Shane Stewart Fights Through and Takes His Second Lucas Oil ASCS National Championship
- Jan 30, 2012
Of course he had dealt with the expected highs and lows of the sport to this point in the season, but Stewart had experienced his fair share of good fortune as well. All of his luck went south though at the drop of a hat on the preliminary night of the season finale when he was involved in a scary crash heading into turn one after the initial waving of the green flag. Fortunately, Stewart came into the race with a substantial lead and after his mishap, still managed to hold on to a 21 point lead.
Heading into the final night, in spite of a foot injury he sustained during his crash, Stewart made it through the C and charged through the B. Although narrowly missing out on a transfer spot, the driver utilized a provisional and started the 30-lap feature race in the rear of the field, as his closest competitor, Herrera, was lined up in the second row. The 2011 finale race was passing before the fans' eyes at a fast pace, as there were no stoppages from the time the green flag waved until the winning driver took the checkered flag. Working the bottom of the track, Stewart muscled his way through the field and by turn four of the white flag was situated in the fifteenth position. Upon the waving of the checkered flag, Shane had managed to work his way forward one more spot, eight drivers behind Herrera, who finished in sixth. After the dust had settled Stewart managed to hold onto the points race by one point, earning him his second career Lucas Oil ASCS National Championship.
Referring to his confidence level going into the final feature of the 2011 season, Stewart said, "I was a little sore, but we had been strong all year, and I had confidence in our team for getting me a strong car in the main. The key was to drive smart and focus on not making any mistakes that would ultimately knock us out of the race and blow any shot we had to win the title. I knew where we had to be, based on where Herrera finished," explained the driver. "At the time, I had no idea where he was, and really wasn't sure where we were." Although enjoying a comfortable lead during the greater portion of the season, Stewart was acutely aware of the importance of finishing strong during each and every race. "It's part of racing," he explained. "We had a really good year, but the funny thing about the sport is, you never know when bad luck will find you. It just goes to show how important each night is. Winning by just one point ultimately means that we could have lost it by finishing one spot worse than we did on any given night throughout the season. It shows the importance of giving it your all night in and night out."
Recapping 2011, Stewart continued, "The high point of our season was the Knoxville Nationals. For whatever reason, we seem to do really well there, and this season was no different. We came in hot, and were able to defend our 360 Nationals crown and really had a great showing in the 410 nationals," he continued, "I messed up qualifying on Wednesday, and really put us behind the eight ball. We didn't make it out of our heat, and luckily I was able to make a pass late in the B to put us in the show. From that point on, it felt like all we did was go forward. We charged from 24th to 4th during our preliminary and ultimately finished second at the biggest race of the year. It was unforgettable and without a doubt our high point in front of the best teams in the world." As one might suspect, Shane Stewart and his team are strong advocates of maintenance. That said, they depend upon K&N oil and air filters to keep the internal components of their engines well lubed and contaminant free. Referring to K&N products, Shane Stewart said, "We love all of the products that we use and recommend them to everyone else." In closing, Shane Stewart shared a message with his supporters- "I would just like to thank all of the fans and sponsors for their continued support. Without the fans and sponsors, it wouldn't be possible to do what we love to do." Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
