2/17/2015
Craig Dollansky
Tough Going in Outlaw Opening Weekend at Volusia
The 2015 World of Outlaws season officially got underway this past weekend in Florida as Craig Dollansky and the Destiny Motorsports #7 team headed to Volusia Speedway Park for a trio of events as part of the DIRTcar Nationals.
With 32 drivers signed into the world’s fastest ½-mile, Friday’s program got underway with qualifying as ‘The Crowd Pleaser’ motored to the 15th fastest lap at 13.004 seconds. Starting on the pole of heat competition, the Aggressive Hydraulics backed sprinter raced into the lead and took the victory to move into the dash. After the #7 finished 7th in the 6-lap dash, Dollansky lined up inside row four of the 30-lap A-Main and lost a few spots on the initial start as the highside proved to be the place to be. Running inside the top-ten after a caution on lap 7, the ensuing double-file restart didn’t favor the Elk River, Minnesota native as cars darted into turn one and contact with another driver sent the #7 flipping, ending what looked to be a strong night.
With repairs made by the Destiny Motorsports #7 team, Dollansky returned to Volusia Speedway Park on Saturday. Missing the heat inversion in qualifying put the team in an early hole as Dollansky would have to start fifth in heat competition. Battling a tight handling race car, the MonDak Portables Maxim closed on Dave Blaney in the final circuits of the 8-lap event but the #98H just edged the #7 at the checkered flag to claim the final transfer position to the main event.
Forced to run the B-Main, Dollansky started outside row two in the 12-lap event and was down on horsepower finishing 6th in the non-stop race and missing out on a top-four transfer position.
After the team bolted in a fresh powerplant for the final night on Sunday, Dollansky laid down a good lap in qualifying but the track seemed to get better as qualifying progressed and the Rick Rogers Construction #7 timed outside of the 12-car inversion. Heat competition then saw Dollansky start in row three and rocket around the cushion on the opening lap and secure 5th to transfer into the A-Main. Working his way around a handful of cars on the opening laps of the 30-lap main event, Dollansky continued to try make the highside work but relinquished a couple positions and moved down to the bottom where much of the field ran. As laps clicked off in the non-stop feature, the Aggressive Hydraulics Maxim turned some of the fastest lap of the field in the final circuits but passing was at a premium and Dollansky finished 18th when the checkered flag waved.
“Our Destiny Motorsports team didn’t have the results we were wanting but we learned some things and have some positives we can take away from the week of racing at Volusia,” commented Dollansky. “We have a good race team and will continue working together as a team to get us winning races.”
The Destiny Motorsports #7 team will now return to the shop before heading West to The Dirt Track at Las Vegas where World of Outlaws competition resumes on March 4th and 5th.
Article Credit: Reid VanEck
Submitted By: Craig Dollansky Racing
