Dunn-Olivieri Racing

Conneaut, OH…..at the start of the 2010 racing season the driver of the * 222 Russ Dunn told car owner Jim Clinger that he would like to run for a points championship, both Dunn and Clinger agreed Raceway 7 would be a good test of both car owner and driver skills. The agreement between the two men became a reality as the two stood together on the front straight away crowned 2010 Raceway 7 E-Mod Point Champions.

Dunn and the Triple Deuces Motorsports team were a model of consistency over a long season. Dunn’s lone win came on July 16th, but in between saw Dunn amass four runner up finishes, two fourth place and three fifth place finishes and no finishes worse than seventh. Dunn along the way picked up six heat race wins. One statistic the team can be proud of is Dunn was able to complete every lap run in both the heat races and feature events.

Heading into the evening racing at Raceway 7. Dunn had a 66 point leader over Joel Watson and with maximum of 75 points that could be scored in one evening all Dunn needed to do was finish 4th or better in the heat race or 18th or better in the feature. The out come of the point championship was over quickly as Dunn finished second in the heat race to clinch the title. All that was left was to finish the season off with a win. Starting fourth in the 20 lap feature, Russ by lap five was now in second place when the events first caution came on lap 9. Four more cautions would slow the field, but each time race leader Rich Michael was able to hold off a hard charging Dunn to a 2nd place finish.The two combatants met with a hand shake in Victory Lane Michael as the race winner and one as the point champion.

During a short interview with track announcer Jim Balentine Dunn thanked car owner Jim Clinger and his family for all of their support during the season, Track promoters Dan and Percy McDonald. and last but not the least Dunn thanked the fans for their support for him and the race team but also for the support of track.

Conneaut, OH….the first Chris Clinger Memorial Race was held at Raceway 7 to honor Jim Clinger’s son Chris who was killed in an accident at the young age 29. The E- Mod division came out in numbers (39) strong to pay their respects to Chris and the entire Clinger family.

Time trials were used to set starting positions four the four 8 lap heat races. Russ Dunn driving one of the Clinger House Cars timed third fastest and would start fourth because the fastest four would invert to position four. Dunn was able to to work his way into the lead by lap four and lead the remaining laps to pick up his 5th heat race win of the year. Winning the heat would give Dunn a third place start in the ” Dash for Cash” six lap race. Dunn was able to advance one spot to finish second and giving him the outside pole for the 29 lap feature (the age of Chris Clinger at the time of death). Dunn would fall back to 3rd during early lap cautions and maintained the position through lap 9. A long green flag run of 11 laps saw the *222 begin to develop a push dropping Dunn to 4th on lap 21. The final six laps spelled trouble for Dunn as his tire began to loose traction dropping Dunn and the *222 to a respectable but a disappointing 6th place finish.

Friday August 27 will be the last night of racing at Raceway 7 in 2010. Dunn maintains a 66 point lead in the E-Mod Division and has to only start the heat race and the feature to give the * 222 and Deuces Wild Motor the 2010 championship.

Conneaut, OH …..with only two points nights of racing left in the season and add to the mix a double points night and a Friday the13th the evening could and would provide an evening of the unexpected in racing action at Raceway 7.

Starting last in the second 8 lap heat race Russ Dunn knew he would have his hands full going in the evening as the division points leader and second in points Joel Watson starting on the outside pole. Watson would rocket into the lead and win the heat race with Dunn advancing only to fourth losing 30 points from his points lead. A small field of 13 cars would take the green flag with Dunn starting from 8th and working his way up to 6th when the caution came out on lap 2. The ensuing restart had Dunn on the move running the fastest lap of the race on lap 6 and was on the bumper of the leader and now up to 2nd as a caution came out on lap 9. The next restart saw the 3rd place car plow into and over the left front of the 222. Waiting to get the cars apart the Triple Deuces pit crew was wondering what damage was done . A flat left front tire and sheet metal damage appeared to the only problem. Dunn was able to make it back onto the track in time for the restart. While this was going on second in points Watson who had missed the wreck retired to the pits with some type of engine problem. Dunn was able to work his way back to 5th as the checkers flew and was able make up 24 on Watson. At the end of a crazy double points night Dunn still maintains a 66 point advantage over Watson with one points night left on August 27th.