Shane and the team celebrate their Queen’s Royale win in Farmington (Mark Funderburk Racing Photo)
(Bill W) October 3, 2016 – The Matt Wood Racing #17w team and driver Shane Golobic #ParkedIt in Victory Lane Saturday night at the 21st running of the Queen’s Royale at St. Francois County Raceway near Farmington, Missouri. The Fremont, California driver made an exciting last lap pass of Parker Price-Miller to claim the $5,000 top prize with the National Sprint League. The team will return to action with Kerry Madsen when the World of Outlaws visit Lakeside Speedway near Kansas City, Kansas and the Salina Highbanks Speedway in Oklahoma October 21 and 22.
The unique bullring in Farmington reminded Shane of some of the track in his home state. “Watching the videos, it looked like something from home,” he says. “I was excited about that. The team has been there before, so they had a baseline. Bryan (Clauson) was always good with feedback for them, so they had a good starting point.”
The track proved dry and dusty and without a cushion in Friday’s preliminary. Shane timed in 15th quick and after snagging the final transfer in the B, moved from 20th to 15th in the feature. “It took a little while the first night to get used to the car, and get used to working with the team,” he says. “Shane, Jim Bob and Adam worked with me really well. We struggled a little bit in qualifying and in the heat, but come feature time, I felt we were catching our stride.”
The track prep crew did wonders for Saturday’s finale. The track built a cushion, and Shane laid down the fifth quick time of the night. “My comfort with the track was a lot better on Saturday,” he says. “There was some moisture in it, and it was more like what I’m used to in California. There was a cushion to lean on. If we would have went a little earlier, I think we could have been better, but there was still plenty of racetrack there. That started the night out well.”
Driving from sixth to second in the heat gave him the second highest point total of the night. With an invert of six, that meant starting inside row three. “The big help was being able to start in the first three rows,” says Shane. “That makes the job a lot easier. The first few laps, we were able to get rolling on the bottom a little bit. I felt we were good enough to be in the mix in the end. Running the top was a little sketchier. I didn’t know if I wanted to run all thirty up there.”
After an early race battle with Parker Price-Miller for third that went back and forth. After winning that scrap, Shane would get by Tim Montgomery before passing Ian Madsen for the lead on lap eleven of thirty. Price-Miller used the high side to take the lead from him on lap 23, setting up a thrilling finish. “Parker showed me the top was better when he went by me,” says Shane. “I went to the top and followed him around. When I saw the white flag, I told myself I may as well run the bottom in one and two. There was no sense following him. I had noticed the lapped car in front of me was running a lane off the bottom. I figured we might be able to get a good run off the bottom and run by both of them. We were able to do that.”
The finish had the crowd on their feet. “It was really cool,” says Shane. “Everything turned out working the way we wanted it to. The car was good enough to square off the bottom of two, and switch back to the top of three and four and take Parker’s line away. It worked out perfect!”
A tradition in Farmington sees the winner don a cowboy hat. “I don’t know that I’ve ever worn a cowboy hat before,” says Shane. “To wear one in Victory Lane was pretty cool!”
Matt Wood Racing would like to thank: Elk Grove Ford, Quick Lane and Impact Signs, Awnings & Wraps!
Photo: Shane and the team celebrate their Queen’s Royale win in Farmington (Mark Funderburk Racing Photo)
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