Thomas gets by Saldana late for 1st career All Star win at Attica
By Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio – Cale Thomas got around Joey Saldana with 10 laps to go Friday, May 25 and drove to his career Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobile 1 victory at Attica Raceway Park on Steinle Chevrolet Buick GMC/Foster Auto Body Night.
Thomas, from Fairland, Indiana, set up the winning move following a restart with 12 laps to go. He got a great run when the green came out and actually banged wheels with Saldana who had led the first 29 laps.
“We had that red flag (with 17 laps to go) and I was running hot the whole race and I got time just to think about what I wanted to do. I knew Joey (Saldana) was running the bottom of one and two and the top of three and four and I was decent but I had to go some place he wasn’t and I started to roll the middle of one and two and run the bottom of three and four and did my best Byron Reed impersonation. I got under him in four and he went to block me into one and I didn’t really want to give the spot up. I knew if I could give him a little tap and move him up the race track a little bit…it worked. I don’t like driving like that but it was just open and I had to take it. I was faster on that restart,” said Thomas beside his Engler Machine and Tool, Ohio Heating, Milhone Motorsports, Factory Kahne, Indy Race Parts, Lucas Oil, SFE Service, J&J Racing backed machine.
“Since I have the stage right here, during the off season I went on a mission trip to Cambodia through Rapha House which helps girls that are less fortunate that have been through slavery. I got to see how Rapha House helps them so much. I want to thank the Lord up above for everything he does for me,” Thomas added in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
Saldana, who has 74 career All Star victories, was understandably disappointed in his second place finish, but graciously offered Thomas congratulations.
“The yellows…I was struggling on every restart. He’d get a really good run on me and I was just up out of the tires. It would take me about a lap to get down in the race track and get going again. On that last restart I just wasn’t any good…I just screwed up and got up on the tires and he got position on me and I was pretty much screwed from there on out,” Saldana said of his Hager Realty Services, Rayce Rudeen Foundation backed #26.
“It’s pretty cool to see someone win their first All Star race. It’s been many years ago for me but I know how special it is to win these races…how hard they are. It really means a lot when you can accomplish something like this. I don’t think people realize how hard it is to prepare these cars and compete at a high level. It’s very, very difficult and when ever you can get a win it’s very special. I applaud that whole team…they did a great job. And my team, they did a good job all night. We’ve had a really good race car all year. We’ve just been struggling qualifying and it showed tonight. We’ll keep digging and hopefully come out on top tomorrow,” added Saldana who has seven career wins at Attica, five of which are All Star victories.
The drive of the night came from Dalton, Ohio’s Lee Jacobs who charged from 23rd staring spot to a third place finish.
“We started out the night really bad qualifying. We were way too loose and on the verge of spinning out during qualifying and couldn’t make it through the heat. We had to run the B and I told AJ (Havens, crew chief) after we just need a little more and he gave it to me. That car there half way through that race we really started coming. I wish we would have had a caution there at the end or start closer to the front. I think we had the car to beat the last 10 laps. Hats off to the Attica crew and the All Stars. What an amazing track tonight. You could roll the top, middle and bottom,” said Jacobs beside his Simcox Grinding and Steel, Amanda J. Lewis Attorney at Law, DAC Vitamins and Minerals backed #81.
Holland, Ohio Steve Kester survived a restart with just one lap to go in the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models,after the car causing the yellow flag spun right in front of him. Kester held off Ryan Markham and Ryan Missler for his first win of the season and the second of his career at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speed plant.
“I was trying to take it easy because I didn’t want to get into lapped traffic. I heard someone to my outside and I was just trying to concentrate and take it easy. I was definitely better in clean air. Once I got behind lapped cars I started driving like them. I must like slick tracks better…on heavy tracks I don’t do that good. I want to thank Jason Brown and his wife Colleena, my wife, Dave Giest Body Shop, Baumann Auto Group, Kester Mowing and everyone who helps out,” Kester said.
Fremont, Ohio’s Bobby Clark led all 25 laps of the non-stop Fremont Fence 305 Sprints A-main for his second victory of the season and 23rd of his career in the division. Clark now sits third on the 305 career win list at Attica Raceway Park.
“I like this car. It’s our new car and right out of the box we knew we had speed with it. Dave (Foos, crew chief) had the car perfect tonight. I have to thank him and my crew and all my sponsors. I was stuck pretty good all over. It was an old guy’s track tonight…nice and slick and slow. Last year was horrible so we’re happy with what we have,” said Clark beside his Fremont Fence, Miller Rigging, Big D’s Pizza, Kear’s Speed Shop; Shelluke’s Bar; Nagy Equipment; Schiets Motorsports; Willey’s Towing, NAPA Auto Parts of Fremont, B&L Plumbing backed machine.
Saldana and Thomas brought the field to green for the 40-lap All Star feature with Saldana gaining the advantage over Thomas while a tremendous battle for third ensued involving Brady Bacon and Carson Macedo. Three laps in Dave Blaney spun with the running order Saldana, Thomas, Macedo, Bacon, Craig Mintz, Aaron Reutzel and Byron Reed. Another caution on lap seven involving Tyler Esh and Parker Price-Miller kept the field close to Saldana. When the green reappeared Saldana disappeared, pulling away from Thomas while the battle for third heated up again involving Bacon, Macedo and Reutzel.
Just as the leaders caught the back of the pack, the caution flew for DJ Foos who suffered front end damage. This time when the green shot back out Thomas was there to apply pressure to Saldana while Macedo and Bacon swapped he third position at every corner. At the half-way point as Saldana prepared to enter heavy lapped traffic he held a commanding lead over Thomas, Bacon, Macedo, Reutzel, Paul McMahan, Mintz and Reed. Action ground to a half on lap 23 as Caleb Helms made contact with the front stretch wall and collected Dave Blaney, sending Blaney tumbling. Blaney walked away from his destroyed race car.
Again on the restart Saldana struggled some what allowing Thomas to stay close but once the leader got momentum he pulled away. While battling for third, Bacon and Macedo got together with Bacon spinning into the infield on lap 28. When the green reappeared Thomas made his move, racing to Saldana’s inside and taking the lead with 10 laps to to. Meanwhile the race for third continued to entertain the huge crowd as Macedo, Reutzel and a closing Lee Jacobs battled. With seven laps to go Saldana had settled down and was chipping away at Thomas’ lead with Jacobs moving into third.
Thomas found his marks and drove to the win over Saldana, Jacobs, Macedo, 15th starter Gio Scelzi who was making his Attica debut, McMahan, Reutzel, Mintz, Stuart Brubaker and Cap Henry.
It was the second of five appearances at Attica Raceway Park for the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions in 2018 and the 118th overall race at the track for the organization.
In the 25 lap late model A-main, Kester and Markham brought the field to green but a Doug Baird spun necessitated a second attempt at the start. When the green flew Kester did as well, grabbing the lead over Markham, Missler, Devin Shiels and Ken Hahn. A caution with three laps scored for a Dustin Keegan, Jeff Warnick incident kept the field close. Five laps later Keegan would spin as would Kyle Duke shire with the running order Kester, Missler, Markham, Shiels, Dan Wallace and Nate Potts.
On the restart Kester went back to the bottom as did Missler while Markham ventured to the cushion. As the leaders readied to hit heavy lapped traffic with eight laps to go Markham and Missler reeled in Kester. You could cover the top three with a blanket as they raced to the white flag when a lapped car spun right in front of them in turn one. That set up a one lap battle to the checkers and Kester held off Markham and Missler for the win. Wallace and Shiels rounded out the top five.
In the 25-lap 305 sprint A-main Clark and Matt Foos brought the field to green with Clark utilizing the bottom groove to take the lead. Clark began to pull away and drove into lapped traffic by the 12th circuit with Foos, Seth Schneider, Brandon Moore and John Ivy in pursuit. Clark sliced his way through traffic like a surgeon and built his lead to 2.5 second with eight laps to go. Schneider drove into second on lap 19 with Moore taking third with three laps to go. No one was going to catch Clark though as he drove to the victory over Schneider, Moore, Ivy and Stuart Williams.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, June 1 on Burns Electric/Sutton Bank Scouts Night. It will be an All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST 410 Championship Series night along with the Attica Raceway Park/Wayne County Speedway Late Model Series Challenge. The 305 sprints will also be in action.
For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com or follow the track on Twitter @atticaracewyprk or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atticaracewaypark and Instagram at attica_raceway_park.
About Steinle Chevrolet Buick
Steinle Chevrolet Buick is located on McPherson Highway in Clyde, Ohio. Stop by and check out their big inventory of new and formerly owned vehicles. Check out our inventory at www.steinlechevroletbuick.com
About Foster’s Auto Body
Foster Auto Body was first opened in March of 1956 at the present location, 2117 W. State St. Fremont , Ohio by Robert G Foster. He sold the company to his son Ted Foster who worked for him since he was 13 years old with the same motto, quality work at a fair price and Ted added with, good customer service. Today Ted’s son, Bobby Foster is co-owner and general manager of Foster Auto Body Inc. Foster’s repairs all American and foreign cars and trucks, any type of trailers, including RVs and motor homes. Foster’s also specializes in fiberglass and aluminum repair, motor cycle repair and custom painting. For more information go to www.fosterautobody.com
Attica Raceway Park
Friday, May 25, 2018
All Star Circuit of Champions
Starting position; [*]
Qualifying
Group (A)
1. 5R-Byron Reed, 12.610; 2. 70-Dave Blaney, 12.628; 3. 4L-Cap Henry, 12.637; 4. 11N-Craig Mintz, 12.668; 5. 16-Chris Andrews, 12.780; 6. 7-Shawn Valenti, 12.792; 7. 98-Carl Bowser, 13.099; 8. 71h-Ryan Ruhl, 13.215; 9. 22B-Ryan Broughton, 13.351
Group (B)
1. 3-Jac Haudenschild, 12.587; 2. 23-DJ Foos, 12.693; 3. 91-Cale Thomas, 12.710; 4. 35s-Stuart Brubaker, 12.784; 5. 83-Cory Eliason, 12.872; 6. 7K-Cale Conley, 12.886; 7. 10H-Chad Kemenah, 12.911; 8. 9M-Jordan Ryan, 13.069; 9. 8J-Jess Stiger, 13.464
Group (C)
1. 17-Caleb Helms, 12.590; 2. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 12.694; 3. 71X-Gio Scelzi, 12.709; 4. 26-Joey Saldana, 12.837; 5. 45L-Brian Lay, 13.336; 6. 68G-Tyler Gunn, 13.347; 7. 8M-TJ Michael, 13.529; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.685; 9. 51-John Garvin, 14.493
Group (D)
1. 99-Brady Bacon, 13.083; 2. 11-Dominic Scelzi, 13.097; 3. 49x-Tim Shaffer, 13.225; 4. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.276; 5. 81-Lee Jacobs, 13.391; 6. 3J-Trey Jacobs, 13.642; 7. 71-Ayrton Olsen, 14.211; 8. 22M-Dan McCarron, 14.725
Group (E)
1. 4-Parker Price-Miller, 12.734; 2. 3G-Carson Macedo, 13.034; 3. 13-Paul McMahan, 13.072; 4. 24-Rico Abreu, 13.378; 5. 22-Brandon Spithaler, 13.618; 6. 35-Tyler Esh, 14.517; 7. 23B-Chase Baker, 14.693; 8. 20i-Kesley Ivy, 14.802
Heat #1 – Group (A) (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 11N-Craig Mintz [1]; 2. 70-Dave Blaney [3]; 3. 4L-Cap Henry [2]; 4. 5R-Byron Reed [4]; 5. 16-Chris Andrews [5]; 6. 71H-Ryan Ruhl [8]; 7. 98-Carl Bowser [7]; 8. 22B-Ryan Broughton [9]; 9. 7-Shawn Valenti [6]
Heat #2 – Group (B) (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 35S-Stuart Brubaker [1]; 2. 91-Cale Thomas [2]; 3. 23-DJ Foos [3]; 4. 10H-Chad Kemenah [7]; 5. 83-Cory Eliason [5]; 6. 3-Jac Haudenschild [4]; 7. 7K-Cale Conley [6]; 8. 9M-Jordan Ryan [8]; 9. 8J-Jess Stiger [9]
Heat #3 – Group (C) (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 26-Joey Saldana [1]; 2. 87-Aaron Reutzel [3]; 3. 71X-Gio Scelzi [2]; 4. 17-Caleb Helms [4]; 5. 68G-Tyler Gunn [6]; 6. 8M-TJ Michael [7]; 7. 9Z-Duane Zablocki [8]; 8. 45L-Brian Lay [5]; 9. 51-John Garvin [9]
Heat #4 – Group (D) (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 99-Brady Bacon [4]; 2. 5T-Travis Philo [1]; 3. 49X-Tim Shaffer [2]; 4. 11-Dominic Scelzi [3]; 5. 81-Lee Jacobs [5]; 6. 3J-Trey Jacobs [6]; 7. 22M-Dan McCarron [8]; 8. 71-Ayrton Olsen [7]
Heat #5 – Group (E) (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 13-Paul McMahan [2]; 2. 3G-Carson Macedo [3]; 3. 22-Brandon Spithaler [5]; 4. 35-Tyler Esh [6]; 5. 20I-Kesley Ivy [8]; 6. 4-Parker Price-Miller [4]; 7. 24-Rico Abreu [1]; 8. 23B-Chase Baker [7]
Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 26-Joey Saldana [1]; 2. 3G-Carson Macedo [6]; 3. 11N-Craig Mintz [2]; 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel [5]; 5. 17-Caleb Helms [3]; 6. 35S-Stuart Brubaker [4]
Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 91-Cale Thomas [4]; 2. 99-Brady Bacon [1]; 3. 5R-Byron Reed [6]; 4. 70-Dave Blaney [5]; 5. 13-Paul McMahan [3]; 6. 5T-Travis Philo [2]
C-Main (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer
1. 9M-Jordan Ryan [1]; 2. 45L-Brian Lay [2]; 3. 8J-Jess Stiger [7]; 4. 71-Ayrton Olsen [4]; 5. 23B-Chase Baker [5]; 6. 22B-Ryan Broughton [3]; 7. 7-Shawn Valenti [6]; 8. 51-John Garvin [8]
B-Main (12 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 3-Jac Haudenschild [1]; 2. 4-Parker Price-Miller [2]; 3. 81-Lee Jacobs [6]; 4. 83-Cory Eliason [4]; 5. 3J-Trey Jacobs [10]; 6. 8M-TJ Michael [9]; 7. 16-Chris Andrews [3]; 8. 9M-Jordan Ryan [16]; 9. 24-Rico Abreu [13]; 10. 9Z-Duane Zablocki [14]; 11. 68G-Tyler Gunn [5]; 12. 7K-Cale Conley [11]; 13. 98-Carl Bowser [12]; 14. 22M-Dan McCarron [15]; 15. 20I-Kesley Ivy [7]; 16. 71H-Ryan Ruhl [8]; 17. 45L-Brian Lay [17]
A-Main (40 Laps)
1. 91-Cale Thomas [2]; 2. 26-Joey Saldana [1]; 3. 81-Lee Jacobs [23]; 4. 3G-Carson Macedo [3]; 5. 71X-Gio Scelzi [15]; 6. 13-Paul McMahan [10]; 7. 87-Aaron Reutzel [7]; 8. 11N-Craig Mintz [5]; 9. 35S-Stuart Brubaker [11]; 10. 4L-Cap Henry [13]; 11. 83-Cory Eliason [24]; 12. 49X-Tim Shaffer [16]; 13. 5R-Byron Reed [6]; 14. 98-Carl Bowser [25]; 15. 4-Parker Price-Miller [22]; 16. 22-Brandon Spithaler [17]; 17. 3-Jac Haudenschild [21]; 18. 35-Tyler Esh [20]; 19. 99-Brady Bacon [4]; 20. 17-Caleb Helms [9]; 21. 70-Dave Blaney [8]; 22. 5T-Travis Philo [12]; 23. 11-Dominic Scelzi [19]; 24. 23-DJ Foos [14]; 25. 10H-Chad Kemenah [18]
Hard Charger: 81-Lee Jacobs +20
305 Sprints – Fremont Fence
Heat 1 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 19R-Steve Rando[2] ; 2. 26-Jamie Miller[3] ; 3. 77I-John Ivy[1] ; 4. 12-Kyle Capodice[4] ; 5. 21-Dustin Stroup[7] ; 6. 97-Kyle Peters[5] ; 7. 18R-Duffy Rubel[6]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 46AU-Stuart Williams[1] ; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[3] ; 3. 7M-Brandon Moore[6] ; 4. 9R-Dustin Rall[2] ; 5. 75-Jerry Dahms[7] ; 6. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[4] ; 7. 14-Luke Daugherty[5]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 09-Justin Adams[4] ; 2. 36-Seth Schneider[7] ; 3. 2F-Matt Foos[2] ; 4. 47-Matt Lucius[5] ; 5. 88N-Frank Neill[1] ; 6. 25-Jason Keckler[6] ; 7. Z10-Kevin Mingus[3]
Heat 4 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 8-Bobby Clark[5] ; 2. 11G-Luke Griffith[4] ; 3. 73-Joe Armbruster[3] ; 4. 67M-Matt Ferrell[6] ; 5. 5M-Mike Moore[2] ; 6. 90-Tommy Nichols[7] ; 7. 1-Mike Burkin[1]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 21-Dustin Stroup[1] ; 2. 88N-Frank Neill[3] ; 3. 25-Jason Keckler[7] ; 4. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[6] ; 5. Z10-Kevin Mingus[11] ; 6. 75-Jerry Dahms[2] ; 7. 1-Mike Burkin[12] ; 8. 14-Luke Daugherty[10] ; 9. 5M-Mike Moore[4] ; 10. 18R-Duffy Rubel[9] ; 11. 90-Tommy Nichols[8] ; 12. 97-Kyle Peters[5]
A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. 8-Bobby Clark[1] ; 2. 36-Seth Schneider[6] ; 3. 7M-Brandon Moore[8] ; 4. 77I-John Ivy[7] ; 5. 46AU-Stuart Williams[5] ; 6. 2F-Matt Foos[2] ; 7. 12-Kyle Capodice[13] ; 8. 1W-Paul Weaver[9] ; 9. 19R-Steve Rando[3] ; 10. 47-Matt Lucius[15] ; 11. 11G-Luke Griffith[4] ; 12. 73-Joe Armbruster[10] ; 13. 21-Dustin Stroup[17] ; 14. 9R-Dustin Rall[14] ; 15. 25-Jason Keckler[19] ; 16. 09-Justin Adams[11] ; 17. 88N-Frank Neill[18] ; 18. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[20] ; 19. 26-Jamie Miller[12] ; 20. 67M-Matt Ferrell[16]
Hard Charger: 12-Kyle Capodice +6
Late Models – Summit Racing Equipment
Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 50Y-Ryan Missler[1] ; 2. X3-Dan Wallace[5] ; 3. 5M-Ryan Markham[6] ; 4. 69M-John Mayes Jr.[4] ; 5. 17X-Dustin Keegan[2] ; 6. 24-Jerry Aber[3] ; 7. 69R-Doug Baird[9] ; 8. 12D-Kyle Dukeshire[7] ; 9. 006-Jarrett Rendel[8]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 51-Devin Shiels[1] ; 2. 77-Steve Kester[3] ; 3. 69W-Jeff Warnick[6] ; 4. 27-Ken Hahn[2] ; 5. 30-Nate Potts[7] ; 6. 31AUS-Paul Stubber[5] ; 7. 17-Jeff Geis[9] ; 8. R4-Rich Ruff[8] ; 9. 06-Jake Rendel[4]
A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. 77-Steve Kester[1] ; 2. 5M-Ryan Markham[2] ; 3. 50Y-Ryan Missler[3] ; 4. X3-Dan Wallace[7] ; 5. 51-Devin Shiels[5] ; 6. 30-Nate Potts[10] ; 7. 31AUS-Paul Stubber[12] ; 8. 69W-Jeff Warnick[6] ; 9. 69M-John Mayes Jr.[8] ; 10. 27-Ken Hahn[4] ; 11. 24-Jerry Aber[11] ; 12. R4-Rich Ruff[16] ; 13. 69R-Doug Baird[13] ; 14. 17-Jeff Geis[14] ; 15. 006-Jarrett Rendel[17] ; 16. 12D-Kyle Dukeshire[15] ; 17. 17X-Dustin Keegan[9] ; 18. 06-Jake Rendel[18]
Hard Charger: 31ASU-Paul Stubber +5