Craig Dollansky Looking At A Return To Sprint Car Racing

Story By: DOLLANSKY RACING – ZIMMERMAN, MN – Five months post-surgery Craig Dollansky has new outlook for 2019.

“I’m feeling better than I have in three years, I really didn’t think I would feel this good again,” said Dollansky.

Plaguing him more and more as time went on Dollansky’s spine surgeon, Dr. James Schwender, found a portion of his L4 vertebrae was dead once they assessed the injury during the procedure.

“I would be a lot further along if I would have had surgery at the end of the 2016 season,” Dollansky stated, “with that behind me now, I’m extremely grateful for the skill of the surgical team as they are very pleased with the outcome of my surgery.”

At a recent follow-up appointment Dollansky and his surgeon assessed his recovery and scheduled physical therapy and approved light workouts in the gym. Given the short amount of time since his surgery and how good he is feeling Dollansky has made the decision to return to racing.

Dollansky stated, “I feel now, I can train the way I need to again, something I hadn’t been able to do since the beginning of 2016. My family and I have missed being involved in the sport and all the friends and fans that we have made over the years of racing.”

Dollansky plans his return in Danny and Naomi King’s #88 sprinter, March 15th and 16th for a 2-day ASCS show in Dallas, TX at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Along with this event Dollansky will attend the Steve King Foundation’s annual golf outing at Buffalo Creek Golf Club in Rockwall, TX on the 14th. (For additional information visit The Steve King Foundation website.)

“Danny and Naomi are passionate about sprint car racing and I look forward to racing with them again in 2019 as my schedule allows,” said Dollansky.

Danny King also commented, “We are tickled about Craig’s return and we want to put him in our race car as much as possible.“

Dollansky and the King Team also plan on participating in a 2-day show in Wichita, KS during the first weekend of April.

Besides racing with the King Team in 2019, Dollansky has also agreed to race at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, IA weekly in the Selvage Motorsports #7. In 2018 driver, Dustin Selvage, expressed some interest in stepping away from driving and into an ownership role. This year, with a baby on the way, he has met with Dollansky and discussed fielding a ride in the 410 class for Knoxville’s weekly shows.

Selvage remarked, “I felt it would be a great opportunity for a small team like mine to work with a driver like Craig. I believe he is as hungry as ever and can still get the job done.“

Selvage and Dollansky will concentrate on Knoxville and potentially other shows in the mid-west. Dollansky and Selvage will work together to prep the team to win races, with their main focus on the Knoxville Nationals.

Selvage’s family history at Knoxville is quite legendary, his Grandfather Ray Grimes was the track promoter who was instrumental in keeping racing alive at the Marion County Fairgrounds, and made the Nationals a 4-day event in the mid-seventies.

Dollansky said, “Dustin and I discussed running other shows like, The Jackson Nationals, The King’s Royal, The ‘Iron Man’, The National Open and the World Finals.”

Dollansky enthusiastically commented, “To say that I am excited to get behind the wheel racing again is an understatement. After being sidelined during this process, I have realized how much racing means to me. How much a part of my families’ lives it is and other friends as well. I want to be involved in racing in some way for the rest of my life. There are plans in the works to remain involved in the sport beyond my driving career. For now, I’m taking one day at a time as I ramp back up to get after it. I feel blessed by the friendships that have formed different in parts of the world, through my racing career. I appreciated all the cards and letters, and messages through social media. The people, who visited me, helped me through some very difficult days, for that I am very thankful. I have a lot of fuel left in my tank and am determined more than ever to prepare myself to race to win. I look forward to working with each of these teams. It will be my goal to have success with them both and a little fun along the way. I will be happy to return to the track where my career started, Knoxville.”