Henry perfect in traffic to score Attica 410 win; Markham gets last lap pass for late model victory; Miller gets redemption in 305 sprints
Friday, June, 12, 2020
Contact: Brian Liskai
[email protected]

By Brian Liskai

ATTICA, Ohio – Cap Henry survived a tangle battling for the lead early and drove through lapped traffic in perfect fashion to earn his sixth 410 sprint win at Attica Raceway Park Friday, June 12 on Construction Equipment & Supply/Venture Visionary Partners/Advanced Drainage Systems Night. Ryan Markham benefited from a late race caution and drove into the lead coming to the checkers to win the late model feature while a caution flag also benefited Jamie Miller who held off Paul Weaver for the 305 sprint feature win.

Henry, from Republic, Ohio, took the lead from pole-sitter Zane DeVault on lap two of the 30 lap Callie’s Performance Products 410 Sprint feature but the two made contact with DeVault spinning. Henry withstood early pressure from eight time track champion Byron Reed and then picked his way through traffic to score his sixth career Attica win.

“Zack, Mike and all the guys give me a really great race car. Man I got really nervous seeing Byron right there when I came by the scoreboard. We kind of ran out of patience there on the first lap with Zane and I feel bad about that deal,” said Henry beside his Lane Racing, Dragon’s Milk White, New Holland Spirits, Beer Barrel Bourbon, FK Rod Ends, Wings Unlimited, Kistler Engines, J&J Auto Racing, Linder’s Speed Equipment, Lead Head Water Fowl, Ballistic Designs, Geck Electric, Nemesis Designs backed machine.

With three laps to go in the Propane.com/Dirt Nerds Podcast Late Model feature Ryan Markham was nearly a straight away behind the the two leaders. Then a caution came out and the Ashland, Ohio driver sat up in the seat and passed Devin Shiels coming to the checkers for his 16th career Attica win placing him third on the all-time victory list.

“My crew chief got me too tight up on the cushion and I was running them guys down early then I jumped the cushion a couple of times and overheated the tires. I needed that caution just to settle things back down. After that it was just get up on the wheel and see what happens. It was treacherous up there…we had to let her hang out but hey, we’re up here,” said Markham beside his Hickory Hollow Concrete, Terry’s Towing, The Beer Barrel, Accu-Force, Clear Detail, Matco Tools by Jimmy, Innovative Graphics, Mars Trucking backed #5M.

Last week Jamie Miller, the defending Fremont Fence 305 Sprints Attica champion, crashed. Miller made up for it Friday. Miller also benefited from a caution, the yellow waiving with 10 laps to go just as Paul Weaver had passed him for the lead. Miller took advantage of the second chance and held Weaver off for his 25th career 305 sprint feature win, tying him with Mike Linder for second on the track’s all-time win list.

“I liked to see everyone of those yellows. Every time Paul would get by me I would just try to stick that top and he would sneak by me and that caution would come out and save me. After that last time I figured there’s got to be something down there…I’ve got to try it. I’m going to try to keep racing longer than Paul and cut into that 49 wins he’s got,” remarked Miller beside his Reedtown Tavern, Fostoria Mod Shop, Sloopy’s Pizza, Phil Ritser Racing, Smitty’s Pizza, York Carpet, Crown Battery, Schriner Farms backed #26.

DeVault and Reed brought the field to green for the 30 lap 410 sprint feature with DeVault gaining the advantage over Henry, Reed, Chad Kemenah and Tim Shaffer. While battling for the lead on the second circuit, DeVault spun and on the ensuing restart Brian Lay and Caleb Griffith tangled with Lay taking a nasty flip on the front stretch; he was uninjured. On the restart Henry pulled away slightly as Reed and Kemenah battled for second.

Henry maintained about a five car length advantage over Reed while Kemenah ran comfortably in third with Shaffer battling with last week’s winner Stuart Brubaker for fourth. The leaders raced into heavy lapped traffic by the 13th circuit but Henry had little problems navigating through while Reed and Kemenah gave chase. At the halfway point the top three remained unchanged but the race for fourth was heating up between Brubaker, Travis Philo and Shaffer.

As the laps ticked off – after the lap two caution and red the race went caution free the rest of the way – Henry seemed to have things well in hand. But, with seven laps to go a pair of lapped cars were racing side by side in front of Henry and Reed and Kemenah closed. Once he was able to work past the lappers, Henry had a clear track the final three circuits to score the win over Reed, Kemenah, Brubaker and Shaffer.

Matt Irey and Tim Sabo comprised the front row of the late model 25 lap feature and when the green flew Irey blasted into the lead. But a caution involving three cars after one lap was scored bunched up the field. When the green flew Irey had his hands full with Devin Shiels while Markham sat comfortably in third. Shiels mounted a challenge of the lead on lap nine but Irey maintained his composure to continue to lead. With seven laps to go Shiels was putting tremendous pressure on Irey as they raced into traffic. Irey got into a lapped car which gave Shiels the opportunity to grab the lead on lap 21.

Shiels and Irey ran side by side and nose to tail while Markham sat back about a half a straight away from the lead duo. Then a caution flew on lap 22. When the green flew Markham jumped to the cushion while Shiels and Irey stuck to the bottom. Markham took second on lap 23 and was side by side with Shiels as they raced to the white flag. Markham road the cushion to perfection and stole the lead coming to the checkers. Shiels, Irey, Larry Bellman and Sabo rounded out the top five.

The start of the 25 lap 305 sprint feature saw pole-sitter Kyle Capodice jump in to the lead over Miller, Brandon Moore, Weaver and Steve Rando. A multi-car incident after a a lap was scored gave Miller the opportunity to jump up to the cushion and grab the lead on the restart. Weaver drove into second on lap five and closed on Miller. A caution on lap nine just as Miller and Weaver were driving into heavy lapped traffic gave them a clear track.

Miller again drove away on the restart with Weaver, Steve Rando, Capodice and Brandon Moore in pursuit. Just as Weaver executed a slider to take the lead on lap 16, a caution would hand the top spot back to Miller. Miller didn’t waste the second chance and held off Weaver for the win with Rando, Capodice and Luke Griffith rounding out the top five.

Attica Raceway Park plans to be back in action Friday, June 19. 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.
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Brubaker, Arntz, Schneider score wins to open up racing at Attica
Saturday, June 6, 2020
Contact: Brian Liskai
[email protected]

By Brian Liskai

ATTICA, Ohio (Friday, June 5, 2020) – Fremont, Ohio’s Stuart Brubaker ventured west a few weeks ago to race his 410 sprint car because Ohio’s rules would not let tracks open. While he didn’t bring home a victory, he did bring back knowledge to help him go faster. It paid off in a big way Friday, June 5 as Attica Raceway Park opened for the 2020 season to a packed pits but no fans. Brubaker, the track’s 2018 champion, held off several challenges early from Caleb Griffith late in the race from Trey Jacobs to score his eighth career victory on Integrity Auto and Truck Sales Night.

“Lapped traffic was difficult. We had this thing full of fuel and it would get into the corner and dirty air and it wanted to shove across. I saw Caleb coming and I had to sit back up in the seat and work. I have to thank Chad and Ron and my girlfriend Teresa and Benji and all these guys and all my sponsors. We went out west and didn’t have a bad showing but we definitely learned a lot on the car and came back here and applied that and here we are,” said Brubaker beside his Dave Story Equipment, SRM Construction, KS Sales and Service, Pit Stop Convenience Stores, Gary Holland Trucking, Phillips Electric, Gressman Powersports, Speedways Bar and Grill backed #35.

It was “checkers or wreckers” for Logan Arntz in the late model feature. The Vestaburg, Mich. driver battled with former Attica champion Matt Irey the last half of the feature and the two were door to door coming to the checkers with Arntz claiming his first career track feature win by .049 seconds.

“I saw the number 36 behind me on the scoreboard on that second restart (with five laps to go) and I knew I would have my hands full. We don’t get to race here much but I always enjoy the competition here. This is just awesome to get my first win at Attica,” said Artnz beside his Nickerson Trucking, Jimmy Shock, Vic Hill Racing Engines, No Limit Karts and Parts, Accu Force Dynos and Testers, Fisk Trucking, Mid States Hydrolics and Equipment backed 21N.

Fremont Ohio’s Seth Schneider avoided near disaster to score his first ever 305 sprint feature win at Attica, leading all 25 laps.

“We finally got the monkey off our backs. The track was difficult…you had to pick your line carefully. It about bit me in turn two and I had to adjust. Scott Gressman builds a hell of a motor and we switched to Mach 1 Chassis and it has made a world of difference,” said Schneider beside his Commercial Glazing Systems, Professional Grooming, Patriot Pet Supply, Steam Solutions Carpet Cleaning, CA Kustoms, Slade Shocks backed #36.

Dylan Kingan and Brubaker brought the field to green for the 30 lap Callies Performance Center 410 Sprint A-main with Brubaker gaining the advantage over Griffith, Kingan, Ryan Ruhl and Buddy Kofoid. Brubaker quickly found the tail of the field by lap eight and Griffith pounced, sliding into the lead on lap nine with Brubaker returning the favor a lap later as the duo sliced through lapped cars. A caution on lap 11 gave Brubaker a clear track and he was able to pull away slightly as Griffith now had his hands full with eighth starter Trey Jacobs. Jacobs took the runner up spot on lap 15 just as lapped traffic would come into play again.

Another caution on lap 23 allowed Brubaker to maintain his slight advantage as he executed perfect restarts. With four laps to go Brubaker pulled away as Jacobs tried to hold off Griffith. The battle for second was swapped several times over the last four laps. Brubaker pulled away for the win over Jacobs, Griffith, Kofoid and Brandon Spithaler.

In the 25 lap Propane.com/Dirt Nerds Podcast Late Model feature, pole-sitter Mike Bores jumped into the early lead over Brett Bee, fifth starter Arntz and Eric Spangler. Bee went to the pits with issues on lap three, handing second to Arntz who immediately closed on Bores, grabbing the lead on lap five. By lap 11 the leaders were in heavy lapped traffic and Irey, who started ninth, quickly closed while Travis Stemler moved into fourth.

A rash of cautions with five laps to go bunched up the field. Irey was able to lead at the white flag by a nose only to see Arntz fight back and take the narrow win. Stemler, Doug Drown and Devin Shiels would round out the top five.

Schneider and defending track champion Jamie Miller brought the field to green for the 25 lap Fremont Fence 305 Sprint feature. Schneider pulled away in the early laps as Miller had to battle Paul Weaver and Kyle Peters to maintain second. However, Weaver would soon retire to the pits as Schneider raced into lapped traffic by lap eight. Disaster nearly struck for Miller on lap 13 as he made heavy contact with infield tires but he was able to keep rolling.

A rash of race stoppages came at the half way mark, keeping Schneider in clean air. MIller’s night came to a halt on lap 15 as he caught a rut and took a tumble. That moved Jimmy McGrath Jr. into second with a charging Steve Rando in third. Schneider was able to avoid issues and drove to an easy win over McGrath, Steve Rando, Peters and Luke Griffith.

It is not sure if Attica Raceway Park will abe in action on June 12 but fans are encouraged to keep an eye on the track’s social media pages and at www.atticaracewaypark.com for developing news and information.
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.

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