Dunn-Olivieri Racing

Oil Region Labor Day Classic August 30th
Franklin, PA… as the 2008 campaign begins to wind down. the end on the year specials begin to appear. The first year end special for Dunn-Olivieri Racing would be a visit to Tri-City Speedway for the two day Oil Region Labor Day Class and the United Emod Series (UEMS) 20 lap special and the 30 lap All Star 30.

The end of the year specials have an increased purse and with the extra dollars means the competition will be all the more tougher. A field of 42 cars were signed in for the August 30th special. Starting on the outside pole in the first of three 10 lap heat races, Dunn lead all 10 laps in winning the first heat race becoming eligible for the pill redraw. The redraw was not kind to Dunn, giving Russ a 12th place start for the feature.The first of six cautions flew on laps 1 & 3 and slowing to avoid the wreck. Russ dropped two positions to 14th. With a slick track surface passing was very difficult, and little but little Russ was able to work his way up tp 9th when the final caution flew on lap 16. Trying to advance a few positions, Russ came off the bottom grove and went to the high side of the track. this time the move proved costly and he fell back two positions to 11th as the checkers flew.

Oil Region Labor Day Classic August 31st
Franklin, PA …day two greeted both the fans and the racers with sunny skies and warm weather. Sunday’s 30 lap All Star 30 saw 47 E-Mods registered for the UEMS special. There would be five heat races with the top three from each heat going to the feature and the top two to the redraw. Starting third in the second of five heat races, finishing right where he started 3rd, Dunn missed the redraw and as he had in the previous night would start 12th in the feature .

A very slick track would great the twenty four car starting the 30 lap feature, and track position would proved to be crucial. The race would have only two cautions , one on the first lap and one on lap fourteen. The long green flag runs was a follow the leader of sorts, with not much passing going on. A well handing car could not over come the slick track surface, and for the second night in a row Russ came home in 11th as the checker flag was waived.

The two strong runs have now elevated the # 47 Dunn-Olivieri entry up to 6th in the UEMS point standings despite missing a race earlier in the year at McKean Speedway. Dunn-Olivieri Racing will be on hand for the final two UEMS races of the year, September 19th & 20th at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway (PPMS) and October 4th at Mercer Raceway Park.

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August 12, 2008

Hartford, OH…Bright sunny skies greeted 43 E-Mod drivers as the took part as Sharon Speedway hosted the “Duel in the Dirt II” staring NASCAR drivers Dave Blaney, Kevin Harvick, and Kenny Schrader in a 25-lap showdown with the local drivers.

The 43 car files was divided into four 8-lap heat races with the top three in each heat advancing to the pill redraw and the top five to the feature. Starting tenth in the first heat race, Dunn knew he would have his work cut out for him to make A strong field of cars slowed Russ’ charge to the front, and was running sixth when a caution came out on lap six. Using the caution to his advantage, Russ was able to move up two positions to fourth making the main-event, but missing the re-draw.

Starting 13th in the 25 lap feature, Russ looked forward to a march to the front. A first lap caution allowed Russ to gain three spots and move up to 10th and 8th by lap two. Lap three he was not so lucky as Dunn, and Kevin Harvick and several other were involved in a multi car pile up forcing Russ to the pits with a flat right front tire. The crew made the tire charge and Dunn, rejoined the race in 16th. It was green flag racing over the next thirteen laps with Dunn advancing to 7th when the final caution of the night flew on lap 19.As the green flag waved the remaining field of cars raced to the checkers with Russ picking up two more spots to finish fifth.

August 23,2008

Hartford, OH…making their fourth visit of the month to Sharon Speedway, Dunn-Olivieri Racing was looking for a victory. It seems every time the team visits Sharon as little bad luck seems to follow them (fist time a blown motor while leading, second time a broken shock while leading and Saturday night after just getting the lead the rear end lift bar broke) the last two the team was able to come always with third place finishes, but not the top spot they were looking for.

A field of 23 E-Mods were in the pits and three heats would be used to determine the feature line up Needing only to finish in the top four in each heat for the re-draw, Russ used a third place finish in the second heat to move in the re-draw. The re-draw would give Russ the outside pole for the 15 lap feature. Taking his time,Russ used a caution on lap four to make his move. On lap five he made the pass for the lead and began to pull away from the field. Bad luck would happen on lap 6 as coming out of turn two the pull bar broke giving the car no forward bite and dropping him to fourth. Russ was able to make it back to third as the second place car had mechanical problems allowing Russ to advance one more position.