Tim Shaffer and the Call Motorsports #83 found themselves in victory lane for the 2nd time in 4 days as the team took home the top honors and the $5,000 check in the final night of the 2008 Thunder Through the Plains. The win is Shaffer’s 3rd of the year since taking over duties with the team in just 6 O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions events.
“The Steel City Outlaw” took over the position on lap 29 of the 30 lap affair while racing Dale Blaney in the George Fisher owned/wrenched #2 sprinter. In a feature event that saw no cautions or red flags, had a total of 4 lead changes on the super fast racing surface that would give many scorers headaches. Shaffer was able to use a few different lines and lap traffic to get the job done.
In the onset of the 30-lapper Jeremy Campbell in the Rick Ferkel #0 would take the point, only to relegate that to Brandon Martin in the Level Performance #11M on lap 11 using the highline. Martin’s lead would slip away when Dale Blaney snuck under him on lap 18. Lance Dewease in the Catoctin #30C brought home 2nd nipping a 3rd place Dale Blaney. Brandon Martin would end up in the 4th position leading Mark Dobmeier in the Lunstra Motorsports #13 machine to round out the top 5.
Mark Dobmeier would have to race his way into the feature event from the stout B-Main. Dobmeier would lead all circuits as Dusty Ballenger and Bruce White would make top 3. Lee Stark would garner the final transfer slot, leaving 7 cars out of the main event.
In the Dash event, Jeremy Campbell would jump out to the early lead and hold onto it for the 6 laps. The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Dash event is for members only and allows for additional season points and the top 6 qualifying members one last important look at the racing surface. Campbell would take in tow, Dale Blaney, Tim Shaffer, Lance Dewease, Randy Hannagan, and Brandon Martin.
Chad Meyer would take the initial green flag of the first heat and show the way around the famous oval. Meyer led Brock Mayes and Brandon Martin to the checkered for the top 3 positions. Marlon Jones would continue the local flavor defending the home turf in the 2^nd affair. John Lambertz and Greg Bakker would follow to make a 1-2-3 finish for the locals. Greg Wilson took care of the competition in the 3rd heat race. Always a tough competitor, Wilson would lead locals Gordy Vogelaar and Gary Dewall. Wade Nygaard would take home the checkered in the 4th event. Nygaard lead Miranda Throckmorton and Tim Shaffer to round out the top 3.
In qualifying, Justin Henderson found the quickest way around a heavy track. Henderson turned in a late run 11.030 fast time. cl was second quick with an 11.052 run and Dale Blaney, third quick, with an 11.106.
The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions take a week off and then head west again for a 2 night weekend on August 15th and 16th. August 15th, the series will travel to Benton Race Park in Benton, Missouri and then the traveling warriors will take to one of the Midwest’s top tracks, Riverside International Speedway, commonly known as “The Ditch,” on the 16th .
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