World of Outlaws–Mark Dobmeier Battles Schatz and Swindell to Win at Huset’s Speedway

Mark Dobmeier Battles Schatz and Swindell to Win at Huset’s Speedway
This is Dobmeier’s third ever World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win and his second Outlaws win at Huset’s

BRANDON, S.D. — July 2, 2014 — Mark Dobmeier battled from a 10th place starting position Wednesday night, passing 293-time winner Sammy Swindell for the lead and holding off a late challenge from five-time champion Donny Schatz to claim the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win at Huset’s Speedway.

Dobmeier, a five-time Huset’s champion, crossed the finish line in his Senske and Son car to loud cheers from fans at the 3/8 mile track.

“That cheer right there says it all!” Dobmeier said. “I can’t thank my team enough. They always stick behind us. They always work harder and harder. I’ll tell you what, I gave 110 percent in that race.”

“We’ve been very strong at this track. I’d say we’ve been the fastest car out there for the last two weeks. We had a blown motor and I was going for it for the lead last week, just the other night, pulled a wheelie and got in a tangle up. But that’s the fine line of pushing the edge all the time. That could have been the same thing right there but we were able to tame her down and keep her to the win.

Dobmeier, who is a native of Grand Forks, N.D., said he considers the track his second home track.

“Anytime you bring it home for the home crowd, this is what it’s all about here,” Dobmeier said. “I appreciate every one of you guys out there.”

With his win, Dobmeier became the 17th different winner so far this season. This was his third Outlaws win and second at Huset’s. He notched his first win with the series at Wilmot Raceway in 2006. His previous Huset’s win with the Outlaws came in 2012.

Swindell started on the front row with Kraig Kinser. Paul McMahan and Joey Saldana started in row two.

As the green flag flew, Swindell jumped out to a strong lead while the shuffle began behind him. A caution on lap nine gave a charging Dobmeier the momentum he needed as he powered past McMahan and Schatz to move into the third position. He soon began to reel in Kraig Kinser for second. By lap 14 he had caught Kinser to take over the second spot.

Shortly after that, Swindell, still with a firm grip on the lead, caught lapped traffic. As Swindell was slowed, Dobmeier gave chase, catching the three-time champion in traffic on the backstretch and making a bold, three-wide pass for the lead. As Dobmeier took over the lead on lap 19, Kerry Madsen, who started in the 19th position, had worked his way all the way up to eighth.

On a restart following a caution just after Dobmeier took the lead, Swindell gave him one more fight, battling Dobmeier for three laps. Meanwhile, Schatz and Madsen looked to advance. Schatz took over the second position on lap 28 and Madsen took over the third spot shortly after.

Dobmeier faced one more challenge in the closing laps from Schatz.

“We got to him there,” said Schatz, driver of the STP/Armor All car. “I knew it was going to be a tire management game but I guess I waited a little bit too long. Mark got himself up there and got in a good spot. He kept slipping off the bottom of one and two and I got underneath him and got even with him. I kind of told myself going into three, I’ve got everything to lose and he doesn’t. We got side-by-side and he beat us to the corner. Second is where we’re at.”

Dobmeier crossed the finish line in first with Schatz in second and Madsen in third.

Schatz credited his team for putting him in a good position to compete Wednesday night.

“It’s a tribute to this STP team,” Schatz said. “These guys have done a phenomenal job all night. Typically I don’t qualify all that well here and they’ve been working hard on that. Got us a great race car and it was there at the end, just a little bit short.”

Madsen, who received the ASE Hard Charger award after picking up 16 spots in his American Racing Custom Wheels car over the course of the race, congratulated Dobmeier and said he wasn’t expecting to have the night he had.

“I started 19th and I thought if I can crack a top ten, that’ll be insane,” said Madsen, a native of St. Marys, New South Wales, Australia. “I was in the unique position when you start back that far that you just go everywhere the other guy’s not. I was running the bottom of one and two for a while earlier and then I’m like, I think I can go to the top. And ironically it was really good up there. But you have to hit it pretty nice and you can make a pass and put you into good position down here, so I really enjoyed myself.”

“It’s always awesome to come up and race in front of the Huset’s South Dakota fans – so just a fun night overall.”

None of the podium finishers started better than fifth at Huset’s – Dobmeier started 10th, Schatz started fifth and Madsen started 19th.

Schatz again extended his champion points lead to 108 over second place Daryn Pittman. Paul McMahan remained in third, 113 points out of the lead.

The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series travels next to Dodge City Raceway Park for the Boothill Showdown presented by Roto-Mix on July 4 and 5. Limaland Motorsports Park welcomes the Outlaws on July 9 for the Brad Doty Classic.