By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) Attica Raceway Park rewarded the top 10 drivers in each of the four racing divisions for their efforts during the 2008 season at an awards banquet Saturday, Nov. 8.
Crowned the 410 sprint champion for the fourth straight year was Monclova’s Byron Reed. Reed has won five of the last six championships at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant. Reed was the only 410 sprint driver to compete in all 13 A-mains in 2008. He notched 10 top 10 finishes and six top five runs. He scored a win on July 4, the 22nd of his career at Attica, to move into second on the all-time win list for 410 sprints. Reed also recorded three runner-up finishes and a third. His average A-main finishing position was 6th.
The 305 sprint champion was Start Brubaker of Helena, Ohio. The 2008 Fremont Speedway champion competed in all 12 A-mains in 2008 and finished in the top 10 in all but one, an 11th place run early in the season. Brubaker recorded nine top five finishes. He scored four wins – June 20 and three in a row, July 25, Aug. 1 and Aug. 16. His average A-main finishing position was an incredible fourth.
Curtis Deisenroth, Oak Harbor, Ohio, was crowned the champion of the Service Drive Solutions UMP Attica Late Models. Deisenroth competed in 14 of the 15 A-mains, missing only the last feature of the season. He recorded 11 top 10 runs, including eight top five runs. He scored his first career win on July 18 and added a pair of second place runs and a third. Deisenroth’s average A-main finishing position was 6th.
The 2008 dirt truck Attica champion was Cory Ward, Sandusky, Ohio. Ward, who finished second in the 2007 points standings, had a dominating season. While competing in 12 of the 13 A-mains – missing only the season finale – his worse finish was a sixth. Even more remarkable – he won half of the features he competed in. His six victories came on April 18, May 23, June 6, June 20, July 25, and Aug. 23. He also recorded a pair of runner-up finishes and a third. Ward’s average A-main finishing position was an incredible second.
The rest of the top 10 in points for the 410 sprints:
2nd – Mike Linder, Fremont, Ohio. The 1996, 1997, 1998 Attica 305 sprint champion competed in 11 of the 13 A-mains in 2008, missing only the World of Outlaws feature and the April 25 feature when his motor went south after winning his heat. Linder recorded eight top 10 finishes and scored wins on April 18 and on season championship night, Aug. 23. His average A-main finishing position was 9th.
3rd – Chris Andrews, Sandusky, Ohio. The 2007 national rookie of the year and 2006 Attica 305 sprint co-champion competed in 12 of the 13 A-mains in 2008, missing only the opening night All Star race. Andrews recorded seven top 10 runs with a season best fifth place finish. His average A-main finishing position was 10th.
4th – David Harrison, Burgoon, Ohio. Harrison competed in 11 of the 13 A-mains, missing only the opening night All Star feature and May 16 feature. He recorded eight top 10 runs and five top five finishes. He recorded back-to-back wins on July 25 and Aug. 1. Harrison’s average A-main finishing position was 8th.
5th – Mike Dussel, Burgoon, Ohio. The 2008 410 Rookie of the Year at Attica competed in 10 of the 13 A-mains in 2008. He recorded six top 10 runs and scored a season-best third place finish. Dussel’s average feature finishing position was 9th.
6th – Mark Keegan, Fremont, Ohio. The 12-time Attica track champion competed in nine of the 13 A-mains in 2008. He recorded two top 10 finishes with a season best fourth. His average A-main finishing position was 13th.
7th – Mike Hogan, Cardington, Ohio. Hogan competed in eight of the 13 A-mains in 2008. He recorded six top 10 finishes with a season best 7th. His average A-main finishing position was 10th.
8th – Bruce Robenalt, Tiffin, Ohio. Robenalt competed in nine of the 13 A-mains in 2008. His average A-main finishing position was 17th.
9th – Phil Gressman, Helena, Ohio. Gressman – the 1994 and 1995 305 track champion – competed in eight of the 13 A-mains in 2008. He scored 3 top 10 runs with a season best pair of fourth place finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.
10th – Caleb Griffith, Castalia, Ohio. Griffith – the 2003 Attica 305 sprint champion – competed in 7 of the 13 A-mains in 2008. He recorded three top 10 runs with a season best fourth place finish. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
The rest of the top 10 in points for the 305 sprints:
2nd – Bobby Clark, Fremont, Ohio. Clark competed in all 12 A-mains in 2008, recording nine top 10 finishes. He had four feature wins, including a string of three in a row – April 25, May 23, and June 6 – and on July 4. Throw out an 18th and a 20th place finish and he finished no worse than 7th in the other nine races. His average A-main finishing position was eighth.
3rd – Coty Runion, Tiffin, Ohio. Runion, the 2006 305 sprint rookie of the year, competed in 11 of the 12 A-mains in 2008, missing only the Aug. 16 feature. He scored 10 top 10 finishes…in fact the only time he finished out of the top 10 was a 12th place finish in the middle of the season. Runion’s best finish was a third on route to an average A-main finishing position of 7th.
4th – Dustin Keegan, Fremont, Ohio. Keegan competed in all 12 A-mains in 2008, recording 7 top 10 finishes. He recorded a season-best fifth place finish in the last race of the year on route to an average A-main finishing position of 10th.
5th – Duane Zablocki, Tiffin, Ohio. Zablocki competed in nine of the 12 A-mains in 2008, with seven of those ending in top 10 runs. He recorded a pair of season-best second place finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 8th.
6th – Dustin Dinan, Fremont, Ohio. Dinan competed in 11 of the 12 A-mains in 2008, missing only the July 18 feature. He recorded five top five finishes including season-best pair of third place runs. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.
7th – D.J. Foos, Fremont, Ohio. The 2008 Attica 305 sprint rookie of the year competed in nine of the 12 A-mains. He caught fire at the end of the year, finishing no worse than fourth the last five feature events. He recorded six top 10 finishes including his first career feature wins on July 18 and Aug. 23. His average A-main finishing position was 8th.
8th – Nate Dussel, Bradner, Ohio. Dussel competed in nine of the 12 A-mains. He recorded five top 10 runs including a season best runner-up finish on Aug. 16. His average A-main finishing position was 9th.
9th – Todd Heuerman, Leipsic, Ohio. Heuerman competed in 10 of the 12 A-mains, missing only the June 20 and the July 11 features. He recorded seven top five runs including a season-best pair of runner-up finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
10th – Brad Keckler, Fremont, Ohio. Keckler competed in 8 of the 12 A-mains in 2008. He recorded a season best 9th place finish on route to an average feature finishing position of 13th.
The rest of the top 10 in points for the Service Drive Solutions UMP Attica Late Models:
2nd – Ryan Missler, Bellevue, Ohio. The 2005 Attica rookie of the year made it a very close championship race, falling just 12 points shy. However, he improved a position on his third place point finishes in 2006 and 2007. Missler competed in 14 of the 15 A-mains, missing only the American Late Model Series feature. He recorded nine top 10 runs including eight top five finishes. He led the division with three victories in 2008 – April 5, June 6 and Aug. 30. He also recorded a second and a pair of third place finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 6th.
3rd – Ken Hahn, Gibsonburg, Ohio. The 2007 Attica champion competed in 13 of the 15 A-mains, missing only the American Late Model Series feature and the final race of the season. Hahn recorded an amazing 12 top 10 finishes including four top five runs. His season-best was three runner-up finishes. Hahn’s average A-main finishing position was 6th.
4th – Steve Sabo, Fremont, Ohio. Sabo competed in 12 of the 15 A-mains, finishing in the top 10 in all but one. In the last six features of the season he finished no worse than eighth. His best finish of the year was second on the last night of the season. Sabo’s average A-main finishing position was 7th.
5th – Ernie Haynes, Risingsun, Ohio. Haynes competed in 14 of the 15 A-mains, missing only the Aug. 16 race. He recorded seven top 10 runs including four top fives. He opened the year hot with a pair of third place finishes and his first career win on April 25. His average A-main finishing position was 10th.
6th – Michael Stiltner, Green Springs, Ohio. Stiltner competed in all 15 A-mains in 2008. He recorded seven top 10 runs including a season-best third place run. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
7th – Noah Wagner, Fremont, Ohio. The 2008 Attica late model rookie of the year competed in 11 of the 15 A-mains in 2008. He recorded four top 10 runs including a season-best pair of eighth place finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
8th – Chuck Roelle, Fostoria, Ohio. Roelle competed in 12 of the 15 A-mains in 2008. He recorded two top 10 runs including a season-best 9th. His average A-main finishing position was 14th.
9th – Mike Marteney, Bellevue, Ohio. The 2001 Attica champion competed in 12 of the 15 A-mains in 2008. He recorded four top 10 runs including a season best runner-up finish. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.
10th – Craig Corfman, Bucyrus, Ohio. The 2006 Attica late model rookie of the year competed in 9 of the 15 A-mains in 2008. He recorded a pair of season-best 10th place finishes on route to an average feature finishing position of 14th.
The rest of the top 10 in points for the dirt trucks were:
2nd – Brian Arnold, Tiffin, Ohio. Arnold competed in all 13 A-mains in 2008 and finished no worse than fifth with the exception of one 11th place finish. Arnold recorded three wins in 2008 – July 4, Aug. 16 and Aug. 30. He also scored three runner-up finishes and a pair of thirds. His average A-main finishing position was a remarkable third.
3rd – Art Ball, Tiffin, Ohio. The 1996 and 1997 Attica street stock champion and 2006 and 2007 dirt truck champion competed in all 13 A-mains in 2008. Of those 13 feature events, he recorded an amazing 10 top five finishes. Ball scored his eighth career dirt truck victory on July 18. He also recorded three runner-up finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of fifth.
4th – Steve Endicott, Risingsun, Ohio. Endicott competed in 12 of the 13 A-mains in 2008, missing only the season finale. Throw out a 16th place finish due to a crash, and he never finished lower than 9th. He recorded eight top five runs including a win on April 25, two second place runs and four third place finishes. Endicott’s average A-main finishing position was 5th.
5th – Bob Dible, Fostoria, Ohio. Dible competed in all 13 A-mains in 2008, recording 10 top ten finishes. He scored six top five runs including a season-best four third place finishes. Dible’s average A-main finishing position was 7th.
6th – Alex Wiechman, Oak Harbor, Ohio. Wiechman competed in 11 of the 13 A-mains, missing only the July 4 and season ending races. He scored eight top 10 runs including a pair of wins on July 11 and Aug. 1. His average A-main finishing position was 8th.
7th – Dave Gibbs, Republic, Ohio. Gibbs competed in 12 of the 13 A-mains, missing on the season finale. He scored eight top 10 finishes including a season best fifth. His average A-main finishing position was 10th.
8th – Dave Severs, Fremont, Ohio. Severs competed in 12 of the 13 A-mains, missing only the July 4 feature. He recorded a season-best 10th place finish on route to an average A-main finishing position of 12th.
9th – Dan Hennig, Castalia, Ohio. The 2008 Attica rookie of the year competed in 11 of the 13 A-mains, missing only the two season opening races. Hennig recorded nine top 10 finishes including six top five runs. He recorded a season best second along with a third place finish. His average A-main finishing position was 6th.
10th – Paul Brown Jr., Clyde, Ohio. Brown competed in 11 of the 13 A-mains, missing only the two season opening races. He recorded five top 10 runs including a season-best fourth in the season finale. Brown’s average A-main finishing position was 11th.