PADUCAH, Ky. — Craig Dollansky had gone nearly a month without an Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory.
But he led all 35 laps July 28 at Paducah Int’l Raceway to post his seventh victory of the season and end a drought that extended back to July 3. He endured four cautions in the event, including one with just eight laps remaining, to pick up the $10,000 triumph.
“I’m very happy for this Larry Woodward team,” said Dollansky. “It’s been a long month here in July with the heat, and these crew guys of mine Mike (Woodring), Rob (Beattie) and Lester (Groves) just keep working hard. It was a great team effort tonight, and I am very happy for everyone that is behind this team.”
Dollansky, aboard the Snap-on Tools Maxim, started on the pole and led every lap of the three-eighths-mile oval, despite challenges from Steve Kinser early in the race and Jason Meyers during the latter stages of the event.
“I was running a pretty conservative race, unless someone showed me something,” Dollansky explained. “I really felt good on top, so I felt like we had to push it a little harder up there and that’s what we did. It feels good to get another win. We just have to keep working hard and going after wins.”
As the halfway point of the 35-lap contest neared, Meyers made up a lot of ground, eventually snagging the runner-up spot from Kinser.
He quickly closed in on Dollansky on the 26th lap and took the lead on the 27th lap on the back straightaway as he dove under Dollansky, who battled back in turns three and four.
Before the lap was completed though, the caution flag waved for Jason Sides, who was penalized for advancing his position off of the intended racing surface, as he went underneath the track tires that were used to designate the racing surface.
By way of World of Outlaws rules, the restart line-up reverted to the last completed lap, with Dollansky retaining the lead.
“It was an unfair call by the officials,” said Meyers. “I’m not sure why they called it. I have never seen a call like that before. We had the car to win the race tonight.”
Dollansky used a strong restart to pull away in the waning laps to pick up his first career win at Paducah Int’l Raceway and the 28th of his World of Outlaws career.
“It’s good to have some momentum going,” he shared. “We have a strong race team here and have had a good month of July. We are going to a few race tracks that I enjoy, and look to run strong at them.”
Meyers finished second, with Kinser, who was driving with an injured right elbow sustained in an accident July 26 at K-C Raceway in Ohio, third.
Jac Haudenschild and Chad Kemenah, who started 16th, rounded out the top five.