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ANOTHER ISCARS DASH ROOKIE FINDS VICTORY LANE


Stock Car Racing Topics:  Jason Shultz

ANOTHER ISCARS DASH ROOKIE FINDS VICTORY LANE

Devon Holder, ISCARS PR
October 5, 2009

Race Story from Lonesome Pine Raceway

COEBURN, VA - A full moon, fall temperatures, and the roar of engines filled the Virginia Mountain air on Saturday night as the International Sport Compact Auto Racing Series (ISCARS) DASH Touring, sanctioned by American Speed Association (ASA) made its second stop of the season at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Virginia. The Twin 75 lap feature races saw a rookie claim his first career ISCARS DASH Touring victory, as well as an ISCARS DASH Champion claim his first victory at LPR in over ten attempts at the 3/8 mile oval.

Manassas, Virginia native Jason Shultz claimed his second career pole position during ISCARS DASH time trials beating out Danny Bagwell by .001 seconds. Both of Shultz’ pole positions have been at Lonesome Pine Raceway, with the first being earlier this year in June. Point leader Randy Humphrey qualified third, followed by Jake Hobgood and Geoff Bodine. Caleb Roark, Brad Queen, Eric Gerchak, Kevin Calkins, and Joey Jones rounded out the top ten in qualifying.

The first caution flag of the evening flew early in the race as Lee Burgess spun his Shi Construction entry out of turn four on lap 2. Burgess would pull into the pits and park his Randy Humphrey Racing entry due to handling problems a few laps later.

As the race drew near halfway, Jason Shultz had managed to lead every lap over Randy Humphrey, Jake Hobgood, and Danny Bagwell. A spin by rookie Robert Tighe on lap 47 setup a restart with only 25 laps remaining. With the laps winding down, Brad Queen and Caleb Roark were racing off turn two for the fifth spot when they made contact, causing Roark to hit the outside wall on the backstretch and slide down the track into turn three. Both drivers were able to continue, however both sustained sheet metal damage in the incident.

The next to last restart of the first 75 lap race came on lap 68. Danny Bagwell had pitted to adjust air pressures on his machine and looked to gain track position from the tail of the field. As the drivers were jockeying for position entering turn one, Kevin Calkins and Caleb Roark banged doors, causing a log jam at the exit of turn two. Bagwell went low to grab the positions away, but was spun into the inside wall by another car. Bagwell suffered heavy damage to the rear of his machine and was unable to finish the first race.

This setup a green-white-checker finish with Jason Shultz leading Randy Humphrey, Jake Hobgood, Brad Queen, and Geoff Bodine. Shultz brought the field to the green and stretched his lead before taking the white flag. Humphrey and Hobgood battled side by side for second on the last lap until Hobgood’s machine broke loose and collided with Humphrey, sending both cars hard into the inside guardrail on the backstretch. Neither driver was injured, but both cars were done for the night.

After all was said and done, it was rookie Jason Shultz in victory lane for his first career ISCARS DASH Touring victory. “This was a long time coming and it feels so good to be here,” said an emotional Shultz in victory lane. “We led every lap from green to checkered. You cannot ask for a better night than that.” Shultz was followed to the checkered flag by Brad Queen, Geoff Bodine, Eric Gerchak, and Kevin Calkins. Unfortunately for Shultz, the celebration of his first win would be short lived. As the crew checked the car on pit road, they discovered that the engine had broken a push rod. It appeared that Shultz would be unable to compete in the second race, until one of his fellow rookie competitors stepped up to the plate to lend a hand. Robert Tighe approached Jason Shultz and offered him a chance to drive his car in the second 75 lap feature. Shultz, who entered the night second in the rookie battle and fourth in the overall point standings jumped at the opportunity, starting shotgun on the field. Point leader Randy Humphrey also got into his second car that was driven in the first race by Lee Burgess.

After the invert and the different driver/car combinations were settled, the field was on the grid and prepared for the second 75 lap feature. Brad Queen started on the pole with Geoff Bodine alongside. Danny Bagwell, who had repaired his car with a drive shaft out of Jason Shultz’ machine, took the green flag in seventh.

Randy Humphrey faced the same handling issue with the Shi Construction machine that Lee Burgess had suffered in the first race. Humphrey was able to complete only 7 laps before pulling into the pits and calling it a night, relegating him to a 9th place finish. Brad Queen was able to hold the lead until the first caution of the evening flew at lap 35 for debris. This allowed Geoff Bodine, Danny Bagwell, Caleb Roark, and Eric Gerchak to close in on Queen’s back bumper. Ten laps after the restart on lap 49, Danny Bagwell and Geoff Bodine both raced past Queen for first and second on the racetrack.

The final caution flag of the evening was displayed on lap 52 when Brad Queen and Geoff Bodine made contact in turn one, forcing Bodine to lose a lap and keep him out of contention for the victory. When the green flag waived with less than 20 laps remaining it was all Danny Bagwell, who overcame his crash in the first race to reach victory lane.

“I borrowed Jason’s drive shaft at the last minute,” said Bagwell from victory lane. “We slid the drive shaft in, taped the back end up a little, and took off!” Bagwell was extremely happy to get his first career win in over ten tries at Lonesome Pine Raceway. Bagwell was followed to the checkered flag by Queen, Caleb Roark, Eric Gerchak, and Kevin Calkins. Jason Shultz came home sixth in Robert Tighe’s machine.

Notes and Quotes:
* Kevin Calkins made his first start with the Walker Racing Team and scored two top five finishes after qualifying in 9th position.
* Eric Gerchak took the point lead away from Randy Humphrey after two fourth place finishes. Gerchak missed the first practice session after flying to New Jersey to visit his mother, Carol, who is battling cancer.
* Brad Queen maintained his lead in the owner point standings with two second place finishes. Queen has been strong all season, and hopes to break through soon with his first career win.
* Randy Humphrey suffered a setback in his championship chase after a last lap crash with Jake Hobgood while battling for second. “This really hurts us in the points and that was an awesome car. We cannot duplicate that car so I do not know what we are going to do. That may have cost us a championship.”
* Jake Hobgood explained what happened from his point of view. “It was just a racing thing. When we came off two my car stepped out a little bit and it was just tight racing. When it straightened up it bumped him in the door and he was already up against the fence and it turned both of us straight in the wall.”
* Caleb Roark finished seventh in the first race, and third in the second race. “Our car was so bad for about 15 laps but after that it was faster than any car out here. We just could not stay with them to use it. I want to thank JRM, Lynn Peters, and Jan Smith for everything they do for me.”

The ISCARS DASH Touring Series, sanctioned by ASA, will return to action at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, North Carolina on Saturday October 31st. Fans can expect a start time for the event that will not interfere with trick or treating festivities. Kids will also be able to get candy during the on track autograph session during the race.

To find out more information about ISCARS DASH Touring, log onto the all new www.iscarsonline.com. Upon visiting www.iscarsonline.com you will find updated race results, driver point standings, press releases, and interactive driver biographies.

ASA™, ASA Racing™ and American Speed Association® are trademarks of Racing Speed Associates, LLC. ASA International, LLC or Racing Speed Associates, LLC are not related to or affiliated with ASA Late Model Series, LLC.




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