Philo gets 410 Attica win, Foos earns championship; Miller wins 5th straight 305 feature and track title, Valenti gets close truck win
Friday, Aug. 23, 2019
Contact: Brian Liskai – [email protected]

By Brian Liskai

ATTICA, Ohio – Travis Philo has been very close all season to getting a 410 sprint win at Attica Raceway Park. The Waterville, Ohio driver held off several challenges to score the victory on Kistler Racing Products/Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating presents the Mark Keegan Classic Season Championship Night.

One of those challenges was from Chris Andrews who was vying for his third track championship. Andrews seemed to have the title in hand running second but with just three laps to go the rear-end broke, moving DJ Foos into second. Foos, the track’s 2010 305 sprint champion, was able to capitalize and his runner-up finish earned him his first 410 Attica Raceway Park championship.

“I about gave that one away there on that one restart…I kind of took off late. I thought Chris (Andrews) was going to get us there but I was able to pass him back and kind of slid him late and drive back around him. I was kind of glad to see him sitting there on the back stretch because he was a threat there late. We had a good car all night. My dad and Keith Cramer gave me really good car. My buddy Logan from work and a couple of other buddies were here for the first time so that was pretty cool,” said Philo of his fifth career Attica win and his second straight year winning the championship night feature.

Philo also took the blame for a crash with Cap Henry the previous week as they battled for second at Attica. “Last week…that was completely my fault. I ran over Cap. I’ve apologized to him and to Brett Lane. I just want to thank all those people who talk on that crap on the internet but can’t say anything to my face. I want to thank all the haters…it just gives me motivation,” added Philo beside his Interior Supply/Control Design Solutions/Columbus Equipment Company/Banshee Graphics/Tire Slick/Classic Ink USA/Kistler Engines/Kistler Racing Products/Berryman Racing Shocks backed machine.

“The friend in me as I drove by Chris was ‘damn dude that sucks…you have this championship won’ but the racer in me that won this championship was like ‘hell yeah we got it done.’ I started running the bottom because I couldn’t pass them running with them up top. Everything worked out for us. Congrats to Travis. I’m happy to get this Burmesiter team a championship. They deserve this. I’m hoping to get the triple crown (Attica Fremont Championship Series and Fremont Speedway). I had that FAST championship and that was pretty cool but I really, really want to sweep this deal. I can’t thank them enough. Last year at this time I didn’t know if I was going to race. To be able to put a championship together with a great group of guys is pretty awesome…pretty spectacular where we’ve been able to do this year,” said Foos.

Fremont, Ohio’s Jamie Miller held off a couple of challenges from second year driver Mike Keegan to score his fifth straight Fremont Fence 305 Sprint win to lock up his second Attica championship. It was his 24th career 305 win at Attica, placing him third on the division’s all-time win list, just one away from Mike Linder. Miller, the 2005 Attica 305 track champion, celebrated the win and the championship on his 44th birthday!

“Once we started winning here we just kept winning. We didn’t want to go quite as far with the car this week…we were kind of conservative. I wish we would have went further. I saw Mike under me and I thought ‘man I better get my shit together.’ I was worried about those lapped car racing in front of me and they were throwing all that loose stuff up there and I couldn’t see the cushion and I was kind of driving blind. Then I saw that orange nose wing and I knew I had to get it together and then that caution came out and that kind of saved me,” said Miller beside his Pen Monster.com/Sonic Hauling/Brad’s Barbecue/Napa of Attica/Avon by Angie/Griff’s Engines/Color Street by Jaime Henning/Reedtown Tavern/Fostoria Mod Shop/York Carpet Outlet/Crown Battery/Branham Builders/Imprint Logo/Phil Rister Racing backed machine.

Fostoria, Ohio’s Shawn Valenti battled the last six laps of the dirt truck feature side by side with Kent Brewer before taking the lead by a bumper at the white flag and holding off Brewer by inches for his third victory of the year and 18th of his career at Attica.

“I know Kent was trying just as hard as I was trying and he raced me clean and that’s all you can ask for. I thought I was going to stuff it into the front stretch wall here…I think I actually hit it once. I was trying to use it all up there a couple of laps then I switched it up and went to the bottom but wasn’t making any time,” said Valenti beside his Babcock Racing/A Plus Auto Center/Craig Miller Trucking/Best Performance Motorsports/Speedways Bar and Grill/KS Sales and Service/Real Geese Decoys/Gressman Powers backed #7B.

In the 30 lap Callie’s Performance Products 410 sprint feature Philo and Foos brought the field to green with Philo gaining the advantage as sixth starter Andrews jumped to the cushion and drove into second with Trey Jacobs, Craig Mintz, Foos and Cap Henry in pursuit. Philo pulled away slightly from Andrews as Jacobs and Mintz battled for third with Mintz taking the spot on lap four. While battling for fourth, Jacobs and Henry tangled with Henry tumbling off turn three. Though it was his second flip in two weeks battling for position, Henry was not injured.

The restart order was Philo, Andrews, Mintz, Foos, Caleb Griffith and Max Stambaugh. When the green flew Philo again pulled away as Andrews settled into second. With 10 laps scored, the leaders were preparing to encounter heavy lapped traffic and Andrews chopped into Philo’s lead. Bradley Ashford sopped on the track with 12 laps scored, giving Philo a clear track. On the restart Buddy Kofoid came to a stop with brakes issues.

This time on the restart Andrews was able to get a run on Philo and took the lead on lap 13 but Philo returned the favor in turns one and two to retake command of the race. After several laps of an intense battle for third, Foos took the position on lap 17 just before the caution came out for RJ Jacobs. Philo used the clear track to once again pull away slightly from Andrews with Foos now applying pressure for second with Mintz, Nate Dussel, Griffith and TJ Michael in pursuit.

With 10 laps to go Philo’s lead was 1.3 seconds over Andrews but lapped traffic with six laps to go allowed Andrews to close quickly and chop that lead in half. However, Andrews’ championship run came to an end with three laps to go as he coasted to a stop on the back stretch. With a clear track once again, Philo drove away for the win over Foos, Mintz, Griffith and Dussel.

Mike Keegan and Miller brought the field to green for the 25 lap 305 sprint feature with Miller grabbing the lead over Keegan, John Ivy, Steve Rando, Kody Brewer, Zeth Sabo, Shawn Valenti and Ricky Peterson. Miller could not shake Keegan who stayed within a couple of car lengths while Ivy and Rando battled hard for third and a terrific six car battle ensuing for fifth involving Sabo, Brewer, Tyler Street, Peterson and Paul Weaver.

Justin Adams spun on lap nine but when the green flew Miller and Keegan pulled away from the Ivy and Rando duel. Another caution on lap 11 for Kyle Peters kept the field close. When the green flew Miller was able to open up a 1.4 second lead with 10 laps remaining but heavy lapped traffic came into play and Keegan closed rapidly, even sticking a nose under Miller just before the caution flew for fifth place running Paul Weaver.

With a clear track Miller was able to pull away the final six laps for the win over Keegan, Ivy, Rando and Street.

The 15 lap dirt truck feature was action-packed with Jeff Ward grabbing the early lead over Dan Hennig, John Brooks, Kent Brewer and Valenti. Brewer was able to take second on lap three and when Ward got a bit sideways in turn four two laps later Brewer capitalized as Brooks challenged. Brewer and Brooks ran side by side for three laps with Valenti joining the fun just past the half-way point. Those three waged war over three laps before Brewer and Valenti were able to separate somewhat.

With three laps to go Valenti got into the turn four cushion and nearly into the front stretch wall as he battled with Brewer. Valenti was able to get a run to take the lead at the white flag by a front bumper. Brewer did not give up as the pair raced side by side through turns one and two and down the back stretch for the final lap. Coming the checkers they were door to door with Valenti winning by a front bumper. Brooks, Daniel Roepke and Henning rounded out the top five.

Attica Raceway Park will wrap up the 2019 season with the Attica Ambush featuring the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions Presented by Mobil 1 for the 31st Annual Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic Presented by Racing Optics on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30 and 31. Friday’s event will feature the All Stars and championship night for the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models featuring double points and $2,000 to win the feature event. Saturday the All Stars will battle for a $10,000 payday with the 305 sprint racing for $1,000 to win.

For more information go to 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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