Skyline Speedway
Shaver earns $3,000, eyes Skyline's Harvest 50 bonus
STEWART, Ohio (Sept. 19) — Fast qualifier Steve Shaver captured the 30-lap tuneup feature at Skyline Speedway's Harvest 50 weekend, earning $3,000 for an unsanctioned victory Saturday at the 3/8-mile oval in southeastern Ohio. Shaver will go for a victory in Sunday's Harvest 50, a $5,000-to-win event that pays a $3,000 bonus if Shaver can sweep the weekend dedicated Hilton "Big Fooze" Wolfe Jr.
"It was easy," said Shaver, whose feature victory followed his fast time and heat race victory. "Fooze was with me every step of the way. All I had to do was hang on and enjoy the ride. This win is for him."
Zack Dohm of Cross Lanes, W.Va., finished second in Saturday's preliminary feature followed by Josh McGuire of Grayson, Ky., Audie Swartz of Minford, Ohio, and 18th-starting Chris Carpenter of Parkersburg, W.Va. The event drew 40 Late Models.
Shaver led momentarily at the start before McGuire led 14 laps, building a six-length lead before Shaver began reeling him in. The frontrunners battled between laps 9-14 before Shaver took command near the halfway point. Dohm joined the tussle with Swartz threatening to make it a four-car race.
While Shaver made several key moves in traffic, he couldn't shake his pursuers as McGuire peeked underneath. McGuire, though, had his hands full with Dohm, who took the second spot in the final laps after the race's only caution.
Harvest 50 tuneup: (1) Steve Shaver, (2) Zack Dohm, (3) Josh McGuire, (4) Audie Swartz, (5) Chris Carpenter, (6) Larry Bond, (7) Roy Roush, (8) Freddie Carperter, (9) Travis Brookover, (10) Tyler Carpenter, (11) Ralph Withem, (12) John Britsky, (13) Tony Roush, (14) Jeff Wood, (15) Ronnie Mayle, (16) K.C. Burdette, (17) Andy Bond, (18) Steve Bigley. Fast qualifier (among 40 cars): Shaver, 14.71 seconds. Heat race winners: Shaver, McGuire, Brookover, Dohm. Consolation winners: Burdette, Withem.