By Lee Elder
RAPID CITY, SD (Aug. 24, 2018) – Brad Sweet took advantage of a late-race restart to grab to lead with six laps remaining and win the Rushmore Outlaw Showdown World of Outlaws Sprint car race at Black Hills Speedway.
Sweet was better than two seconds behind leader Jacob Allen when a caution flag tightened the field and gave Sweet a chance to snag the lead. He and Allen went wheel-to-wheel for a lap and a half before Sweet too the lead for good.
“I kind of felt bad for him,” Sweet admitted later. “He’s been working really hard.”
Allen was looking to win his first career Outlaws race. He finished fifth in the 25-lap race.
“He didn’t really do anything wrong,” Sweet said. “We both got off the restart pretty well.”
Donnie Schatz, who started 10th and ran ninth when the caution flag flew, finished second. Dominic Scelzi was third, followed by Logan Schuchart and Allen. Sweet’s margin of victory was 1.255.
Prior to the restart with 18 laps complete, Allen led every lap.
NOTES: 24 cars were presented for qualifying attempts. New Powers experienced some sort of mechanical problems and he was unable to turn a qualifying lap. … Daryn Pittman, the third car on the track for qualifying, set a new WoO track record at Black Hills at 14.813 seconds, 117.383 mph. … Sheldon Haudenschild bounced his car off the side of Daryn Pittman’s car as they chased down the back straight with two laps complete. Haudenschild brushed the outside and inside retaining walls before coming to a rest. His team managed to change the front axle in time to get Haudenschild back on track. He finished 17th, the first car one lap down. … The WoO measured the track at .483 of a mile.
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series continues its 40th Anniversary Season Saturday, August 25 at Big Sky Speedway in Billings, Montana.
Feature (25 Laps by car number, driver, starting position, money): 1. 49-Brad Sweet [2][$10,000]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [10][$5,500]; 3. 41S-Dominic Scelzi [7][$3,200]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [8][$2,800]; 5. 1A-Jacob Allen [1][$2,500]; 6. W20-Greg Wilson [17][$2,300]; 7. 9-Daryn Pittman [6][$2,200]; 8. 5-David Gravel [4][$2,100]; 9. 19-Brent Marks [13][$2,050]; 10. 2-Shane Stewart [3][$2,000]; 11. 18-Ian Madsen [9][$1,500]; 12. 7S-Jason Sides [11][$1,200]; 13. 24-Rico Abreu [15][$1,100]; 14. 11K-Kraig Kinser [12][$1,050]; 15. 99-Skylar Gee [16][$1,000]; 16. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [5][$900]; 17. 97-Alan Gilbertson [14][$800]; 18. 2JR-Kelly Miller [18][$800]; 19. 88-Travis Reber [19][$800]; 20. 2K-Kevin Ingle [20][$800]; 21. 14-Ben Holmberg [21][$800]; 22. 4-Adam Speckman [23][$800]; 23. 3-Mike Pennel [22][$800]; 24. O-Ned Powers [24][$800] Lap Leaders: Jacob Allen 1-18, Brad Sweet 19-25; KSE Hard Charger Award: W20-Greg Wilson[+11]
Qualifying: 1. 9-Daryn Pittman, 14.813; 2. 1A-Jacob Allen, 14.817; 3. 49-Brad Sweet, 14.836; 4. 2-Shane Stewart, 14.838; 5. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 14.862; 6. 5-David Gravel, 14.931; 7. 15-Donny Schatz, 14.979; 8. 7S-Jason Sides, 14.999; 9. 18-Ian Madsen, 15.053; 10. 41S-Dominic Scelzi, 15.055; 11. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 15.064; 12. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 15.068; 13. 19-Brent Marks, 15.162; 14. W20-Greg Wilson, 15.271; 15. 24-Rico Abreu, 15.328; 16. 99-Skylar Gee, 15.369; 17. 97-Alan Gilbertson, 15.677; 18. 2JR-Kelly Miller, 16.236; 19. 88-Travis Reber, 16.758; 20. 4-Adam Speckman, 16.945; 21. 14-Ben Holmberg, 16.971; 22. 3-Mike Pennel, 17.104; 23. 2K-Kevin Ingle, 17.18; 24. O-Ned Powers, NT
