A collection of shots from track photographers Elaine & Jim Collum of Action Photos. See more of their shots here: actionphotosfremont.smugmug.com
By Scott Hall: (Attica, OH) Joey Saldana threaded the needle between Steve Kinser and Craig Dollansky to grab the lead on lap 17 Friday night at Attica Raceway Park to win the World of Outlaws Sprint Car 40-lap feature presented by Kistler Engines. Saldana’s fifth of the season came in the familiar Kasey Kahne owned JEI chassis No. 9 wrenched by Ricky Warner.
“The Open Joist Mopar was unbelievable tonight,” Saldana stated in victory lane. “We got knocked off the track early and it feels good to come back and pass Steve Kinser. I’ve been chasing that guy for so many years. It’s been a long time since I’ve won
a race here.” It was Saldana’s sixth career Attica win.Image
“The car felt pretty good tonight,” Kinser said. “We’ve been having a lot of trouble getting a hold of slick race tracks. This is probably the best we’ve been on a slick track all year. I hope we can start running with Joey and the 15 car (Schatz) now.”
Craig Dollansky led the field to the green flag in the Kistler Engines feature with Steve Kinser alongside. Paul McMahan and Greg Wilson followed in row two. Dollansky grabbed the initial lead and was pulling away from McMahan who ran ahead of a battle for third between Joey Saldana and Steve Kinser. The first stoppage of the event came on lap six when Butch Schroeder tipped over in turn one. He landed back on his wheels ands was able to restart.
ImageKinser grabbed second on lap 12 and was reeling in the leader when Chad Hillier brought out a caution with 17 laps in the books. Dollansky now had a clear track and led Kinser easily through the mid stages of the event. Saldana in third then began challenging Kinser for second. The leaders approached lapped traffic with 25 laps in the books. Kinser and Saldana kept the pressure on, and Saldana used a bold move, going high in turn three and threading the needle between a low running Kinser and the high running Dollansky to lead lap 27.
“Craig and Steve were racing each other and I got a good run off the top and got by them,” Saldana recalled. Saldana then pulled away from Kinser and had the checkered flag in sight. Kerry Madsen foiled Saldana’s finish when, in a battle for 12th with Jeremy Campbell and Jason Sides, he flipped in turn four to bring out the red again.
This set up a two lap dash to the finish with Saldana pulling away from Kinser for the win. Kinser tried a last lap slide job, but to no avail. Schatz held on for third (after starting eighth) over Jason Meyers and a fading Dollansky. Paul McMahan, Greg Wilson, 19th starting Tim Shaffer, 22nd starter Daryn Pittman and Jason Solwold trailed.
ImageJason Solwold was the quick qualifier over the 55 car field. Heats went to Steve Kinser, Greg Wilson, Butch Schroeder and Paul McMahan. The D Main was won by Randy Hannagan, with the C Main to Brooke Tatnell and the B Main winner was Dion Hindi. Craig Dollansky won the Dash.
In the Fultz Fabrication and Speedshop Attica Late Models, Larry Kingseed began the defense of his 2006 track championship by claiming the second feature win of the season in as many nights. It was Kingseed’s 23rd career Attica win.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action, Friday, April 27, as Burger King Night features the World Auto Parts of Huron and Cleveland 410 Sprints, 305 sprints and Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop Attica Late Models. All scouts (both boys and girls) who wear their uniforms get in FREE.
>> Listen to Joey Saldana’s Victory Lane Interview with Brian Liskai
>> Action Photos World of Outlaws Photo Gallery
Photos by Action Photos
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Attica Raceway Park, April 20, 2007
Kistler Engines Presents The World of Outlaws
Qualifying
1) R19-Jason Solwold 11.922
2) W20-Greg Wilson 11.966
3) 7-Craig Dollansky 12.035
4) 15-Donny Schatz 12.043
5) 9-Joey Saldana 12.094
6) 14-Jason Meyers 12.112
7) 5C-Chad Hillier 12.116
8)11D-Dion Hindi 12.151
9) 11-Steve Kinser 12.156
10) 2B-Dale Blaney 12.177
11) 7K-Butch Schroeder 12.180
12) 83-Danny Lasoski 12.199
13) 10C-Jeremy Campbell 12.231
14) 11H-Kerry Madsen 12.232
15) X-Mark Keegan 12.269
16) 20-Paul McMahan 12.289
17) 7S-Jason Sides 12.293
18) 5R-Byron Reed 12.347
19) 11N-Ed Neumeister 12.354
20) 36-Jason Martin 12.369
21) 35-Jac Haudenschild 12.383
22) 6-Tim Shaffer 12.415
23) D1-Justin Henderson 12.428
24) 4-Danny Smith 12.460
25) 11M-Brandon Martin 12.466
26) 21-Daryn Pittman 12.488
27) 3X-Chad Kemenah 12.502
28) 16L-Lee Jacobs 12.521
29) 8K-Zach Chappell 12.531
30) 18T-Tony Bruce Jr 12.541
31) 2M-Dustin Daggett 12.570
32) 24H-Rob Chaney 12.582
33) 2-Brooke Tatnell 12.597
34) 92-Dean Jacobs 12.610
35) 11B-Brock Mayes 12.610
36) 12-Caleb Griffith 12.624
37) 11K-Tim Kaeding 12.658
38) O9-Craig Mintz 12.691
39) O-Gus Wasson 12.709
40) 24-Terry McCarl 12.722
41) 53-John Ivy 12.823
42) 28-Brian Paulus 12.919
43) 8H-Shane Stewart 13.036
44) 9X-Kevin Huntley 13.046
45) 1W-Paul Weaver 13.161
46) 18-Brian Carlson 13.182
47) 15C-Chris Andrews 13.225
48) 1x-Randy Hannagan 13.244
49) 16-Lee Stark 13.546
50) 91-Aaron Middaugh 13.651
51) 98-Bruce Robenalt 13.717
52) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr 13.786
53) OO-Ryan Grubaugh 14.090
54) 48-Mike Burkin 14.574
55) 3-Mike Linder -.—
Heat 1 (Top 5 to A-Main)
1) 11-Steve Kinser
2) 10C-Jeremy Campbell
3) R19-Jason Solwold
4) 9-Joey Saldana
5) 7S-Jason Sides
6) 11K-Tim Kaeding
7) 35-Jac Haudenschild
8)8K-Zach Chappell
9) 2-Brooke Tatnell
10) 53-John Ivy
11) 11M-Brandon Martin
Heat 2 (Top 5 to A-Main)
1) W20-Greg Wilson
2) 11H-Kerry Madsen
3) 14-Jason Meyers
4) 6-Tim Shaffer
5) 5R-Byron Reed
6) 21-Daryn Pittman
7) 2B-Dale Blaney
8)O9-Craig Mintz
9) 28-Brian Paulus
10) 18T-Tony Bruce Jr
11) 92-Dean Jacobs
Heat 3 (Top 5 to A-Main)
1) 7K-Butch Schroeder
2) 7-Craig Dollansky
3) D1-Justin Henderson
4) 5C-Chad Hillier
5) 8H-Shane Stewart
6) 3X-Chad Kemenah
7) 2M-Dustin Daggett
8)11N-Ed Neumeister
9) O-Gus Wasson
10) X-Mark Keegan
11) 11B-Brock Mayes
Heat 4 (Top 5 to A-Main)
1) 20-Paul McMahan
2) 15-Donny Schatz
3) 83-Danny Lasoski
4) 4-Danny Smith
5) 24-Terry McCarl
6) 9X-Kevin Huntley
7) 11D-Dion Hindi
8)12-Caleb Griffith
9) 16L-Lee Jacobs
10) 36-Jason Martin
11) 24H-Rob Chaney
Dash 1
1) 7-Craig Dollansky
2) 11-Steve Kinser
3) 20-Paul McMahan
4) W20-Greg Wilson
5) 9-Joey Saldana
6) 7K-Butch Schroeder
7) 10C-Jeremy Campbell
8) 15-Donny Schatz
9) R19-Jason Solwold
10) 11H-Kerry Madsen
D-Main (Top 2 to C-Main)
1) 1x-Randy Hannagan
2) 15C-Chris Andrews
3) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr
4) 91-Aaron Middaugh
5) 98-Bruce Robenalt
6) 16-Lee Stark
7) OO-Ryan Grubaugh
8)48-Mike Burkin
9) 3-Mike Linder
10) 1W-Paul Weaver
11) 18-Brian Carlson
C-Main (Top 2 to B-Main)
1) 2-Brooke Tatnell
2) 11K-Tim Kaeding
3) 12-Caleb Griffith
4) 92-Dean Jacobs
5) 28-Brian Paulus
6) O9-Craig Mintz
7) 53-John Ivy
8)1x-Randy Hannagan
9) 9X-Kevin Huntley
10) 11B-Brock Mayes
11) 15C-Chris Andrews
12) O-Gus Wasson
B-Main (Top 4 to A-Main)
1) 11D-Dion Hindi
2) 35-Jac Haudenschild
3) 36-Jason Martin
4) 21-Daryn Pittman
5) 2B-Dale Blaney
6) X-Mark Keegan
7) 24H-Rob Chaney
8)2M-Dustin Daggett
9) 18T-Tony Bruce Jr
10) 2-Brooke Tatnell
11) 16L-Lee Jacobs
12) 11K-Tim Kaeding
13) 3X-Chad Kemenah
14) 11N-Ed Neumeister
15) 11M-Brandon Martin
16) 8K-Zach Chappell
World of Outlaws A-main
1) 9-Joey Saldana
2) 11-Steve Kinser
3) 15-Donny Schatz
4) 14-Jason Meyers
5) 7-Craig Dollansky
6) 20-Paul McMahan
7) W20-Greg Wilson
8) 6-Tim Shaffer
9) 21-Daryn Pittman
10) R19-Jason Solwold
11) 5R-Byron Reed
12) 83-Danny Lasoski
13) 35-Jac Haudenschild
14) 8H-Shane Stewart
15) 1x-Randy Hannagan
16) 24-Terry McCarl
17) 7S-Jason Sides
18) 10C-Jeremy Campbell
19) 4-Danny Smith
20) 11D-Dion Hindi
21) 18T-Tony Bruce Jr
22) 36-Jason Martin
23) D1-Justin Henderson
24) 5C-Chad Hillier
25) 11H-Kerry Madsen
26) 7K-Butch Schroeder
Fultz Fabrications & Speed Shop Attica Late Models
Heat 1 – Bell Helmets
1. 99M-John Mayes Sr.; 2. 25-Chuck Hummer; 3. 45-Mike Marteney; 4. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 5. 48-John Bores; 6. 41-Steve Fultz; 7. 83-Josh Steinacker; 8. 77C-Craig Corfman
Heat 2 – Friendship Food Stores
1. 50-Ryan Missler; 2. 34-Ky Harper; 3. 21-Larry Kingseed; 4. 101-Chester Fitch; 5. 12-Michael Stiltner; 6. 27-Ken Hahn
Heat 3 – Tin Lizzy Collision of Tiffin
1. 15B-Mike Bores; 2. B4U-Brad Eitniear; 3. 23-Ben Elliott; 4. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 5. 99-Steve Sabo; 6. 12P-Jeff Pelton; 7. 51-Devin Shiels
A-main Starting Position []
1. 21-Larry Kingseed[1]; 2. 99M-John Mayes Sr.[3]; 3. 69-John Mayes Jr.[6]; 4. 50-Ryan Missler[8]; 5. 15B-Mike Bores[12]; 6. B4U-Brad Eitniear[10]; 7. 25-Chuck Hummer[5]; 8. 51-Devin Shiels[22]; 9. 5H-Ernie Haynes[7]; 10. 12-Michael Stiltner[14]; 11. 99-Steve Sabo[15]; 12. 77-Steve Kester[17]; 13. 45-Mike Marteney[4]; 14. 48-John Bores[13]; 15. 83-Josh Steinacker[16]; 16. 23-Ben Elliott[2]; 17. 34-Ky Harper[9]; 18. 101-Chester Fitch[11]; 19. 77C-Craig Corfman[18]; 20. 27-Ken Hahn[21]; 21. 12P-Jeff Pelton[20];
By Tony Veneziano, WoO Sprint Series PR Director: (Attica, OH) Chad Kemenah cut his teeth racing on the tracks in his native state of Ohio. For the driver that calls Findlay, Ohio home, one track that he has always enjoyed racing at is Attica Raceway Park, which is just a scant hour drive from his house. He will get the chance to compete at the recently revamped 1/3-mile facility on Friday, April 20, as the World of Outlaws return to the track for the first time since 2005. Last season rain interrupted a schedule appearance at the high-banked track.
“We’re very excited to head to Attica,” said Kemenah. “We don’t get to go back there very often anymore. It’s good to get back home and see the people that we don’t get to see very much. Hopefully Mother Nature will hold out and we can go there and put on a good race for the fans.”
Kemenah, the reigning World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year has won five times at Attica with the All Star Circuit of Champions. In 2005, the last time the World of Outlaws competed at the track, he set fast time with a very stout field of 48 cars in attendance.
“Having a lot of laps at Attica definitely has helped in our success over there,” explained the driver who has two career World of Outlaws A-Feature wins. “They have changed the track the last couple of years and we haven’t raced there very much. Hopefully we can get the track figured out pretty quick and get to the front.”
With a number of his fellow competitors staying in the Buckeye State this week, after an event at Eldora Speedway last weekend, Kemenah has been a pretty popular guy. While he has had some of his fellow competitors visit his shop, he also has had many people from his home town looking to catch up on old times.
“We’ve had a number of people stopping by this week,” he admitted. “Jason Martin is staying at the house. We’ve had a lot of people from Findlay come by, and we’ve talked to a lot of them.”
After putting his own team together in a matter of days, a little over a month ago, Kemenah has been working closely with his father-in-law (renowned engine builder, Bob Hampshire) as well his nephew (AJ). While the trio has put countless hours in at the shop, Kemenah is also quick to point out just how important the support of his wife (Tracy) was during a very trying early portion of the season.
“It does make it a little easier having family members helping out,” said Kemenah. “I’ll have my father-in-law with us for a few more weeks, and then it will probably just be AJ and I for a while. We’ll manage and get through it as best as we can.”
Beginning at Attica this week, Kemenah will have Arizonatools.com, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, onboard, in their first foray into sprint car racing. Arizona Tools is a leading wholesaler of construction and automotive tools and is the internet division of Craig’s Tools and Supplies Inc., which has been supplying homeowners, contractors, municipalities, schools and industry since 1982 in California and in Arizona since 1992. Fan can save $25 on tool purchases of $100 or more by entering the coupon code, “Chad” on the order forms online.
“We’re excited to have Arizonatools.com on board for seven races starting at Attica,” Kemenah stated. “We’re working very hard to make this into some huge. We want to show them that the sprint car fans will support their products and purchase tools online, and turn this into a great relationship.”
In just his fifth race in his own car, Kemenah earned a season-best finish of third at Paducah International Raceway on April 6. He began that night by turning the sixth-fastest lap in time trials. He earned a spot in the A-Feature through his heat race, and quickly worked his way into the Top-10 and then the Top-Five after starting 11th.
“The results at Paducah really made us feel good,” said the four-time All Star Circuit of Champions title winner. “We ran third and we didn’t start on the pole and run third. We started 11th and made it all the way up to third. We were certainly going in the right direction in that event. Last weekend at Eldora we were pretty good. We’re making the shows and we’re qualifying better. I think we have things turning in the right direction. We’ll just keep working hard.”
With the World of Outlaws schedule picking up in the next couple weeks as the weather warms up, Kemenah looks to get into a rhythm as he returns to many tracks that he visited for the first and second times last season.
“Everyone is looking forward to racing more,” he commented. “Getting in a groove definitely helps. It can be tough when you are sitting around all week.”
With the demands of running his own team, Kemenah has made sure to make the most of what little free time he has, including spending some time on the links, enjoying a round of golf. He also has made sure to spend plenty of time with his family, as time will be scarce when he hits the road in the next few weeks.
“We had some time this week, and Jason Martin and I went out on the golf course and knocked the ball around,” said the always determined driver. “I’ve been spending a lot of time with my wife and kids, because we will be running the whole race team ourselves here very soon, and that extra free time will fade away.”
After enduring some bad luck to begin the season, Kemenah feels like things are moving in the right direction. With tracks on the schedule in the next few weeks that he is very familiar with, he looks to continue to build momentum heading into the bulk of the season. With the demands of the World of Outlaws schedule, he knows that hard work and perseverance are keys in being successful during the course of the nine-plus month campaign.
“We’ll just keep plugging away and rolling on, and hopefully at the end of the year, we’ll have a smile on our face,” he said.
On Friday April 20 at Attica Raceway Park, adult general admission tickets will be $28, with reserved tickets $30. General admission tickets for those ages 8-15 will be just $15, while children 7-under will be admitted free of charge.
By Tony Veneziano, WoO Sprint Series PR Director: (Attica, OH) Two bullrings await the World of Outlaws this weekend, beginning on Friday, April 20 at the recently revamped Attica Raceway Park in Ohio. This will be the series first visit to the always racy facility since 2005, after last season’s event fell to rain. In the six previous A-Feature events contested at the track, there have been five different drivers visit victory lane.
Joey Saldana and Donny Schatz will continue their torrid battle atop the World of Outlaws standings as they head to Attica Raceway Park. The pair is separated by just four points heading into this weekend’s events.
Saldana, driving for NASCAR star Kasey Kahne has racked up four wins, including three in-a-row at the end of March. His first win of the season came at Thunderbowl Raceway in California, which like Attica Raceway Park is a high-banked 1/3-mile. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year has 12 Top-10 finishes in the first 13 races of 2007. The native of Brownsburg, Indiana, leads the series in laps led with 122. He also has set fast time in qualifying on four occasions, which is also tops in the series. He also has a dash win which earned him a pole position earlier in the season. He has turned numerous laps at Attica in the past with the World of Outlaws as well as with the All Star Circuit of Champions.
Schatz, the reigning World of Outlaws champion is coming off a very strongsecond-place run at Eldora last weekend. It was his series leading 10th Top-Five finish of the season. The native of Fargo, North Dakota has three wins in 2007, including on the opening night of the season. He has led 68 laps on the season, in addition to winning two dashes to earn two pole positions. Also, the 1997 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, has stopped the clocks first in time trials once this season. In the series last visit to Attica in 2005, Schatz earned a Top-10 finish.
Steve Kinser , the 20-time World of Outlaws Champion has won twice at Attica. He is the only driver to have multiple wins at the 1/3-mile in the series previous six visits. He won in the World of Outlaws inaugural trip to the track in 1990, and followed that up the next season with a victory as well. He earned his 534th win with the series earlier this season at USA Race Park in Arizona in his first ever visit to the track. The native of Bloomington, Indiana currently is eighth in championship points on the strength of seven Top-10 finishes.
Chad Kemenah, the reigning World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, who hails from Findlay, Ohio, which is right down the road from Attica, has had plenty of success at his home track over the years. He has won five times at the 1/3-mile with the All Star Circuit of Champions. He earned a season best finish of third, on April 6 at Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky.
Daryn Pittman enters the event at Attica third in points, on the strength of 10 Top-10 finishes. He picked up a win in the finale of the Florida DIRTcar Nationals in Florida in February. That win marked his 20th career triumph with the series for the former World of Outlaws Gumout Series champion. The native of Owasso, Oklahoma is only 104 points out of the top spot as he chases his first World of Outlaws title.
Danny Lasoski, the 2001 World of Outlaws champion, has been one of the mostconsistent drivers this season. He heads to Attica fourth in the points, after winning his first race of the season on April 6 at Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky. He has nine Top-10 finishes on the year and is only 158 markers behind Saldana.
Craig Dollansky ran a very solid third last time the World of Outlaws visited Attica in 2005. He won at the track in 2000 with the All Stars. The former World of Outlaws Gumout Series champion is fifth in points entering this weekend, on the strength of eight Top-10 finishes. He is one of only two drivers that have transferred to the A-Feature by way of his heat race, in each of the first 13 events of the season.
Terry McCarl who has won at Attica for the first time with the All Star Circuit of Champions in 1997, is sixth in points as he chases his first series title. The native of Altoona, Iowa, who is a multi-time Knoxville Raceway and Huset’s Speedway champion has eight Top-10 finishes on the year. He is just 15 markers out of the fifth spot in the standings.
Jason Meyers earned his first win of the season last weekend at Eldora Speedway and vaulted into the seventh spot in the point standings. He has six Top-10 finishes on the year. The native of Clovis, California has won two dashes so far this season to earn just as many pole positions. He also has set fast time once.
Jac Haudenschild moved into the ninth spot in points after a fourth-place finish at Eldora last weekend, in which he led a large portion of the event. The native of Wooster, Ohio has six Top-10 finishes on the season. He finished fourth in the World of Outlaws last event at Attica Raceway Park in 2005.
Brooke Tatnell, one of only two Australian-born drivers to have earned a World of Outlaws A-Feature triumph, is 10th in points heading to Attica. In his last visit to the track with the series, he picked up a runner-up finish. In his first season driving for Larry Woodward, the always affable driver has seven Top-10 finishes.
Other drivers that will be on-hand at Attica Raceway Park include: Paul McMahan driving for two-time NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart, Jason Solwold, who along with Dollansky has transferred from his heat race into each of the first 13 A-Feature events of the season, current Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year leader Kerry Madsen, from Australia, who earned his first series win during the Florida DIRTcar Nationals, 2003 Rookie of the Year Jason Sides, Tim Kaeding, who won earlier this season in California, 1999 Rookie of the Year Tim Shaffer, second-year driver Justin Henderson, 1995 Rookie of the Year Randy Hannagan, second-year driver Jeremy Campbell who has competed at Attica in the past with the All Stars, veteran Dion Hindi of New Mexico, second-year driver Jason Martin of Kansas, who earned a career-best finish of fourth on April 6, and veteran Brian Carlson, who has raced at Attica in the past with the All Stars.
A hearty crop of six Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award contenders will be on hand including: Tony Bruce Jr. of Kansas, Zach Chappell of Oklahoma, Sam Hafertepe Jr. of Texas, Chad Hillier of Washington, Madsen, and James Mosher of New Mexico.
On Friday April 20 at Attica Raceway Park, adult general admission tickets will be $28, with reserved tickets $30. General admission tickets for those ages 8-15 will be just $15, while children 7-under will be admitted free of charge.
By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) Unseasonably cold weather, with forecasts of rain, freezing rain and snow, have forced the cancellation of racing activities planned for Quality Welding Night, Saturday, April 14 at Attica Raceway Park.
Kistler Engines Presents the World of Outlaw Sprints at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” venue on Friday, April 20, paying $10,000 to win! Pit gates will open at 3:30 p.m. with grandstand gates to follow at 5 p.m. Hot laps are scheduled to begina round 6 p.m. with qualifying to follow and racing action to begin at 8 p.m. The Fultz Fabrication & Speedshop Attica Late Models will also be in competition with an increased purse on the line.
The excitement is building as “The King of the Outlaws” Steve Kinser and Danny “The Dude” Lasoski return to battle 2006 WoO Champion Donny Schatz, Joey Saldana, Daryn Pitman and 2006 WoO Kevin Goebrecht Rookie of the Year Chad Kemenah. They will fact a stiff battle from tough Attica regulars like 2006 champion Byron Reed, 12-time Attica champ Mark Keegan, Lee Jacobs, David Harrison, Mike Linder and others like 2006 All Star Champion Greg Wilson and Dale Blaney.
Reserved seating is available at a price of $30 (add $2 to a credit card). The top five rows of the middle grandstand sections D, E, F and G are available.
For more information log onto atticaracewaypark.com or call the track office at 419-680-5606.