Gressman, Andrews, VanWormer open Attica Summer Nationals with wins
By Brian Liskai: Attica, Ohio (Friday, Aug. 18, 2006) – Phil Gressman knew his race team was beginning to gell…it was just a matter of time before he would end up in victory lane. It all came together for the Helena, Ohio driver Friday, Aug. 18, at Attica Raceway Park, as he took the checkered flag in the 410 sprint feature.
Picconing, Michigan’s Jeep VanWormer dominated all 25 laps to claim his second American Late Model Series win of the year at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” venue.
Sandusky Perkins graduate Chris Andrews took a step closer to claiming the Attica Raceway Park championship in the 305 sprints, as he scored the 305 sprint feature win on Quality Welding Night.
For Gressman, his fourth career 410 sprint win at Attica was one for the “underdogs.”
“We don’t have a lot of funds…these guys put everything they have into this race car. They work hard in the shop all week and it finally paid off. I can’t thank Nolan and Cheryl Renfro enough…they keep this thing on the track,” said Gressman beside his Clyde Drive Thru/Gressman Powersports sponsored #1R. “We’ve been getting close the last couple of months. Then we wrecked the car at Fremont a couple of weeks ago and everybody scraped their money together to buy this car and Scott Gressman put our motor back together and here we are.”
VanWormer couldn’t believe his Globe Technologies/MastersBuilt late model was so dominate.
“We committed to the bottom and I was just waiting for Rusty (Schlenk) and some of those other guys to go driving around me at the top,” said VanWormer. “We have some big races coming up and this gives us a little shot of confidence.”
For Andrews, starting up front was the key to his third win of the season.
“It helps to start towards the front when you have competition like we have in this division. We’re taking this championship deal one race at a time, but as long as the car handles like it did tonight, we shouldn’t have any problems,” said Andrews beside his Goofy Golf/Mathews Ford sponsored #15c.”I want to dedicate this win to the Rebman family….Joe was a great guy and he’ll be missed at the Gressman Powersports shop.”
At the drop of the green for the 30-lap 410 sprint feature, Attica’s Brandon Martin grabbed the lead from his outside front row starting spot, with Brock Mayes, Gressman and Bryan Scott in tow. Gressman would take second on lap eight and would battle with Martin for the top spot a lap later. A slide-job in turns three and four would give Gressman the lead on lap 10. Following a caution, Gressman would set sail around the bottom of the track, with Martin, Mayes and Scott following.
All eyes were now on All Star Circuit of Champions rookie of the year candidate Chad Blonde, who had moved into fifth from his 12th starting spot by lap 11. Blonde would grab fourth by lap 14, bringing John Ivy into the top five as well.
A yellow for the spinning cars of Jamie Martin and David Harrison would bunch the field up on lap 17 with the running order Gressman, Mayes, Blonde and Martin. Now the cars to watch were 15th starting Mark Keegan and Lee Jacobs who had gone to the tail following an early race altercation. By lap 22, Gressman continued to lead with Mayes in second, Blonde, Keegan and Martin.
Gressman would cruise to the win, with Mayes, Blonde, Keegan and Martin rounding out the top five.
In the 25-lap ALMS feature, VanWormer would jump into the lead from his pole-starting position and would never be challenged. Rusty Schlenk would run second the entire race, with the real action taking place from third through 10th.
At the checkered, VanWormer would take the win followed by Schlenk, eighth starting Duane Chamberlain, Doug Drown and current ALMS point leader Brian Ruhlman rounding out the top five.
In the 25-lap 305 sprint feature, Andrews would grab the lead from Chris Lang on lap two and would survive one yellow and several close calls with lapped machines and the high side of turn two to take the victory. The action for second through sixth was exciting between Andy Shammo, Jim Dunham, Matt Ferrell and Dustin Dinan.
At the checkered, Andrews took the victory followed by Shammo, Dunham, 11th starting Duane Zablocki and Ferrell.
Night #2 of the Second Annual Attica Summer Nationals will feature the Kear’s Speedshop Openwheel Onslaught on Saturday, Aug. 19. The all-sprint-car affair features the 410 sprints, NRA 360 Sprint Invaders and the 305 sprints. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with racing slated to get underway at 7:30 p.m.
For more information call the track office at 419-426-8911 or log onto www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park (8-18-06)
410 Super Sprints
Heat 1 – Budweiser (top 4 to A)
1. 1H-Kyle Cummings; 2. 11M-Brandon Martin; 3. 16-Lee Jacobs; 4. 5R-Bryon Reed; 5. 10-David Harrison; 6. 12-Caleb Griffith; 7. 29-Brandon Wimmer; 8. 10S-Roger Shammo; 9. 14H-Todd Heller
Heat 2 – Ramsey Trucking (top 4 to A)
1. 53-John Ivy; 2. 31-Chuck Wilson; 3. 37Z-Bryan Scott; 4. 4-Danny Smith; 5. 78-Todd Kane; 6. 21-Rodney Morgan; 7. 48-Mike Burkin; 8. 91-Aaron Middaugh
Heat 3 – Bell Helmets (top 4 to A)
1. 5B-Chad Blonde; 2. 3L-Mike Linder; 3. 11B-Brock Mayes; 4. X-Mark Keegan; 5. 98-Bruce Robenalt; 6. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 7. 8X-Rob Chaney; 8. 4N-Niel Shepard
Heat 4 – Pepsi (top 4 to A)
1. 15M-Jamie Martin; 2. W20-Greg Wilson; 3. 1R-Phil Gressman; 4. 75-Mike Hogan; 5. 8S-Craig Mintz; 6. 7B-Jamie Miller; 7. 7T-Troy Vaccaro
B-main – Computer Man Inc.(top 4 to A)
1. 78-Todd Kane; 2. 10-David Harrison; 3. 7B-Jamie Miller; 4. 8S-Craig Mintz; 5. 12-Caleb Griffith; 6. 8X-Rob Chaney; 7. 98-Bruce Robenalt; 8. 29-Brandon Wimmer; 9. 7T-Troy Vaccaro; 10. 4N-Niel Shepard; 11. 2X-Rodney Duncan; 12. 21-Rodney Morgan; 13. 48-Mike Burkin; 14. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 15. 10S-Roger Shammo; 16. 91-Aaron Middaugh
A-main Starting Position []
1. 1R-Phil Gressman[3]; 2. 11B-Brock Mayes[1]; 3. 5B-Chad Blonde[12]; 4. X-Mark Keegan[15]; 5. 11M-Brandon Martin[2]; 6. 16-Lee Jacobs[11]; 7. 37Z-Bryan Scott[4]; 8. 5R-Bryon Reed[13]; 9. 4-Danny Smith[14]; 10. 8S-Craig Mintz[20]; 11. 31-Chuck Wilson[9]; 12. 75-Mike Hogan[16]; 13. 78-Todd Kane[17]; 14. 53-John Ivy[7]; 15. 15M-Jamie Martin[8]; 16. 10-David Harrison[18]; 17. 7B-Jamie Miller[19]; 18. W20-Greg Wilson[5]; 19. 3L-Mike Linder[10]; 20. 1H-Kyle Cummings[6]
305 Sprints
Heat 1 – Budweiser (top 4 to A)
1. 5-Dustin Dinan; 2. 7-Brad Haudenschild; 3. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 4. 17X-Dustin Keegan; 5. 71-Bill Kraylek; 6. 65-Mark Lang; 7. 9H-Jason Hill; 8. O7-Scott Mominee; 9. 22-Evan Helle
Heat 2 – Advanced Limo (top 4 to A)
1. 15C-Chris Andrews; 2. 55S-Benny Bowman; 3. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 4. O2-Kevin Lee; 5. 14-Chad Wilson; 6. 55-Brad Bowman; 7. 3X-Greg Summit; 8. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh; 9. 49-Coty Runion
Heat 3 – Bell Helmets (top 4 to A)
1. 18-Jim Dunhum; 2. 21-Scott Kraylek; 3. 66L-Ryan Lowe; 4. 22D-Dan Hammond; 5. 5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath; 6. O6-Jeremy Aumend; 7. 13-Larry Felver Jr.; 8. 25-Chris Pifher; 9. 11-Shawn Colvin
Heat 4 – Griffs Engines (top 4 to A)
1. 48S-Andy Shammo; 2. 27-Stuart Brubaker; 3. 29-Chris Lang; 4. 25P-Mark Pridemore; 5. 34-Mark Whaley; 6. 15H-Mitchell Harble; 7. 6-Ryan Dickey; 8. 31-Chad Gullett
B-Main (top 4 to A)
1. 55-Brad Bowman; 2. 71-Bill Kraylek; 3. 14-Chad Wilson; 4. 5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath; 5. 15H-Mitchell Harble; 6. 3X-Greg Summit; 7. 9H-Jason Hill; 8. 31-Chad Gullett; 9. 34-Mark Whaley; 10. 11-Shawn Colvin; 11. O7-Scott Mominee; 12. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh; 13. O6-Jeremy Aumend; 14. 22-Evan Helle; 15. 25-Chris Pifher; 16. 65-Mark Lang; 17. 13-Larry Felver Jr.; 18. 6-Ryan Dickey
A-main Starting Position []
1. 15C-Chris Andrews[2]; 2. 48S-Andy Shammo[3]; 3. 18-Jim Dunhum[8]; 4. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[11]; 5. 67M-Matt Ferrell[6]; 6. 21-Scott Kraylek[10]; 7. 66L-Ryan Lowe[5]; 8. O2-Kevin Lee[14]; 9. 5-Dustin Dinan[4]; 10. 29-Chris Lang[1]; 11. 71-Bill Kraylek[18]; 12. 17X-Dustin Keegan[13]; 13. 22D-Dan Hammond[15]; 14. 7-Brad Haudenschild[9]; 15. 55-Brad Bowman[17]; 16. 14-Chad Wilson[19]; 17. 25P-Mark Pridemore[16]; 18. 5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath[20]; 19. 27-Stuart Brubaker[12]; 20. 55S-Benny Bowman[7]
ALMS – Late Models
Heat 1 – (top 4 to A)
1. 1C-Duane Chamberlain; 2. 53-Hillard Miller; 3. 3-Rick Delong; 4. 40-Wayne Maffett; 5. B4U-Brad Eitniear; 6. 34-Ky Harper; 7. 27-Bill Hahn; 8. 25-Chuck Hummer; 9. 48B-John Bores
Heat 2 – (top 4 to A)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk; 2. 55-Jeep VanWormer; 3. X3-Dan Wallace; 4. 1-Casey Noonan; 5. 15B-Mike Bores; 6. O3J-Clint Jamison; 7. 50-Ryan Missler; 8. 71-Dave Hornikel; 9. O14-Paul Brown Jr.
Heat 3 – (top 4 to A)
1. 12-Doug Drown; 2. 96F-Keith Berner; 3. 11-Jerry Bowersox; 4. 63-Randy Scott; 5. 88D-Larry Kingseed; 6. 4UC-Jeff Clapp; 7. O5J-Joel Weldeman; 8. 41-Randy Pollock
Heat 4 – (top 4 to A)
1. 1S-Aaron Scott; 2. 49-Brian Ruhlman; 3. 98-Tim Sabo; 4. 20M-Eric Myers; 5. 45-Mike Marteney; 6. 92-Brandon Perkins; 7. 2D-Curtis Diesenroth; 8. 21-David Hilliker
B1-Main – (top 2 to A)
1. B4U-Brad Eitniear; 2. 34-Ky Harper; 3. 50-Ryan Missler; 4. 15B-Mike Bores; 5. O3J-Clint Jamison; 6. 27-Bill Hahn; 7. 71-Dave Hornikel; 8. 48B-John Bores; . O14-Paul Brown Jr.; . 25-Chuck Hummer
B2-Main – (top 2 to A)
1. 88D-Larry Kingseed; 2. 45-Mike Marteney; 3. 4UC-Jeff Clapp; 4. 2D-Curtis Diesenroth; 5. O5J-Joel Weldeman; 6. 92-Brandon Perkins; 7. 21-David Hilliker; 8. 41-Randy Pollock
A-main Starting Position []
1. 55-Jeep VanWormer[1]; 2. 91-Rusty Schlenk[2]; 3. 1C-Duane Chamberlain[8]; 4. 12-Doug Drown[3]; 5. 49-Brian Ruhlman[6]; 6. 20M-Eric Myers[16]; 7. 1S-Aaron Scott[7]; 8. 53-Hillard Miller[4]; 9. 96F-Keith Berner[5]; 10. 1-Casey Noonan[14]; 11. 88D-Larry Kingseed[18]; 12. 11-Jerry Bowersox[11]; 13. 63-Randy Scott[15]; 14. O5J-Joel Weldeman[21]; 15. 2D-Curtis Diesenroth[22]; 16. 98-Tim Sabo[12]; 17. 40-Wayne Maffett[13]; 18. 3-Rick Delong[9]; 19. X3-Dan Wallace[10]; 20. 34-Ky Harper[19]; 21. B4U-Brad Eitniear[17]; 22. 45-Mike Marteney[20]