Blair Comes Up Just Short at Elkins IRS Event
May 2, 2008
ELKINS, WV
After starting in the 3rd position, Rob Blair came up just short of his second consecutive Independent Racing Series victory. Rob caught race leader Steve Shaver with one lap remaining in the 50 lap event, and was able to get beside Shaver coming out of turn 4, but was unable to complete the pass. At the checkered it was Shaver outlasting Blair’s last lap charge by mere inches.
“The car was pretty good all night,” stated Blair. “It was a little tough to pass until the top of the track slowed down enough that I could get a run off the bottom and keep with guys running the top of the track.” “We had to deal with a couple lapped cars for about 10 laps towards the end of the race. If I could have cleared them a little sooner maybe would have had a little more time to work on Shaver.”Front-row starters Steve Shaver and Tim Dohm led the field of 25 to the green flag with Shaver grabbing the inside line and slipping high to lead the first circuit with Dohm a close second with Duane Chamberlain third, Mike Knight fourth and Joe Loudin the top-five at the line. The second lap would see a side-by-side battle for the lead at the line with Shaver nearly edging Dohm for the position.
The first caution would come out for Butch McGill spinning in turn four. The next caution on the fourth lap was for Tim Senic stopping in turn three.
A six car may-lay and red flag in turn four would halt the restart which involved Charlie George, Jake Hawkins, Billy Holbert, Devin Friese, Chuck Harper and Dave Hess Jr. Four laps were still complete at this point.
After the red flag, the field would line-up with Steve Shaver up front, Tim Dohm second, Robbie Blair third, Chamberlain fourth and Loudin fifth.
By the eighth lap, Dohm would start to close the gap on leader Steve Shaver by just a car length and look to the inside for the lead on lap ten. Dohm used the inside to his advantage and by lap 11 kept the gap by just two car lengths.
The first lapped car would be Jimmy McCloud on the 13th circuit. Shaver would go around him and Andy Bond would become the next victim on lap-17.
By the half-way point in the race, second place runner Robbie Blair would start to close in on second place runner Tim Dohm. By lap 25 it was Shaver, Dohm, Blair, Joe Loudin and Mike Knight in tow,
A pair of lapped cars for leader Steve Shaver would close the gap on the lead with Blair charging on the bottom to close in on Dohm. Steve Wilmoth was the soon to be lapped car in front of leader Steve Shaver for several laps which actually sent the cars of Shaver, Dohm and Blair pulling away from the rest of the field.
By the closing point in the race, a hard-charging Mike Balzano who started 16th was already in the fifth position and would eventually take the fourth spot from Joe Loudin by the end of the event.
Robbie Blair would stick the nose of his familiar WON11 to the inside of Tim Dohm with just two to go and hold the spot looking to reel in Shaver which was a car-length in front when the white flag fell.
Off the final corner for the win, Shaver held off Blair by a bumper to take the win over Dohm, Balzano and Loudin who rounded out the top-five.
The WON11 team's next event will be on Saturday Night May 10, 2008 at Chuckie May’s 201 Speedway in Sitka, (Paintsville) Kentucky for a 50-Lap $5,000 to win event.
Official Summary of Results:
Round # 2-2008 Season
Elkins Motor Speedway-Elkins, WV
May 2, 2008
Independent Racing Series Super Late Models
A-Main Finish:
1. Steve Shaver-Vienna, WV
2. Robbie Blair-Titusville, PA
3. Tim Dohm-Cross Lanes, WV
4. Mike Balzano-Parkersburg, WV
5. Joe Loudin-Buckhannon, WV
6. Mike Knight-Ripley, NY
7. Duane Chamberlain-Richmond, IN
8. Booper Bare-Rockbridge Baths, VA
9. Doug Horton-Bruceton Mills, WV
10. Tim Senic-Elkins, WV
11. Eddie Carrier Jr.-Salt Rock, WV
12. Jared Hawkins-Fairmont, WV
13. Chuck Harper-Beverly, WV
14. Steve Wilmoth-Clarksburg, WV
15. Billy Holbert-Fairmont, WV
16. Rick Aukland-Zanesville, OH
17. Andy Bond-Coolville, OH
18. Bob Gordon-Keyser, WV
19. Jimmy McCloud-Elkins, WV
20. Paul Wilmoth Jr.-Clarksburg, WV
21. Devin Friese-Chambersburg, PA
22. Charlie George-Elkins, WV
23. Jake Hawkins-Fairmont, WV
24. Dave Hess Jr.-Waterford, PA
25. Butch McGill-New Weston, WV
Cornett Racing Engines Heat-1: Duane Chamberlain, Joe Loudin, Mike Knight, Robbie Blair, Dave Hess Jr., Tim Senic, Cody Parker, Chuck Clise, Rick Bond
Malcuit Racing Engines Heat-2: Chuck Harper, Paul Wilmoth Jr., Butch McGill, Devin Friese, Jacob Hawkins, Billy Holbert, Andy Bond, Shawn Poling, Rick Aukland, L.C. Powers
Gutswear Heat-3: Steve Wilmoth, Booper Bare, Steve Shaver, Charlie George, Jared Hawkins, Bo Feathers, Bob Gordon, John Over, Anthony Arbogast, Brad Harris
Indy Screen Printing Heat-4: Tim Dohm, Doug Horton, Eddie Carrier Jr., Mike Balzano, Jimmy McCloud, Kevin Kreene, Kris Southern, Brad Hutson Jr., Dustin Hamrick
Dash: Steve Shaver, Tim Dohm, Robbie Blair, Mike Knight, Butch McGill
Dave Poske Performance Parts B Main-1: Jake Hawkins, Dave Hess Jr., Tim Senic, Andy Bond, Cody Parker, Billy Holbert, Rick Bond, L.C. Powers, Chuck Clise, Shawn Poling, Rick Aukland (DNS), Ricky Williams (DNS)
Dave Poske Performance Parts B Main-2: Jared Hawkins, Bob Gordon, Jimmy McCloud, Bo Feathers, Kevin Keene, John Over, Anthony Arbogast, Kris Southern, Brad Hutson Jr., Brad Harris, Dustin Hamrick
Entries: 39 from seven states (IN, OH, WV, VA, MD, PA, NY)
Integra Racing Shocks Fast Time: Mike Knight-14:642 seconds
Cautions: Two (Laps 3, 4)
Red Flags: One (Lap 4)
Lap Leaders: Shaver (1-50)
Series Provisionals: Rick Aukland and Andy Bond
Track Provisional: Billy Holbert
Time of Race: 26 minutes (started 10:20 p.m. EST and ended 10:46 p.m. EST)
Independent Racing Series Championship Points: (After May 2)
1. Robbie Blair-297 (Titusville, PA)
2. Tim Dohm-288 (Cross Lanes, WV)
3. Mike Balzano-275 (Parkersburg, WV)
4. Rick Aukland-273 (Zanesville, OH)
5. Mike Knight-262 (Ripley, NY)
5. Duane Chamberlain-262 (Richmond, IN)
7. Andy Bond-257 (Coolville, OH)
7. Dave Hess Jr.-257 (Waterford, PA)
9. Jared Hawkins-254 (Fairmont, WV)
10. Rick Bond-204 (Mansfield, OH)
Independent Racing Series Rookie of the Year Points: (After May 2)
1. Tim Dohm-288 (Cross Lanes, WV)
2. Mike Knight-262 (Ripley, NY)
3. Duane Chamberlain-262 (Richmond, IN)
4. Andy Bond-257 (Coolville, OH)
5. Devin Friese-196 (Chambersburg, PA)
6. Cody Parker-150 (Zanesville, OH)
