Keegan ends dryspell at Attica; Weaver scores 5th victory; Marteney, Dible win
By Brian Liskai: Attica, Ohio (Friday, July 7, 2006) – There was a time at Attica Raceway Park when the mere mention of Mark Keegan’s name drew an emotional response – some applause and some boos. That was because the Fremont driver dominated sprint car racing there, picking up 52 wins and 12 track titles over the first 17 years of the track’s existence.
But the last five years have been relatively quiet for Keegan. Sure there was a 410 sprint track title in 2004, but no feature wins since 2001.
That all changed Friday, as Keegan led all 30 laps and survived some close calls with lapped traffic to score his 53rd career Attica win on Smith Family Frosted Foods Night.
Fans witnessed an exciting battle in the 305 sprint feature, with current point leader Paul Weaver of Fremont and Bryan Sebetto of Fremont swapping the lead on at least five ocassions before Weaver would post his fifth win of the season to celebrate Christmas in July at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant.
The limited late model feature saw Bellevue’s Mike Marteney and Gibsonburg’s Bill Hahn race side by side for several laps before Marteney would score his second victory of the year.
Not to be outdone, the dirt trucks put on a whale of a race, with Fostoria’s Bob Dible and Tiffin’s Brian Arnold trading the lead back and forth while continually racing door to door throughout. Dible eventually edged Arnold for his first career Attica win.
“Sorry it took so long to get back to the horse track here…but I forgot where it was,” joked Keegan beside his Midwest Transportation/Jon Wright Custom Chrome/Edward Jones Financial Services sponsored #X car. “The starting spot (outside front row) was everything tonight for us. The track was so demanding and fast…it would have made it hard for us to pass a lot of cars. I have to thank my brother, Larry, and Tom Kistler for all the help they give me. I especially have to thank all these sponsors..without them I couldn’t keep doing this.”
“I didn’t even have time to grab a tear-off (clear plastic sheet on helmet’s shield). The track was very fast and tricky,” said Weaver on his victory aboard his Genzman Racing/Levell Performance #1w. “Normally I say you have to be patient and stay out of trouble, but Bryan Sebetto wouldn’t let me wait tonight. He raced me hard and clean. I want to thank my crew and my
wife for working so hard on this car.”
“That was a lot of fun racing Bill (Hahn). He’s a good, clean, hard racer,” said Marteney beside his Quality Welding, York Fabrication, Cameo’s Pizza sponsored #45. “I would get under Bill and he would drive around the outside. So I’d go up top and he’d go under me. I think we finally have this car figured out and we can be competitive the rest of the year.”
“I can’t say enough for the guys who put in so much time on this truck. I also have to give Brian Arnold a lot of credit. There were times we could have taken each other out, but he trusts that I won’t do that and I trust he won’t do that,” said Dible standing beside his Bob’s Machine/Slammers Sports Bar sponsored #17. “I want to thank my wife Becky who’s home tonight recuperating from shoulder surgery.”
In the 410 sprint main, Keegan bolted into the lead at the drop of the green, with David Harrison and Todd Heller in tow. Keegan set a blistering pace, hitting lapped traffic by lap 6. Disaster nearly truck for Keegan on lap 9, when the motor let loose in Mike Burkin’s car right in front of the leader, sending him over the banking of turn 1. Keegan kept the car going and retained his top spot, with three lapped machines between he and second place running Harrison, who had his hands full with a charging Lee Jacobs and Mike Linder.
On the restart, both Jacobs and Linder moved around Harrison, with the yellow once again flying a lap later for a stalled Craig Mintz. All eyes were on Byron Reed who had moved from his 16th starting spot to fifth.The field would see 10 laps of green flag racing, with Keegan having to be cautious in lapped traffic, allowing Jacobs to close.
But action would grind to a halt on lap 20, as Jody Keegan smacked the front stretch wall and flipped. He would walk away uninjured. Keegan now had a clear track ahead and went on to the win, with Jacobs, Linder, Reed and Heller rounding out the top five.
In the 305 sprint feature, Sebetto would take the early lead from his pole starting spot, with Dustin Dinan and Brad Haudenschild in tow. The red would stop racing on lap 2 for an upside down Coty Runion (unhurt). On the restart, Sebetto would retain the lead, but the crowd was watching Weaver, who had started 11th and was up to fourth by lap 4. Weaver would shoot around Haudenschild and Dinan on each of the next two laps to move into the runner-up position by lap 6.
Sebetto continued to lead until lap 12, when a bobble in turn one would allow Weaver to take the lead Weaver would lead the next four circuits before Sebetto would catch him and race side by side over the next four laps, swapping the lead through each turn. Weaver would edge Sebetto at the checkered with Dinan, A.J. Sleek and Andy Shammo rounding out the top five.
Bellevue’s Ryan Missler led the limited lates to the green and would grab the lead. However, Hahn shot around Missler a lap later and continued to lead through a lap 9 caution. Hahn an sixth starting Marteney would battle the next three laps before Marteney would shoot to the inside of Hahn exiting turn two to grab the point. Hahn and Missler would pressure Marteney the entire rest of the way, but fell short at the checkered. Behind Marteney, Missler, Hahn, Larry Kingseed and Art Ball would round out the top five.
In the dirt truck feature, Fremont’s Bobby Davis would jump into the early lead, with Dible getting around him a lap later. Arnold would power around the outside of Dible on lap 9 of the 15-lap affair, but Dible would pull along side the next lap for the lead. The two would swap the top spot back and forth the rest of the way, with Dible hanging on for the win over Arnold, Art Ball, Steve Endicott and Shawn Valenti.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, July 14 for Underground Utilities Night featuring the winged 410 sprints, 305 sprints, limited lates ($1,000 to win!) and the dirt trucks. Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing gets underway at 8 p.m. For more information call 419-426-8911 or visit www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park 7-7-06
410 Super Sprints
Heat 1 – Budweiser
1. F1-Jon Finsel; 2. 10-David Harrison; 3. 14H-Todd Heller; 4. 3L-Mike Linder; 5. 8C-Bobby Clark; 6. 5R-Bryon Reed; 7. O-Rodney Duncan; 8. 98-Bruce Robenalt
Heat 2 – Ramsey Trucking
1. X-Mark Keegan; 2. 26-Cody White; 3. 8S-Craig Mintz; 4. 12-Caleb Griffith; 5. 48B-Bill Shaw; 6. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 7. 10S-Roger Shammo
Heat 3 – Bell Helmets
1. K-Andrew Palker; 2. 37Z-Bryan Scott; 3. 7B-Jamie Miller; 4. 16-Lee Jacobs; 5. 60-Jody Keegan; 6. 48-Mike Burkin; 7. 1R-Phil Gressman
A-main Starting Position []
1. X-Mark Keegan[2]; 2. 16-Lee Jacobs[5]; 3. 3L-Mike Linder[10]; 4. 5R-Bryon Reed[16]; 5. 14H-Todd Heller[4]; 6. 8C-Bobby Clark[13]; 7. 10-David Harrison[1]; 8. 12-Caleb Griffith[12]; 9. 7B-Jamie Miller[11]; 10. 37Z-Bryan Scott[6]; 11. 98-Bruce Robenalt[22]; 12. 26-Cody White[7]; 13. 10S-Roger Shammo[20]; 14. 48B-Bill Shaw[14]; 15. K-Andrew Palker[9]; 16. 60-Jody Keegan[15]; 17. 8S-Craig Mintz[8]; 18. 91-Aaron Middaugh[17]; 19. 48-Mike Burkin[18]; 20. O-Rodney Duncan[19]; 21. F1-Jon Finsel[3]
305 Sprints
Heat 1 – Budweiser
1. 15C-Chris Andrews; 2. 25P-Mark Pridemore; 3. 7-Brad Haudenschild; 4. 9H-Josh Hill; 5. 49-Coty Runion; 6. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 7. 31-Chad Gullett; 8. O4-Cap Henry; 9. 65-Mark Lang
Heat 2 – Advanced Limo
1. 18-Jim Dunhum; 2. 15-A.J. Sleek; 3. 11-Shawn Colvin; 4. O2-Kevin Lee; 5. 15H-Mitchell Harble; 6. 71-Bill Kraylek; 7. 55-Brad Bowman
Heat 3 – Bell Helmets
1. 1W-Paul Weaver; 2. 21-Scott Kraylek; 3. 27-Stuart Brubaker; 4. 22D-Dan Hammond; 5. 3K-Brad Keckler; 6. 29-Chris Lang; 7. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh; 8. 18C-Jason Crispen
Heat 4 – Griffs Engines
1. O1-Bryan Sebetto; 2. 48S-Andy Shammo; 3. 5-Dustin Dinan; 4. 34-Mark Whaley; 5. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 6. 4T-Jim Taddeo; 7. 8-Monte Carico; 8. 13-Larry Felver Jr.
B1 Main
1. 49-Coty Runion; 2. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 3. 31-Chad Gullett; 4. 15H-Mitchell Harble; 5. O4-Cap Henry; 6. 71-Bill Kraylek; 7. 55-Brad Bowman; 8. 65-Mark Lang
B-Main
1. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 2. 3K-Brad Keckler; 3. 29-Chris Lang; 4. 4T-Jim Taddeo; 5. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh; 6. 18C-Jason Crispen; 7. 8-Monte Carico; 8. 13-Larry Felver Jr.
A-main Starting Position []
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[9]; 2. O1-Bryan Sebetto[1]; 3. 5-Dustin Dinan[3]; 4. 15-A.J. Sleek[8]; 5. 48S-Andy Shammo[6]; 6. 15C-Chris Andrews[10]; 7. 18-Jim Dunhum[5]; 8. 9H-Josh Hill[11]; 9. 25P-Mark Pridemore[4]; 10. 7-Brad Haudenschild[2]; 11. O2-Kevin Lee[14]; 12. 11-Shawn Colvin[7]; 13. 67M-Matt Ferrell[17]; 14. 21-Scott Kraylek[12]; 15. 22D-Dan Hammond[13]; 16. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[18]; 17. 34-Mark Whaley[16]; 18. 3K-Brad Keckler[20]; 19. 49-Coty Runion[15]; 20. 31.Chad Gullet [20]
Limited Late Models
Budweiser/Griff’s Engines Heat 1
1. 27-Bill Hahn; 2. 50-Ryan Missler; 3. 45-Mike Marteney; 4. 12M-Michael Stiltner; 5. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 6. O14-Paul Brown Jr.
Tin Lizzy Collision Heat 2
1. 99-Steve Sabo; 2. 92-Brandon Perkins; 3. 101-Chester Fitch; 4. 8K-Kevin Koerper; 5. 77C-Craig Corfman; 6. 97-Andy Fike; 7. 15B-Mike Bores
Bell Helmets Heat 3
1. 21-Larry Kingseed; 2. 20-Troy Hahn; 3. O1-Art Ball; 4. 48-John Bores; 5. O2-Jeff Mccoy; 6. 23-Ben Elliott; 7. 9-Roger Inks
A-main Starting Position []
1. 45-Mike Marteney[6]; 2. 50-Ryan Missler[1]; 3. 27-Bill Hahn[3]; 4. 21-Larry Kingseed[9]; 5. O1-Art Ball[5]; 6. O2-Jeff Mccoy[15]; 7. 12M-Michael Stiltner[2]; 8. 99-Steve Sabo[8]; 9. 20-Troy Hahn[12]; 10. 77C-Craig Corfman[14]; 11. 69-John Mayes Jr.[13]; 12. 101-Chester Fitch[7]; 13. 92-Brandon Perkins[10]; 14. 23-Ben Elliott[18]; 15. 8K-Kevin Koerper[4]; 16. 48-John Bores[11]; 17. 9-Roger Inks[20]; 18. O14-Paul Brown Jr.[16]; 19. 15B-Mike Bores[19]; 20. 97-Andy Fike[17]; 21. 29-Matt Potts[22]
Dirt Trucks
Heat 1
1. 17-Bob Dible; 2. 8-Steve Endicott; 3. O1-Art Ball; 4. 37-Eric Devanna; 5. 34-Aaron Schatzinger; 6. 96-James McClure; 7. 62-Dave Severs; 8. 7C-Codey Renfro
Heat 2
1. 33-Brian Arnold; 2. 28-Shawn Valenti; 3. 40-Bobby Davis; 4. 19-Jimmy Sebetto; 5. 30-Dave Gibbs; 6. 22-Todd Keegan; 7. 3R-Chuck Roelle; 8. P51-Willie Keegan
Heat 3
1. 38-Paul Dymond; 2. 2R-Ron Kepling; 3. 53-Dan Roepke; 4. 92-Loren Schwochow; 5. 4X-Brian Sorg; 6. O7-Greg Harmon; 7. 52-Tim Schatzinger; 8. 69-Mark Warnick
B-main
1. 69-Mark Warnick; 2. 22-Todd Keegan; 3. 52-Tim Schatzinger; 4. 96-James McClure; 5. 3R-Chuck Roelle; 6. 7C-Codey Renfro; 7. O7-Greg Harmon; 8. 62-Dave Severs; 9. P51-Willie Keegan
A-main Starting Position []
1. 17-Bob Dible[2]; 2. 33-Brian Arnold[3]; 3. O1-Art Ball[10]; 4. 8-Steve Endicott[11]; 5. 28-Shawn Valenti[7]; 6. 40-Bobby Davis[1]; 7. 69-Mark Warnick[16]; 8. 38-Paul Dymond[9]; 9. 3R-Chuck Roelle[19]; 10. 30-Dave Gibbs[13]; 11. 92-Loren Schwochow[5]; 12. 19-Jimmy Sebetto[4]; 13. 4X-Brian Sorg[14]; 14. 96-James McClure[18]; 15. 62-Dave Severs[22]; 16. 37-Eric Devanna[6]; 17. 52-Tim Schatzinger[17]; 18. 7C-Codey Renfro[20]; 19. O7-Greg Harmon[21]; 20. 34-Aaron Schatzinger[12]; 21. 2R-Ron Kepling[8]; 22. 22-Todd Keegan[15]