Attica Raceway Park

Shaffer Wins Thriller To Open Attica’s Season; Schlenk Holds Off Missler For Late Model Victory; Clark Gets Late Race Pass For 305 Win

By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) If the first race of the year on Columbus Equipment/Northern Ohio Truck Center Night is any indication of the what’s ahead in 2010 at Attica Raceway Park, the fans are in for quite a show! Defending O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint car titlist Tim Shaffer worked his way up from 13th starting spot to take the lead in the 410 sprint feature, then lost it to Greg Wilson and fell back to third, only to execute a daring move in lapped traffic with four laps to go to move from third to first and held off Byron Reed for the win. Rusty Schlenk survived a slide job by Ryan Missler late in the late model feature and went on to score the victory. Not to be outdone, Bobby Clark performed a slide job on Paul Weaver to take the lead with nine laps to go and went on to claim the 305 sprint feature.

Shaffer, from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, took the lead from Tim Kaeding on lap 9 exiting turn four on the bottom. Once in the lead, he had his hands full with Greg Wilson, who raced to his outside lap after lap. Wilson would drive to Shaffer’s outside exiting turn two on lap 21 and steal the lead, with Shaffer now having to contend with 17th place starter Byron Reed for second. Reed would take the runner-up position on lap 23, and a lap later Wilson, Reed and Shaffer were running side by side. Reed would lead the trio to the flag stand on lap 25, but the leaders were now encountering lapped traffic and Shaffer used them to his advantage. Diving low in turns three and four, he split the lapped machines and Wilson and Reed to retake the lead and the win.

“They doubled teamed me…I was like ‘where did they come from.’ That had to be a fun race to watch. Brian (Kemenah, crew chief) and the guys..hats off, great job. I have to thank Technique Roofing, VRP Shocks, Kistler Engines…it goes on,” said Shaffer beside his C&H Racing backed #83 on his sixth career Attica win.

“We are starting to get the Goodyear tires figured out. It’s a different deal and everyone’s got to run’em,” added Shaffer. “That was a blast. Everyone raced each other clean and hard. I really love that and respect that and I try to do my best to do that. To come from that far back and win here…that’s hard. Everything just fell into place. We struggled early..I wasn’t going to make it through the heat race and I had some luck and that put us in the feature. I was like ‘maybe we need to run the B to get some more laps. But Brian figured it out…that thing was awesome,” added Shaffer. “That’s what’s so unique about dirt track racing, it changes all the time. Next week we could come here and not make the show, but as long as these guys keep working hard I’m not going to quit on them.”

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UMP Late Models – Rusty Schlenk #91
In the Fultz Fabrications & Speed Shop UMP Late Model feature, Schlenk led all 25 laps, but it wasn’t easy. He had to survive several cautions and constant pressure from defending track champion Ryan Missler to get his 7th career Attica victory. Missler attempted a slide job exiting turn two late in the race, but Schlenk was able to regroup and hold the lead.

“He definitely made a mistake when he tried that slide job. If he would have waited until after that caution he probably could have got me. I was in cruise mode and didn’t know anyone was there. Then he showed me his nose and I was like ‘man I better get up on the wheel,’” said Schlenk beside his Micro-Armor Lubricants, CJ Rayburn Kercher Engines, Main & Company backed #91.

“He had to do that though…he didn’t know the caution was coming. He drove a heck of a race and almost got me. Luckily we got that caution and he showed me the nose at the right point,” added Schlenk. “Hopefully we can get some more wins here… I love this place.”

Defending Fremont Fence 305 Sprint champion Paul Weaver bolted into the early lead of the 25-lap feature and every time he got close to lapped traffic the caution would fly. But, when the last 11 laps went green, Clark was able to catch Weaver and executed a perfect slide job exiting turn two to grab the lead. He then pulled away for his 12th career 305 sprint feature win at “ Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant.

“I knew if I could be right on his bumper coming across the line that I would have a shot to get him. I tried him once and he got a run back on me so the next time I was able to do it I just made sure I ran it in a little bit deeper and took that spot away,” said Clark beside his Al Davis Carpeting, Fremont Fence, Crown Battery, Copper Penny backed #40.

“We got this car fast at the end of last year and they got this car figured out,” added Clark, who hails from Fremont, Ohio.

After a first lap tangle between Chad Kemenah, Shawn Valenti and Caleb Helms to start the 410 sprint feature, pole-sitter Randy Hannagan would grab the initial lead with Brock Mayes, Tim Kaeding, Greg Wilson and Sheldon Haudenschild in tow. The caution would fly on lap three for a David Harrison spin just as Kaeding was pressuring Mayes for second. On the restart, Phil Gressman would take a tumble in turn two to bring out the red. Shaffer was already on the move and had raced up to 8th in just three laps from his 13th starting spot. On the restart, Hannagan would continue in the point with Kaeding taking second. Kaeding would move to the high side and grab the lead on lap 7. Meanwhile, Shaffer had taken third and drove around Hannagan into second a lap later. On lap 9, Shaffer would dive drive off the bottom of turn four for the lead.

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410 Sprints – Tim Shaffer #83
Now the car on the move though third starting Wilson, who found some momentum on the high side and shot into third on lap 10 and grab second on lap 12 just as the caution flew for a Bryan Sebetto spin. Now two cars were on the move from the rear of the field – 17th starting Reed and Kemenah from the tail after his first lap incident. Reed was now fourth with Kemenah up to 7th. When the green came back out, Shaffer would utilize the bottom of the track while Wilson rocketed around the top, pulling along side on several occasions to challenge for the lead. Reed would grab third spot on lap 14 and would close on the top two. Shaffer continued to slide up the track exiting the turns to block Wilson ’s momentum. But, Wilson would get the upper hand and take the lead on the high side of turn two on lap 21, with Reed and Shaffer duking it out for second. Reed would take the runner-up position on lap 23 and it became a three car battle for the lead. Reed would move into the lead on lap 25, but Shaffer used lapped traffic as a pick to jump from third back into the point a lap later.

At the checkered it was Shaffer over Reed, Wilson, Kaeding and Kemenah.

After a first lap crash that involved 8 cars in the late model feature, Schlenk would grab the top spot from his pole position, with Ryan Markham, Brian Ruhlman, Missler and Larry Kingseed in tow. Markham worked to stay on Schlenk’s bumper with Ruhlman and Missler right there. Just as the leaders hit lapped traffic on lap 9, the yellow would fly for Chester Fitch. On the restart, Missler would drive into third and then around Markham into second a lap later. Following a lap 13 caution, Missler would hound Schlenk. On lap 17, just as Missler attempted a slide job for the lead, the caution flew for debris. Schlenk had his wake-up call and would survive two more cautions and would pull away for the victory.

Rounding out the top five were Missler, Ruhlman, Dan Wallace and Kingseed.

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305 Sprints – Bobby Clark #81
It seemed trouble getting the first lap in a feature was the theme Friday, as Rich Farmer and John Ivy got together to start the 305 sprint feature. On the start, Weaver would grab the lead with Dustin Dinan, Clark, Nate Dussel and Travis Hoffbauer rounding out the top five. Clark would take second from Dinan on lap 8 and as they raced into lapped traffic the caution would fly for a Dustin Stroup spin. Weaver would rocket around the high side to maintain the lead, but Clark was stalking with Dinan, Dussel and now Brad Haudenschild in pursuit.

On lap 14, again as the leaders got ready to hit lapped traffic, the caution flew for a Nate Reeser spin. On the restart Clark attempted the slide job in turn two, but Weaver was too strong and held the point. However, on lap 16 Clark was able to make the slide job stick for the lead. He then pulled away for the win with Weaver, Dussel, Dinan and Haudenschild rounding out the top five.

Attica Raceway Park will be in action for a busy weekend of racing on Friday and Saturday, April 9 and 10 for the HD Supply Spring Nationals featuring the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Cars. The late models join the racing action Friday while the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints replace them on Saturday.

For more information log onto www.atticaracewaypark.com

Attica Raceway Park – 4/2/2010
Columbus Equipment/Northern Ohio Truck Center Night

410 Sprints

Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 24H-Lee Jacobs; 2. W20-Greg Wilson; 3. 53-Phil Gressman; 4. 83X-Tim Shafffer; 5. 5R-Byron Reed; 6. 5T-Travis Philo; 7. 12-Jarred Ridge; 8. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 9. O4-Cap Henry

Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 83-Tim Kaeding; 2. 7K-Randy Hannagan; 3. 10-David Harrison ; 4. 28-Shawn Valenti; 5. 20X-Craig Mintz; 6. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 7. 27-Scott Euler; 8. 3J-Kevin Lee; 9. 26-Cody White

Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 15C-Chris Andrews; 2. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 3. 2-Dale Blaney; 4. 14H-Todd Heller; 5. 11M-Brandon Martin; 6. 63-Chad Kemenah; 7. X-Mark Keegan; 8. 22-Cole Duncan ; 9. 60-Jody Keegan

Heat 4 – Tin Lizzy Collision (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 11B-Brock Mayes; 2. 16-Bryan Sebetto; 3. 47-Caleb Helms; 4. 23-Ben Rutan; 5. 15H-Mitch Harble; 6. 312-Mike Linder; 7. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 8. O-Bill Morrison

B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 5R-Byron Reed; 2. 63-Chad Kemenah; 3. 11M-Brandon Martin; 4. 20X-Craig Mintz; 5. X-Mark Keegan; 6. 12-Jarred Ridge; 7. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 8. 22-Cole Duncan ; 9. 5T-Travis Philo; 10. 3J-Kevin Lee; 11. 60-Jody Keegan; 12. 27-Scott Euler; 13. O-Bill Morrison; 14. 26-Cody White; 15. O4-Cap Henry; 16. 15H-Mitch Harble; 17. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 18. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 19. 312-Mike Linder

A-Main – (30 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 83X-Tim Shafffer[13]; 2. 5R-Byron Reed[15]; 3. W20-Greg Wilson [3]; 4. 83-Tim Kaeding[5]; 5. 63-Chad Kemenah[18]; 6. 2-Dale Blaney[6]; 7. 24H-Lee Jacobs[10]; 8. 7K-Randy Hannagan[2]; 9. 20X-Craig Mintz[20]; 10. 11B-Brock Mayes[1]; 11. 15C-Chris Andrews[7]; 12. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[4]; 13. 11M-Brandon Martin[17]; 14. 23-Ben Rutan[16]; 15. 28-Shawn Valenti[14]; 16. 16-Bryan Sebetto[9]; 17. 53-Phil Gressman[8]; 18. 10-David Harrison [11]; 19. X-Mark Keegan[19]; 20. 47-Caleb Helms[12]

Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop UMP Late Models

Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 49-Brian Ruhlman; 2. 23C-Jeremy Canada ; 3. X3-Dan Wallace; 4. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth; 5. 1-Jeff Babcock; 6. 666-Chester Fitch; 7. B4U-Brad Entiear; 8. 99-Steve Sabo; 9. 49L-Matt Lindsey; 10. 12M-Bobby Michaels

Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk; 2. 5M-Ryan Markham; 3. 12D-Doug Drown; 4. WD40-Dusty Moore; 5. 15B-Mike Bores; 6. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 7. 35-Ron Miller; 8. 71-Dave Hornikel; 9. 36-Matt Irey; 10. O14-Paul Brown Jr.

Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 50Y-Ryan Missler; 2. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.; 3. 21-Larry Kingseed; 4. 27-Eric Spangler; 5. 22-Michael Stiltner II; 6. 48-John Bores; 7. 77-Steve Kester; 8. 30-Nate Potts

B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 666-Chester Fitch; 2. 71-Dave Hornikel; 3. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 4. 77-Steve Kester; 5. 48-John Bores; 6. 92-Brandon Perkins; 7. 35-Ron Miller; 8. 49L-Matt Lindsey; 9. 99-Steve Sabo; 10. 30-Nate Potts; 11. 36-Matt Irey; 12. 12M-Bobby Michaels; 13. O14-Paul Brown Jr.

A-Main – (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[1]; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[8]; 3. 49-Brian Ruhlman[4]; 4. X3-Dan Wallace[11]; 5. 21-Larry Kingseed[6]; 6. 12D-Doug Drown[7]; 7. WD40-Dusty Moore [9]; 8. 5M-Ryan Markham[5]; 9. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth[10]; 10. 27-Eric Spangler[12]; 11. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[3]; 12. 1-Jeff Babcock[13]; 13. 22-Michael Stiltner II[15]; 14. 48-John Bores[20]; 15. 5H-Ernie Haynes[18]; 16. 71-Dave Hornikel[17]; 17. 666-Chester Fitch[16]; 18. 77-Steve Kester[19]; 19. 23C-Jeremy Canada [2]; 20. 15B-Mike Bores[14]

Fremont Fence 305 Sprints

Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 8K-Zack Kramer; 2. 40-Bobby Clark ; 3. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 4. 41-Dustin Dinan; 5. M28-Josh Muntz; 6. 51-Brad Bowman; 7. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 8. 31-Chuck Wilson ; 9. 22D-Dan Hammond ; 10. 13-Junior Felver

Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 19R-Steve Rando; 2. 312-Rich Farmer; 3. 1-Nate Dussel; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 5. 14-Chad Wilson ; 6. 83X-Nate Reeser; 7. 30-Adam Ollom; 8. 87-Ryan Hetrick; 9. 9-Jimmy Colvin; 10. 67M-Matt Ferrell

Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 94-John Ivy; 2. 82-Travis Hoffbauer; 3. 27-Paige Polyak; 4. 1W-Paul Weaver; 5. 11F-D.J. Foos; 6. 8J-Jess Stiger; 7. 77JS-Jim Sipe; 8. 25-Jason Keckler; 9. 55-Benny Bowman

B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 83X-Nate Reeser; 2. 51-Brad Bowman; 3. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 4. 22D-Dan Hammond ; 5. 8J-Jess Stiger; 6. 31-Chuck Wilson ; 7. 30-Adam Ollom; 8. 25-Jason Keckler; 9. 77JS-Jim Sipe; 10. 87-Ryan Hetrick

A-Main – (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 40-Bobby Clark [3]; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[2]; 3. 1-Nate Dussel[7]; 4. 41-Dustin Dinan[1]; 5. 10-Brad Haudenschild[12]; 6. 82-Travis Hoffbauer[8]; 7. 19R-Steve Rando[11]; 8. 11F-D.J. Foos[15]; 9. 51-Brad Bowman[17]; 10. 8K-Zack Kramer[6]; 11. M28-Josh Muntz[13]; 12. 22D-Dan Hammond [19]; 13. 14-Chad Wilson [14]; 14. 8J-Jess Stiger[20]; 15. 83X-Nate Reeser[16]; 16. 35-Stuart Brubaker[4]; 17. 27-Paige Polyak[9]; 18. 10X-Dustin Stroup[18]; 19. 94-John Ivy[10]; 20. 312-Rich Farmer[5]