Gillette Thunder Speedway
Doar caps DCS weekend with Gillette victory
GILLETTE, Wyo. (July 31) — Four-time series champion Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., outdueled outside front-row starter Eddie Kirchoff early and pulled away for a $3,000 Dart Challenge Series victory Saturday at Gillette Thunder Speedway.
Doar, who started third, took the lead from the hometown star on the third lap and rolled to his series-leading 24th victory as the WISSOTA-sanctioned tour wrapped up a three-race Western swing.
"It’s been really fun to come out here," said Doar, who finished sixth in Great Falls, Mont., and second at Belgrade, Mont., the previous nights. "We we get to see the mountains during the day and go racing at night. The car has been good all weekend and it’s fun to get a win on the last night before the long trip home."
Kirchoff finished second in the 40-lapper, battling polesitter Eric Mass of Rapid City, S.D., through the race’s middle stages. Jake Redetzke of Eau Claire, Wis., caught up in a heat race accident, rallied from 20th to finish third as he overtook Mass and Kelly Hample of Billings, Mont., on a three-lap dash to the finish after a lap-37 caution for Richard Haberstroh. Mass and Hample settled for fourth and fifth.
Notes: Doar’s MasterSbilt Race Car is sponsored by Mars Race Cars, U Motors Racing and Amsoil. ... Doar won his first race at the track; he won at the old Gillette oval on Sept. 11, 1999, as part of the annual East-West Clash. ... Don Shaw, who entered the weekend leading the series points, slipped over the turn-three banking on lap 13. ... Kelly Hample posted a series-best fifth-place finish and is only the second Montana driver in the top five of a series event; Hank Berry of Sidney, Mont., finished second in 2003 at MetraPark Motorsports Track in Billings. .... Jake Redetzke's 20th-to-third hard charger run paid a $100 product certificate from Lou Fegers Racing Equipment. ... Chris Johnson received a $250 product certificate from Keizer Aluminum Wheels. ... Two series races remain, the first on Aug. 29 at Ogilvie (Minn.) Raceway. The finale is Sept. 4 at Hibbing (Minn.) Raceway.
Dart @ Gillette: (1) Pat Doar, (2) Eddie Kirchoff, (3) Jake Redetzke, (4) Eric Mass, (5) Kelly Hample, (6) David McDonald, (7) John Kaanta, (8) John Bey, (9) Lance Matthees, (10) Brian Diede, (11) Curt Gelling, (12) Dan Henrikson, (13) Don Shaw, (14) Morris Oberle, (15) Chris Johnson, (16) Chad Becker, (17) Brent Nielsen, (18) Jim Zaremski, (19) John Robertson, (20) Richard Haberstroh, (21) John Lighthizer, (22) Nate Beacham, (23) Danny Allen. Scratched: Roy Spielman, Scott Anderson, Lynn Amick. Heat race winners (among 26 cars): Kirchoff, Diede, Mass. Dash winner: Mass.
