Big Sky Speedway
Shaw's last-lap pass denies Big Sky sweep by Matthees
By Rob Palmer
WISSOTA Dart Challenge SeriesBILLINGS, Mont. (July 20) — Don Shaw of Ham Lake, Minn., denied Lance Matthees his third victory in Montana in four days with a turn-four pass on the final lap of the Dart Challenge Series event at BMP Speedway. Shaw earned $2,000 for his first career victory on the WISSOTA-sanctioned tour.
Matthees, the Winona, Minn., driver who took the lead from polesitter Matt Aukland of Fargo, N.D., on the 25th of 40 laps, appeared ready to close out the victory when lapped traffic hampered him on the final lap. The 10th-starting Shaw charged to the bottom of the track and beat the sixth-starting Matthees to the checkered flag. Matthees, who won a Dart Challenge event in Great Falls and a Rumble Dirt Series event in Belgrade, settled for second.
Canadian Joel Cryderman of Thunder Bay, Ontario, was third while Aukland and Steve Laursen of Cumberland, Wis., rounded out the top five. Darryn Waldo of Billings, Mont., who started outside the front row and swapped the lead with Aukland early in the race, faded to finish 12th in a race slowed by a single caution.
The Dart Challenge Series next returns to action Aug. 13 at Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, S.D.
Dart Challenge @ BMP: (1) Don Shaw, (2) Lance Matthees, (3) Joel Cryderman, (4) Matt Aukland, (5) Steve Laursen, (6) Jeff Wildung, (7) Dave Mass, (8) Pat Doar, (9) Eric Mass, (10) Kyle Peterlin, (11) Ricky Weiss, (12) Darryn Waldo, (13) Wes McKenney, (14) Kelly Hample, (15) Scott Johnson, (16) Mike Stadel, (17) Rock Degele, (18) Jody Kropp, (19) Ronnie Harvie, (20) Marty Harvie, (21) Joe Johnson, (22) Scott Carnahan, (23) Jim Zaremski, (24) Rich Herman II, (25) Loran Salsbury, (26) Danny Gwinnip. Heat race winners: Matthees, Laursen, Weiss. Dash winner: Waldo.
