By Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio – On a slick race track there are few better than Hartford, Ohio’s Dale Blaney. “The Low Rider” proved it again Friday at Attica Raceway Park as he threw a “slider” on Chad Kemenah on a restart with five laps to go and went on to score his 130th career Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions victory.
Blaney’s win on Tusing Builders/Kear’s Speed Shop Night is the 25th of his career at Attica of which 18 have been All Star victories.
“That was a hell of a race and a hell of a win. I apologize to James (McFadden) for getting into him. We were both racing really, really hard and I was coming pretty hard at that point and we were going for the same spot. We collected each other…fortunate enough I got through it. We will have some more runs…he’s here for about four months so I know we’ll race hard again,” said Blaney beside his Muddy Outdoor and Survival Cooking Hunting Equipment, Big Game Tree Stands, Penske Shocks, Ti22 Performance, GF1 Chassis backed machine.
“I have to thank my guys George and Skippy and Donny…they do an unbelievable job. This is a brand new car. We put it together this week. We really haven’t been running very good, but this was flawless. First time in a long time from lap 20 on I got better,” added Blaney, a six time All Star champion.
Seven time Attica champion Byron Reed from Monclova, Ohio, would get around Kemenah late for a second place finish.
“We’ve had a really good year. We’ve been fast every night out. It felt good. I made one mistake and that’s where Dale got by me. I don’t know if he was a lot faster than me. I think maybe if I didn’t make that mistake it might have been different. I’m happy with what we did,” said Reed beside his Crown Battery, Kistler Engines backed #5.
Kemenah, from Alvada, Ohio, led laps 5 through 35, but would record a third place finish
“We keep hanging around the top five and we get better every time we come here. When it gets to the ‘creeper’ deal like that…that’s where he (Blaney) shines. We weren’t bad…not bad at all. We’ll keep working at it and get better. Every time we run in top five it adds up and the team gets better. You hang around long enough and the wins come in bunches,” said Kemenah beside his Hunter Racing, Seneca Energy, Brilex LLC, JRC Transport, DKW Transport, Champion Oil, Bonnel’s Rod Shop, Nighthawk Holdings backed #10H.
In the Sunoco American Late Model Series “Hammer Down” Doug Drown from Wooster, Ohio would hold off Matt Irey for his third win of the season at Attica. It is his 16th career victory at the track. But the night wasn’t easy as mechanical issues early had the team scrambling to make repairs
“We’ve won four out of the six races we’ve run. This Swartz Race Car is phenomenal. I don’t know why other people haven’t switched to them sooner. They are definitely a pretty damn good piece. I went a little harder on tires than the other guys,” said Drown beside his Hall’s Auto Sales, Kar Konnections, Malcuit Racing Engines, Nationwide Vehicle Protection, Wooster Glass backed #240.
“The guys worked their butts off. We broke a header in hot laps. We welded one up…thanks to Byron Reed and Mike Bores for letting us borrow their welder. My son brought me another one from the house…it’s been an adventure in the pits for us. But the car was just phenomenal,” Drown added.
The Fremont Fence 305 Sprint feature was a barn-burner with Jason Keckler, Jamie Miller, Paul Weaver and Brandon Moore battling throughout. Keckler would withstand a restart with four laps to go to grab his second win of the season. It was the third of his career at Attica.
“I was a little bit nervous on that restart knowing Paul (Weaver) was behind me. I was wondering ‘is he up top or on the bottom.’ Paul’s usually on the top but I saw someone under me and I didn’t know if it was him or Jamie (Miller). I really didn’t want that yellow…especially when I saw who was behind me and how far back he had come from and knowing how good he is when the track gets like this,” said Keckler beside his Meggit Farms, Uncle Bob’s Paint Shop backed #25.
Broc Martin and Brady Bacon would bring the field to green for the 40-lap All Star feature with Martin gaining the advantage. Kemenah would quickly challenge Bacon for second as Martin pulled away slightly. The car on the move early was James McFadden. The Australian would drive into fourth on lap three and took third a circuit later.
Kemenah would drive to the high side of turn four on lap five to take the lead from martin with Bacon and McFadden trading the third spot lap after lap while Cap Henry and Byron Reed stayed close. McFadden would take third on lap seven and two laps later drove into second.
Following a caution on lap nine for a Bradley Howard spin, the racing up front would get very entertaining. Kemenah held on to the lead over McFadden, martin, Bacon, Henry, Blaney, Reed and Trey Jacobs. Henry would storm into third on lap 12 with Reed grabbing fourth a circuit later.
With 15 laps recorded Kemenah’s commanding lead began to dissipate as he drove into lapped traffic. McFadden was comfortably in second while Henry, Reed, and Blaney battled for third. At the half-way point, Kemenah would lead but the race for second had the huge crowd on the edge of their seats between McFadden, Henry, Reed and Blaney.
Henry would take the runner-up spot on lap 22 with McFadden, Blaney, Reed and Trey Jacobs in tow. Blaney and McFadden would make contact on lap 26, sending McFadden off the high side of turn three. On the restart Kemenah lead Henry, Blaney, Reed, Jacobs and Chris Andrews.
Kemenah narrowly avoided disaster with 10 laps to go when he jumped the cushion in turn four. He would gather it back up and maintained the lead over a closing Henry with Blaney, Reed, Jacobs and Andrews in pursuit. Howard and Martin would spin on opposite ends of the track on lap 32.
When the green reappeared Blaney and Reed would get around Henry. With five laps to go Bacon would spin. On the restart Blaney threw a slider at Kemenah and it stuck as “the Low Rider” took the lead. Kemenah would have his hands full now with Reed with Henry, Andrews and Jacobs staying close.
Reed would grab second on lap 38 but ran out of time to reel in Blaney.
“Cap was showing Chad his nose a little bit off of four and two. On the yellow with eight laps to go Chad dropped to the bottom of one and two. That left top open for me and I drove by Cap and it got me in a good spot. I wasn’t very good around the bottom. I couldn’t stop and go very good. Luckily enough he (Kemenah) kept running the bottom of one and two and it gave me an opportunity. It was up in the air what he was going to do on that restart. I thought he would drop but I didn’t know and it gave me a good run at him and I threw it across there and it stuck. I thought I’d see him back under me,” said Blaney of his winning move.
Behind Blaney, Reed and Kemenah, Henry and Andrews would round out the top five with rookie Trey Jacobs, Danny Holtgraver, Kraig Kinser (up from 26th starting spot), Dean Jacobs (up from 20th starting spot) and Travis Philo rounding out the top 10.
Drown and Devin Shiels led the field to green for the 30-lap late model feature. Drown would grab the lead over Matt Irey, Shiels, Brad Malcuit, Rob Anderzack, Ryan Markham and Mike Bores before a caution was displayed for a Larry Bellman, Nate Potts tangle.
On the restart Drown would be hounded by Irey with Shiels, Malcuit, Markham and Bores waging a terrific battle for third. With five laps in Drown had pulled away slightly from Irey with Shiels, Malcuit, Markham, Bores and Jon Henry in pursuit.
The final caution flew on lap 15 for a multi-car crash. This time on the restart Drown couldn’t shake Irey as the pair would run nose to tail the last half of the race. Meanwhile, the race for third continued to entertain between Shiels, Malcuit, Bores, Markham and Henry.
Henry was the car on the move as he drove into sixth with six laps remaining and into fourth by lap 26. No one was going to touch Drown as he drove to the win over Irey, Henry, Shiels and Bores.
“I had a little bit of a respect issue…on those restarts they hit me in the rear a little bit. I don’t understand. That’s why I locked them up. If you can’t pass on the race track you shouldn’t have to wreck somebody. I’m a little upset about that. But other than that the car was phenomenal,” Drown said.
Brandon Moore and Keckler brought the field to green for the 25-lap 305 sprint feature but before a lap could be scored Dan McCarron and Thomas Schinderle would spin. On the ensuing restart Moore would grave the lead over Keckler, Kelsey Ivy and Seth Schneider.
Keckler would close on Moore by lap four and drove around him into the lead a lap later. Behind them was a great battle involving Ivy, Schneider, Jamie Miller and Paul Weaver. Miller took third on lap five and started to close on Keckler and Moore.
With 14 laps scored the battle for the lead was intense between Keckler, Miller, Moore and Weaver. It would have the fans on the edge of their seats until the caution flew with four laps to go for a Steve Rando spin.
The restart order was Keckler, Weaver, Miller, Moore and Ivy. Miller would regain second when the green flew but Weaver and Moore stayed close while Kyle Capodice moved into the top five. Keckler wouldn’t make a mistake and drove to the win over Miller, Weaver, Moore and Capodice.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action, Friday, June 10 on Burns Electric/Gordon Lumber Night. It will be a point night for the Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series Presented by KS Sales and Service for the 410 sprints and for the JLH General Contractor 305 FAST Championship Series Presented by Engine Pro. The 305 sprints will also make up their rained out A-main from May 20. The dirt trucks will also be in action.
For a complete schedule of events go to www.atticaracewaypark.com and follow the track on Twitter @atticaracewyprk and like Attica Raceway Park on Facebook.
Attica Raceway Park
Friday, May 27, 2016
Tusing Builders/Kear’s Speed Shop Night
Starting position [*]
410 Sprints – Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions
Qualifying
1.73-Chris Andrews, 12.595; 2.99-Brady Bacon, 12.616; 3.24-Rico Abreu, 12.659; 4.1-Dale Blaney, 12.749; 5.6M-Jac Haudenschild, 12.771; 6.81-Lee Jacobs, 12.808; 7.83M-Broc Martin, 12.822; 8.10H-Chad Kemenah, 12.833; 9.87-Aaron Reutzel, 12.854; 10.70-Danny Holtgraver, 12.854; 11.9x-Rob Chaney, 12.864; 12.8-Bryan Sebetto, 12.865; 13.21-Cap Henry, 12.901; 14.7C-Caleb Armstrong, 12.918; 15.9R-Jordan Ryan, 12.928; 16.23-DJ Foos, 12.954; 17.09x-Carson Macedo, 13.041; 18.11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.098; 19.93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.119; 20.5-Byron Reed, 13.159; 21.57X-Andrew Palker, 13.217; 22.3G-James McFadden, 13.323; 23.40-Caleb Helms, 13.328; 24.60K-Jody Keegan, 13.337; 25.3J-Trey Jacobs, 13.349; 26.95-Hunter Mackison, 13.388; 27.45L-Brian Lay, 13.404; 28.5T-Travis Philo, 13.456; 29.16-Stuart Brubaker, 13.469; 30.97-Dean Jacobs, 13.481; 31.27Z-Sean Zemunik, 13.553; 32.9-Jimmy Colvin, 13.662; 33.40i-Mark Imler, 13.682; 34.60-Kory Crabtree, 13.721; 35.46AU-Stuart Williams, 13.829; 36.8J-Jess Stiger, 13.835; 37.8M-TJ Michael, 13.889; 38.68G-Tyler Gunn, 13.956; 39.7-Shawn Valenti, 13.987; 40.49H-Bradley Howard, 14.034; 41.33M-Caleb Griffith, 14.065; 42.9Z-Duane Zablocki, 14.137; 43.5B-Chad Blonde, 14.209; 44.19-Joe Kubiniec, 14.315; 45.25M-Ken Mackey, 14.380; 46.1080-Jordan Mackison, 99.550;
Heat 1, Group A – (10 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 83M-Broc Martin[1] ; 2. 73-Chris Andrews[4] ; 3. 1-Dale Blaney[3] ; 4. 70-Danny Holtgraver[6] ; 5. 9x-Rob Chaney[7] ; 6. 87-Aaron Reutzel[5] ; 7. 8-Bryan Sebetto[8] ; 8. 23-DJ Foos[9] ; 9. 40i-Mark Imler[12] ; 10. 95-Hunter Mackison[11] ; 11. 6M-Jac Haudenschild[2] ; 12. 60K-Jody Keegan[10]
Heat 2, Group B – (10 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 21-Cap Henry[1] ; 2. 10H-Chad Kemenah[2] ; 3. 99-Brady Bacon[4] ; 4. 09x-Carson Macedo[7] ; 5. 7C-Caleb Armstrong[5] ; 6. 81-Lee Jacobs[3] ; 7. 9R-Jordan Ryan[6] ; 8. 9-Jimmy Colvin[10] ; 9. 11K-Kraig Kinser[8] ; 10. 60-Kory Crabtree[11] ; 11. 8J-Jess Stiger[12] ; 12. 27Z-Sean Zemunik[9]
Heat 3, Group C – (10 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 5T-Travis Philo[1] ; 2. 3J-Trey Jacobs[2] ; 3. 40-Caleb Helms[3] ; 4. 16-Stuart Brubaker[5] ; 5. 49H-Bradley Howard[8] ; 6. 46AU-Stuart Williams[6] ; 7. 5B-Chad Blonde[10] ; 8. 24-Rico Abreu[4] ; 9. 19-Joe Kubiniec[11] ; 10. 7-Shawn Valenti[7] ; 11. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[9]
Heat 4, Group D – (10 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 3G-James McFadden[1] ; 2. 57X-Andrew Palker[2] ; 3. 5-Byron Reed[3] ; 4. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[4] ; 5. 97-Dean Jacobs[6] ; 6. 68G-Tyler Gunn[8] ; 7. 8M-TJ Michael[7] ; 8. 45L-Brian Lay[5] ; 9. 33M-Caleb Griffith[9] ; 10. 25M-Ken Mackey[10] ; 11. 1080-Jordan Mackison[11]
Dash 1 – (8 Laps, determines feature starting line-up)
1. 83M-Broc Martin[1] ; 2. 99-Brady Bacon[2] ; 3. 21-Cap Henry[4] ; 4. 10H-Chad Kemenah[5] ; 5. 3G-James McFadden[8] ; 6. 73-Chris Andrews[3] ; 7. 1-Dale Blaney[6] ; 8. 57X-Andrew Palker[7]
C-Main 1 – (10 Laps, top 2 to B)
1. 60-Kory Crabtree[1] ; 2. 46AU-Stuart Williams[2] ; 3. 8M-TJ Michael[4] ; 4. 68G-Tyler Gunn[5] ; 5. 5B-Chad Blonde[9] ; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[8] ; 7. 8J-Jess Stiger[3] ; 8. 1080-Jordan Mackison[12] ; 9. 7-Shawn Valenti[6] ; 10. 19-Joe Kubiniec[10] ; 11. 25M-Ken Mackey[11] ; 12. 33M-Caleb Griffith[7]
B-Main 1 – (12 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 24-Rico Abreu[1] ; 2. 6M-Jac Haudenschild[2] ; 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel[4] ; 4. 81-Lee Jacobs[3] ; 5. 9R-Jordan Ryan[6] ; 6. 11K-Kraig Kinser[8] ; 7. 8-Bryan Sebetto[5] ; 8. 9-Jimmy Colvin[13] ; 9. 46AU-Stuart Williams[16] ; 10. 23-DJ Foos[7] ; 11. 40i-Mark Imler[14] ; 12. 60-Kory Crabtree[15] ; 13. 27Z-Sean Zemunik[12] ; 14. 60K-Jody Keegan[9] ; 15. 95-Hunter Mackison[10] ; 16. 45L-Brian Lay[11]
A-Main 1 – (40 Laps)
1. 1-Dale Blaney[7] ; 2. 5-Byron Reed[12] ; 3. 10H-Chad Kemenah[4] ; 4. 21-Cap Henry[3] ; 5. 73-Chris Andrews[6] ; 6. 3J-Trey Jacobs[9] ; 7. 70-Danny Holtgraver[13] ; 8. 11K-Kraig Kinser[26] ; 9. 97-Dean Jacobs[20] ; 10. 5T-Travis Philo[10] ; 11. 8M-TJ Michael[25] ; 12. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[16] ; 13. 24-Rico Abreu[21] ; 14. 81-Lee Jacobs[24] ; 15. 9x-Rob Chaney[17] ; 16. 09x-Carson Macedo[14] ; 17. 40-Caleb Helms[11] ; 18. 7C-Caleb Armstrong[18] ; 19. 87-Aaron Reutzel[23] ; 20. 99-Brady Bacon[2] ; 21. 16-Stuart Brubaker[15] ; 22. 83M-Broc Martin[1] ; 23. 3G-James McFadden[5] ; 24. 49H-Bradley Howard[19] ; 25. 57X-Andrew Palker[8] ; 26. 6M-Jac Haudenschild[22]
Hard Charger: 11K-Kraig Kinser +18
Fremont Fence 305 Sprints –
Heat 1 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[2] ; 2. 12-Kyle Capodice[4] ; 3. 41-Thomas Schinderle[6] ; 4. 39C-Scott Riley[3] ; 5. 6-Ray Thurston[1] ; 6. 75-Jerry Dahms[5] ; 7. 9R-Dustin Rall[7]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 10X-Dustin Stroup[2] ; 2. 25-Jason Keckler[1] ; 3. 19R-Steve Rando[6] ; 4. 1W-Paul Weaver[3] ; 5. 11G-Luke Griffith[4] ; 6. 22M-Dan McCarron[5] ; 7. 97-Kyle Peters[7]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 66-Jamie Miller[3] ; 2. 4T-James Taddeo[2] ; 3. 7M-Brandon Moore[4] ; 4. 4*-Tyler Street[6] ; 5. 8-Bobby Clark[7] ; 6. 14-Rick Daugherty[1] ; 7. 1X-Dustin Dinan[5]
Heat 4 – (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 77I-John Ivy[2] ; 2. 36-Seth Schneider[1] ; 3. 49-Coty Runion[4] ; 4. 2-Ricky Peterson[6] ; 5. 45-Trevor Baker[7] ; 6. 7-Dylan Kingan[3] ; 7. 94K-Kevin Mingus[5]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps, top 6 to A)
1. 11G-Luke Griffith[2] ; 2. 8-Bobby Clark[3] ; 3. 22M-Dan McCarron[6] ; 4. 6-Ray Thurston[1] ; 5. 45-Trevor Baker[4] ; 6. 97-Kyle Peters[10] ; 7. 14-Rick Daugherty[7] ; 8. 75-Jerry Dahms[5] ; 9. 94K-Kevin Mingus[12] ; 10. 7-Dylan Kingan[8] ; 11. 1X-Dustin Dinan[11] ; 12. 9R-Dustin Rall[9]
A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. 25-Jason Keckler[2] ; 2. 66-Jamie Miller[6] ; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver[14] ; 4. 7M-Brandon Moore[1] ; 5. 12-Kyle Capodice[10] ; 6. 36-Seth Schneider[5] ; 7. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[3] ; 8. 10X-Dustin Stroup[12] ; 9. 77I-John Ivy[9] ; 10. 4*-Tyler Street[15] ; 11. 8-Bobby Clark[18] ; 12. 22M-Dan McCarron[19] ; 13. 4T-James Taddeo[8] ; 14. 39C-Scott Riley[13] ; 15. 11G-Luke Griffith[17] ; 16. 2-Ricky Peterson[16] ; 17. 19R-Steve Rando[11] ; 18. 41-Thomas Schinderle[7] ; 19. 45-Trevor Baker[21] ; 20. 97-Kyle Peters[22] ; 21. 49-Coty Runion[4] ; 22. 6-Ray Thurston[20]
Hard Charger: 1W-Paul Weaver +11
Sunoco ALMS Late Models –
Heat 1 – (10 Laps)
1. 51-Devin Shiels[2] ; 2. 36-Matt Irey[3] ; 3. 7-Dave Hornikel[5] ; 4. 15B-Mike Bores[7] ; 5. 14-JR Gentry[8] ; 6. 007-Rick Bond[1] ; 7. 03-Jim Gingery[6] ; 8. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr[4]
Heat 2 – (10 Laps)
1. 79-Brad Malcuit[3] ; 2. 8A-Rob Anderzack[5] ; 3. 15-Jon Henry[6] ; 4. 59-Larry Bellman[1] ; 5. 00-Mathew Chapman[7] ; 6. B4U-Brad Eitniear[4] ; 7. 12-Kent Brewer[2]
Heat 3 – (10 Laps)
1. 240-Doug Drown[2] ; 2. 5M-Ryan Markham[5] ; 3. 53M-Hillard Miller[6] ; 4. 21-Larry Kingseed[3] ; 5. 30-Nate Potts[7] ; 6. 13-Scott Smith[4] ; 7. 12M-Bobby Michaels[1]
A-Main 1 – (30 Laps)
1. 240-Doug Drown[1] ; 2. 36-Matt Irey[4] ; 3. 15-Jon Henry[8] ; 4. 51-Devin Shiels[2] ; 5. 15B-Mike Bores[10] ; 6. 79-Brad Malcuit[3] ; 7. 5M-Ryan Markham[6] ; 8. 21-Larry Kingseed[12] ; 9. B4U-Brad Eitniear[17] ; 10. 00-Mathew Chapman[14] ; 11. 8A-Rob Anderzack[5] ; 12. 007-Rick Bond[16] ; 13. 14-JR Gentry[13] ; 14. 53M-Hillard Miller[9] ; 15. 12-Kent Brewer[20] ; 16. 30-Nate Potts[15] ; 17. 59-Larry Bellman[11] ; 18. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr[22] ; 19. 12M-Bobby Michaels[21] ; 20. 13-Scott Smith[18]