Paul McMahan

2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 & 2003 - All HammerDown! Team Member

Paul McMahan wins WoO at Eldora - HD Staff - June 2, 2007, Rossburg, OH. - Paul McMahan won his first World of Outlaws feature event of the season Saturday night at Eldora Speedway. Jason Solwold finished second followed by Dean Jacobs, Daryn Pittman, and Jason Meyers. The race was a points earning event in the Racer's Racing Series.

McMahan flag to flag at Tucson's USA Race Park - HD Staff - Tucson, AZ. - March 4, 2006 - Paul McMahan started from the front row and never trailed in the World of Outlaws first ever visit to USA Race Park Saturday night. The win was the first for the Nashville, TN driver as the hired pilot for Tony Stewart MotorSports. "Jimmy Carr made the call to put on a bigger left rear tire for the feature, and it worked perfectly", said McMahan. Donny Schatz finished second followed by Johnny Herrera, Chad Kemenah, and Daryn Pittman. Completing the top-ten were Justin Henderson, Jac Haudenschild, Terry McCarl (fast time), Sammy Swindell, and Craig Dollansky.

Paul McMahan in as Tony Stewart's winged sprint car pilot - By Bobby Gerould - November 8, 2005 - Rocklin, CA. ...HammerDownUSA.com learned Tuesday that Paul McMahan, 34, will be named as the new driver of the Tony Stewart Racing #20. Stewart and Danny Lasoski parted company within the last two weeks, leaving the cockpit of one of winged sprint car racing's best cars open. The team that includes Jimmy Carr as crew-chief, and Todd Splain and Mike Kuemper as a key crew members is said to be in tact for 2006 with McMahan sliding into the drivers seat. It is our understanding that Bass Pro Shops, MOPAR, Coca-Cola, and JD Byrider will return as sponsors of the team. McMahan lives in Nashville, TN after 'cutting his racing teeth' in Northern California. It is not known who will drive the Dave Helm Selma Shell #11h that McMahan is leaving.

McMahan Breaks Through, Wins WoO Bluegrass Classic - By Richrad Day - CALVERT CITY, KY (May 8) – A week ago, Paul McMahan was the only driver ranking in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series top 10 without a top-five finish. The driver of the #11H Selma Shell Maxim has turned that around in a big way in the last two events. McMahan, who raced into fourth place at Lawrenceburg Speedway Thursday, won his first “A” Feature of the season Saturday, leading all 35 laps in the Bluegrass Classic at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway. Ironically, McMahan won his first main event of the 2003 season last May 6th at Lawrenceburg Speedway in only his third feature race with the team. The $10,000 victory, the fourth of McMahan’s World of Outlaws Sprint Series career, pushed him into fourth place in the point standings. (More)

Paul McMahan is currently fourth in the World of Outlaws point standings. McMahan has netted eight top-ten finishes driving for Dave Helm of Selma, CA. (John's Racing Photos)

HammerDown! Best of 2003 - The McMahan / DeCaires Battle at Chico - Growing up in Elk Grove, and later living in Oroville, California, Paul McMahan has always been close to Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Now calling Nashville, TN. his home, McMahan returned to Chico for the Gold Cup, driving the Selma, CA. based Dave Helm #11h. Now an experienced "outlaw" McMahan drove one of the smartest races of the year in winning the Friday preliminary feature. Greg DeCaires, a former SDS track champion was flying on the bottom and took the lead from McMahan much to the surprise of the World of Outlaws teams. Since his early days as a sprint car racer, DeCaires has been consistently good at the North state quarter-mile. In their "backyards", DeCaires and McMahan battled to the delight of a large contingent of fans watching their every move. McMahan passed cars on the high side and then protected the bottom to secure the win over DeCaires, Danny Lasoski, Jason Meyers, and Sammy Swindell. DeCaires, in the Kumar J&J with a 410 Gaerte, showed again that he can run with anyone at Chico. His smile was bright well into the night in Chico pits after a run that had people coming out of the woodworks to shake his hand.


...Paul McMahan showed West Coast fans how much he has improved in his years away from home. McMahan won the Friday prelim with a determined, smart, drive, and did the same in a third place run Saturday at the Gold Cup. Switching grooves, and making moves, Pauly gave car owner, Dave Helm his best finish ever at Chico's big race.

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Yearbook Headlines - ...Another HammerDown! "work-in-progress" that we enjoy sharing with our readers. Please check back often, as each year will be updated further.

25 Greatest Sprint Car Drivers of All-time

40 Most Exciting Drivers in NARC History


 

 

Paul McMahan is ready for action at the Knoxville Nationals. (Jim Fleming photo)

McMahan Back Home in Chico Winner's Circle - By Bobby Gerould - 09/05/03 - Chico, CA. ...Picking up where his buddy Joey Saldana left off Thursday, Paul McMahan drove to victory Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway. McMahan won a hard fought battle with Greg DeCaires, and Jason Meyers to claim the 30-lap World of Outlaws Gold Cup preliminary feature. McMahan was piloting the Dave Helm owned, Vivarin #11h Maxim prepared by Sonny Kratzer. (read more)

....Paul McMahan is the new single lap track record holder at Powercom Park in Beaver Dam, WI. Pauly is really showing his ability to race well on tracks of all sizes and configurations. While it is no surprise to Californians, McMahan is unquestionably best on the short tracks. And he should be. Paul grew up racing on the numerous quarter-mile tracks in Northern California. Now driving the Selma Shell #11h owned by Dave Helm of Selma, CA., Paul has his best ride in several years, if not ever. Despite missing several races at the start of the year, McMahan is ranked ninth in the World of Outlaws 2003 driver standings with two feature wins, and over $100,000 earned. At age 32, Paul is a model citizen, and we at HammerDown! are proud of his success.

McMahan Races to Victory at Tri-City Speedway By Richard Day GRANITE CITY, IL (June 22) – Paul McMahan started too quickly in the First Dash Race and slowly in the "A" Feature, but eventually won Sunday’s O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series main event at Tri-City Speedway. McMahan raced past Brian Paulus for the lead late in lap 13 and held off Joey Saldana for the $10,000 victory. McMahan’s second victory of the season pushed him into ninth place in the O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series point standings. The rain-delayed race was originally scheduled for May 10th. "I didn’t really get the start I wanted," McMahan said. "I was a little bit early in the dash, and (series Director of Competition) Bobby (Jackson) warned me that he wanted a better start in the ‘A,’ so I was pretty careful. Brian got rolling around the top pretty good. I was just following him, and I found the bottom pretty good in (turns) one and two. Then I got a run on him down the back stretch, and when I went into (turn) three, it stuck better than I could have hoped, and we were able to hang on from there." (read it all)

McMahan Puts Vivarin in Victory Lane at Lawrenceburg By Richard Day LAWRENCEBURG, IN (May 6) – It didn’t take Paul McMahan long to show what he could do in the #11H Vivarin Maxim. McMahan, who car owner Dave Helm hired a little more than a week ago, won Tuesday’s "A" Feature at Lawrenceburg Speedway in only his second "A" Feature race with the team. "Man, this is awesome!" McMahan yelled to the largest crowd to ever watch a race at Lawrenceburg Speedway. "My guys worked their tails off to give me a great car tonight. The Vivarin car was just perfect. "I don’t even know all the sponsors on the car yet – this is just my third night in the car. Dave Helm and the Selma Shell team gave me an opportunity to drive this car, and Sonny (Kratzer) has been great to work with. I just wish he could be here to celebrate with us tonight. We’re all pretty much on even ground here, but it’s really nice to be able to come back here and win. The last time I raced here, I won the Hoosier Fall Classic, and to be able to come back and get an Outlaw win here is a pretty cool deal. I’d just like to thank the fans for coming out here tonight." (read it all)

...Paul McMahan will be steering the Selma Shell #11h when the World of Outlaws hit Nebraska this weekend. Jeff Shepard and the Dave Helm owned, Selma, CA. based team have parted company.

March 2003 ...You have probably heard by now that Peter Murphy and the McMillen Family / Tom Rolfe team have parted company. You may have also heard rumors that Paul McMahan was moving back to California to run the car. That is not true. While there was a brief discussion with McMahan about such a possibility, it simply could not happen because Paul has made a commitment to race for the Miller Rigging #2 team in Ohio. At Paul's request, the Miller team raced the All-Stars shows in Florida, and purchased two new J&J chassis for the 2003 season. They also are having a Charlie Fisher engine built for an all-out assault on the All-Star championship. There was no way that McMahan could leave his Ohio deal to return to the Golden State after the Miller team changed cars, and bought motors for him. On top of that, Paul and his wife Jan, and two children are happily moved in to a new home in Nashville, TN., and the All-Star title pays $50,000 this year. It pays $25,000 for second place. McMahan has a great shot to win the title this season, figuring to battle with Dean Jacobs, Chad Kemenah, and Jason Johnson.

Pre-Season 2003 Q & A

Q: What is the deal for 2003? ..."Driving Chili Bowl for Duke and Scotty McMillen. ...Driving Miller Rigging # 2 based out of Findlay, OH. ...Starting the season off in Florida for the 360 Winter Nationals then moving onto the Florida Speedweeks. Running the All Stars season and selected WoO races."

Q: What prompted the move to TN? "We have wanted to live in Nashville since we moved out of California. So when I was changing rides we decided now was as good of a time to move as any, especially since Brayden is getting older and more involved in school and friends, it would only be harder the older he got. We have great friends that live here in Nashville, that are also from Oroville. Now when I am gone racing Jan will have "Family" around."

Q: Is it cold where you are now? "It is pretty nice weather. No snow which means no shoveling."

Q: When will California race fans have a chance to see you again? "I have no idea, hopefully in the 2003 race season at some point."

Paul McMahan Snares $15,000 at Short Track Nationals - Little Rock, AR. - 10/26/02 ...Paul McMahan is proving that a few life changes are not slowing him down one bit. The driver, originally from California, has stepped out of his longtime ride with Warren Johnson, and moved from Bristol, IN., to Nashville, TN., within the last two months. Saturday night, McMahan bested a stellar, 88-car field of sprint car heroes at the 15th Annual Short Track Nationals at I-30 Speedway. Driving for Donnie Cooper of Missouri, McMahan took the lead on lap four from Garry Lee Maier, and then held off repeated challenges from Daryn Pittman, and Terry Gray to win the 40-lap contest. (Summary)

Paul McMahan wins McHoosier McFall McClassic - Scott Hall, 09/14/02 - LAWRENCEBURG, IN - The 20th Annual Hoosier Fall Classic took place on Saturday night with the All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars at the newly renovated Lawrenceburg Speedway, with the $10,000 going to Indiana's Paul McMahan for his third win of the year. (more)

McMahan Picks Up GLOSS Win at Hartford By TJ Buffenbarger ...Paul McMahan took advantage of the close proximity of Hartford Speedway Park in Hartford, Michigan from his home in Bristol, Indiana to win Saturday night's GLOSS feature event. McMahan inherited the lead Kraig Kinser crashed while leading by a comfortable margin. The win also gave car owner Warren Johnson a win in his home state for the United Specialties Gaerte powered Eagle chassis. (read more)

Paul McMahan will race the 1,200 lb. Nationals at Knoxville. The California pro was caught in the middle of a first lap melee on Saturday at the 2002 Kings Royal.

McMahan is Friday East Bay All-Star Winner East Bay Raceway - Fri. 2/15/02 By Scott Hall GIBSONTON, FL - Paul McMahan passed Terry McCarl on lap six and ran away from the field Friday night at East Bay Raceway in the All Star sprint 25-lap feature. Round three of the 26th annual East Bay Winternationals paid the pilot of Warren Johnson's No. U2 $4,000. (read the whole deal)

PAUL McMAHAN WINS FIRST CAREER WoO A-MAIN (03/23/01) Sedalia, MO. - Staff ...Paul McMahan led wire to wire Friday night at Sate Fair Speedway to post his first career Pennzoil World of Outlaws feature event. The 30 year-old pilot originally from California, started outside front-row with Brad Furr on the pole. McMahan, who finished second in the 2000 World of Outlaws Gumout series points standings, led all 25 laps in his Mike Cool prepared United Expresslines #U2.

Points leader, Craig Dollansky finished second in the A-main, after establishing a new track record in qualifying.

The top five: 1. Paul McMahan, 2. Craig Dollansky, 3. Mark Kinser, 4. Terry McCarl, 5. Joey Saldana. (click here for the entire boxscore)


...Paul McMahan enjoyed increased T-shirt sales in his return trip to California in 2001. Crew-mate Dave Sharman, had to ask McMahan family members for a permanent sales representative during the day at Calistoga just so he could get some work done. Sharman has been a treat all season, providing Aussie insight to the world of open wheel racing.

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