Reed’s experience earns him Attica win; Stroup survives for emotional 305 victory; Schlenk out duels Drown for late model win
Friday, May 4, 2018
By Brian Liskai
Attica, Ohio – Byron Reed utilized his years of experience to hold off challenges from a couple of young guns to claim his 39th career 410 c.i. sprint car win at Attica Raceway Park Friday on Adkins Group/AmeriGas Night.
The win also puts Reed in contention for a fifth All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST 410 Championship Series presented by Ohio Logistics title
McClure, Ohio’s Rusty Schlenk battled with Doug Drown and Ryan Missler throughout the feature in the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models and held on for his 25th career victory at Attica Raceway Park. It was his second win of the season at the track.
Fremont, Ohio’s Dustin Stroup survived a collision with John Ivy while battling for the lead of the Fremont Fence 305 Sprint feature and drove to his third career victory at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” venue. It was an emotional win for Stroup whose mother underwent surgery earlier in the week and his dad was involved in a car crash earlier in the afternoon but was uninjured.
The victory also puts Stroup atop the standings for the JLH General Contractor FAST 305 Championship Series presented by Engine Pro.
Reed stalked Travis Philo early in the 30-lap Callies Performance Products 410 Sprint feature before using lapped traffic to take the lead on lap 12. A restart at the half-way mark gave Philo another shot at Reed and he raced the eight time track champion hard for several laps before Reed got his rhythm established once again. Philo stayed within striking distance but had his hands full the last five laps with 16th starter Cap Henry. Reed pulled away the final three circuits for the win with Henry grabbing second at the checkers.
“One of my childhood heroes was Sammy Swindell. I used to watch him and Steve (Kinser) and Wolfgang (Doug) at Eldora trading slide jobs. That was kind of one of Sammy’s deals…they’d slide back and forth two or three times and about the third time he’s pin it on the bottom knowing it was coming and I think that worked for me,” said Reed of his Crown Battery backed #5.
Doug drown led the first 18 laps of the late model feature before Schlenk used the cushion in turn four to grave the lead. With two laps to go traffic allowed Drown one more shot at the leader but Schlenk held him off for the win to open the 2nd Annual Attica Raceway Park-Oakshade Raceway Late Model Series Challenge. A loose fuel line made visibility tough for Schlenk aboard his Velocita, Rayburn Race cars, Buckeye Concrete Coatings, VP Fuels backed #CJ1.
“I took a fuel bath the last 15 laps. The car owner told me he was going to leave something loose…every time we had a loose line last year I ended up winning,” Schlenk joked. “My tear-offs are all melted together and everything. That’s sketchy when you give a slide job for the lead and you can’t see out your shield. It’s always fun racing with Doug and Missler around this place. Doug’s one of the toughest competitors around here. We were tied for feature wins coming into the night and I couldn’t let him get the upper hand.”
In the 305 feature Stroup battled with early leader Kyle Peters throughout the first 10 laps before taking the lead and then had to fight off John Ivy. As the two were racing in heavy lapped traffic with just four laps to go they collided, nearly sending both flipping. Both gathered their composure but Brandon Moore closed to make it a three car battle the final three laps. Stroup held on for his second win of the year, having won at Fremont Speedway two weeks ago.
“My mom had a tumor removed on Monday that we didn’t even know about. This is a big emotional win for me. Mom and Dad aren’t here…I can’t remember the last time I went to a race without my Dad. This means a lot…I’ve had a hell of a week,” Stroup said beside his Century 21 Premiere Properties, Slade Shock Technology, Level Performance, Triple X Race Cars backed #21.
As for the incident that nearly cost him the win, Stroup said he saw someone he thought was going to spin and slowed and Ivy had no where to go.
“We hit pretty good…I don’t think we hurt anything. We got this new Triple X chassis over the winter and it’s been awesome. Adam and Brandon helped me out tonight…I didn’t have anyone else and if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here,” he added.
In the 30-lap 410 sprint feature Dan McCarron and Travis Philo brought the field to green with Philo blasting into the lead over fourth starter Reed, McCarron and season opening winner Stuart Brubaker. Philo set sail while Reed settled into second with a terrific battle ensuing for third between McCarron, Brubaker and Chris Andrews. Philo’s fast pace had the leaders into lapped traffic by lap nine and Reed used it to close with Brubaker, McCarron, Andrews, Broc Martin and DJ Netto in tow.
On lap 12 Reed used traffic and set Philo up for a slider to take the lead with Brubaker and Andrews locked in a torrid battle for third. Action ground to a halt at the half-way point when McCarron and Martin, while battle for sixth, tangled with Martin ending up on his side. Martin was okay but he and McCarron were done for the night.
When the green reappeared Philo threw everything he had at Reed as the pair battled side by side over the next five laps. Behind them Brubaker and Andrews were now joined by Henry in the battle for third. While the battle for the lead settled down some what, Philo stayed within striking distance of Reed as they raced into lapped traffic with five laps remaining. That allowed third running Henry to close and with three laps to go you could cover the top three with a blanket. Reed hit his marks perfectly to take the win as Henry snuck by Philo at the checkers for second with Andrews and Netto rounding out the top five.
“Attica is a great place to race. When the guys that designed this place 30 years ago they built a beautiful track. It’s a great place to come and race at and great people to race with. I want to thank Crown Battery for supporting me another year and my crew, Kurt, Dick and Kevin and my mom and dad and the fans for coming out,” Reed said in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
The late model feature saw Steve Kester and Drown on the front row with Drown gaining the advantage at the drop of the green with Kester applying pressure to his inside while Dan Wallace, Schlenk and John Mayes Jr. battling for third. Early race cautions kept the field close the first four laps. When the flew again Drown was able to pull away as Missler moved into second. After a three lap battle, Schlenk finally got around Kester for third and closed on Missler with eight laps scored and took the runner-up spot on lap nine.
Drown caught the back of the field on lap 13 and Schlenk and Missler closed while Kester, Eric Spangler, Dan Wallace and Ryan Markham waged a tremendous battle for fourth. Just as the top three were slicing in and out of traffic while battling for the lead, the caution flew with 11 laps remaining. On the restart Drown went to the cushion while Schlenk dove to the bottom with Missler staying close, ready to pounce. With seven laps to go Drown and Schlenk were side by side and Schlenk blasted off the cushion of turn four to grab the lead on lap 19.
With just two laps to go Schlenk drove into traffic and Drown and Missler closed with Spangler, Kester and Markham in pursuit. Schlenk held off the challenge to take the win over Drown, Missler, Spangler and Kester.
“I wish we could have stuck out that World of Outlaw deal but we got so far behind with a couple of DNF’s right off the bat and it just wasn’t worth it financially to keep going on the deal. We learned a lot racing with them so hopefully we can run as many of those big races as we can. We’re not going to stuck around too close to home. We plan on doing the Summer Nationals and some other stuff but I have to keep racing with the big guys like that…it makes us a lot better. We will be back to Attica next week for the American Ethanol Tour,” said the two time and defending national UMP champion.
Steve Rando and Kyle Peters brought the field to green for the 305 sprint feature with Peters blasting into the lead while Rando was trying to hold off Stroup. Peters began to pull away slightly as Stroup, Rando, Bobby Clark and John Ivy waged a tremendous battle behind him. With 10 laps scored Peters and Stroup narrowly avoided disaster as a lapped car spun right in front of them. On the restart Stroup drove under Peters for the lead, bringing Ivy into second. At the half-way point the car on the move was Brandon Moore who had charged from 11th to third as Peters fell back to fourth.
Stroup and Ivy ran nose to tail over the next eight laps as they raced into heavy traffic with four circuits remaining. While battling for the lead Stroup and Ivy made heavy contact in turn two and both nearly spun but kept going, maintaining their position as Moore closed. Stroup was able to hold off Ivy the final four laps for the win with Moore getting around Ivy at the checkers for second. Jamie Miller and Rando rounded out the top five.
Underground Utilities Inc. Night will be the biggest late model purse of the year at Attica Raceway Park, Friday, May 11 as the American Ethanol Late Model Tour visits Attica. The 305 sprints and dirt trucks along with the vintage cars will be on the racing card as well.
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 The Adkins Group
The Adkins Group, based in Fremont, Ohio, has been meeting the fencing and sanitation needs of Northwest Ohio for over 50 years. Adkins Fence offers many different styles of fence in wood, vinyl, aluminum and chain linked materials. In addition to fences we also guard rail, dog kennels, gate operators and accessories. Adkins Sanitation offers a wide variety of sanitary and septic services that includeunplugging drain lines, pumping septic or holding tanks, video inspection of underground drain lines cleaning catch basins and renting portable restrooms. For fencing and sanitary needs contact the Adkins group at www.adkins-group.com
About AmeriGas
With a service location in Fremont, AmeriGas provides propane for your home or business along with grill tank exchange. Since 1959, our vision has been to provide you with the safest, most reliable and most responsive propane service in the nation. For more information or to find the nearest AmeriGas location go to www.amerigas.com
Attica Raceway Park
Friday, May 4, 2018
Adkins Group/AmeriGas
[*] starting position
–
410 Sprints – Callie’s Performance Products
Qualifying
1.22-Cole Duncan, 12.591; 2.23-DJ Foos, 12.603; 3.16-Chris Andrews, 12.638; 4.22M-Dan McCarron, 12.664; 5.97-Broc Martin, 12.668; 6.5K-Adam Kekich, 12.718; 7.35-Stuart Brubaker, 12.732; 8.3J-Trey Jacobs, 12.794; 9.5T-Travis Philo, 12.802; 10.11N-DJ Netto, 12.833; 11.5R-Byron Reed, 12.850; 12.68G-Tyler Gunn, 12.850; 13.4-Cap Henry, 12.853; 14.ID=21141- , 12.853; 15.45L-Brian Lay, 12.860; 16.17-Jared Horstman, 12.907; 17.8J-Jess Stiger, 12.935; 18.09-Craig Mintz, 12.959; 19.9-Jordan Ryan, 13.008; 20.7-Shawn Valenti, 13.034; 21.9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.064; 22.2-Ricky Peterson, 13.095; 23.27B-Boston Mead, 13.139; 24.49-Shawn Dancer, 13.197; 25.20I-Kelsey Ivy, 13.375; 26.5-Chase Briscoe, 13.400; 27.21N-Frankie Nervo, 14.665; 28.8M-TJ Michael, 99.999;
Heat 1, Group A – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 5T-Travis Philo[2] ; 2. 23-DJ Foos[4] ; 3. 8J-Jess Stiger[1] ; 4. 22M-Dan McCarron[3] ; 5. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[6] ; 6. 9-Jordan Ryan[5] ; 7. 49-Shawn Dancer[7] ; 8. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[8] ; 9. 21N-Frankie Nervo[9]
Heat 2, Group B – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 5R-Byron Reed[1] ; 2. 35-Stuart Brubaker[2] ; 3. 97-Broc Martin[4] ; 4. 17-Jared Horstman[5] ; 5. 09-Craig Mintz[6] ; 6. 27B-Boston Mead[8] ; 7. 5K-Adam Kekich[3] ; 8. 2-Ricky Peterson[7] ; 9. 8M-TJ Michael[9]
Heat 3, Group C – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 11N-DJ Netto[1] ; 2. 22-Cole Duncan[4] ; 3. 16-Chris Andrews[3] ; 4. 3J-Trey Jacobs[2] ; 5. 68G-Tyler Gunn[5] ; 6. 4-Cap Henry[6] ; 7. 5-Chase Briscoe[9] ; 8. 45L-Brian Lay[7] ; 9. 7-Shawn Valenti[8]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 4-Cap Henry[3] ; 2. 9-Jordan Ryan[1] ; 3. 5K-Adam Kekich[5] ; 4. 5-Chase Briscoe[6] ; 5. 27B-Boston Mead[2] ; 6. 45L-Brian Lay[9] ; 7. 49-Shawn Dancer[4] ; 8. 7-Shawn Valenti[11] ; 9. 2-Ricky Peterson[8] ; 10. 21N-Frankie Nervo[12] ; 11. 8M-TJ Michael[10] ; 12. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[7]
A-Main 1 – (30 Laps)
1. 5R-Byron Reed[4] ; 2. 4-Cap Henry[16] ; 3. 5T-Travis Philo[2] ; 4. 16-Chris Andrews[5] ; 5. 11N-DJ Netto[7] ; 6. 17-Jared Horstman[12] ; 7. 9-Jordan Ryan[17] ; 8. 09-Craig Mintz[14] ; 9. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3] ; 10. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[11] ; 11. 68G-Tyler Gunn[15] ; 12. 23-DJ Foos[8] ; 13. 3J-Trey Jacobs[13] ; 14. 8J-Jess Stiger[6] ; 15. 5K-Adam Kekich[18] ; 16. 27B-Boston Mead[20] ; 17. 5-Chase Briscoe[19] ; 18. 22-Cole Duncan[9] ; 19. 22M-Dan McCarron[1] ; 20. 97-Broc Martin[10]
Hard Charger – 4-Cap Henry +14
305 Sprints – Fremont Fence
Heat 1 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 12-Kyle Capodice[1] ; 2. 7M-Brandon Moore[4] ; 3. 4*-Tyler Street[6] ; 4. 8-Bobby Clark[5] ; 5. 11G-Luke Griffith[7] ; 6. 2F-Matt Foos[8] ; 7. Z10-Kevin Mingus[2] ; 8. 75-Jerry Dahms[3]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 97-Kyle Peters[1] ; 2. 19R-Steve Rando[2] ; 3. 77I-John Ivy[3] ; 4. 21-Dustin Stroup[6] ; 5. 66D-Chase Dunham[4] ; 6. 36-Seth Schneider[5] ; 7. 09-Justin Adams[8] ; 8. 9R-Dustin Rall[7]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 26-Jamie Miller[2] ; 2. 47-Matt Lucius[1] ; 3. 25-Jason Keckler[4] ; 4. 1W-Paul Weaver[6] ; 5. 29-Bryan Sebetto[7] ; 6. 13-Jeremy Duposki[5] ; 7. 14-Luke Daugherty[3] ; 8. 25R-Matt Russell[8]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps, top 5 to a)
1. 2F-Matt Foos[1] ; 2. 36-Seth Schneider[2] ; 3. 14-Luke Daugherty[6] ; 4. 09-Justin Adams[5] ; 5. 9R-Dustin Rall[8] ; 6. 13-Jeremy Duposki[3] ; 7. 75-Jerry Dahms[7] ; 8. 25R-Matt Russell[9] ; 9. Z10-Kevin Mingus[4]
A-Main 1 – (30 Laps)
1. 21-Dustin Stroup[4] ; 2. 7M-Brandon Moore[11] ; 3. 77I-John Ivy[5] ; 4. 26-Jamie Miller[9] ; 5. 19R-Steve Rando[1] ; 6. 8-Bobby Clark[6] ; 7. 97-Kyle Peters[2] ; 8. 12-Kyle Capodice[12] ; 9. 1W-Paul Weaver[7] ; 10. 4*-Tyler Street[10] ; 11. 25-Jason Keckler[3] ; 12. 36-Seth Schneider[17] ; 13. 2F-Matt Foos[16] ; 14. 47-Matt Lucius[8] ; 15. 09-Justin Adams[19] ; 16. 29-Bryan Sebetto[15] ; 17. 11G-Luke Griffith[13] ; 18. 14-Luke Daugherty[18] ; 19. 9R-Dustin Rall[20] ; 20. 66D-Chase Dunham[14]
Hard Charger – 7M-Brandon Moore +9
Late Models – Summit Racing Equipment
Heat 1 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 12-Doug Drown[2] ; 2. 77-Steve Kester[9] ; 3. 240-Charlie Duncan[4] ; 4. 69M-John Mayes Jr.[8] ; 5. 69W-Jeff Warnick[7] ; 6. 42*-Bob Mayer[6] ; 7. 17-Jeff Geis[5] ; 8. 11D-Eric Hubbard[3] ; 9. 006-Jarrett Rendel[1]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. CJ1-Rusty Schlenk[2] ; 2. 5M-Ryan Markham[1] ; 3. 50Y-Ryan Missler[3] ; 4. 15B-Mike Bores[7] ; 5. 27-Ken Hahn[5] ; 6. 17X-Dustin Keegan[4] ; 7. 69R-Doug Baird[6] ; 8. 28-Kent Brewer[8]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 27S-Eric Spangler[3] ; 2. 51-Devin Shiels[7] ; 3. X3-Dan Wallace[5] ; 4. 06-Jake Rendel[2] ; 5. 11*-Kyle Moore[8] ; 6. RH21-Gregg Haskell[6] ; 7. 30-Nate Potts[4] ; 8. 16-Steve Sabo[1]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps.top 5 to A)
1. RH21-Gregg Haskell[3] ; 2. 42*-Bob Mayer[1] ; 3. 11D-Eric Hubbard[7] ; 4. 17-Jeff Geis[4] ; 5. 69R-Doug Baird[5] ; 6. 17X-Dustin Keegan[2] ; 7. 30-Nate Potts[6] ; 8. 28-Kent Brewer[8] ; 9. 16-Steve Sabo[9] ; 10. 006-Jarrett Rendel[10]
A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. CJ1-Rusty Schlenk[6] ; 2. 12-Doug Drown[2] ; 3. 50Y-Ryan Missler[5] ; 4. 27S-Eric Spangler[9] ; 5. 77-Steve Kester[1] ; 6. 51-Devin Shiels[11] ; 7. 5M-Ryan Markham[12] ; 8. X3-Dan Wallace[4] ; 9. 15B-Mike Bores[10] ; 10. 06-Jake Rendel[8] ; 11. 11*-Kyle Moore[15] ; 12. 69W-Jeff Warnick[13] ; 13. RH21-Gregg Haskell[16] ; 14. 27-Ken Hahn[14] ; 15. 17-Jeff Geis[19] ; 16. 11D-Eric Hubbard[18] ; 17. 69R-Doug Baird[20] ; 18. 69M-John Mayes Jr.[3] ; 19. 42*-Bob Mayer[17] ; 20. 240-Charlie Duncan[7]
Hard charger – CJ1-Rusty Schlenk +5