Gravel takes advantage of Haudenschild’s heartbreak for Attica World of Outlaw win; Keegan earns 1st 305 victory .001

Friday, May 21, 2021

By Brian Liskai

ATTICA, Ohio – There’s an old saying “sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.”  Watertown, Connecticut’s David Gravel was both Friday, May 21 at Attica Raceway Park for the Kistler Engines Classic featuring the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. Gravel inherited the lead when Sheldon Haudenschild tangled with a lapped car coming to the white flag. Gravel then held off 10-time series champion Donny Schatz to score his fourth World of Outlaws win of 2021.

In a 40-lap A-main that featured seven lead changes, it appeared Haudenschild was headed to the victory. As he raced through turns three and four coming to the white flag, a lapped car lost a left rear wheel and collected the leader. Gravel then held off a charging Schatz for his second career Attica victory.

“To be honest I was terrible those last two laps. Sheldon had us covered….this is pretty close to a hometown track for him and it sucks but I’ll take it. These deals are hard to win. My guys gave me a great car but it faded a little. Then I put the wing back and we closed on Sheldon. I don’t know if I could have gotten him,” said Gravel of his Huset’s Speedway/Jackson Motorplex/Showdown June 20-26/High Performance/JRC Transportation backed #2.

“It’s my brother-in-law’s birthday and he’s down in Florida celebrating in my pool and I’m in Ohio,” joked Gravel. “I want to dedicate this to a special friend who is battling health issues.”

For Schatz, it was yet another great run. “We have been so good and the guys have worked their tails off. The results don’t show how fast we have been but we will turn this around,” said the driver of the Carquest/Ford Performance/Sage Fruit backed #15.

Meyerstown, Pennsylvania’s Brent Marks has passed a ton of cars against the World of Outlaws the past couple of seasons and Friday at Attica was no different as he charged from 19^th to a third place showing. “The car was just so maneuverable. I could go anywhere and was really making up time in the middle,” he said beside his M&M Painting and Construction/BAPS Paints backed machine.

While the 40-lap World of Outlaw feature was filled with drama and entertainment, the 25-lap A-main for the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints was equally exciting. Fremont, Ohio’s Mike Keegan edged defending track champion Paul Weaver by .001 seconds in the non-stop affair for his first ever sprint car win.

“I can’t believe it….I thought he got me. This is awesome. I can’t thank my guys enough and my dad for his hard work,” said Keegan beside his Level Utilities, BL Minich Trucking, Kistler Engines, Kistler Racing Products, Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome, Fremont Fence, Liberty Tax, NAPA, MAK Salon, Linder’s Speed Equipment, Seagate Sandblasting backed machine.

Haudenschild and Brandon Spithaler brought the field to green for the 40-lap Kistler Engines Classic with Spithaler leading the first lap. While battling for the lead Spithaler jumped the cushion in turn four to bring out the caution and handing the lead to Haudenschild. On the second lap Trey Jacobs and Anthony Macri tangled with Macri ending up on his side. On the restart Haudenschild led Gravel, Brad Sweet and Schatz. After a third lap was recorded, Aaron Reutzel spun. When the green flew so did Haudenschild as he pulled away from Gravel, Sweet Schatz and Carson Macedo.

Haudenschild’s lead was 1.5 seconds when Reutzel brought out another caution on lap eight. On the restart Gravel got up on the wheel and drove into the lead exiting turn two but Haudenschild crossed back over to lead lap nine but Gravel powered back by and led laps 10 through 17 as he and Haudenschild raced through heavy lapped traffic. Haudenschild drove back into the lead on lap 18 as Gravel continued to pressure. Gravel regained the lead on lap 20 with Haudenschild back to the point on lap 22.

Haudenschild drove to over a three second lead by lap 27 as Schatz took second on lap 23. With 10 laps to go Haudenschild had a commanding lead over Schatz, Gravel, Macedo, Sweet and Marks. With three laps to go Gravel took back the second position setting up the dramatic finish.

In the 25-lap 305 sprint feature, Keegan and Brenden Torok brought the field to green with Torok grabbing the lead over Keegan, Justin Lusk and Weaver. Keegan took over the point on lap three with Weaver moving into second. Weaver drove to the cushion on lap eight to take the lead but Keegan stayed within striking distance as Jamie Miller, Torok, Kasey Jedrzejek and Lusk battling for fourth.

Weaver and Keegan raced side by side through lapped traffic. With five laps to go Weaver and Keegan were neck-and-neck. As they raced into turns three and four for the final time Keegan slid in front of Weaver who crossed over and it was a drag race to the checkers with Keegan earning the victory by an inch.

Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, May 28 for Steinle Chevrolet Buick Night with the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products 410 Attica Fremont Championship Series Presented by the Baumann Auto Group, the NAPA of Bryan 305 AFCS Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales and the UMP Late Models in action.

Fans and race teams should visit www.atticaracewaypark.com or follow the track on Twitter @atticaracewyprk or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atticaracewaypark and Instagram at attica_raceway_park.

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Brubaker earns AFCS win at Attica; Irey survives last lap tangle for late model victory; Weaver gets 60th 305 win

Friday, May 14, 2021

By Brian Liskai

ATTICA, Ohio, – Stuart Brubaker admits he got a little complacent while leading the 410 feature at Attica Raceway Park Friday, May 14 for the Eric Phillips 33^rd Anniversary Classic. That allowed Chris Andrews to close lap after lap. Late in the race when Andrews showed Brubaker his nose, the track’s 2018 champion got back up on the wheel and Brubaker drove to the victory on American Powersports/The Adkins Group/Smith Paving Night Presented by Integrity Auto and Truck Sales.

The win was Brubaker’s ninth career win in the Callie’s Performance Products 410 Sprints. It also boosts the Fremont, Ohio driver’s standing in the Kistler Racing Products/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Attica Fremont Championship 410 Series Presented by the Baumann Auto Group and was worth $4,000.

“I started backing my corners up a little bit…you know I’m getting a older and my shoulders get tired. He (Andrews) stuck his nose in there and I was like oh shit I have to pick it back up. I kept missing it down here off two and I’d hit that hole and run underneath it and I could only get about half or three quarter throttle down the back stretch. When we hit it right we can get wide open so I knew we were fine. This is so awesome. These guys have been working their tails off…thank you Donny, Zach, Benji, Tyler…he can’t be here tonight…my girlfriend isn’t here and my daughter…everybody has been busting their butts on this family owned team to get it to where we are at tonight,” said Brubaker beside his Edward Jones, Tri County Tarp, Dave Story Equipment, Kyle Daugherty Century 21, Bolte Real Estate, Randy Beeker Excavating, SRM Construction, KS Sales & Service, Speedways Bar & Grill, Handy Grafix, Gressman Powersports, Schaeffer’s Oil, Phillips Electric, Hoffbauer Disposal Services, Finish Line Race Fuels backed machine.

Mansfield, Ohio’s Matt Irey, Attica’s 2016 late model track champion, survived a tangle with a lapped car coming to the checkers to claim his second win of the season in the Propane.com/Dirt Nerd’s Podcast UMP Late Models. It was his 7^th career win at Attica and moved him to within six markers of Ryan Markham for the lead in the track’s points.

“Nothing against the guys that are out there racing….just hold your line. That’s all we ask…the faster cars just want you to hold your line. Then it doesn’t nearly cost you a race like that. We had a really, really good race car. Started seventh and before I knew it I was up to second and I was like oh man we got something. I can’t thank everyone enough…Brent at Accu-Force, Robin, Rod Eddleblute’s Garage, my mom, my dad, my wife, Justin, Chris whose at home…he gets the tires ready for us…all my sponsors,” said Irey of his Dalton Garage Door, Nugen Led Lights, Artizian Concrete, RL Bond Septic, Specialty Tree Service, Kilgore & Harring CPA, Shagalees backed #36.

After opening the season with three straight wins in the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints, five time Attica division champion Paul Weaver went through some bad luck, including a blown engine a couple of weeks ago. The Fremont, Ohio driver took the lead new division track record holder Jamie Miller with just seven laps to go and went on to score his 60^th career victory in the division. It was also a great points night in the NAPA of Bryan AFCS 305 Sprint Series Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales.

“We kind of figured they were doing something to get the track really good for the outlaws next week so we didn’t want to over tighten it ….it was just maneuverable. This was the second race on this motor…it was Chase Dunham’s motor that Bob Hampshire…thank God he let me borrow it…he was keeping it for Creed (Kemenah, his grandson) for the end of this year possibly. It’s mine now. I have to thank Bob Hampshire, Daniel for being there, B&B Drain, Pam and Steve Brown, M&L Excavating and everyone that helps,” said Weaver.

At the drop of the green for the 30-lap Callie’s Performance Products 410 Sprint A-main, pole-sitter Brubaker jumped into the lead over Duane Zablocki, Brandon Spithaler, Cole Macedo, Chris Andrews, Nate Dussel and Caleb Griffith. Brubaker quickly pulled away to a nearly three second lead by lap six with Spithaler and Macedo moving into second and third respectively.

A caution on lap 11 wiped out Brubaker’s big lead and another a lap later kept the field close. Brubaker executed perfect restarts and drove away as Spithaler and Andrews battled for second with Andrews gaining the spot on lap 14. With six laps to go, Andrews began closing on Brubaker, chopping a tenth of a second off lap after lap.

With a hand full of laps remaining Andrews showed Brubaker his nose which prompted the leader to sit up and drive which he did to take the win over Andrews, Spithaler, DJ Foos and Macedo.

Jim Gingery and Markham brought the field to green for the 25 lap Propane.com/Dirt Nerds Podcast Late Model A-main with Markham gaining the advantage over Gingery, Casey Noonan, Tyler Thompson, Irey and Justin Chance. While Markham drove away, a tremendous battle ensued for second with Gingery, Noonan, Thompson and Irey with Noonan taking the spot on lap three while Irey moved into third.

Markham jumped the cushion in turn four on lap four and that allowed Irey to close. The duo battled side by side over the next three laps before Irey took the lead on lap seven and began to pull away as they raced into traffic. Thompson drove into second on lap 13 and was closing on Irey when the leader also bobbled on the cushion in turn four on lap 15 but was saved by a debris caution.

On the restart Irey pulled away again while Markham rallied to regain second. With four laps to go Markham had pulled right on Irey’s rear bumper. The battle was taking place as they raced through traffic. Coming to the checkers, Irey made heavy contact with a lapped car but made a great save to drive to the win over Markham, Thompson, Chance and Devin Shiels.

At the start of the 25 lap Fremont Fence 305 A-main, two time track champion and new track record holder Jamie Miller quickly established himself as the car to beat as he quickly pulled away from the field. A good fight for second between Kody Brewer, Seth Schneider and Weaver took place until a caution on lap seven.

When the green flew again so did Miller as Schneider and Weaver gave chase. Weaver took second on lap 12 and quickly cut into Miller’s lead. Weaver drove under Miller on lap 18 but Miller fought back. Weaver was able to move around in lapped traffic and drove away for the win over Miller, Steve Rando, Brewer and Schneider.

Attica Raceway Park will host the World of Outlaw NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series for a $10,000 to win affair on the Kistler Engines Classic Friday, May 21. The 305 sprints will also be in action. For reserve seats go to www.atticaracewaypark.com and click on the banner at the top of the home page.

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