Daggett Wins I-96 Thriller, Secures 2011 ASCS SOD Championship

From T.J. Buffenbarger

Lake Odessa, MI – (September 24, 2011) – Dustin Daggett won a spectacular Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP feature event Saturday night at I-96 Speedway. Daggett battled former ASCS SOD champion Brett Mann swapping the lead back and forth before Daggett pulled away for the victory. The win also allowed Daggett to clinch the 2011 ASCS SOD Point Championship.

“That was so much fun racing side by side with (Mann),” said Daggett in victory lane. “If you didn’t like that race you must not like racing. It was a great way for us the clinch the championship.”

Gregg Dalman and Davey Brown started on the front row for the 25-lap feature event. Dalman led off turn two while Brett Mann moved into the second spot. That duo opened up some sizeable distance between themselves and the rest of the field while Dustin Daggett, Dain Naida, and Jamie Collard raced for third through fifth.

Daggett moved past Naida on lap four to take the fourth spot while Collard and Mann raced for the second spot. Dalman opened up about a five car length lead as he approached slower traffic. Daggett then went to the outside of Collard to take third in turn three. Collard crossed back over, but could not retain the position off turn four.

By lap seven Dalman started catching slower traffic and allowed Mann to close with Daggett close behind. Daggett got a look under Mann, but was blocked by a slower car. Soon the top three cleared slower traffic and were right together on the race track.

Then on lap 10 Mann found an opening and slid by Dalman for the lead, one lap later Daggett moved past Dalman for second and closed in on Mann to challenge for the lead. From the next four laps Daggett and Mann swapped the lead in every corner until the caution flew for Collard, who ended up backwards in turn one with front end damage. Collard was unable to continue.

Daggett held the lead during the restart, but was immediately under pressure from Mann. Mann was better in turns one and two and could get along side or by Daggett, but each time Daggett was better off turns three and four and would retain the lead at the start finish line.

With five laps to go Mike Daggett and Joe Bares tangled in turn two to bring out the caution flag. Both drivers went pit side after the incident.

Mann mounted one last challenge, but Daggett was able to pull away while Mann tried holding off Dalman for second. Daggett held on to win over Mann, Dalman, Naida, and Jared Horstman.

Mann, Dalman, Naida, and Collard won heat race events. Joe Bares and Andy Chehowski won the “B” features. During the second heat race Tim Champlin took a wild end over end flip down the front straightway. Champlin emerged from his car uninjured.

Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP
I-96 Speedway – Lake Odessa, MI
Saturday September 24, 2011

Heat Race events (Top 16 drivers in passing points transferred to the “A” Feature)

Engler Machine at Tool Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 3w – Brett Mann, 2. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 3. 21t – Troy Chehowski, 4. 4 – Josh Turner, 5. 89 – Chris Pobanz, 6. 50B – Mike Burns, 7. 77 – Keith Love. DNS: 2t – Ralph Brakenberry

Lane Automotive/Comp Cams Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 49t – Gregg Dalman, 2. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 3. 10 – Davey Brown, 4. 91 – Joe Bares, 5. 46 – Robert Huisken, 6. 70 – Jim Lingar, 7. 21 – Matt Lumbert, 8. 8 – Tim Champlin

ARP Fasteners Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 07x – Dain Naida, 2. 88 – Mike Daggett, 3. 5 – Keith Dempster, 4. 0 – Dave Dykstra, 5. 10s – Jay Steinbach, 6. 27K – Ryan Kirkendall, 7. 29s – Marques Huffer, 8. 77 – Keith Love

Hoosier Tire Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. 7x – Jamie Collard, 2. 17 – Jared Horstman, 3. 2m – Dustin Daggett, 4. 20A – Andy Chehowski, 5. 11 – Trey Smith, 6. 55 – Kirk Cheney, 7. 2G – Joe Geibe, 8. 22T – Tank Brakenberry

B-Mains (Top two finishers transferred to the “A” Feature)

B-Main #1 (8 Laps): 1. 91 – Joe Bares, 2. 11 – Trey Smith, 3. 89 – Chris Pobanz, 4. 2G – Joe Geibe, 5. 50B – Mike Burns, 6. 21 – Matt Lumbert, 7. 22t – Tank Brakenberry. DNS: 2t – Ralph Brakenberry

B-Main #2 (8 Laps): 1. 20A – Andy Chehowski, 2. 10s – Jay Steinbach, 3. 55 – Kirk Cheney, 4. 77 – Keith Love, 5. 27K – Ryan Kirkendall, 6. 29s – Marques Huffer, 7. 70 – Jim Lingar. DNS: 8 – Tim Champlin

A-Main (25 Laps): 1. 2m – Dustin Daggett, 2. 3w – Brett Mann, 3. 49t – Gregg Dalman, 4. 07 – Dain Naida, 5. 17 – Jared Horstman, 6. 0 – Dave Dykstra, 7. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 8. 22 – Aaron Shaffer, 9. 21t – Troy Chehowski, 10. 5 – Keith Dempster, 11. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 12. 4 – Josh Turner, 13. 11 – Trey Smith, 14. 46 – Robert Huisken, 15. 10s – Jay Steinbach, 16. 10 – Davey Brown, 17. 91 – Joe Bares, 18. 88 – Mike Daggett, 19. 7x – Jamie Collard, 20. 20A – Andy Chehowski.

Lap Leaders: Dalman 1-10, Mann 11-15, D. Daggett 16-25