Inside Line Promotions - MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (Oct. 7, 2013) - Big Game Motorsports teammates Craig Dollansky and Sammy Swindell improved throughout the 51 st annual National Open last weekend at Williams Grove Speedway.
The duo battled more than 60 other drivers at the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series doubleheader with Dollansky powering his Eyecon Trail Cameras car to a fifth-place finish during the $50,000-to-win finale on Saturday.
"To run in the top five at the National Open with 63 teams there, and about 53 of them can win a feature at Williams Grove, was really good," he said.
The weekend started on Friday with Dollansky qualifying 22nd quickest - missing the heat race inversion by 11 thousandths of a second. That started him fifth in his heat race, which locked in the top-four finishers to the main event. The Eyecon Trail Cameras driver made a late-race pass to capture fourth place and advance to the feature.
After starting on the outside of the 10th row, Dollansky ended with an 18th-place result.
"We didn't get qualified real good, but were able to get transferred through the heat," he said. "We definitely had one of the tougher heat races. We started toward the back of the feature and it seemed it was hard to make ground. We had a couple of restarts that went our way and a couple that didn't. We didn't get a real strong result on Friday."
Swindell got caught in a tough spot during his qualifying run, which ended with the 37th quickest time for the Big Game Treestands driver.
"The big part there is going out at the right time," he said. "On Friday we went a few cars after the break and that doesn't seem to be an advantage. It seems the track gets better after they run eight or 10 cars on it. The track had changed and I wasn't aware of it. That and the wing sideboard folded in during qualifying. That didn't start us off very well."
After placing seventh in his heat race, Swindell headed to the C Main. He spent most of the race running in second place before finishing third - one spot out of a transfer to the Last Chance Showdown - and Swindell used a provisional to start 25th in the main event.
"We started in the back," he said after finishing 23rd. "We did change some things in the car to get a direction for next year. What we did didn't help. We changed it back around for Saturday and it was definitely better."
Both teams improved dramatically on Saturday at the famed track. Dollansky qualified the Eyecon Trail Cameras car fourth quickest and finished third in his heat race to advance to the dash. Swindell timed the Big Game Treestands car in 17th quickest in qualifying and won his heat race to also earn a spot in the dash.
The Big Game Motorsports drivers each picked up a couple of positions in the dash with Dollansky charging from sixth to third place and Swindell from ninth to seventh place heading into the 40-lap feature.
"I was pretty encouraged after the dash," Dollansky said. "But we didn't have our car the way we wanted to have it for the feature. I was kind of struggling with (corner) entry speed. I was never able to challenge for the lead and lost a couple of spots."
Dollansky and the Eyecon Trail Cameras car spent most of the feature in the top five before settling for a fifth-place finish.
After beginning his march toward the top five, Swindell had brake issues plague his Big Game Treestands car early in the main event. He held on to salvage a 16th-place result.
"I was running along there ok in the main and was just taking my time because it's a long race and the tires are definitely going to wear there a bit," he said. "I was able to play with the line a little bit and we started to move forward. I was a corner or two from trying to pass Paul McMahan and we had brake problems. From there I didn't really have any brakes without pumping them six or eight times. You'll pay the biggest price there of any place we go for not having brakes."
With three World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series features remaining, the teams will tackle Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y., this Saturday. Dollansky placed fourth and Swindell ninth at the track in July.
Dollansky and his Eyecon Trail Cameras team also leads Swindell and his Big Game Treestands team by 24 points for fifth place in the championship standings.
QUICK RESULTS -
DOLLANSKY:
Oct. 4 - Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. - Qualifying: 22; Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 18 (20).
Oct. 5 - Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. - Qualifying: 4; Heat race: 3 (4); Dash: 3 (6); Feature: 5 (3).
SWINDELL:
Oct. 4 - Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. - Qualifying: 37; Heat race: 7 (8); C Main: 3 (1); Feature: 23 (25).
Oct. 5 - Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. - Qualifying: 17; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 7 (9); Feature: 16 (7).
SEASON STATS -
DOLLANSKY : 73 races, 6 wins, 19 top fives, 39 top 10s, 56 top 15s, 68 top 20s
SWINDELL : 74 races, 3 wins, 16 top fives, 41 top 10s, 57 top 15s, 64 top 20s
UP NEXT -
Saturday at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y., with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
LIVE AUDIO -
Keep up with Big Game Motorsports via free, live audio from DIRTVision at every World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event throughout the season. For more information, click http://www.DIRTVision.com.
MEDIA LINKS -
Big Game Treestands: http://www.BigGameTreestands.com
Aggressive Hydraulics: http://www.AggressiveHydraulics.com
MobileStar: http://www.MobileStar.us/mobilestarwebsite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Big_Game_TS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Game-Treestands/251832101535076?fref=ts
BIG GAME TREESTANDS -
Established in 1977 in Windom, Minn., Big Game Treestands has grown to be a leading company in the outdoor industry. Big Game Treestands offers a Rock Solid™ line of field tested, safety certified above TMA requirements, welded steel stands & free standing elevated platforms that gives you not only a safe and extremely sturdy vantage point, but also reliable all-day comfort at a great value. Large, non-slip standing platforms, top-notch fastening systems, and our innovative pinned, sleeved ladder sections provide the Rock Solid™ stance, twist free climbing, and all around silence that Big Game Treestands® is known for. Non-glare, powder coat finish keeps our products hidden from nature's wary eye.
For over 30 years, it has been our goal and our philosophy to provide the most innovative and practical treestands and hunting accessories in the field. As tradition continues, we are Exceeding Limitations and once again providing new models that challenge Mother Nature. In 2012 Big Game extended the line into Trail Cameras known for the easy to set, great picture quality, and over all great camera Eyecon Trail Cameras exceeds the expectations of consumers. Big Game Treestands® and Eyecon Trail Cameras® offers undeniable quality on time-tested favorites as well as new innovations for 2013.
For more information on Big Game Treestands, visit http://www.BigGameTreestands.com.
EYECON TRAIL CAMERAS ® -
Eyecon Trail Cameras® are premier trail cameras for hunters and outdoorsmen. The Black Widow Trail Camera, Storm Trail Camera and Quikshot Trail Camera provide a variety of options that are user-friendly with exceptional imaging. To learn more about or purchase Eyecon Trail Cameras®, visit http://www.EyeconTrailCameras.com.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS -
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations, media management and merchandising services for sprint car teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and your sponsors' return on investment.
To meet the media relations needs of your team, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.insidelinepromotions.com.
- Admin Account on Oct 08, 2013
- Article Date: 10/8/2013 by Shawn Miller