ParkerStore pilot moves within 134 points of leader Dumesny

Donny Schatz raced to a $10,000 pay day tonight at Avalon Raceway when he claimed the 30 lap main event in Round Six of the World Series Sprintcars 2001/2002 Championship at Avalon Raceway.

Though the early leader was fellow countryman Brad Furr, Schatz always looked menacing in the #15 Sunnyvale Plants / Chantec / Monte Motorsport J&J as he steamed from position #5 after an initial battle with Brooke Tatnell. Max Dumesny too was in sterling form in the Valvoline #5 Maxim making a serious play for the lead at the exact same time that Donny Schatz made his move.

What resulted was a three-wide high-speed formation as the trio came off turn four. "I know it was tight on that deal," Schatz would later explain, "we gave Max a squeeze in the middle but I was pretty careful not to lay a wheel on him." Schatz shot through on the bottom and headed out to a narrow lead ahead of the battle that now raged between Furr and Dumesny.

As the lead group came up on dense traffic the yellows came on - just as it had at Riverview Speedway for Round Five - allowing Donny a clear track ahead at the restart with only 12 laps remaining.

From here no one was going to lay a wheel on the Minot, North Dakota superstar as he cruised away to win as he pleased in front of a huge crowd. "I knew that everyone would be pretty loose in the last few laps of this deal so we had the car ready to compensate for that as best we could," grinned Schatz, "it's great to get the $10,000 and it's a reward for the hard work all the guys on this team are putting in."

Brad Furr soldiered home in second place for his best result in the World Series Sprintcars competition so far driving the #2 Sanmina Corporation / West Kimberley Fuels Eagle chassis. The highest point-scorer going into the main event, Furr (who won the preliminary main event the night before) now hauls even more valuable points in as he continues his surge to the front in the series.

Dumesny was again consistent, and again placed in the top three at every round so far. "I thought we had something for Donny until he just stormed away. To put it bluntly, he smoked us."

Finishing fourth after a consistent night at the office was South Aussie Phil March in the #3 Maxwill Engines / Mildura Crane Hire entry. "It's a lot better than last night," smiled March, "we were in the B-Main last night and in much better shape tonight. I tried to follow Donny in the early laps but I gave up on that idea pretty quick."

Originally fourth was Brooke Tatnell in the Shell Helix / Sidchrome Tools Avenger. Tatnell was on the move in the Alan Barlee motor powered #8 car before the stub axle broke and launched the right hand front wheel off the car. "In our wildest dreams we couldn't have imagined we'd have this much bad luck in the first six rounds of the series. We've broken a crank, had a rock hit his hand at Bunbury, a broken spark plug, hooked a rut at Bunbury, dropped a valve at Murray Bridge and now this," frowned George Tatnell, "but it'll come around I'm sure. There's still a long way to go yet."

Placing 5th in one of his best results to date this season was Darren Jensen in the #75 Cresta Australia / Wiseco Maxim. "DJ" was pleased to run such a consistent race but concerned with how at ease Donny Schatz is becoming with winning these rounds. "He's just amazing isn't he? What are we going to do to stop the guy?" he posed. Jensen battled intensely with Moule for the last seven laps or so with the #75 opting for the highline on the racy yet very slick Avalon surface.

Sixth place went to American veteran Danny Smith in the #20 Tamar Cars / Barter Card Maxim. Smith half spun the car whilst running in the top four but he kept the car running and re-joined the field well back in the order before storming back to pass 6th place right on the finishing line. "I had one bad lap spoil my 29 good ones. I can't believe how unlucky we've been at times. When I come back from the States prior to Christmas I'm leaving my misfortune at home."

Tony Moule may have been edged out of the top six by a fast finishing American veteran but not before he'd impressed the judges with a barnstorming run from the back of the field. Moule pushed the #53 "Brace Yourself" car from position #15 to an eventual 7th - a giant-killing effort that earned him a new main wing thanks to O'Brien Aluminium / O'Brien Race Components.

"There's no doubt Tony deserved the Hard Charger Award tonight," said WSS Managing Director David Lander, "he drove an excellent race."

Another pleasant bonus greets Moule - he finished 7th and so claims the front wing on offer from Extreme Race Products in the Lucky Sevens contingency.

Skip Jackson qualified on the front row in the Australia #1 Toyota Genuine Parts / Pennzoil Maxim and he ran second for much of the early laps before he spun to a stop against the turn one wall, bringing on the yellows.

Jackson battled back to 8th by the fall of the checkers but it cost him valuable points by not claiming a top three finish.

A bone jarring wreck in the first corner when Cameron Gessner flipped and took Cousin Andrew Scheuerle with him in the process marred the 30 lap main event. "Someone turned me around and we bit in really hard," frowned Cameron, "then I look up when I get out and there's Andrew upside down alongside me."

The carnage was not limited to the main event sadly, with Daryn Maggs unloading the #7 Millers Wholesale Cars Eagle in a big way on the main straight during the B-Main.

K&N Air Filters Quick Time winner from Night One Stephen Bell claimed 9th position in the #6 Speedflow / PRC / Capalaba Wreckers Eagle chassis after storming back from the rear. Bell went to the tail after spinning with Matthew Reed on the first lap but used the highline to best effect. "Stephen drove some great laps in the last part of the race," smiled car owner Bill Mann, "apart from nearly riding a wheel in turn two."

SRA Series Champ Mike Van Bremen was solid all weekend in the #6 Affordable Fireworks Foster Chassis, eventually finishing 10th.

Following Van Bremen home in 11th was Drew Kruck in the #36 Titan Garages Eagle, Mark Reuter in the #95 ROH Wheels Maxim, Ian Lewis in the #18 Melbourne International Truck Service J&J and Matthew Reed was the last car running in the #49 Drysdale Outboards #49 Cool Chassis.

DNF's included Brooke Tatnell (Dropped a right front wheel) John Vogels (Graham's Cleaning Supplies #70) Andrew Scheuerle (Lucas Oils #95 Maxim) Cameron Gessner (Tri-Steel #68 Viper) and Trevor Green.

Green could not even manage one lap in the #4 ADRAD Radiators Maxim when the driveline failed for the second week in a row. "I felt something tighten up at the end of the B-Main but we didn't think much of it. That was until we found all the metal shavings," Green frowned.

Donny Schatz's win in Round Six now brings him to within 134 points of Series Leader Max Dumesny as the series takes a two week break before heading to Speedway City in South Australia for the $10,000 two-night event.

K&N Air Filters Quick Time (Friday night): Stephen Bell
Weld Wheels Pole Shootout: Brad Furr
Sprintcar World B-Main: Tony Moule
Heat Wins: Ian Lewis (2) Tony Bartlett, Rod Matthews, Donny Schatz and Phil March.

(Article courtesy of http://www.sprintcarworld.com.au)
(Photos by Daniel Beard & Paris Charles)


A-Main results:

Donny Schatz
Brad Furr
Max Dumesny
Phil March
Darren Jensen
Danny Smith
Tony Moule
Skip Jackson
Stephen Bell
Mike Van Bremen
Drew Kruck
Mark Reuter
Ian Lewis
Matthew Reed
DNF
Brooke Tatnell
John Vogels
Andrew Scheuerle
Cameron Gessner
Trevor Green