Clark Nabs 305 Attica Loot; Schlenk Back In Victory Lane; Ward Scores Truck Win
By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) Bobby Clark has raced 410 sprints, 360 sprints and 305 sprints, and it’s the later that is providing him with a lot of fun and putting him in victory lane again.
The Fremont, Ohio driver led all 30 laps to take the $1,200 in the 305 Engine Builders’ Challenge at Attica Raceway Park Friday night. Engine builders Gressman Powersports, Griff’s Engines and Level Performance sponsored the highest paying purse at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” venue for the 305 sprints.
“The car was very good once again. This thing has been a blast to drive all year…we’ve passed a lot of cars. These guys (Davis brothers) like to have fun at the track…that’s what it is all about,” said Clark beside his Crown Battery, Fremont Fence, Jenny’s Copper Penny, B&L Plumbing backed sprinter.
Clark held off several late race challenges by both Bryan Sebetto and fast qualfier and new track-record holder Todd Heuerman for his second victory of the season and fourth overall in the 305 sprint division.
“Those two guys worked me over pretty good. I would go low to block the 18 car (Heuerman) and I could hear Sebetto up top. I didn’t know which way to go. The tires started to fade at the end, but it was just such a great car tonight,” said Clark.
Image Jackson, Michigan’s Rusty Schlenk proved his early season Attica win was no fluke, using a great restart on the ninth lap to take the lead and the victory in the Service Drive Solutions UMP Attica Late Models. Lapped traffic almost cost Schlenk the win, as Tyler Boggs nearly got under him coming down for the checkered.
“This win goes to Brad Eitnear and his owners. We grenaded our engine last week at Oakshade and they let us borrow one to race tonight,” said Schlenk beside his Racers Connection, CJ Rayburn Racecars, Maint Company backed late model.
“Normally this place only pays $500 to win and look at the competition that draws. This is some of the toughest late model racing in this area on a weekly basis,” said Schlenk having won $1,000 for his efforts.
Sandusky, Ohio’s Cory Ward took the lead on the second lap and went on to score a convincing win in the 15-lap dirt truck feature. It was his second victory of the season at Attica and sixth overall at the speedplant, putting him just one win behind the division’s leader in wins, Art Ball.
“I don’t like to get out into the lead that early…I don’t know who’s coming. But the truck was so good tonight…it was just easy to drive,” said Ward beside his Excuses Lounge, Budweiser, TJ Hosang Construction, Precision Body & Frame backed track.
Clark, who started on the pole for the 305 sprint feature by virtue of his win in the dash which pitted the eight fastest qualifiers who transfered to the feature, bolted to the early lead with Heuerman, who broke the 16-year-old track record earlier, and Benny Bowman in tow.
Image While Heuerman kept Clark in his sights, the racing behind he duo was action-packed between 7th place starter Sebetto, point leader Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker and Dustin Dinan. Several cautions kept the leaders from getting to lapped traffic early in the race.
Sebetto would finally get around Heuerman utilizing his familiar high groove on lap eight and would race side by side with Clark over the next 10 laps before Heuerman would slip back by on lap 21. Things would heat up on lap 23 when the leaders finally encountered lapped traffic.
However, Henry and Brubaker would get together fighting for fourth apot on lap 27, with Henry going back pitside with front end damage. That gave Clark a clear track, but he still could not shake Sebetto and Heuerman. Clark was forced to alter his racing groove – from low in turns 1 and 2 and high in turns 3 and 4, to hug the bottom nearly every lap to stop Heuerman’s advance. Sebetto used the opportunity to bounce off the top cushion in turns 3 and 4 and pull even with Clark for the lead.
Clark was able to hold on for the win, with Sebetto, Heuerman, 13th place starter Kevin Lee and Dinan rounding out the top five.
Brad Eitnear would grave the early lead in the 25-lap late model main, with Tyler Boggs, John Mayes Sr., Ernie Haynes and Chuck Hummer following. Schlenk, who started 9th, would move into fifth by the second lap and drive between Hummer and Mayes into the third spot on lap eight.
Following a yellow on lap 9, Schlenk would get a great restart to drive around both Boggs and Eitnear to grab the lead. He would flirt with disaster nearly every lap, bouncing off the big top side cushion. While Schlenk led, Boggs would drive under Eitnear into the runner-up spot. Over the next 13 laps the top three remained Schlenk, Boggs and Eitnear, with Hummer battling with Haynes and a fast closing Dusty Moore for fourth.
At the checkered flag, Schlenk held off a last turn challenge by Boggs, with Moore, Eitnear and Jeremy Canada rounding out the top five.
Chester Fitch grabbed the early lead in the 15-lap truck main, with Ward, Alex Weichman, Brian Sorg and Dan Henning following. Ward would drive to Fitch’s outside on the second lap to take the lead. He held off teammates Bob Dible and Steve Endicott on a couple of yellow flag restarts to secure the win. Endicott, Dible, Henning and Brian Arnold – who came from the back after an early race altercation and two flat tires – rounding out the top five.
The Advance Auto Part World of Outlaw Sprints invade Attica Raceway Park on Friday, May 30. Reserve seating is available by logging onto www.atticaracewaypark.com or call 419-680-5606.
Attica Raceway Park (5-23-08)
305 Engine Builders Challenge
305 Sprints
Qualifying
1. 18-Todd Heuerman, 13.616; 2. 40-Bobby Clark, 13.786; 3. O1-Bryan Sebetto, 13.866; 4. 14-Chad Wilson, 13.868; 5. 5-Dustin Dinan, 13.874; 6. 19R-Steve Rando, 13.902; 7. O4-Cap Henry, 13.910; 8. 35-Stuart Brubaker, 13.980; 9. 1-Nate Dussel (R), 13.991; 10. 49-Coty Runion, 14.001; 11. 82-Travis Hoffbauer, 14.038; 12. 55-Benny Bowman, 14.066; 13. 11F-D.J. Foos (R), 14.077; 14. 29-Chris Lang, 14.102; 15. 66L-Brad Bowman, 14.120; 16. 3J-Kevin Lee, 14.128; 17. 10-Brad Haudenschild, 14.142; 18. 71-Bill Kraylek, 14.162; 19. 3X-Brad Keckler, 14.245; 20. 15H-Mitch Harble, 14.247; 21. 22D-Dan Hammond, 14.269; 22. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 14.289; 23. 11-Shawn Colvin, 14.298; 24. 67M-Matt Ferrell, 14.336; 25. 39-Matt Merrill, 14.404; 26. 23-Willie Keegan, 14.424; 27. M28-Josh Muntz, 14.591; 28. 36X-Dustin Keegan, 14.599; 29. 25P-Mark Pridemore, 14.603; 30. 13-Junior Felver, 14.634; 31. 65-Mark Lang, 14.678; 32. X-Dustin Stroup (R), 14.689; 33. 47-Josh Burdette, 14.822; 34. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh, 14.864; 35. 28-Shaun Valenti (R), 14.875; 36. 596-Zack Ames (R), 15.216; 37. 8K-Zack Kramer (R), NT
Heat 1 – All Pro Heads (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 2. 18-Todd Heuerman; 3. 1-Nate Dussel (R); 4. 11F-D.J. Foos (R); 5. 5-Dustin Dinan; 6. 22D-Dan Hammond; 7. 25P-Mark Pridemore; 8. 39-Matt Merrill; 9. 47-Josh Burdette
Heat 2 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 71-Bill Kraylek; 2. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 3. 40-Bobby Clark; 4. 49-Coty Runion; 5. 19R-Steve Rando; 6. 23-Willie Keegan; 7. 13-Junior Felver; 8. 29-Chris Lang; 9. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 3X-Brad Keckler; 2. O1-Bryan Sebetto; 3. O4-Cap Henry; 4. M28-Josh Muntz; 5. 11-Shawn Colvin; 6. 66L-Brad Bowman; 7. 82-Travis Hoffbauer; 8. 65-Mark Lang; 9. 28-Shaun Valenti (R)
Heat 4 – Friendship Food Stores (8 laps, top 4transfer to A-Main)
1. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 2. 3J-Kevin Lee; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 4. 55-Benny Bowman; 5. 15H-Mitch Harble; 6. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 7. X-Dustin Stroup (R); 8. 596-Zack Ames (R); 9. 14-Chad Wilson
Dash 1
1. 40-Bobby Clark; 2. 55-Benny Bowman; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 4. 18-Todd Heuerman; 5. 49-Coty Runion; 6. O4-Cap Henry; 7. O1-Bryan Sebetto; 8. 1-Nate Dussel (R)
B-Main – Computer Man Inc.
1. 19R-Steve Rando; 2. 15H-Mitch Harble; 3. 23-Willie Keegan; 4. 29-Chris Lang; 5. 25P-Mark Pridemore; 6. 11-Shawn Colvin; 7. 28-Shaun Valenti (R); 8. 47-Josh Burdette; 9. 65-Mark Lang
B-Main – Computer Man Inc.
1. 5-Dustin Dinan; 2. 82-Travis Hoffbauer; 3. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 4. 39-Matt Merrill; 5. 22D-Dan Hammond; 6. 66L-Brad Bowman; 7. 13-Junior Felver; 8. X-Dustin Stroup (R); 9. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh; 10. 596-Zack Ames (R)
A-Main Starting Position [#]
1. 40-Bobby Clark[1]; 2. O1-Bryan Sebetto[7]; 3. 18-Todd Heuerman[4]; 4. 3J-Kevin Lee[13]; 5. 5-Dustin Dinan[9]; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[18]; 7. 55-Benny Bowman[2]; 8. 19R-Steve Rando[10]; 9. 49-Coty Runion[5]; 10. 3X-Brad Keckler[16]; 11. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3]; 12. 1-Nate Dussel (R)[8]; 13. M28-Josh Muntz[20]; 14. 67M-Matt Ferrell[19]; 15. 36X-Dustin Keegan[22]; 16. 29-Chris Lang[21]; 17. 71-Bill Kraylek[15]; 18. O4-Cap Henry[6]; 19. 11F-D.J. Foos (R)[12]; 20. 10-Brad Haudenschild[14]; 21. 15H-Mitch Harble[17]; 22. 82-Travis Hoffbauer[11]
Service Drive Solutions UMP Attica Late Models
Heat 1 – Tin Lizzy Collision (8 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 2. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth; 3. 45-Mike Marteney; 4. 99M-John Mayes Sr.; 5. X3-Dan Wallace; 6. 48-John Bores; 7. 63-Cody Scott; 8. 33-Bryan Koebbe; 9. 12H-Joe Hartlaub (R); 10. 50-Ryan Missler
Heat 2 – Ultra Shield Race Products (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 25-Chuck Hummer; 2. B4U-Brad Eitnear; 3. 15B-Mike Bores; 4. 23C-Jeremy Canada; 5. 75-Dusty Moore; 6. 27-Ken Hahn; 7. 88D-Larry Kingseed; 8. 3R-Chuck Rolle (R); 9. 99-Steve Sabo
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk; 2. 1-Tyler Boggs; 3. 12-Michael Stiltner; 4. 92-Brandon Perkins; 5. 1M-John Mayes Jr.; 6. 18-Jamie Reed; 7. 83-Noah Wagner (R); 8. 77C-Craig Corfman; 9. 77-Steve Kester
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 27-Ken Hahn; 2. 88D-Larry Kingseed; 3. 77-Steve Kester; 4. 18-Jamie Reed; 5. 99-Steve Sabo; 6. 77C-Craig Corfman; 7. 3R-Chuck Rolle (R); 8. 63-Cody Scott; 9. 83-Noah Wagner (R); 10. 12H-Joe Hartlaub (R)
A-Main Starting Position [#]
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[9]; 2. 1-Tyler Boggs[3]; 3. 75-Dusty Moore[10]; 4. B4U-Brad Eitnear[2]; 5. 23C-Jeremy Canada[7]; 6. 25-Chuck Hummer[6]; 7. 5H-Ernie Haynes[1]; 8. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth[11]; 9. 99M-John Mayes Sr.[4]; 10. X3-Dan Wallace[13]; 11. 50-Ryan Missler[20]; 12. 27-Ken Hahn[15]; 13. 77-Steve Kester[17]; 14. 99-Steve Sabo[19]; 15. 88D-Larry Kingseed[14]; 16. 12-Michael Stiltner[8]; 17. 77C-Craig Corfman[18]; 18. 18-Jamie Reed[16]; 19. 1M-John Mayes Jr.[12]; 20. 15B-Mike Bores[5]
Dirt Trucks
Heat 1 – Tin Lizzy Collision (8 laps)
1. 8-Steve Endicott; 2. 56-Alex Wiechman; 3. 17-Bob Dible; 4. 32H-Dan Hennig; 5. 91-Roger Inks; 6. 88-Jim Brewer; 7. P51-Paul Brown Jr.; 8. 92-Loren Schwochow; 9. 84-Russ Stahl; 10. 8K-Kent Brewer
Heat 2 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 laps)
1. O1-Art Ball; 2. 33-Brian Arnold; 3. 18W-Cory Ward; 4. 101-Chester Fitch; 5. 30-Dave Gibbs; 6. 4X-Brian Sorg; 7. 62-Dave Severs; 8. 22J-Josh Kiser; 9. 69-Mark Warnick; 10. 2R-Ron Kepling
A-Main Starting Position [#]
1. 18W-Cory Ward[6]; 2. 8-Steve Endicott[11]; 3. 17-Bob Dible[7]; 4. 32H-Dan Hennig[5]; 5. 33-Brian Arnold[9]; 6. 4X-Brian Sorg[1]; 7. 88-Jim Brewer[10]; 8. 92-Loren Schwochow[15]; 9. 91-Roger Inks[12]; 10. 30-Dave Gibbs[8]; 11. 56-Alex Wiechman[4]; 12. 62-Dave Severs[14]; 13. 101-Chester Fitch[2]; 14. O1-Art Ball[3]; 15. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[13]; 16. 2R-Ron Kepling[20]; 17. 84-Russ Stahl[17]; 18. 69-Mark Warnick[18]