Short Track Trucks Heat Up Dixie Motor Speedway

Birch Run, MI: The final appearance of the ShortTrackTrucks.com Challenge Series for 2005 at Dixie Motor Speedway was marked by high temps, hot racing, and another Shuryan Racing trip to victory lane. After losing an engine and borrowing a truck to finish second last week at Winchester, series championship points leader, Joey Shuryan, rose to the occasion and held off rival Rod Morrison at the finish to claim his seventh win of the year. Following Morrison was veteran Bob Fruit in third. Zander Radio Systems Rookie of the Race went to Natascha Thompson turning in her best performance of the year to finish fourth ahead of John Wicks. For the second race in a row, Paul Schaffer claims the St. Clair Engine Hard Luck Award winner after going up in flames and ending his bid for another feature win. While the race truck was melted, Schaffer emerged unhurt from the fiery incident.

Competition for the Turbo Blue Racing Gasolines Pole Award proved tough with Joey Shuryan edging out Bill Niedziewicki and Fruit. Heat race action saw Morrison beat Justin Claucherty and series newcomer Matt Van Dam. Other heat race results saw Bob Fruit edge Shuryan and John Wicks.

Under a somewhat cooler night sky, the trucks took the green flag led by Morrison and chased by Claucherty and Kelly Doyle. Soon Doyle had moved to second with Natascha Thompson in tow. The two ladies raced hard to keep pace with Morrison out front. In the pack, Shuryan and Paul Schaffer were beginning to move up passing the fading Claucherty. Just past midway, the truck of Paul Schaffer erupted in flames going into turn number one. The flames were short lived and Schaffer brought the truck to a stop on the backstretch and scrambled out of the smoldering Ford. The professional safety team was quick at hand to extinguish the flames and rescue the driver who would be unhappy but unhurt.

As racing resumed it was Morrison at the point and Shuryan in second having disposed of Doyle and Thompson before the caution. At the green Morrison flew into turn one but got crossed-up in the oil dry giving Shuryan the break he needed. The two veteran truck racers made slight contact going into turn three but Shuryan had position and took the lead. From there the two ran within a truck-length of one another to the finish as Shuryan took the victory. Bob Fruit managed to get by Thompson for third while John Wicks finished a strong fifth.

The ShortTrackTrucks.com Challenge Series now moves on to Sandusky Speedway in Sandusky, Ohio to be a part of their Calvalcade 2005 weekend on Sept. 24-25. Mansfield Motorsports Speedway will be the final stop for the series on October 1. For more information on the hottest touring race series in the Midwest, visit www.ShortTrackTrucks.com today.
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