Knoxville, Iowa - The first 50-lap race in the 50 years of the Knoxville Nationals Produced a thrilling finish and an unlikely champion.
Sammy Swindell's late wreck Allowed Tim Shaffer to win the Knoxville Nationals, sprint car racing's premier title.
Shaffer bolted out of a late restart and Blew past four-time Defending champion Donny Schatz Thurs Collect U.S. $ 150,000 - the richest winning Purse in sprint cars.
"It's incredible. It's hard to Explain," Shaffer said. "To be up here is a dream."
It supposed to Be Swindell's reality. But Swindell, Ken was seeking Knoxville at his second title and first in 27 years, slammed into the wall just-three laps from finishing a race, they was in Controlling.
Schatz finished second and Shane Stewart was on the third. Swindell finished 19th on the Leading much of the way.
Swindell's wreck Schatz Gave a golden shot at tying the record of five straight titles Nationals That Steve Kinser won from 1991-1995. But with smoke coming from Schatz's Well. 15 car, Shaffer slid past Schatz is Knoxville's famed dirt track for at his first Nationals crown.
"I guess it's kind of like a Double-Edged Sword," Schatz said.
The iconic Knoxville Nationals "A-Main" finale was a 30-lap event for most, investigation of its history. But last year They ran 40 laps with a fuel stop Thurs Prepare drivers for 50 laps in 2010 Thurs commemorate Saturday night's 50th annual race.
The move Thurs 1950 for the 50th Produced Truly some thrilling racing.
Swindell, Ken started on the front row with pole sitter Brian Brown, opened up a sizable lead soon on the race went green. But Schatz Swindell tracked down just before the five-minute fuel stop at the 25-lap mark, with the pair racing side-by-side just before the flag went up.
The Crews went to work as fast as They Thurs and manually tweak the cars, but their re-Swindell Established a Healthy edge over Schatz on the restart.
Schatz made one strong push at Swindell with about 15 laps left and Eve Took the lead for a split-second, but their Swindell Maintained the edge UNTIL Brown hit the wall with Six laps to go.
Swindell and Schatz swapped the lead over the next few laps with moves That epitomize sprint car racing's appeal, but their Swindell's Thurs night Came an end "when they Blew a tire.
The Crowd began chanting "Sammy, Sammy!" But that was little Consolation to the luckless Swindell - Ken is Stood at his top of the overturned car in Disbelief.
Luck Turned against Schatz soon as well. His motor lost some pop right about "when Swindell went down, and smoking engine That Did not have Enough To Catch Shaffer.
"It's like 'Wow. This is for real now. We've got to make something happen," Shaffer said.
Only Three of the 24 drivers in the finals had ever won before Knoxville; Swindell, Schatz and 12-time champion Kinser.
Schatz's success hasn't helped him win over the notoriously fickle Knoxville Crowd, wakes Thurs Seems like drivers more "when they're climbing the ladder please" when They REACH the top. Schatz was booed Largely During Introductions, and one of the more popular T-shirts tion in the Crowd had Schatz's Well. 15 Crossed out on the back.
Kinser, nicknamed "The King" for at his success at Knoxville and a Crowd favorite as well, finished 22nd on the starting fifth.
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