CHICO, California — Paul McMahan of Nashville, TN, raced a green to checkered victory in the World of Outlaw Sprint Series first night of two races at the 58th Gold Cup Race of Champions on the quarter mile high banked clay oval at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, CA.
"Tonight the track was choppy, it cost us a lot of time and we laid rubber. "— Paul McMahan
P. McMahon, a former Californian, raced the Roth/Kahne #83 sprint, out on this track that he has tackled many times before, shot into the lead and never looked back as he captured his fourth WoO Sprint victory in this 2011 season.
"Tonight the track was choppy, it cost us a lot of time and we laid rubber. It was pretty tough with the tracks loss of moisture. Unfortunate circumstances that worked out for me. A win is a win and winning here at Chico is even better." said P. McMahan.
This thirty lap race, was down to just a low groove, follow the leader run shortly after the original green flag flew.
The opening lap ended as the field raced into the fourth turn when Brad Sweet spun out collecting Brett Miller, Donny Schatz, Craig Dolansky, Justin Sanders and Andy Gregg, to bring out the caution. Schatz and Sanders sustained damage to their sprints that ended their night in this race.
When the new green flew out, P. McMahan led out the field followed by Jason Meyers, Shane Golobic, Chad Kemenah, Jonathan Allard, Jac Haudenschild, Steve Kinser, Kyle Larson, Mason Moore and Trey Starks, racing in the front ten positions. Basically at the checkered flag, the only change in the front ten was that Sammy Swindell managed to move into ninth.
Meyers of Clovis, CA, the reigning WoO Sprint Series Champion and currently holds the lead in the Woo Sprint points race this season, collected his second place finish in the Elite Racing DONI/GRU #14 sprint.
"It was the best we could do. We got everything that we could and we are happy for that. The wind got a hold of the track (late in the day) and rubber put down. (Rubber down on the track is peeled from the tires & you need to drive a cautious race, as you can a lose a tire at any time). said Meyers.
Third place was picked up by Shane Golobic of Fremont, CA racing the VonSchultz Country Builders #121 sprint.
"It felt good tonight, having my first podium finish with the World of Outlaws and being the highest running local guy. It kind of went our way. Meyers (Jason) got by us and it was rubber down later. It's hard to ask a race track to be good after three nights of heavy racing (seventy midgets and sprints, each night of the first two nights of this event and then fifty-three sprints tonight) But I'm sure tomorrow nights track will be good. said Golobic.
Justin Sanders of Watsonville, CA, driving the Sanders owned, North County Plastering #17, raced a 12.468 second lap in qualifying for fast time of the night.
On the bright side of the "A" Feature, there was only the one caution and no one injured. On the down side, there was a lot of talent in this race that never got a chance to try their wings. At the checkered, fourth went to Kemenah (OH), followed by Allard (CA), Haudenschild (OH), S. Kinser (IN), Larson (CA), Swindell (TN), Moore (CA), Trey Starks (WA), Lucas Wolfe (PA), Tim Kaeding (CA), Evan Suggs (CA), Jason Sides (TN), Jason York (CA), Kraig Kinser (IN), Brad Sweet (CA), Andy Gregg (CA), Austen Wheatley (WA), Dollansky (MN), Hirst (CA), Schatz (ND), and Sanders.
The "D", "C" and "B" Main along with the five Heat Race finishes and the Dash, are as follows:
"D" Main: Bill Rose (IN), Billy Strange, Sean McMahon, Matthew Davis, John Michael Bunch, Robbie Whitechurch, Clayton Snow, Pat Harvey, Jr. All but Rose are California drivers. The "D" was eight laps with Rose and Strange, getting the transfers into the "C".
"C" Main: Roger Crockett (OR), Tyler Wolf (CA), Bobby McMahan (CA), Bud Kaeding (CA), Justen Cox (CA), Steve Tatterson (WA), Brad Furr (CA), Strange, Peter Murphy (CA), Rose, Rico Abreu (CA), Andy Forsberg (CA). (Ten laps with top two transferring into the "B", tagging the rear)
"B" Main (Last Chance Showdown): Dollansky, Sides, Moore, Wheatley, Mike Henry (CA), Brad Bumgarner (CA), Kerry Madsen (AUS), Geoff Ensign (CA), Jason Solwold (WA), Jason Statler (CA), T. Wolf, Ian Madsen (AUS), Crockett, Colby Copeland (CA),Cody Darrah (PA), Cody Lamar (CA). (Twelve laps top four finishers transfer to "A" Feature)
Heat #1: S. Kinser, P. McMahan, Sanders, Hirst, T. Wolf, Cox, Bunch, Statler, Moore, Harvey, Jr., Copeland.
Heat #2: Haudenschild, Meyers, K. Kinser, Swindell, Abreu, Furr, S. McMahan, Henry, K. Madsen, Snow, Wheatley.
Heat #3: Sweet, Golobic, Starks, York, I. Madsen, Murphy, B. McMahan, Bumgarner, Ensign, Strange, Davis.
Heat #4: Schatz, L. Wolfe, Kemenah, Gregg, Crockett, Solwold, Sides, Lamar, Parady, Forsberg.
Heat #5: Allard, Larson, T. Kaeding, Suggs, Darrah, B. Kaeding, Dollansky, Whitechurch, Rose, Tatterson.
DASH: P. McMahan, Golobic, Kemenah, Meyers, Larson, Sweet, Sanders, Haudenschild, S. Kinser, Allard, L. Wolfe, Schatz.
