Inside Line Promotions - ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 15, 2013) - The Month of Money didn't get off to a rich start for Big Game Motorsports teammates Craig Dollansky and Sammy Swindell.
After the 25th annual Brad Doty Classic at Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio, was delayed from Wednesday to Thursday because of weather, Dollansky and Swindell were unable to qualify in a prime position.
Dollansky timed the Eyecon Trail Cameras car in 14th quickest and advanced from second place to win his heat race, which locked him in the dash. However, Swindell and the Big Game Treestands car qualified 25th quickest and finished fifth in his heat race to miss a transfer position by one spot.
"We went out late and (the track) slowed down," Swindell said. "We just didn't make enough changes for the race track. It's easy to do on those short tracks because everybody is so close. A tenth of a second would have moved us up a long ways.
"It put us in a hole all night. We were moving up through our heat and at least transfer for sure, but got tangled up and went to the back. I went to the back twice and still just missed the transfer spot by six inches. We had to run the B Main and it was kind of the same thing. I just kept getting run over or run into. We were going to make a transfer spot there I believe, but got run over from behind. It made a long night."
Swindell used a provisional to start 25th and he rallied to finish 13th in the feature. Meanwhile, Dollansky, who placed sixth in the dash, endured his own misfortune early in the main event.
"We were pretty decent early, got ourselves in the dash and made some progress," he said after placing 12th. "We got into third pretty quick. We had a cylinder go down into turn three on the opening lap. It was a deal where we were hoping we could make it to the finish. We definitely had a car to win on Thursday at Limaland. Once the motor laid down it was the type of deal where I wasn't sure it was going to make it to the end. The last few laps it didn't. I was covered in oil and it was a bit of a mess."
The weekend wrapped up with a doubleheader at Eldora Speedway with the Knight Before the Kings Royal on Friday and the 30th annual Kings Royal on Saturday.
The Big Game Treestands car powered by Swindell qualified seventh quickest with the Eyecon Trail Cameras car eighth quickest during qualifying on Friday. The Big Game Motorsports teammates both finished fifth in their heat races to advance to the feature, where they started side by side in the seventh row.
"We were starting back again so we thought we'd try something a little different and it didn't work," Swindell said. "We ran a harder left rear (tire) and that probably wasn't the best thing to do. It was tough to do much with."
Swindell finished 19th, while Dollansky maneuvered to an eighth-place result.
"We had a pretty decent car early," Dollansky said. "I think we went from 14th to fifth. Our car wasn't as good at the end of the race as the beginning."
The Big Game Motorsports teammates qualified in reverse on Saturday for the $50,000-to-win Kings Royal as Dollansky edged Swindell. With a unique format and show-up points with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, the top three in each heat race advanced to the main event. Both the Eyecon Trail Cameras and Big Game Treestands cars narrowly missed out on a transfer by one spot.
However, the top-two qualifiers who didn't advance to the main event through the heat race were locked into the feature. Since five of the top six qualifiers drove to a top-three finish in their heat race, Dollansky earned one of those two spots and he started the feature on the outside of the 10 th row.
"We were lacking overall speed from hot laps all the way through qualifying and the heat race," he said. "We had an issue that we figured out after the heat race. At that point we were starting 20th. It seemed we were a few tenths off the pace."
The Eyecon Trail Cameras car maneuvered to a 12th-place finish, which was his ninth top-15 result in the 11 Kings Royal features that Dollansky has competed in.
"My engine wouldn't take off on restarts and we were losing a spot or two every restart, making us have to get by some cars we had already passed," he said. "It was definitely not the result in the Kings Royal we wanted to have. We were hoping to be a lot stronger."
Swindell missed out on the lock-in position by one spot and was forced to compete in the Last Chance Showdown, which he won to transfer the Big Game Treestands car into his 24th Kings Royal main event. After starting 21st, Swindell struggled to find momentum and quickly found himself battling to stay on the lead lap.
"At one point I was passed by the leader and ended up driving back by and driving away," he said. "The car was pretty good after about eight laps. It was those first eight laps were always a struggle. It just seemed like I was in the wrong place."
Swindell rallied to finish 15th - his 19th top-15 result in the premier event.
The Big Game Motorsports teammates and World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car series continue the Month of Money on Tuesday at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., for the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup.
Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., hosts the Summer Nationals on Friday and Saturday before a race at Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y., on Sunday wraps up the weekend.
QUICK RESULTS -
DOLLANSKY:
July 11 - Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio - Qualifying: 14; Heat race: 1 (2); Dash: 6 (8); Feature: 12 (6).
July 12 - Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio - Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 5 (3); Feature: 8 (14).
July 13 - Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio - Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 4 (3); Feature: 12 (20).
SWINDELL:
July 11 - Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio - Qualifying: 25; Heat race: 5 (5); Feature: 13 (25).
July 12 - Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio - Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 5 (3); Feature: 19 (13).
July 13 - Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio - Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 4 (3); B Main: 1 (2); Feature: 15 (21).
SEASON STATS -
DOLLANSKY : 44 races, 5 wins, 13 top fives, 25 top 10s, 35 top 15s, 42 top 20s
SWINDELL : 44 races, 2 wins, 11 top fives, 27 top 10s, 37 top 15s, 41 top 20s
UP NEXT -
Tuesday at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., for the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup; Friday and Saturday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., for the Summer Nationals; and Sunday at Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y., with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
LIVE AUDIO -
Keep up with Big Game Motorsports via free, live audio from DIRTVision at every World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event throughout the season. For more information, click http://www.DIRTVision.com.
MEDIA LINKS -
Big Game Treestands: http://www.BigGameTreestands.com
Aggressive Hydraulics: http://www.AggressiveHydraulics.com
MobileStar: http://www.MobileStar.us/mobilestarwebsite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Big_Game_TS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Game-Treestands/251832101535076?fref=ts
BIG GAME TREESTANDS -
Established in 1977 in Windom, Minn., Big Game Treestands has grown to be a leading company in the outdoor industry. Big Game Treestands offers a Rock Solid™ line of field tested, safety certified above TMA requirements, welded steel stands & free standing elevated platforms that gives you not only a safe and extremely sturdy vantage point, but also reliable all-day comfort at a great value. Large, non-slip standing platforms, top-notch fastening systems, and our innovative pinned, sleeved ladder sections provide the Rock Solid™ stance, twist free climbing, and all around silence that Big Game Treestands® is known for. Non-glare, powder coat finish keeps our products hidden from nature's wary eye.
For over 30 years, it has been our goal and our philosophy to provide the most innovative and practical treestands and hunting accessories in the field. As tradition continues, we are Exceeding Limitations and once again providing new models that challenge Mother Nature. In 2012 Big Game extended the line into Trail Cameras known for the easy to set, great picture quality, and over all great camera Eyecon Trail Cameras exceeds the expectations of consumers. Big Game Treestands® and Eyecon Trail Cameras® offers undeniable quality on time-tested favorites as well as new innovations for 2013.
For more information on Big Game Treestands, visit http://www.BigGameTreestands.com.
EYECON TRAIL CAMERAS ® -
Eyecon Trail Cameras® are premier trail cameras for hunters and outdoorsmen. The Black Widow Trail Camera, Storm Trail Camera and Quikshot Trail Camera provide a variety of options that are user-friendly with exceptional imaging. To learn more about or purchase Eyecon Trail Cameras®, visit http://www.EyeconTrailCameras.com.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS -
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations, media management and merchandising services for sprint car teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and your sponsors' return on investment.
To meet the media relations needs of your team, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.insidelinepromotions.com.
Article Credit: Shawn Miller