Todd Shaffer is the 2009 Sutliff Auto Group sprint car champion at Williams Grove Speedway.
Shaffer won the opening night feature on March 20 and never relinquished the point lead.
It was the third title for the Millerstown veteran, who also earned track championships in 1995 and again in 2007. Shaffer won three of the first five features at Williams Grove this year, then used consistent performances throughout the season to clinch the championship.
Although Shaffer won the driving championship, Jim and Sandy Kline, who fielded the car driven by Greg Hodnett, were car owner champions. While Hodnett was in Knoxville, Iowa, for the sprint car Nationals Dale Hammaker drove a Kline car at Williams Grove. Hammaker finished 16th in the feature that night, but scored enough points to allow the Klines to win the championship.
Hodnett settled for a second place tie with Mark Smith, 90 points behind Shaffer. Shaffer also won the 2009 track championship at Port Royal Speedway, as well.
The Klines finished a mere 40 points ahead of Shaffer’s car owners, Gary and Patti Beam. It was the second owner’s title for the Klines, having won with Fred Rahmer in their car in 2006.
In the Coliseum-sponsored 358 division, Cory Haas won an unprecedented fourth championship. He scored three victories along the way which pushed his career total to 14 and moved him into a 4-way tie for the division’s career win lead. Haas is tied with Pat Cannon, Chad Layton and Mike Lehman.
Although no more point races remain on the 2009 Grove schedule, both the sprint cars and 358s will join the super sportsman and 358 c.i. late models in the non-point Fall Fest on Saturday, October 24.
Information provided by Williams Grove Speedway was used in this report. Video is courtesy of Lynn Schaeffer Productions and www.SportsPlusVideo.com.
