By Brian Liskai: ATTICA, Ohio – Eight time and defending Attica Raceway Park track champion Byron Reed led a strong contingent of weekly racers to a clean sweep of the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions Friday night. Reed took the lead on lap 28 of the 40-lap feature on Foster Auto Body/Adkins Group Night following a race-long battle with Craig Mintz and Chris Andrews and then survived a restart with nine laps to go to score his 11th career All Star win.
Reed made some daring moves in lapped traffic to score his first All Star win in nearly four years and the 36th career 410 sprint car victory at Attica as he sits second on the track’s all-time win list behind Mark Keegan. Mintz, making his 2017 debut, showed little signs of rust as he pressured Reed the last two laps before settling for second. When Chris Andrews’ car sputtered the last three laps D.J. Foos pounced to round out the podium. The local contingent of drivers swept the top five positions as Broc Martin and Stuart Brubaker finished fourth and fifth. The only All Star driver to finish in the top 10 was Caleb Helms in sixth with Andrews, Jordan Ryan, Lee Jacobs and Andrew Palker rounding out the top 10. It was the 114th visit by the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions at Attica Raceway Park.
“I don’t know what it looked like but going into one…you’ve heard the saying before but my ass cheeks were puckering. When you’ve got the momentum you don’t want to let off and the whole was getting tight and I just didn’t want to back off because that was my chance. That’s what I love about Attica, especially these 40 lappers when you get into traffic. I don’t know if I was the best car but you just keep battling and battling and battling and sometimes things just go your way,” Reed said of his Crown Battery backed machine.
“I hope we can represent like this when the Outlaws are here. We have a good group of cars and we can race with anyone at our tracks,” Reed added.
Mintz, aboard the Ed Neumeister owned #11N, ran second throughout most of the race and was right on Reed’s rear bumper as the checkers flew.
“If anyone didn’t have fun watching that they need to go watch another sport. That was a good time running with Byron and Chris and DJ…it’s fun, clean racing and you can trust these guys. That’s probably the most fun I’ve had in a race car in a long time. I have to thank Ed Neumeister for putting me in this race car and the Linder crew for busting their butts and giving me a good car,” said Mintz beside the Dough Si Dough/Linder’s Speed Equipment/DMI/Fisher Racing Engines backed machine.
For Foos a third place run continues his great season which has seen him score a win and several top three finishes.
“I can’t put it into words how great this year is going. This is something a guy only dreams of. We don’t have the wins but we are consistent with top three finishes. We fell back early there but the car really came on there at the end. I came here hoping for a top five…I’ll take a top three against the All Stars and 48 cars,” said Foos of his Jay Kiser owned #23 with backing from JLH General Contractor/Crown Battery/The Jet Express/Shellukes Bar and Grill.
In the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models, Ashland, Ohio’s Ryan Markham held off Devin Shiels and Doug Drown following a restart with just three laps remaining to score his second victory of the year at Attica. Markham led all 25 laps for his 12th career Attica win.
“I did not want to see that last caution. When you’re up top like that you can kind of see what’s going on below you and if someone’s getting a run you can get up on the wheel. My wife drew me a good pill tonight…she’s put a lot of pressure on me…I haven’t won yet with her at the race track. She told me this morning if I didn’t win pretty soon this purple on the car is going bye bye. Tonight I have a little honorary crew. Some other guys came up and helped me, Jerry Aber and Lou Bemiller. I was in the pits by myself and I also had John Lewis…he comes to the shop but doesn’t come in the pits every night but he gave me a helping hand during the week to get this thing going,” said Markham beside his H&T Demolition; Harriger Towing; Accu-Force Shock Dyno; Innovative Graphics backed #5M.
Current Fremont Fence 305 Sprint point leader Jamie Miller led all 25 laps of the feature but his 16th career Attica win wasn’t easy as defending track champion Paul Weaver stormed from his 12th starting spot to battle Miller the final four laps. Miller is now tied with Joe Keegan for sixth on the division’s all-time win list at Attica Raceway Park.
“I heard him (Weaver) with about two to go and I figured I’d better pick it up when I saw his nose. I gathered it up and ran a little harder. Finally getting this new race car figured out a little better and this is my kind of race track tonight. I think we won this night a year ago,” said Miller beside his Western Lake Erie Insulation Industry; Fostoria Mod Shop; Advanced Industrial; Crown Battery; Dick’s Auto Supply sponsored #66.
Stuart Brubaker and Parker Price Miller were scheduled to comprise the front row of the 40 lap All Star feature but Price Miller experienced engine woes before the green flew and went pit side putting Andrews to the outside front row. At the drop of the green Andrews bolted into the lead over Stuart Brubaker, Mintz, Reed, Caleb Armstrong, Foos and Helms. It quickly became a three car battle for the lead between Andrews, Mintz and Reed before the caution flew for a Jody Keegan spin with two laps scored.
On the restart Andrews, Mintz and Reed again raced side by side with Brubaker and Helms battling for fourth before another caution for a Roger Campbell spin. When the green came back out so did the tremendous battle up front before another caution for sixth running Caleb Armstrong flew with seven laps scored. This time on the restart Andrews was able to pull away slightly as Mintz and Reed battled for second with Helms and a closing Broc Martin racing hard for fourth.
The leaders prepared to race into heavy lapped traffic on lap 14 as Reed took second and closed quickly on Andrews. Andrews benefitted from a Brady Bacon spin on lap 16, giving the leader a clear track. On the ensuing restart Mintz drove back into second but Reed continued to battle hard. At the half-way Andrews, Mintz and Reed were waging a war for the top spot with Martin, Helms and Foos in tow. With 15 laps to go lapped traffic again came into play as the trio of Andrews, Mintz and Reed sliced and diced through the lapped cars.
Reed took second on lap 26 and used a lapped machine as a pick to steal the lead on lap 28. Reed now had to deal with the lapped cars and Andrews was right on his rear bumper with Mintz a half car back when the caution flew for a Hunter Mackison spin with nine laps remaining. Reed got a fantastic restart and pulled away from Andrews with Mintz, Foos, Martin and Brubaker giving chase. With five laps remaining Reed had built his lead to 1.5 seconds over Andrews, Mintz, Foos, Martin and Brubaker.
As Reed continued to edge away, Mintz moved into second on lap 37 and quickly chopped into leader’s advantage. As they took the white flag Mintz was within half a car length of Reed while Andrews’ car began to lose power. Reed would hold off Mintz for the victory with Foos taking third on the last lap.
In the 25-lap late model feature, Markham and Jim Gingery brought the field to green with Markham gaining the advantage over third starting Shiels, Cody Scott and Gingery. Ben Mott would coast to a stop after a lap was completed. On the single file restart Markham blasted away at the cushion while Shiels patrolled the bottom with Scott, Rob Anderzack, Gingery, Dave Hornikel and Doug Drown giving chase.
The caution flew on lap 11 for a tangle involving Brad Wade and Jeff Warnick. Markham pulled away slightly on the restart over Shiels, Anderzack, Drown, Mike Bores and Scott. Markham’s lead began to dissipate with seven laps to go as Shiels and Drown closed quickly. A caution for Jarrett Rendel on lap 19 put Shiels and Drown right on Markham’s rear bumper. That trio battled hard when the green reappeared but another caution with three laps remaining gave everyone one more shot at Markham.
The Ashland, Ohio driver was just too good on the restart. But, Shiels mounted a last lap challenge but ran out of time as Markham drove to the checkers over Drown who got around Shiels in the last corner. Bores and Scott rounded out the top five.
Ryan French and Miller set the pace at the start of the 25 lap 305 sprint feature with Miller gaining the advantage. French would spin after a lap was complete, collecting Chase Baker. Miller blasted the extreme high line on the restart to pull away from a great battle for second between Steve Rando, Jordan Ryan, Bobby Clark and John Ivy. However, Ryan’s good run would end as he coasted to a stop on lap three.
When the green flew again so did Miller as he once again began pulling away. Meanwhile the battle for second was entertaining involving Rando, Clark, Ivy and Weaver. Weaver drove into third by lap eight and quickly closed on Rando. Ivy coasted to a stop on lap 12 for the feature’s final caution.
Miller again pulled away on the restart as the battle for second intensified between Rando and Weaver. Weaver moved into the runner-up position on lap 14 and slowly ate away at Miller’s advantage. With five laps to go Weaver was right on Miller’s rear bumper. Miller did an excellent job of rim-riding to maintain the lead even as Weaver raced to his inside on numerous occasions.
Miller drove to the win over Weaver, Rando, Clark and Ricky Peterson.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, June 2 on Edward Jones of Clyde/Mike Neill Financial Advisor/Sutton Bank/AmeriGas/Kear’s Speed Shop Night. It’s Scouts Nights with all scouts and their scout masters who arrive in uniform getting in free. It’s also dollar hot dog night. It is an All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST Championship 410 Sprint Series presented by Ohio Logistics point night and the third installment of the “North vs. South” battle with the teams from the Ohio Sprint Car Series. The UMP late models and 305 sprints are also 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.
Attica Raceway Park
Friday, May 27, 2017
Foster’s Auto Body/Adkins Group Night
Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Car Series
Starting position [*]
Qualifying
Group (A)
1. 68G-Tyler Gunn, 12.408; 2. 2-Parker Price-Miller, 12.431; 3. 26-Tayler Malsam, 12.432; 4. 9M-Jordan Ryan, 12.568; 5. 59-Ryan Smith, 12.631; 6. 4-Brian Smith, 12.641; 7. 45-Trevor Baker, 12.666; 8. 1080-Jordan Mackison, 12.859; 9. 5X-Justin Peck, 12.92; 10. 3G-Carson Macedo, 12.967; 11. 49H-Bradley Howard, 13.252; 12. 33-Brent Matus, 13.628
Group (B)
1. 23-DJ Foos, 12.241; 2. 57X-Andrew Palker, 12.289; 3. 16-Chris Andrews, 12.2891; 4. 5R-Byron Reed, 12.345; 5. 81-Lee Jacobs, 12.371; 6. 39-Spencer Bayston, 12.392; 7. 33M-Max Stambaugh, 12.393; 8. 60-Jody Keegan, 12.501; 9. 45L-Brian Lay, 12.535; 10. 27Z-Sean Zemunik, 12.697; 11. 9X-Thomas Meseraull, 12.854; 12. 8J-Jess Stiger, 13.304
Group (C)
1. 11N-Craig Mintz, 12.075; 2. 22-Brandon Spithaler, 12.388; 3. 7C-Caleb Armstrong, 12.3881; 4. 83M-Broc Martin, 12.404; 5. 99-Brady Bacon, 12.516; 6. 60K-Kory Crabtree, 12.6; 7. 7-Shawn Valenti, 12.668; 8. 13-Brandon Matus, 12.855; 9. 8M-TJ Michael, 13.023; 10. 9-Ryan Linder, 13.033; 11. 9C-Roger Campbell, 13.086; 12. 51-John Garvin, 13.274
Group (D)
1. 10H-Chad Kemenah, 12.32; 2. 17-Caleb Helms, 12.363; 3. 5T-Travis Philo, 12.486; 4. 35S-Stuart Brubaker, 12.526; 5. 5K-Adam Kekich, 12.543; 6. 35-Tyler Esh, 12.583; 7. 59N-Bryan Nuckles, 12.839; 8. 95-Hunter Mackison, 13.009; 9. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.047; 10. 91-Cale Thomas, 13.153; 11. 22M-Dan McCarron, 13.44; 12. 25M-Ken Mackey, 13.653
Heat #1 – Group (A) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 2-Parker Price-Miller [3]; 2. 9M-Jordan Ryan [1]; 3. 59-Ryan Smith [5]; 4. 68G-Tyler Gunn [4]; 5. 4-Brian Smith [6]; 6. 5X-Justin Peck [9]; 7. 3G-Carson Macedo [10]; 8. 49H-Bradley Howard [11]; 9. 33-Brent Matus [12]; 10. 1080-Jordan Mackison [8]; 11. 45-Trevor Baker [7]; 12. 26-Tayler Malsam [2]
Heat #2 – Group (B) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 5R-Byron Reed [1]; 2. 16-Chris Andrews [2]; 3. 23-DJ Foos [4]; 4. 57X-Andrew Palker [3]; 5. 81-Lee Jacobs [5]; 6. 39-Spencer Bayston [6]; 7. 33M-Max Stambaugh [7]; 8. 9X-Thomas Meseraull [11]; 9. 60-Jody Keegan [8]; 10. 45L-Brian Lay [9]; 11. 8J-Jess Stiger [12]; 12. 27Z-Sean Zemunik [10]
Heat #3 – Group (C) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 83M-Broc Martin [1]; 2. 7C-Caleb Armstrong [2]; 3. 11N-Craig Mintz [4]; 4. 22-Brandon Spithaler [3]; 5. 99-Brady Bacon [5]; 6. 7-Shawn Valenti [7]; 7. 60K-Kory Crabtree [6]; 8. 8M-TJ Michael [9]; 9. 13-Brandon Matus [8]; 10. 9C-Roger Campbell [11]; 11. 51-John Garvin [12]; 12. 9-Ryan Linder [10]
Heat #4 – Group (D) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 35S-Stuart Brubaker [1]; 2. 10H-Chad Kemenah [4]; 3. 17-Caleb Helms [3]; 4. 5T-Travis Philo [2]; 5. 35-Tyler Esh [6]; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki [9]; 7. 5K-Adam Kekich [5]; 8. 95-Hunter Mackison [8]; 9. 22M-Dan McCarron [11]; 10. 91-Cale Thomas [10]; 11. 59N-Bryan Nuckles [7]
Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 35S-Stuart Brubaker [1]; 2. 11N-Craig Mintz [3]; 3. 5R-Byron Reed [2]; 4. 83M-Broc Martin [4]; 5. 9M-Jordan Ryan [5]
Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 2-Parker Price-Miller [1]; 2. 16-Chris Andrews [2]; 3. 23-DJ Foos [3]; 4. 7C-Caleb Armstrong [4]
C-Main (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer
1. 3G-Carson Macedo [2]; 2. 9Z-Duane Zablocki [6]; 3. 91-Cale Thomas [8]; 4. 5X-Justin Peck [1]; 5. 9-Ryan Linder [5]; 6. 51-John Garvin [10]; 7. 95-Hunter Mackison [3]; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger [11]; 9. 33-Brent Matus [13]; 10. 22M-Dan McCarron [12]; 11. 9C-Roger Campbell [7]; 12. 49H-Bradley Howard [9]; 13. 8M-TJ Michael [4]; 14. 25M-Ken Mackey [14]
B-Main (12 Laps) – Top 6 Transfer
1. 33M-Max Stambaugh [2]; 2. 45L-Brian Lay [5]; 3. 60-Jody Keegan [4]; 4. 5K-Adam Kekich [6]; 5. 60K-Kory Crabtree [7]; 6. 7-Shawn Valenti [9]; 7. 9X-Thomas Meseraull [12]; 8. 3G-Carson Macedo [15]; 9. 9Z-Duane Zablocki [16]; 10. 39-Spencer Bayston [1]; 11. 27Z-Sean Zemunik [10]; 12. 59N-Bryan Nuckles [11]; 13. 13-Brandon Matus [13]; 14. 26-Tayler Malsam [3]; 15. 45-Trevor Baker [8]; 16. 1080-Jordan Mackison [14]
A-Main (40 Laps)
1. 5R-Byron Reed [5]; 2. 11N-Craig Mintz [3]; 3. 23-DJ Foos [4]; 4. 83M-Broc Martin [7]; 5. 35S-Stuart Brubaker [1]; 6. 17-Caleb Helms [8]; 7. 16-Chris Andrews [2]; 8. 9M-Jordan Ryan [9]; 9. 81-Lee Jacobs [15]; 10. 57X-Andrew Palker [10]; 11. 59-Ryan Smith [11]; 12. 68G-Tyler Gunn [12]; 13. 4-Brian Smith [16]; 14. 99-Brady Bacon [14]; 15. 7-Shawn Valenti [22]; 16. 33M-Max Stambaugh [21]; 17. 45L-Brian Lay [18]; 18. 7C-Caleb Armstrong [6]; 19. 60-Jody Keegan [19]; 20. 5K-Adam Kekich [20]; 21. 35-Tyler Esh [17]; 22. 95-Hunter Mackison [25]; 23. 9C-Roger Campbell [26]; 24. 60K-Kory Crabtree [23]; 25. 22-Brandon Spithaler [13]; 26. 2-Parker Price-Miller [24]
Hard Charger: 7-Shawn Valenti +7
Fremont Fence 305 Sprints
Heat 1 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 2-Ricky Peterson[3] ; 2. 11G-Luke Griffith[6] ; 3. 26-Ryan French[1] ; 4. 2L-Landon LaLonde[5] ; 5. 4*-Tyler Street[7] ; 6. 8S-Joe Sylvester[4] ; 7. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath[2]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 3X-Brad Keckler[2] ; 2. 8-Bobby Clark[1] ; 3. 66-Jamie Miller[6] ; 4. 23-Chase Baker[4] ; 5. 36-Seth Schneider[7] ; 6. 09-Justin Adams[3] ; 7. 75-Jerry Dahms[5]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 77I-John Ivy[2] ; 2. 1X-Matt Foos[3] ; 3. 94K-Kevin Mingus[1] ; 4. 47-Matt Lucius[4] ; 5. 25-Jason Keckler[7] ; 6. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[5] ; 7. 9R-Dustin Rall[6]
Heat 4 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 19R-Steve Rando[2] ; 2. 11X-Jordan Ryan[1] ; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver[5] ; 4. 7M-Brandon Moore[4] ; 5. 12-Kyle Capodice[6] ; 6. 14-Luke Daugherty[3] ; 7. 67-Allan Ferrell[7]
B-Main 1 – (12 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 12-Kyle Capodice[4] ; 2. 4*-Tyler Street[1] ; 3. 36-Seth Schneider[2] ; 4. 25-Jason Keckler[3] ; 5. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath[9] ; 6. 09-Justin Adams[6] ; 7. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[7] ; 8. 9R-Dustin Rall[11] ; 9. 8S-Joe Sylvester[5] ; 10. 75-Jerry Dahms[10] ; 11. 14-Luke Daugherty[8] ; 12. 67-Allan Ferrell[12]
A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. 66-Jamie Miller[2] ; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[12] ; 3. 19R-Steve Rando[4] ; 4. 8-Bobby Clark[6] ; 5. 2-Ricky Peterson[8] ; 6. 7M-Brandon Moore[16] ; 7. 94K-Kevin Mingus[7] ; 8. 36-Seth Schneider[19] ; 9. 12-Kyle Capodice[17] ; 10. 1X-Matt Foos[10] ; 11. 11G-Luke Griffith[9] ; 12. 4*-Tyler Street[18] ; 13. 25-Jason Keckler[20] ; 14. 23-Chase Baker[14] ; 15. 47-Matt Lucius[15] ; 16. 3X-Brad Keckler[11] ; 17. 77I-John Ivy[3] ; 18. 2L-Landon LaLonde[13] ; 19. 11X-Jordan Ryan[5] ; 20. 26-Ryan French[1]
Hard Charger: 36-Seth Schneider +11
Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models
Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 51-Devin Shiels[1] ; 2. 1-Ben Mott[6] ; 3. 71-Dave Hornikel[7] ; 4. 28-Kent Brewer[5] ; 5. 30-Nate Potts[4] ; 6. 12M-Bobby Michaels[2] ; 7. 006-Jarrett Kendel[3]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 240-Doug Drown[3] ; 2. 19-Cody Scott[1] ; 3. 8A-Rob Anderzack[6] ; 4. 03-Jim Gingery[4] ; 5. 17X-Dustin Keegan[7] ; 6. 12D-Kyle Dukeshire[2] ; 7. 240X-Charlie Duncan[5]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps)
1. 15B-Mike Bores[1] ; 2. 5M-Ryan Markham[6] ; 3. 69-Jeff Warnick[4] ; 4. 23-Brad Wade[3] ; 5. 42*-Bob Mayer[5] ; 6. 69M-John Mayes Jr.[2]
A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. 5M-Ryan Markham[1] ; 2. 240-Doug Drown[12] ; 3. 51-Devin Shiels[3] ; 4. 15B-Mike Bores[10] ; 5. 19-Cody Scott[4] ; 6. 28-Kent Brewer[11] ; 7. 03-Jim Gingery[2] ; 8. 30-Nate Potts[13] ; 9. 69-Jeff Warnick[5] ; 10. 23-Brad Wade[7] ; 11. 42*-Bob Mayer[15] ; 12. 8A-Rob Anderzack[6] ; 13. 12M-Bobby Michaels[16] ; 14. 006-Jarrett Kendel[18] ; 15. 71-Dave Hornikel[8] ; 16. 17X-Dustin Keegan[14] ; 17. 12D-Kyle Dukeshire[17] ; 18. 1-Ben Mott[9] ; 19. 240X-Charlie Duncan[19] ; 20. 69M-John Mayes Jr.[20]
Hard Charger: 240-Doug Drown +10