Shaffer two-for-two during Winter Nationals action at Bubba Raceway Park

Tim Shaffer two-for-two during Winter Nationals action at Bubba Raceway Park

Story By: Tyler Altmeyer/ASCOC

Photo By: Jim Murdoch/RacersGuide.com

OCALA, Fla. (February 1, 2019) – For the second time in as many nights, the ‘Steel City Outlaw’ Tim Shaffer is a main event winner with the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1, padding a recent stretch of Florida dominance that now includes back-to-back $5,000 top prizes. For Shaffer, the All Star victory was the product of patience and experience, forced to manhandle periods of slower traffic on a narrow, but ultra-fast racing surface, all while maintaining an advantage equal to just under four seconds for much of the 30-lap program.

World of Outlaws competitor and fellow Pennsylvania-native, Jacob Allen, finished just behind Tim Shaffer at the final checkers, followed by Visalia, California’s Cory Eliason, Mark Smith and former All Star champion, Chad Kemenah. The victory, Shaffer’s fifth All Star triumph at Bubba Raceway Park, increased his career win total with the Series to a staggering 66.

“This is really great. Everyone is doing a great job. It’s great to have my car owners here this weekend. It’s really special for them to be here and watch the car win,” Tim Shaffer explained, driver of the Demyan-Rudzik Racing/Smith Titanium/Southern Pacific Farms/No. 49X sprint car. “Everyone plays a big part and I certainly wouldn’t be here without them.”

Starting third on the main event grid, it was not until after the feature’s first and only caution on lap five, the product of a slowing Jim Shuster, that Shaffer commenced his pursuit toward the front. Restarting third on the grid when green flag action returned, it was the soon-to-be traffic that appeared on lap eight that allowed the Aliquippa, Pa., native to track down Cory Eliason and race-long leader, Jacob Allen.

A bold dive in turns three and four on lap 12 allowed Shaffer to squeeze underneath Eliason to take the runner-up position. Just two circuits later, Shaffer repeated his now patented move in turns three and four, eventually sneaking under Jacob Allen to snag the top spot.

From that point forward, Tim Shaffer was the main attraction. The four-time All Star Circuit of Champions champion was not distracted by periods of intense traffic, ultimately increasing his margin of victory to just shy of four seconds by the time the final checkers flew.

“I have a lot of years of experience. I’ve been in their shoes before and I hate to be there,” Tim Shaffer said of Cory Eliason and Jacob Allen. “When you’re leading and there are lap cars, it’s tough to get your timing correct. Tonight was one of those nights where you had to get your timing down. It’s so tough down here.”

The Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 will conclude their three-day visit to Bubba Raceway Park on Saturday evening, February 2. Like the pair of evenings prior, the All Star Winter Nationals finale will award a $5,000 top prize.

Once Winter Nationals action at Bubba Raceway Park is complete, All Star teams will make their way east across Route 40 and visit Volusia Speedway Park for DIRTcar Nationals competition on Wednesday and Thursdays, February 6 & 7. The pair of Volusia visits will award $5,000 top prizes, as well as conclude action in the Sunshine State for America’s Series.

Those seeking additional news and notes regarding Bubba Raceway Park’s Winter Nationals program should visit the facility live on the Web at www.bubbaracewaypark.com. News and notes pertaining to Volusia Speedway Park can also be found online at www.dirtcarnationals.com.

Contingency Awards/Results: Bubba Raceway Park -February 1, 2019:
Event: Bubba Army Winter Nationals
Entries: 33 entries
C&R Racing All Star Warm-Ups: Carson Short – 12.667 seconds
Lincoln Electric Fast Qualifier: Tim Shaffer – 11.810 seconds (2nd quick)
Ford Performance Heat #1: Danny Dietrich
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2: Aaron Reutzel
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3: Chad Kemenah
Mobil 1 Heat #4: Logan Schuchart
JE Pistons Dash #1: Cory Eliason
Fatheadz Eyewear Dash #2: Jacob Allen
Classic Ink USA B-Main Winner: Sheldon Haudenschild
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet A-Main Winner: Tim Shaffer
MSD Performance Hard Charger Award: Cale Conley (+4)
(Lincoln Electric & MSD Performance: Need decal to qualify for contingency award)

Qualifying

Group (A)
1. 70-Brock Zearfoss, 12.793; 2. J4-John Garvin, 13.124; 3. 11S-Jim Shuster, 13.141; 4. 48-Danny Dietrich, 13.244; 5. 33-Max Stambaugh, 13.342; 6. 49H-Bradley Howard, 13.497; 7. 13M-Brandon Matus, 13.562; 8. 55-Gary Kriess, 13.921; 9. 14H-Jeremy Hill, 14.058

Group (B)
1. M1-Mark Smith, 12.088; 2. 2-Carson Macedo, 12.346; 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 12.455; 4. 17W-Shane Golobic, 12.635; 5. 4-Danny Smith, 12.708; 6. 91S-Colby Womer, 13.297; 7. 91-Anthony Fiore, 13.318; 8. 49-Mallie Shuster, 13.330

Group (C)
1. 1A-Jacob Allen, 11.763; 2. 14-Tony Stewart, 12.118; 3. 26-Cory Eliason, 12.135; 4. K4-Chad Kemenah, 12.487; 5. 5-Shane Stewart, 12.528; 6. 7K-Cale Conley, 12.724; 7. 33M-Mason Daniel, 12.787; 8. 70X-Spencer Bayston, 12.850

Group (D)
1. 49x-Tim Shaffer, 11.810; 2. 21-Carson Short, 11.826; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 11.835; 4. 5W-Lucas Wolfe, 11.980; 5. 17S-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.014; 6. 13-Paul McMahan, 12.270; 7. 17-Josh Baughman, 12.432; 8. 40-George Hobaugh, 12.553

Heat #1 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 48-Danny Dietrich [1]; 2. 70-Brock Zearfoss [4]; 3. 11S-Jim Shuster [2]; 4. J4-John Garvin [3]; 5. 49H-Bradley Howard [6]; 6. 33-Max Stambaugh [5]; 7. 55-Gary Kriess [8]; 8. 13M-Brandon Matus [7]; 9. 14H-Jeremy Hill [9]

Heat #2 – Group (B) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel [2]; 2. M1-Mark Smith [4]; 3. 17W-Shane Golobic [1]; 4. 2-Carson Macedo [3]; 5. 4-Danny Smith [5]; 6. 91-Anthony Fiore [7]; 7. 91S-Colby Womer [6]; 8. 49-Mallie Shuster [8]

Heat #3 – Group (C) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. K4-Chad Kemenah [1]; 2. 26-Cory Eliason [2]; 3. 14-Tony Stewart [3]; 4. 1A-Jacob Allen [4]; 5. 5-Shane Stewart [5]; 6. 7K-Cale Conley [6]; 7. 33M-Mason Daniel [7]; 8. 70X-Spencer Bayston [8]

Heat #4 – Group (D) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 1S-Logan Schuchart [2]; 2. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [1]; 3. 21-Carson Short [3]; 4. 49X-Tim Shaffer [4]; 5. 13-Paul McMahan [6]; 6. 17S-Sheldon Haudenschild [5]; 7. 17-Josh Baughman [7]; 8. 40-George Hobaugh [8]

Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 26-Cory Eliason [1]; 2. 49X-Tim Shaffer [4]; 3. M1-Mark Smith [2]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [3]; 5. 87-Aaron Reutzel [5]

Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 1A-Jacob Allen [2]; 2. K4-Chad Kemenah [4]; 3. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [1]; 4. 70-Brock Zearfoss [3]; 5. 48-Danny Dietrich [5]

B-Main (12 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 17S-Sheldon Haudenschild [1]; 2. 17-Josh Baughman [2]; 3. 7K-Cale Conley [3]; 4. 91-Anthony Fiore [4]; 5. 33-Max Stambaugh [5]; 6. 40-George Hobaugh [9]; 7. 33M-Mason Daniel [6]; 8. 70X-Spencer Bayston [10]; 9. 13M-Brandon Matus [12]; 10. 91S-Colby Womer [7]; 11. 55-Gary Kriess [8]; 12. 49-Mallie Shuster [11]; 13. 14H-Jeremy Hill [13]

A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 49X-Tim Shaffer [3]; 2. 1A-Jacob Allen [2]; 3. 26-Cory Eliason [1]; 4. M1-Mark Smith [5]; 5. K4-Chad Kemenah [4]; 6. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [6]; 7. 1S-Logan Schuchart [7]; 8. 87-Aaron Reutzel [9]; 9. 21-Carson Short [11]; 10. 2-Carson Macedo [15]; 11. 70-Brock Zearfoss [8]; 12. 17W-Shane Golobic [13]; 13. 14-Tony Stewart [12]; 14. 13-Paul McMahan [17]; 15. 5-Shane Stewart [18]; 16. 17S-Sheldon Haudenschild [21]; 17. 48-Danny Dietrich [10]; 18. 17-Josh Baughman [22]; 19. 7K-Cale Conley [23]; 20. J4-John Garvin [16]; 21. 49H-Bradley Howard [20]; 22. 91-Anthony Fiore [24]; 23. 4-Danny Smith [19]; 24. 11S-Jim Shuster [14] Lap Leaders: Jacob Allen (1-13), Tim Shaffer (14-30)

About the All Star Circuit of Champions:
All Star Enterprises, LLC, wholly owned by Tony Stewart, d/b/a the All Star Circuit of Champions, is a winged sprint car series. The All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series is one of the oldest traveling 410 sprint car organizations and is a staple of grassroots, open-wheel racing. Formed in 1970 by Bud Miller, the series has largely been considered the first ‘outlaw’ Sprint Car organization of the modern era. Motorsports entrepreneur Tony Stewart agreed to terms with Guy Webb to become the sole owner of the original winged sprint car tour in January of 2015. In 2019, MAVTV Motorsports Network will continue to be the official television home of the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 and will broadcast ten high-profile events.