A pair of top fives with the National Sprint League highlighted another good weekend for the TKS Motorsports #2KS team and driver Craig Dollansky. After a tough night at Jackson Motorplex in Minnesota Friday, the Elk River, Minnesota driver surged from tenth and eighth to fifth place finishes at both Knoxville Raceway and Hancock County Speedway near Britt, Iowa, respectively. Another busy weekend awaits the team as Sunday, they will compete in the “Capitani Classic” at Knoxville before Monday’s NSL Front Row Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. Just fifteen points separate the team from Danny Lasoski in the NSL standings.
Craig picked up the win in the NSL’s last event at Jackson, but Friday saw a fifteenth place finish. “We kind of had an off night there,” says TKS Motorsports owner and crew chief, Troy Renfro. “We had a couple of things go wrong. We made a couple of not so good choices. It was just one of those nights that you have every once in a while. We’ve been so good there all year. That it was kind of a disappointment. We just moved on from there.”
The team timed in tenth quick in the 32-car field at Knoxville Saturday. “It was a different track, and tough to pass on,” says Troy. “One and two was wide like it normally is, but three and four was narrow. The Dunkin’s do such a great job with the track, it was just tough to pass on Saturday.”
Craig finished third in his heat and lined up tenth in the feature. He was able to charge to fifth. “Everyone seemed to be running the same speed out there,” says Troy. “I don’t know how many laps we just all ran about the same speed. But all in all, we moved into fifth and we were happy.”
Dry conditions awaited the NSL in Britt Sunday. “There was something going on between the promoter and the fairboard with the track.,” says Troy. “That being said, you have to make the most of the situation and everyone is in the same boat.”
The team timed in tenth quick, and won the heat from the pole. “We weren’t really decent qualifying,” says Troy. “It was where I wanted to be, but we were a little loose. Craig and I talked about things and the heat race was much better.”
Starting eighth, Troy knew that they needed to get as many spots as they could when the green fell. “We knew it would lay rubber, so you had to try and get as many spots as you could at the beginning,” he says. “That was the plan. It was all about track position. We were able to go from eighth to fifth, which was all we could get really. We gained some points back from Friday night, so we were happy.”
A big fortnight lies ahead with this weekend’s events, and then next week’s Knoxville Nationals. “We just have to buckle down and keep doing what we’re doing,” says Troy.
“From where we started last year, I feel like we’ve come full circle. We’ve built some inventory and that’s been very costly. It’s a costly sport, but I’ve been happier the last two years than I’ve been in a long time.”
Partnering with TKS Motorsports
TKS Motorsports is always open to new perspective partners! Whether you’d like to partner with the team for the full season, or put your company’s name on the nose wing for a night of your choice, contact Troy at tsrenfro8725@gmail.com!
TKS Motorsports would like to thank Casey's General Stores, Des Moines Industrial Products (DMIP), Aggressive Hydraulics, 1 Way Technologies, AL Driveline, AO Designs, All Star Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Fibreworks Composites, FK Rod Ends, Hoosier, Indy Race Parts, KSE Racing Products, Mag Tech Ignition, Maxim Racing Chassis, Schoenfeld Headers, Schroeder Torsion Bars, Tony Moro Collision Center, Tony Moro Powdercoating & Sandblasting, Vahlco Wheels, Webb Family Farms, Wilwood, Winters Performance Products and Gail Dielman.
To Subscribe to TKS Motorsports Releases, e-mail “TKS” to sprntcar@hotmail.com!
Photo: Craig races at Jackson (Jeff Bylsma Photo)
Bill W Media
sprntcar@hotmail.com
@BillWMedia
Monroe, IA USA
Website: www.OpenWheel101.com
- administrator on Aug 03, 2016
- Article Date: 8/2/2016 by Bill Wright