2014 Spring Nationals Preview

By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) It has become one of the most anticipated events in sprint car racing – the Spring Nationals at Attica Raceway Park.

The University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions will kick off the Ohio Region point battle at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” venue on Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5 with the HD Supply/Construction Equipment and Supply Spring Nationals. The event has been held at Attica since 1992. This year’s Spring Nationals will mark the 102nd and 103rd visit to Attica by the UNOH All Stars.

Gates will open Friday for the $3,000-to-win event at 4 p.m. Gates will open for Saturday’s $10,000-to-win affair at 3:30 p.m.

Last year’s Spring Nationals saw the opening night lost to rain but the finale found Dale Blaney in victory lane. Blaney’s 13 All Star wins at Attica are the most by any driver since the first All Star show was held at Ohio ’s Finest Racing speedplant in 1989. The winners of UNOH All Star events at Attica in 2013 were Blaney, Chris Andrews (Ohio Sprint Speedweek) and a sweep of the season-ending August events by Tim Shaffer.

The UNOH All Stars have held three events in 2014 with Dave Blaney, Kerry Madsen and Joey Saldana taking wins. Again the UNOH All Stars will incorporate a regional point system in 2014 – the Ohio Region, Eastern Region, Great Plains Region and over-all championship. So far the 2013 World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year David Gravel leads the Eastern Region and National points for the UNOH All Stars.

Hartford , Ohio ’s Dale Blaney picked up his fourth series title in 2013 and also claimed the Ohio Region championship. Blaney also became the UNOH All Stars’ most prolific winner in 2013, surpassing hall-of-famer Kenny Jacobs in career series wins with 99 total.

Blaney will have his hands full in trying to defend his title in 2014. Besides four time champion Tim Shaffer, who currently sits second in All Star National and Eastern Region points, former four time champion Chad Kemenah is gunning for his fifth title and sits third in the 2014 points.

Danny Holtgraver, who had a break-out year in 2013 with the All Stars, is riding in the fourth place in points followed by Greg Hodnett, Dale Blaney, Jac Haudenschild, Danny Dietrich, Dave Blaney and Caleb Helms.

Others expected to battle for the UNOH All Star championships in 2014 include former national 360 sprint champion Wayne Johnson, two-time Napa Wayne County ( Ohio ) Speedway champion Andrew Palker, and more.

As always, when the UNOH All Stars come to Attica, they will have to battle the tough weekly competition like 2013 champion Craig Mintz, who has 9 career wins at the track; six time track champion Byron Reed who has 29 career Attica wins; former track champion Andrews (4 career wins), Bryan Sebetto (8 career wins), former track champion Dean Jacobs (10 career wins), Lee Jacobs (4 career wins), Brandon Martin (3 career wins), Brian Lay (2 career wins), Brian Smith (2 career wins), Travis Philo (2 career wins) and more.

Throw in two-time All Star champion Greg Wilson, who has 19 career Attica wins, Stevie Smith, who is expected behind the wheel of the Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook #83 machine – Smith has 4 career Attica wins – and the possibility of some of the Pennsylvania Posse teams making the trek to Attica and it could be another exciting weekend.

Of the UNOH All Star contingent of drivers, Kemenah sits third on Attica’s all-time win list with 20 victories followed by Blaney with 17 (5th on the track’s all-time win list); Shaffer with 12 (9th on the track’s all-time win list); and Holtgraver with 2 wins.

The Summit Racing Equipment UMP DIRTcar Late Models and Foster Auto Body 305 Sprints will also be in action both nights of the Attica Spring Nationals.

For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com or www.allstarsprint.com.

2014 Season Opener Postponed To April 4th and 5th

By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) Snow and cold followed by rain this weekend has forced Attica Raceway Park officials to cancel the 2014 season opener originally scheduled for Friday, March 28th.

“Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant will now kick off the season with the traditional HD Supply/Construction Equipment and Supply Spring Nationals on Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5 with the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions.

“The crew worked hard to try and get the grounds ready for this weekend but the snow we received Tuesday along with the cold and then the rain forecast for Friday and Saturday was just too much,” said Rex LeJeune, ARP Director of Operations. “We are excited to kick off the season with the All Stars next weekend.”

Gates for Friday’s show will open at 4 p.m. while the gates will open at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com

Qualifying Procedures For 2014 Special Events Announced

By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) Attica Raceway Park will incorporate qualifying for all Kistler Racing Products FAST (Fremont Attica Sprint Title) Championship Series presented by KS Sales and Service events for the 410 sprints and all JLH General Contractor FAST 305 Series Presented by Engine Pro events in 2014.

Also, the UMP DIRTcar Late Models will also qualify for the four events in the Attica/NAPA Wayne County Speedway Late Model Challenge Series in 2014.

“Qualifying will set the heat race line-ups only…it lets the drivers decide how they line up in heats, but doesn’t dictate their fate all night,” said Rex LeJeune, Director of Operations at ARP. “The format rewards cars that pass cars in the heats to start ahead of those cars in the mains. B-main cars that transfer start in the A-main behind cars that transfer to A-main from the heat races.”

Here’s how the qualifying format will work:

• Drivers will pill draw for hot lap and qualifying order. Qualifying determines only heat race line ups.

• Hot lap and qualify at the same time.

• Groups will be split up equally into heat races (depending on number of cars). Qualify against only the cars in your heat race group (3 – 5 cars on track at one time).

Example: 24 cars divided into 3 heat races (8 cars in each heat), first (8) on draw sheet in 1st heat, etc. Divide into (2) 4 car mini groups; if you miss your mini group you can hot lap ONLY at the end when the entire division is done qualifying and you will be placed last in your original heat race line up. If you do not draw a pill you will be placed on tail of heat race.

• (3) hot lap / qualifying laps.

3-HEAT RACE FORMAT
• Invert 4, top 5 transfer, top 3 redraw (9 cars) for first 9 starting positions A Main, 4th place finishers start 10-12 in A Main, 5th place finishers start 13-15 in A Main. 16-20 (Top 5 transfers from B Main the way they finish in B Main).

4-HEAT RACE FORMAT
• Invert 4, top 4 transfer, top 2 redraw (8 cars) for first 8 starting positions in A Main, 3rd place finishers start 9-12 in A Main, 4th place finishers start 13-16 in A Main. 17-20 (Top 4 transfers from B Main the way they finish in B Main).

LeJeune said the 305 sprints, late models and dirt trucks will incorporate the qualifying format for the April 11th show as a trial run.

Qualifying for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints will take place on the following FAST nights: April 18; April 25; May 16, June 6, June 13, July 4, July 18, July 25 and August 1.

Qualifying for the Foster’s Auto Body 305 Sprints will take place on the following FAST 305 nights: April 18, May 16, June 13, July 25 and August 1.

Qualifying for the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models will take place on the following Attica/Wayne County Speedway Challenge Nights: May 2, June 20, July 11 and August 30.

For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com

Attica and Wayne County Late Model Challenge Gaining Sponsors

By Mike Swanger: (Orrville, OH) As the racing season gets closer by the day and interest in the new Attica/WCS Late Model Challenge Series grows, so does the list of sponsors. Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop will give the Series Champion a $200 gift card plus a $50 certificate for each feature winner with second place getting a $25 certificate with third place receiving a $20 certificate. Each car must have a Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop decal on their car.

Hoosier Tire will give a free tire to the driver finishing the highest in each race that is running Hoosier tires while American Racer follows suit as they will do the same for the best finisher on their tires.

VP Fuels will sponsor the Hard Charger Award for each race as the driver gaining the most positions from his starting position will collect 5 gallons of fuel.

Making the heat races interesting, Innovative Graphics will give the driver posting the most heat wins in the series, $250 off a wrap for their car.

Summit Racing Equipment will honor the top ten finishers in the final points with a $100 gift certificate.

The Attica/WCS Late Model Series will start up on Friday, May 2nd at Attica Raceway Park and then the next night, Saturday, May 3rd, head down to NAPA Wayne County Speedway. The Series returns back to NAPA WCS on Saturday, May 24th with the next stop on the docket for Attica Raceway Park will be on Friday, June 20th. Another double weekend will be on Friday, July 11th and Saturday, July 12th with a $1,000 bonus up for grabs if the same driver can win both nights that week end. The last stop at NAPA WCS will be on Saturday, August 9th and the final race for the series will take place on Saturday, August 30th on the 1/3 mile oval of Attica Raceway Park. Each feature will pay $1,500 to win.

The points payoff will start with 50 points for the winner with second place getting 45 points as third will receive 43. Fourth place will get 41 and fifth will collect 39 markers and from their on down it will be one less point for each position down with 20th place getting 24 points and all cars not making the feature will get 15 points. Each heat winner will pick up a 5 point bonus.

Watch for more information on the Attica/WCS Late Model Challenge Series and check out the websites at www.atticaracewaypark.com and www.waynecountyspeedway.com.

Admission Prices and Increased Purses Announced

By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) Attica Raceway Park will have a slight increase in some admission prices for weekly events in 2014. Adults will be $15, senior citizens (62 and over) will be $13. Pit Passes will be $30. Teens ages 11-15 year olds will remain at $10 and kids 10 and under are always FREE.

With the increase in admission prices Attica Raceway Park will also increase the weekly purses in the 410 Sprints, 305 Sprints, and Dirt Trucks mainly from tenth position on back and B-Main non transfer positions in the UMP Late Models.

In the O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints the A-Main purse will be $2,200 to win and $300 to start the A-Main for a total of $11,570. All non transfer cars in the B-Main will receive $100 and all cars that attempt to race but do not start any main will receive $50.

In the Foster Auto Body 305 Sprints the A-Main will pay $500 to win and $150 to start the A-Main for a total of $4,280. All non transfer cars in the B-Main will receive $60 and all cars that attempt to race but do not start any main will receive $30.

In the Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks the A-Main will pay $300 to win and $80 to start the A-Main for a total of $2,320. All non transfer trucks in the B-Main will receive $40 and all trucks that attempt to race but do not start any main will receive $30.

The Summit Racing Equipment UMP DIRTcar Late Model A-Main purse will remain the same in 2014 with the exception of the Attica/Wayne County Late Model Challenge Series that pays $1,500 to win and $200 to start. All non transfer cars in the weekly B Main will receive $60 and all cars that attempt to race but do not start any main will receive $40.

“With the costs of almost everything going up we feel that it was time for the slight increase in admission prices, but the good news is we are also increasing the purses for the race teams also,” said promoter John Bores.

The three weekly divisions consisting of 410 sprints, UMP DIRTcar Late Models, and 305 sprints A-Main purses totaling $21,505 makes Attica Raceway Park one of the highest weekly paying tracks in Ohio.

“We can only do this with the great fans, sponsors and the high quality of race teams we have,” added Director of Operations Rex LeJeune.

Go to www.atticaracewaypark.com for complete purses and all your other information. The 2014 season kicks off on Friday March 28 with a rain date for Saturday March 29.