Schatz (Volusia Speedway Park-twice, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Knoxville Raceway, Eldora Speedway, Canandaigua Speedway, Lawrenceburg Speedway, River Cities Speedway, Cedar Lake Speedway, Eldora Speedway, K-C Raceway and Dacotah Speedway), Jason Meyers (Silver Dollar Speedway, Paducah International Raceway, I-96 Speedway, Red River Valley Speedway, Ohsweken Speedway and Skagit Speedway), Danny Lasoski (Delaware International Speedway, Nodak Speedway, Eagle Raceway, Charter Raceway Park and Lernerville Speedway), Craig Dollansky (Lebanon Valley Speedway, I-55 Raceway and River Cities Speedway), Greg Hodnett (Williams Grove Speedway-twice), Steve Kinser (Tri-State Speedway and Limaland Motorsports Park), Terry McCarl (Knoxville Raceway and Eldora Speedway), Dale Blaney (Attica Raceway Park), Randy Hannagan (Thunderbowl Raceway), Tim Kaeding (Riverside International Speedway),Chad Kemenah (Manzanita Speedway), Jason Sides (Ohsweken Speedway) and Stevie Smith (Lernerville Speedway).
• 3/10-MILE WINNERS: Skagit Speedway is a high-banked 3/10-mile oval. The World of Outlaws have raced four times this season on a track that size. The winners include: Craig Dollansky (River Cities Speedway), Jason Meyers (Skagit Speedway), Joey Saldana (Skagit Speedway) and Donny Schatz (River Cities Speedway).
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Skagit Speedway Night #2; Alger, WA; September 5, 2009
Qualifying
1) 7S-Jason Sides 10.872
2) 33-Jayme Barnes 10.880
3) 7K-Shane Stewart 10.888
4) 14-Jason Meyers 10.895
5) 18-Travis Jacobson 10.914
6) 9-Joey Saldana 10.978
7) 6-Danny Lasoski 10.996
8) 19-Craig Dollansky 11.000
9) 73-Jason Solwold 11.001
10) 20-Kraig Kinser 11.009
11) 26-Travis Rutz 11.017
12) 5W-Lucas Wolfe 11.021
13) O-Jonathan Allard 11.036
14) 10-Sammy Swindell 11.064
15) R19-Jac Haudenschild 11.066
16) 5X-Colton Heath 11.075
17) 24T-Tyler Walker 11.109
18) 39C-Paul McMahan 11.137
19) 11EH-Marc Duperron 11.192
20) 83-Tim Kaeding 11.203
21) 4X-Toni Lutar 11.249
22) 15-Donny Schatz 11.250
23) 94-Zach Zimmerly 11.256
24) 7-Robbie Farr 11.278
25) 88-Jesse Whitney 11.281
26) 22-Brian Ellenberger 11.283
27) 98M-Mitch Olson 11.306
28) 11-Steve Kinser 11.329
29) 59-Eric Fisher 11.399
30) 44H-Michael Harris 11.443
31) 75-Kevin Smith 11.654
32) 1-Steve Parker 11.960
Heat 1 (10 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) O-Jonathan Allard
2) 7S-Jason Sides
3) 73-Jason Solwold
4) 18-Travis Jacobson
5) 24T-Tyler Walker
6) 4X-Toni Lutar
7) 88-Jesse Whitney
8) 59-Eric Fisher
Heat 2 (10 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 9-Joey Saldana
2) 20-Kraig Kinser
3) 33-Jayme Barnes
4) 10-Sammy Swindell
5) 39C-Paul McMahan
6) 22-Brian Ellenberger
7) 44H-Michael Harris
8) 15-Donny Schatz
Heat 3 (10 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) R19-Jac Haudenschild
2) 7K-Shane Stewart
3) 6-Danny Lasoski
4) 98M-Mitch Olson
5) 75-Kevin Smith
6) 26-Travis Rutz
7) 11EH-Marc Duperron
8) 94-Zach Zimmerly
Heat 4 (10 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 5W-Lucas Wolfe
2) 14-Jason Meyers
3) 5X-Colton Heath
4) 19-Craig Dollansky
5) 83-Tim Kaeding
6) 7-Robbie Farr
7) 11-Steve Kinser
8) 1-Steve Parker
Crane Cams Dash (8 laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature)
1) 7S-Jason Sides
2) 33-Jayme Barnes
3) 18-Travis Jacobson
4) 14-Jason Meyers
5) 9-Joey Saldana
6) 5W-Lucas Wolfe
7) O-Jonathan Allard
8) R19-Jac Haudenschild
9) 7K-Shane Stewart
10) 20-Kraig Kinser
B-main (12 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 26-Travis Rutz
2) 15-Donny Schatz
3) 11-Steve Kinser
4) 4X-Toni Lutar
5) 7-Robbie Farr [$200]
6) 44H-Michael Harris [$180]
7) 22-Brian Ellenberger [$175]
8) 1-Steve Parker [$160]
9) 88-Jesse Whitney [$150]
10) 11EH-Marc Duperron [$150]
11) 94-Zach Zimmerly [$150]
12) 59-Eric Fisher [$150]
A-main (40 laps) - Starting Position [#]
1) 14-Jason Meyers[4] [$20,000]
2) 9-Joey Saldana[5] [$5,700]
3) R19-Jac Haudenschild[8] [$3,500]
4) 7K-Shane Stewart[9] [$3,000]
5) 7S-Jason Sides[1] [$2,600]
6) 15-Donny Schatz[21] [$2,400]
7) 20-Kraig Kinser[10] [$2,300]
8) 33-Jayme Barnes[2] [$2,200]
9) 73-Jason Solwold[13] [$2,150]
10) 11-Steve Kinser[23] [$2,100]
11) 19-Craig Dollansky[12] [$1,600]
12) 39C-Paul McMahan[18] [$1,350]
13) 5W-Lucas Wolfe[6] [$1,300]
14) 6-Danny Lasoski[11] [$1,200]
15) O-Jonathan Allard[7] [$1,100]
16) 83-Tim Kaeding[19] [$1,000]
17) 75-Kevin Smith[24] [$900]
18) 26-Travis Rutz[14] [$850]
19) 24T-Tyler Walker[17] [$800]
20) 5X-Colton Heath[16] [$800]
21) 10-Sammy Swindell[15] [$800]
22) 98M-Mitch Olson[22] [$800]
23) 4X-Toni Lutar[20] [$800]
24) 18-Travis Jacobson[3] [$800]
Lap Leaders: Jayme Barnes 1-8, Jason Meyers 9-40
SuperClean Start of the Night Award: Jason Sides
Penske Power Position Award: Jac Haudenschild
KSE Hard Charger Award: Donny Schatz
World of Outlaws Championship Standings through September 5
1. Donny Schatz 7322
2. Jason Meyers 7284 -38
3. Joey Saldana 7263 -59
4. Steve Kinser 7152 -170
5. Jason Sides 7041 -281
6. Danny Lasoski 6961 -361
7. Craig Dollansky 6941 -381
8. Kraig Kinser 6693 -629
9. Jac Haudenschild 6616 -706
10. Lucas Wolfe 6314 -1008
