Kofoid snares first Attica 410 win; Shiels earns late model victory; Capodice master of 305 sprints
Saturday, July 25, 2020
Contact: Brian Liskai
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By Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio – Penngrove, California’s Michael “Buddy” Kofoid knocked on the door to victory lane a lot at Attica Raceway Park in 2019. On Friday, July 24, 2020 he kicked the door wide open in a dominating performance aboard the Keith Kunz Motorsports 410 Sprint Car for his first career win at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speed plant on Morgan Stanley/Steinle Chevrolet Buick/Sutton Bank Night Presented by Integrity Auto and Truck sales.
Kofoid, who has been driving the Kunz midgets to victories this season, gave his dad a fantastic birthday present as well.
While Kofoid was rocketing away out front, all eyes were on Trey Jacobs as he worked his way from 19th starting spot to a second place finish. Chad Kemenah, Cale Conley and Christopher Bell rounded out the top five in the Callie’s Performance Products 410 sprint feature.
“When we qualified first in our group and third overall I knew we had some speed. Quite frankly in our heat I don’t think we should have 
been. We were able to lead all 30 laps and I was glad we didn’t have too many yellows and I was able to keep running my pace. It was my first time driving for Keith at Attica and my first time driving any other sprint car other than the 11N here so to do that and win is pretty darn cool. I’m glad to finally get the monkey off my back. I feel like we’ve been second so many times, third so many times and always right there. To bring some midget guys and turn them into sprint car A-main winners is pretty cool,” said Kofoid aboard his IWX Motor Freight backed #67.
The victory came on an All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series (AFCS) Presented by the Baumann Auto Group night for the 410 sprints and with his third place run coupled with bad luck for Cap Henry and Caleb Griffith, Chad Kemenah certainly closed the gap in the standings.
Britton, Michigan’s Devin Shiels survived two restarts with just one lap to go to score his second Propane.com/Dirt Nerds Pod Cast Late Model win of the season at Attica. The victory for the track’s 2017 division champion was the eighth of his career at the raceway.
“You start hearing things that aren’t there and don’t hear things that are. When that 23 car spun out coming to the checkers I probably yelled loud enough for him to hear. We struggled here last year but are going pretty good here but we’re struggling at Oakshade so we are getting to like Attica a little better,” said Shiels beside his Magic Fountain Auto Wash, Rally’s Hamburgers, Dirt Nerds Podcast, Dundee Products, Banshee Graphics, Performance Machining backed #51.
Sandusky, Ohio’s Kyle Capodice took the lead from Matt Foos with just six laps to go and held off a late race rally from Paul Weaver to score his fifth career Attica win in the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints. With Weaver finishing second, Foos third, Mike Keegan and Kyle Peters rounding out the top five, the chase for the NAPA Auto Parts of Bryan 305 AFCS Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales title has become very tight.
“I stayed consistent down on the bottom once Matt (Foos) moved back down to the bottom. I could see myself consistently reeling him in 
and reeling him in and once I go to his back bumper and then beside him. Once we got into the lead it felt like it was taking forever…I was just waiting for the white flag to fly,” said Capodice beside his Rob Butts and Lynette Lawless, Franklin Sanitation, Barnes Nursery, Fred Wolfe Auctioneer, Burns Electric, Kistler Racing Products, Greber Racing Components sponsored #12.
Caleb Griffith and Paige Polyak brought the field to green for the 30-lap $4,000 to win Spanky’s Pizza of Carey A-main for the 410 sprints. But third starter Kofoid grabbed the lead over Polyak, Griffith, Cale Conley, Cale Thomas, TJ Michael, Travis Philo and Chad Kemenah. A quick caution after a lap was scored was the only thing that kept the field close to Kofoid.
Kofoid built a sizeable lead when a nasty look crash took place on the front stretch involving Craig Mintz, Nate Dussel and Cap Henry but thankfully no injuries were incurred. On the restart Kofoid drove away while Conley took second. The action was for third involving Griffith, Kemenah, Thomas and Polyak.
Just as the leaders were to hit heavy lapped traffic Griffith spun on lap while battling for third. On the restart Kofoid once again drove away while Conley and Kemenah waged a war for second. Meanwhile 19th starter Trey Jacobs had moved his way up to fifth.
Kemenah finally won the battle for second on lap 21 but could not close on Kofoid who raced into lapped traffic with seven laps to go. Jacobs took third from Conley with two laps to go and passed Kemenah on the white flag lap but ran out of time to catch Kofoid.
“After having to run the B main, we started 19th and drove to 2nd! Would’ve loved to see a late caution. First night with Bonzai (Bruns) turning the wrenches and he had the 3J operating,” Jacobs noted later.
Shiels and Mike Bores paced the field for the 25 lap late model A-main with Shiels gaining the advantage over Bores, Jeff Geis, Larry Bellman, Jon Henry, Kent Brewer and Matt Irey. A caution on lap four and another three laps later kept the field close.
Once the laps started to click off Shiels pulled away while Bores had his hands full with Henry who took second on lap nine. Irey got around Bores with nine laps to go just before the caution flew.
This time on the restart Henry stayed right with Shiels. Shiels ran the bottom groove while Henry blasted away at the cushion. Henry got one more opportunity when the caution came out after the field had taken the white flag. But, on the ensuing restart a multi-car incident delayed the finish.
Once the track was cleared Shiels drove away for the victory over Henry, a charging Matt Miller, Irey and Ryan Markham.
Matt Foos and Brandon Moore brought the field to green for the 25 lap 305 sprint A-main with Foos taking the lead while Moore nearly got upside down and fell back several spots. Capodice took second from Chris Verda on lap two but could not close the game on Foos.
Foos held a commanding lead over Capodice, Jamie Miller, Verda, Mike Keegan, and Paul Weaver when the red flew for Logan Riehl whose mount caught fire though he walked away unharmed.
On the restart Foos pulled away again from Capodice while Miller and Weaver battled for third. Weaver would execute a 360 spin but lost several spots. With 10 laps to go Capodice began eating into Foos’ lead and drive into the top spot four laps later just as the caution flew. A couple of laps and another caution put Foos, Kyle Peters, Keegan, Schneider and Weaver right on Capodice’s rear bumper.
Capodice got an excellent restart and drove away for the win over a charging Weaver, Foos, Keegan and Peters.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action with the AFCS 410 and 305 sprints and late models on Friday, July 31.
Keep tabs on the ongoing race schedule at www.atticaracewaypark.com or follow the track on Twitter @atticaracewyprk or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atticaracewaypark and Instagram at attica_raceway_park. For those who can’t attend the races, DirtVision.com carries all the action on pay per view.
