OSKALOOSA, IOWA (8-9-10) By Brian Liskai- Sammy Swindell passed for the lead twice, but a caution would fly moving him back to second. Then, when leader Tyler Walker suffered a flat left rear tire with just four laps remaining, Swindell took the lead for good and went on to win his second straight Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway Monday night.

The win with the O'Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions was worth $10,000 for the Germantown, Tenn. driver.

"I had to pick my spot to pass. The corners are so big here if I got up on someone the bad air made the car push so bad," said Swindell beside his Big Game Tree Stands #1

The 12th Annual Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge started with 31 cars signed in and they were scattered throughout the race track as over two inches of rain on Sunday night made the pit area a swamp. Following the heats, the eight fastest qualifiers who had made it through their heats into the A-main, competed in the King of the Hill, with Joey Saldana winning a thrilling two lap side-by-side battle over Tyler Walker by three feet.

Saldana said he would accept the Front Row Challenge - go to the rear with a chance to win $50,000 - if promoter Terry McCarl would make the race 30 laps rather than the scheduled 25. McCarl said his insurance policy for the $50,000 bonus would only be in effect for a 25 lap race. However, he told Saldana if he went to the tail and finished in the top three he would earn a $5,000 bonus, so Saldana accepted the challenge, much to the delight of the huge crowd.

At the drop of the green, pole-sitter Walker jumped into the lead in his Keen Motorsports #17 with Swindell, David Gravel, Paul McMahan, Brad Sweet and Brook Tatnell in tow. The caution would fly on lap three for Daryn Pittman who stopped on the track. All eyes were on Saldana who had already moved from 24th to 11th. On the restart Walker continued to lead with Swindell stalking in second, but the action would come to a halt when Mitchell Dumsney got upside down in turn three.

Again on the restart, Walker powered away slightly from Swindell with Gravel battling McMahan and Sweet for third while Saldana had move into eighth by lap 7. With 10 laps in, Swindell began to reel Walker in, and made a pass for the lead in turns one and two just as the caution flew for a stalled Jonathan Allard. On the restart, Swindell once again drove under Walker for the lead, but it was for naught, as Saldana got crossed up and spun on the front stretch, ending his bid for the $50,000.

On the ensuing restart, Walker did not give Swindell another opportunity, and took his line into turn one and maintained the lead. But, just as earlier in the race, about five laps into the run, Swindell began to close wtih McMahan, Gravel, Sweet and Tatnell locked in a good battle for third. With five laps remaining the caution would fly and Walker had a lapped machine between himself and Swindell. On the ensuing restart, Walker's left rear tire exploded on the backstretch, handing the lead to Swindell.

Swindell would drive away to the victory with McMahan, Gravel, Sweet and Tatnell rounding out the top five.

"The first three or four laps in every run we were about even and then about six to seven laps in I would get a little faster. I could manuever around a little better than him (Walker)," said Swindell. "I just had to wait to make my move..I couldn't get too close to him because of how the dirty air affected my car."

McMahan was pleased with his runner-up finish.

"I had one shot at Sammy and there was a lapped car between us. But, our Speedway Motors engine was great and the Great Clips, Sage, Kasey Kahne Racing car was good...this was a great tune-up for the Nationals (Knoxville)," said McMahan.

Gravel, who sits third in the All Star Circuit of Champions' point standing, continued his impressive summer.

"We brought out a new car tonight and it worked very well. Every since Rob (Hart) came on board we've been really fast and racing in the front and I can't ask for more than that," said Gravel beside his DDR Motorsports JRC Transportation backed #89.

Pevely, MO

The $20,000 win for Meyers was his eighth of the season and his second career triumph at I-55 Raceway, where he has finished in the Top-10 in each of his last seven starts at the high-banked 1/3-mile co-owned by Ken Schrader and Ray Marlar. The win helped Meyers close to within 46 markers of current point leader Joey Saldana, who finished fifth, while he is just 37 points behind Steve Kinser, who finished sixth on Saturday night and is currently second in the standings.

“To win any race here, let alone a 55-lap race is pretty special,” said Meyers. “We had a great race car tonight and learned some things last night that we were able to use tonight. We just keep getting better day after day. We struggled a bit here in the middle of the season and kept digging and kept our heads down. This entire team is doing an amazing job.”

Meyers took the lead from Tim Shaffer on the 29^th lap on the low side of turns one and two and quickly opened a gap once out front. The native of Clovis, California was credited with leading a total of 26 laps en route to the victory. He started on the outside of the front row aboard the GLR Investments KPC and chased Tim Shaffer who started on the pole in the early going, before Sam Hafertepe Jr. took the second spot on the seventh lap. Meyers would move back into the runner-up spot 10 laps later and then worked on Shaffer for the next 13 laps.

“It was a long race and we were a little tight at the beginning, but we set up for that,” explained the winner. “I waited for the car to kind of come to me and it did after the fuel came off a little bit. It ended up being a very good car tonight.”

Wolfe closed the gap on Meyers over the last three laps on Saturday night and with two to go, was all over his back bumper. Coming to the checkered flag Wolfe used a monstrous slide job in turns three and four to take the top spot and charge down the front straightaway with Meyers right behind him. Meyers went low at the start finish/line to inch out the native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

“I was thinking I made the wrong decision when he came by me, but I was able to get back by him,” shared Meyers of the last lap last corner action. “He drove a great race and is a very good driver and has many good years ahead of him. It’s great to race guys like that.”

Wolfe, who lined up third, fell back to fifth on the seventh lap. He worked his way around Joey Saldana on lap-16 to move into fourth, before taking third from Sam Hafertepe Jr. on the 24^th go-around. He gained significant ground on Meyers in the late going, giving him a chance at scoring his fist career World of Outlaws A-Feature win.

“I was close there and got a good opportunity at the end to slide him and was pretty good the whole time,” Wolfe said. “At least I got a shot at him. I was following him and kind of biding my time waiting to get a shot and it all came together good there at the end. I just wasn’t quite able to hold him off

Wolfe had a steady night aboard the Allebach Racing Maxim, opening the finale of the Ironman 55 by turning the ninth fastest lap in qualifying, finishing second in a heat race and third in the dash to earn the inside second row starting spot in the 55-lap main event. Following the stock car main event, the track crew at I-55 Raceway did a complete rebuild of the high-banked bullring, providing a very racy surface for the main event.

“It was a great track tonight and I’m glad they worked on it,” said Wolfe. “I wish we raced here more. It was a lot of fun and hopefully we come here a few times next year.”

Tim Shaffer, who opened the Ironman Weekend with a win on Friday night, started on the pole in the finale and led early en route to a third-place finish in the Kistler Engines J&J. He and Sam Hafertepe Jr. traded the top spot unofficially six times over a three lap period from lap 10-12, with Hafertepe officially being credited with the top spot at the line each time, as he used slide jobs in turns three and four to retake the top spot each time after Shaffer used slide jobs in turns one and two to move back out front.

“It was a great race,” stated Shaffer. “We were just a little too tight and those guys were a lot freer. I thought the track would get slicker. We’re happy with third. It was 55 laps and we survived. It was a very good weekend for us.”

Pevely, MO

Shaffer started on the front row of the 30-lapper and chased Jason Sides, who started on the pole, in the early going. For Shaffer, it was his first World of Outlaws win of the season and the 13^th of his career.

“It was a team effort on everyone’s part,” said Shaffer. “We have a lot of people with this team that can’t come to the races all the time and I want to thank every one of them. Aaron Call and Janet Holbrook gave us a great opportunity and a great team and we are trying to make the best we can and it’s working out. It makes it special that we can win races for them and it’s just fun.”

Shaffer used lapped traffic to his advantage on the seventh lap, powering his way to the outside of Sides coming off the high side of turn two aboard the Kistler Engines J&J. Once out front, Shaffer set sail, slicing his way through lapped traffic to open a sizeable lead on the Jason Sides. He had Sides and Craig Dollansky gain some ground on him in the late going, with Dollansky finishing just a half-a-second behind and Sides only eighth-tenths-of-a-second back in third.

“I was too tight early and couldn’t do anything with him,” Shaffer explained. “I did have to wait, not that I wanted to, but the car was making me and it worked out to our advantage. Sometimes in lapped traffic running second is better, then I got the lead and had to worry about it, but it worked out for me and just made the right decisions and here we are.”

The only caution of the main event flew on the 18^th lap, with Shaffer choosing the high side of the trck on the double file restart with Sides lining up below him. Shaffer used a very strong restart to quickly jump out to a sizeable lead and would lead the remainder of the 30-lap contest which was co-sanctioned by the World of Outlaws and All Star Circuit of Champions.

“I wasn’t sure what to do really,” he admitted. “I was digging pretty hard and the car was hooked up and I thought if I could get some momentum going down the hill. It just worked out.”

Craig Dollansky battled Jason Sides down the stretch for the second spot to extend his string of races in which he has finished first or second at I-55 Raceway to five. He started sixth and was up to fourth in just one lap, getting around Jason Meyers and Kraig Kinser. He then worked on Donny Schatz until just past the halfway point of the race for third, taking the spot on the 17^th circuit, before getting around Jason Sides for second with eight laps to go.

“Last year we won this race and finished second the second night so hopefully tomorrow night we can reverse them,” said Dollansky. “We had a good car tonight. We had a good car in the dash and got to racing with Kerry (Madsen) and Jason (Sides) and I wasn’t ready for Kerry to come left like he did and I tried to woe up as quick as I could. We got the car sideways trying to avoid him and we got together a little bit and that put us into a hole as well him. It’s unfortunate, but we gained a few spots there back in the dash and got ourselves into the sixth starting spot. From sixth to second is not bad with the guys that were starting on the front row.”

Jason Sides, who started on the pole and led the first six laps, ended up third in the Wetherington Tractor Service Maxim to earn his 18^th Top-Five finish of the season and second consecutive podium.

“You hate to give up a win when you start on the front row,” Sides said. “To give it up to anyone though, Tim (Shaffer) would be the guy. He is a buddy of mine and he needs it as bad as I do. All in all we had a good night. We went out late and qualified descent. We were up front in the heat and got into the dash and everything kept rolling.”

Steve Kinser finished fourth in the Bass Pro Shops Maxim to pick up his series leading 31^st Top-Five finish of the season. He began the night by turning the second fastest lap in time trials to earn four bonus points in the series standings. He now trails Joey Saldana by a mere five markers as he chases his record 21^st title.

Donny Schatz finished fifth in the Armor All/STP J&J to earn his 24^th Top-Five finish of the season. The four-time and defending series champion remains fourth in points.

Jason Meyers finished sixth aboard the GLR Investments KPC. He opened the night by setting fast time to earn five bonus and remains third in points, just 54 markers out of the top spot as he chases his first title.

Joey Saldana, the current World of Outlaws point leader, came all the way from the 19^th starting spot to finish seventh in the Budweiser Maxim to retain the point lead as he too seeks his first title and earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award in the process.

Lance Dewease finished eighth in the Advanced Development Services J&J, with Paul McMahan ninth in the Great Clips Maxim. Danny Lasoski rounded out the Top-10 in the Casey’s General Stores JEI.

Dollansky was able to close in on Shaffer late in the race as the pair negotiated some lapped traffic during the final 13-lap green flag run of the night.

“We definitely learned some things here tonight and I was hoping to stay in lapped traffic there longer,” stated the native of Elk River, Minnesota. “It seemed like a short race and I was surprised it was over as quick as it was. We’ll work on things for tomorrow and hopefully come back strong tomorrow night.”

Sides was also able to gain ground in lapped traffic on Shaffer en route to his fourth consecutive Top-Five finish at I-55 Raceway as he looks for his first win at the high-banked bullring.

“We needed it to go a little bit longer in lapped traffic,” said Sides as well. “It was just starting to work in our favor. I think we had something for them and hopefully we learned something for tomorrow night. It’s 55 laps tomorrow so we’ll have a lot better chance.”

RISING CITY, NEB. (8-4-10)

Shaffer, the defending All Star champion, continues to stretch out his point lead toward another title. Wednesday win for the Aliquippa, Pennsylvania driver was his third consecutive victory. In fact, Shaffer has not finished out of the top three in 9 of the last 10 All Star events and has now picked up five wins in the last 8 All Star features.

Ironically, Shaffer’s win Wednesday gives him 28 All Star wins for his career, moving him past Chad Kemenah (the 2002-2005 series champion) into 17^th on the series’ all-time win list. Kemenah’s brother, Brian, is Shaffer’s crew chief.

“Once again the guys gave me an awesome car. The CH Motorsports, Kistler Engines, J&J Chassis, VRP Shocks have been working great,” said Shaffer beside his Technique Roofing, JRP Transportation backed machine.

“I wasn’t sure if I wanted that or not. It seemed like I was getting through lapped traffic good but I thought I heard someone coming…I guess Gravel (David) was coming pretty good at times. At one point there at the end I got the wing too far back and it was letting us get loose and I thought I might be in trouble, but it worked out great,” added Shaffer. “I have to thank Janet and Aaron…they’ve given me a great team with Brian Kemenah and we brought in Leonard McCarl and Bobby Basinger helping us out during this tour and everybody is working great together.”

As the green flew for the feature, Watertown, Connecticut’s David Grave drove by pole-sitter Brad Greer from his outside second row starting spot to lead the first lap. On the next circuit, Shaffer, who started second, regrouped and rocketed past Gravel and began to pull away, quickly catching the back of the field on the fast one-third mile oval. By lap 4, Jonathan Allard has worked his way from eighth to third.

The action would halt on lap 5 as Gage Dorr slowed in turn two. On the restart Shaffer now had his hands full with Gravel and Allard. The final caution would fly a lap later for an Austen Wheatley spin. On the restart it was a four-car battle up front between Shaffer, Gravel, Allard and Greg Wilson.

As the race would go green the rest of the distance, Shaffer began to pull away, picking his way through lapped traffic. Shaffer would streak to the checkered, averaging 91.403 mph for a race that took just 7 minutes, 21 seconds to complete. Shaffer’s fastest lap was 102.164 mph as his margin of victory was 1.367 seconds over Gravel with Allard coming home third, Wilson fourth and Jamie Veal fifth.

Gravel’s runner-up finish moves him closer to Greg Wilson for second in the All Star point standings.

“Tim Shaffer is the best that we race with. I just have to get better in lapped traffic,” said the 18-year-old beside his DDR Motorsports, JRC Transportation backed sprinter. “We were catching him at one point in lapped traffic but Tim is just so good. I tried my hardest just trying to keep up. Tonight was our second second place run during Thunder Through the Plains so one night will be our night.”

“I have to thank all my sponsors, especially my owner Ray, my dad and Rob and Jake…they work so hard on the car. Ever since we got Rob (Hart, crew chief) our car has been awesome…I can’t thank them enough,” added Gravel.

For Allard, who hails from Chico, California, a third place run made up for an average qualifying effort, leaving him to start eighth in the feature in his Morrie and Katie Williams owned #0.

“We just had to get around the top and the more speed we made around the top the easier it was in traffic,” said Allard beside his Sharp Insurance, GT Trends, K&N Filters, Platinum Powder Coating backed machine. “Tim Shaffer is hard to beat and David Gravel is doing a great job so to come from mid-pack to finish third is pretty good. What a great place to come for the first time…we really enjoyed it here and I’d like to thank all you guys for coming out.”

“I have to thank my guys, Ashley and Shawn and Trace. They’ve been working real hard. We’ve been out here for about a month and half and I’ve been putting them through some torture and this hot weather is getting to us out here but we’re getting ready for the (Knoxville) Nationals and we should have a pretty good run out there,” added Allard.

For more information on the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions go to www.allstarsprint.com