Shane Stewart Claims Desired Gold Cup Race of Champions Victory

Story By: ANTHONY CORINI / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – CHICO, CA – Shane Stewart passed local driver Justin Sanders to win his eighth World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Feature of the season, but his first Gold Cup Race of Champions. Sanders finished a career-best second with Friday’s winner Kyle Hirst completing the podium.

Before the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Feature pushed off, Stewart already knew that team owner Kyle Larson picked up the NASCAR victory. Stewart, who is no stranger to Victory Lane at Silver Dollar Speedway, can finally cross off the Gold Cup Race of Champions off of his bucket list.

“When you retire, you are only remembered for the big races you win and this was one that I’ve always wanted to win. We’ve been close the last few years and to finally get it means so much to me,” Stewart said.

Sanders, in search of his first career World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series victory, was strong all weekend. Sanders led the first 11 laps before Stewart got grip on the bottom of turn four to take the lead. Stewart never looked back.

As lapped traffic became heavier Sanders closed back in on Stewart looking to make a move but a caution on lap 28 gave Stewart a clear track sealing the victory for the Larson/Marks Racing No.2

“Before this weekend, if you would have told me that I was going to run second and fifth with the Outlaws, I would have been ecstatic,” Sanders said. “I made one mistake in traffic, it’s heartbreaking. We are happy no doubt, but we’re bummed at the same time.

Kyle Hirst was all smiles after finishing on the podium and thanked the California faithful multiple times for packing the stands all weekend at the Gold Cup Race of Champions.

Australian Jamie Veal finished fourth with 11th starting Willie Croft completing the top five. Brad Sweet was strong coming from 13th to sixth with Carson Macedo coming home seventh. 14th starting Mitchell Faccinto, Jac Haudenschild and 18th starting Logan Schuchart completed the top ten. Donny Schatz, who was forced to use a provisional for the second consecutive night, scored KSE Hard Charger honors coming from 25th to 11th.

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series returns to the Calistoga Speedway for the running of the Wine Country Outlaw Showdown Friday and Saturday September 15 and 16.

RACE RESULTS FROM : Silver Dollar Speedway – September 9, 2017

Feature (40 Laps): 1. 2-Shane Stewart [3][$12,000]; 2. 121-Justin Sanders [1][$5,700]; 3. 83-Kyle Hirst [4][$3,500]; 4. 35-Jamie Veal [6][$3,000]; 5. 29-Willie Croft [11][$2,600]; 6. 49-Brad Sweet [13][$2,400]; 7. 21X-Carson Macedo [8][$2,300]; 8. 37-Mitchell Faccinto [12][$2,200]; 9. 17-Jac Haudenschild [2][$2,150]; 10. 1S-Logan Schuchart [18][$2,100]; 11. 15-Donny Schatz [25][$800]; 12. 41-Jason Johnson [10][$1,350]; 13. O-Bud Kaeding [14][$1,300]; 14. 41S-Dominic Scelzi [9][$1,200]; 15. 9-Daryn Pittman [17][$1,100]; 16. 3C-DJ Netto [21][$1,000]; 17. 7-Kalib Henry [16][$900]; 18. 5-David Gravel [22][$850]; 19. 21W-Jake Wheeler [23][$800]; 20. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild [26][$]; 21. 24-Rico Abreu [7][$800]; 22. 20-Cory Eliason [5][$800]; 23. 83JR-Jonathan Allard [15][$800]; 24. 75-Sean Becker [20][$800]; 25. 19-Brent Marks [19][$800]; 26. 1A-Jacob Allen [24][$800]; Lap Leaders: Justin Sanders 1-11, Shane Stewart 12-40; KSE Hard Charger Award: 15-Donny Schatz[+14]

Qualifying Flight-A: 1. 41S-Dominic Scelzi, 11.694; 2. 20-Cory Eliason, 11.723; 3. 83-Kyle Hirst, 11.745; 4. 29-Willie Croft, 11.783; 5. 35-Jamie Veal, 11.788; 6. 2-Shane Stewart, 11.799; 7. 49-Brad Sweet, 11.855; 8. 21W-Jake Wheeler, 11.914; 9. 9-Daryn Pittman, 11.951; 10. 22-Shane Golobic, 11.958; 11. 5-David Gravel, 11.964; 12. 83JR-Jonathan Allard, 11.987; 13. 7S-Jason Sides, 11.992; 14. 19-Brent Marks, 12.057; 15. 4-Paul McMahan, 12.174; 16. 19X-Chase Majdic, 12.19; 17. 26-Tayler Malsam, 12.228; 18. 7B-Brent Bjork, 12.617; 19. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.684; 20. 98-Sean Watts, 12.736

Qualifying Flight-B: 1. 17-Jac Haudenschild, 11.521; 2. 24-Rico Abreu, 11.581; 3. 21X-Carson Macedo, 11.714; 4. 121-Justin Sanders, 11.775; 5. 3C-DJ Netto, 11.794; 6. 7-Kalib Henry, 11.805; 7. 41-Jason Johnson, 11.816; 8. 37-Mitchell Faccinto, 11.846; 9. 1A-Jacob Allen, 11.854; 10. 75-Sean Becker, 11.86; 11. O-Bud Kaeding, 11.926; 12. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.012; 13. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 12.049; 14. 22M-Mason Moore, 12.055; 15. 92-Andy Forsberg, 12.074; 16. 15-Donny Schatz, 12.077; 17. 13-Clyde Knipp, 12.136; 18. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 12.173; 19. 18-Jennafer Frazier, 12.935; 20. 44W-Austen Wheatley, NT

Heat #1 – Flight (A) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer: 1. 83-Kyle Hirst [2]; 2. 35-Jamie Veal [3]; 3. 41S-Dominic Scelzi [1]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet [4]; 5. 9-Daryn Pittman [5]; 6. 5-David Gravel [6]; 7. 7S-Jason Sides [7]; 8. 26-Tayler Malsam [9]; 9. 4-Paul McMahan [8]; 10. W20-Greg Wilson [10]

Heat #2 – Flight (A) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer: 1. 2-Shane Stewart [3]; 2. 20-Cory Eliason [1]; 3. 29-Willie Croft [2]; 4. 83JR-Jonathan Allard [6]; 5. 19-Brent Marks [7]; 6. 7B-Brent Bjork [9]; 7. 21W-Jake Wheeler [4]; 8. 19X-Chase Majdic [8]; 9. 22-Shane Golobic [5]; 10. 98-Sean Watts [10]

Heat #3 – Flight (B) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer: 1. 17-Jac Haudenschild [1]; 2. 21X-Carson Macedo [2]; 3. 41-Jason Johnson [4]; 4. O-Bud Kaeding [6]; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart [7]; 6. 1A-Jacob Allen [5]; 7. 13-Clyde Knipp [9]; 8. 3C-DJ Netto [3]; 9. 92-Andy Forsberg [8]; 10. 18-Jennafer Frazier [10]

Heat #4 – Flight (B) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer: 1. 121-Justin Sanders [2]; 2. 24-Rico Abreu [1]; 3. 37-Mitchell Faccinto [4]; 4. 7-Kalib Henry [3]; 5. 75-Sean Becker [5]; 6. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild [6]; 7. 15-Donny Schatz [8]; 8. 22M-Mason Moore [7]; 9. 11K-Kraig Kinser [9]; 10. 44W-Austen Wheatley [10]

Craftsman Club Dash (8 Laps): 1. 121-Justin Sanders [1]; 2. 17-Jac Haudenschild [3]; 3. 2-Shane Stewart [2]; 4. 83-Kyle Hirst [4]; 5. 20-Cory Eliason [7]; 6. 35-Jamie Veal [5]; 7. 24-Rico Abreu [8]; 8. 21X-Carson Macedo [6]

C-Main (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer: 1. 26-Tayler Malsam [1][-]; 2. 11K-Kraig Kinser [4][-]; 3. 7B-Brent Bjork [3][$150]; 4. 98-Sean Watts [7][$150]; 5. 18-Jennafer Frazier [6][$150]; 6. W20-Greg Wilson [5][$125]; 7. 13-Clyde Knipp [2][$125]; 8. 44W-Austen Wheatley [8][$125]

Last Chance Showdown (12 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer: 1. 3C-DJ Netto [2][-]; 2. 5-David Gravel [5][-]; 3. 21W-Jake Wheeler [1][-]; 4. 1A-Jacob Allen [4][-]; 5. 4-Paul McMahan [9][$300]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz [12][$250]; 7. 22M-Mason Moore [8][$225]; 8. 19X-Chase Majdic [11][$200]; 9. 22-Shane Golobic [3][$200]; 10. 11K-Kraig Kinser [14][$200]; 11. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild [6][$200]; 12. 26-Tayler Malsam [13][$200]; 13. 92-Andy Forsberg [10][$200]; 14. 7S-Jason Sides [7][$200]

CONTINGENCY WINNERS: MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Sean Becker; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Brad Sweet; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Jac Haudenschild; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Jac Haudenschild; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Logan Schuchart; Extended Stay America ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Jason Johnson; Super Flow ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; Craftsman Club ($100 cash): Jac Haudenschild, Shane Stewart; Sears ($100): Justin Sanders; KSE Hard Charger: Donny Schatz; Comp Cams ($50 product certificate): Shane Stewart; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Jake Wheeler; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Brent Marks