By Brian Liskai – All-Star Circuit of Champions Public Relations Director
(Camargo, IL) The 2014 season for the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions has been unique to say the least. There have been 11 different feature winners over 12 events thus far. And with the 32nd Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek – featuring 9 straight nights of racing at 8 different tracks in the Buckeye State – ahead, there’s no reason to believe that streak of different winners won’t continue.
It all kicks off Friday, June 20th on Ohio Caterpillar Night at Attica Raceway Park. It will mark the 103rd appearance of the UNOH All Stars at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant. Also it’s leg #4 of 8 for the Attica Raceway Park / Wayne County Speedway Late Model Challenge Series ($1,500 to win).
The UNOH All Stars paid a visit to Attica in April with four-time series champion Dale Blaney picking up his 100th career All Star victory. Blaney has three wins at Attica in 2014 including against the World of Outlaws. He has 20 career victories at Attica, 14 of which have been All Star wins.
Other winners in 2014 at Attica include four time All Star champion Tim Shaffer (the defending Ohio Sprint Speedweek champion), defending track champion Craig Mintz and recently Chris Andrews, who scored his first career All Star win at Attica to open Ohio Speedweek in 2013.
Pit gates will open Friday at 3:30 p.m. with grandstand gates opening at 4 p.m. and racing getting under way at 7:45 p.m. General admission tickets are $22 ($20 for seniors) with kids ages 11-15 at $10 and kids 10 and under free. Pit passes will be $35.
For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com.
Speedweek continues Saturday, June 21 at Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway on NKTelco Night. No other track in the country has hosted more of the UNOH All Star races than “The Big E.” The Speedweek event will be the 134th of the UNOH All Stars at the famous half mile.
Last season Jac “The Wild Child” Haudenschild swept the two UNOH All Star events at Eldora including the Ohio Sprint Speedweek event.
The UMP DIRTcar Modifieds and Eldora Stocks will also be in action Saturday.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. with racing under way at 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $20 with kids ages 7-12 at $4 and kids 6 and under free. Pit passes will be $25.
For more information go to www.eldoraspeedway.com
On Sunday, June 22nd, Speedweek moves to Waynesfield Raceway Park near Lima, Ohio. The one-third mile bullring has produced some of the most exciting Speedweek shows in recent years. Last year Brad Sweet drove to the Speedweek victory.
The tough trucks will also be in competition at “The Field.”
Pit gates will open Sunday at 4 p.m. with the grandstand gates opening at 5 p.m. and racing to get underway at 7 p.m. General admission is $22 for ages 16 and up with kids ages 11-15 at $11 and kids 10 and under getting in free. Pit passes will be $35.
For more information go to www.waynesfieldmotorsportspark.com
The NAPA Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway near Orrville, Ohio will host the UNOH All Stars on Monday, June 24th.
The All Stars paid a visit to one of the original series tracks on May 31st and local driver Lee Jacobs – his great-grandfather built the speedway – recorded his second UNOH All Star win in 2014 – the series’ only repeat winner this season. Last year during the Speedweek visit Oklahoma native Shane Stewart picked up the victory.
Brad Haudenschild has dominated at the track in 2014, scoring four wins including this past Saturday. Broc Martin also has a victory at Wayne County in 2014.
The late models and super stocks will also be on the racing card Monday.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. Monday for the Duffy Smith Memorial presented by Shearer Equipment, with racing slated to start at 7:30 p.m.
General admission tickets will be $22 with kids 12 and under free. Pit passes will be $35 (child pit pass for those ages 6-14 is $20).
For more information go to www.waynecountyspeedway.com
Tuesday, June 24th finds the UNOH All Stars at Sharon Speedway near Hartford, Ohio. Another of the tracks that was part of the first Ohio Sprint Speedweek 32 years ago, the 3/8th mile oval fell victim to rain during last year’s Speedweek event. Two years ago local driver Brandon Matus scored his first ever UNOH All Star win.
The TUSA Mod Lites will also be on hand in a Mid-Atlantic regional event.
The track is home to not only current All Star point leader Dale Blaney, but his brother, Dave is part owner of the facility. Dave, a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver, has an All Star win in 2014.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. Tuesday with qualifying slated for 6:30 p.m.
Adult admission is $22. Kids 13 and under are always free. Pit passes are $35. Advance ticket holders will be able to gain access at 3 p.m. for preferred seating.
For more information go to www.sharonspeedway.com
The UNOH All Stars return to Atomic Speedway near Chillicothe, Ohio on Wednesday, June 25th. It has been a couple years since the All Stars raced at the high-banked bullring. It will be the first of two All Star events at Atomic Speedway as the series comes right back on July 3 for the traditional The Night the Stars Come Out.
Winners in 2014 at Atomic Speedway include Danny Smith (3 wins), former track owner Jim Nier (2 wins), Nathan Skaggs, Cole Duncan and former track champion Jimmy Stinson (2 wins).
The street stocks and sport mods will also be in competition.
General admission tickets are $22 ($20 for seniors) with pit passes at $35 ($20 for kids).
Pit gates will open at 2 p.m. with grandstand gates opening at 4 p.m. and racing to get underway at 7 p.m.
For more information go to www.atomicspeedway.net
From there the Ohio Sprint Speedweek travels to “The Home of the All Stars” on Thursday, June 26 for the first of two visits to “The Track That Action Built” during the 9 nights of Speedweek. The All Stars have raced at Fremont Speedway a total of 112 times during the long history of the track.
Earlier this year Caleb Griffith scored his first career All Star win to open a double-header weekend at the track. Australian James McFadden followed with a $10,000 payday for his first ever All Star win as well.
Winners at Fremont thus far in 2014 include Dale Blaney, who has 14 career All Star wins at Fremont and has a total of 20 victories at the track; Christopher Bell, Griffith (2 wins), Craig Mintz (2 wins) and Brian Lay (2 wins).
The 305 sprints and dirt trucks will also be in action on I’m Your Guy Water Proofing Night.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. with racing to get underway at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $20 ($18 for seniors) with kids ages 11-15 at $15 and kids 10 and under free. Pit passes will be $30.
For more information go to www.fremontohspeedway.com
On Friday, June 27th Ohio Sprint Speedweek heads to the high banked quarter-mile of Limaland Motorsports Park which is operated by the All Star’s title sponsor, the University of Northwestern Ohio.
Last year Haudenschild would score the speedweek win, his second of the week. In 2013 the speedweek event was rained out, but the two prior years (2011 and 2010) saw first time All Star winners in Kyle Sauder and David Gravel.
Several of the track’s tough weekly 360 race teams will give the All Stars a great challenge.
Also on the racing card for Elwer Fence Night will be the modifieds.
Pit gates will open at 4 p.m. with spectator gates open at 5 p.m. and racing to get underway at 7:30 p.m.
General admission tickets are $22 and $11 for kids ages 11-15 with kids 10 and under getting in free. Pit passes are $30 each.
For more information go to www.limaland.com
The 32nd Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek wraps up Saturday, June 28th at Fremont Speedway for the $10,000-to-win finale on Ludwig Propane Night.
Last year Dale Blaney continued his dominance of big paying shows at “The Track That Action Built,” taking home the Speedweek finale. It marked his only win during Ohio Sprint Speedweek in 2013.
The 305 sprints and dirt trucks will be on the racing card
Gates will open at 4 p.m. with racing underway at 7 p.m.
General admission tickets are $25 ($20 for seniors) with kids ages 11-15 at $15 and kids 10 and under free. Pit passes will be $35.
All Star winners in 2014 include Dave Blaney, Kerry Madsen, Joey Saldana, Dale Blaney, Greg Hodnett, Lee Jacobs (2 wins), Jack Haudenschild, Caleb Griffith, James McFadden, Danny Holtgraver and most recently Danny Dietrich who is expected to participate in the early portion of Ohio Sprint Speedweek.
Ohio Speedweek always draws in the best talent from the Midwest, western Pennsylvania, along with the All Star regulars and usually a few surprises. In seasons past NASCAR Sprint Cup stars Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne competed at several speedweek events. Dale Blaney currently leads the UNOH All Star national points over Shaffer, Haudenschild, Holtgraver, four-time series champion Chad Kemenah, Andrew Palker, Caleb Helms, Lee Jacobs, Dean Jacobs and Cole Duncan.
Speedweek will be part of the $20,000-to-win Ohio Region points and Blaney leads those standings over Lee Jacobs, Haudenschild, Shaffer, Holtgraver, Palker, Kemenah, Helms, Dean Jacobs and Duncan.
For more information go to www.allstarsprint.com.