July 5th 2019 Results

Reed holds off Schuerenberg for AFCS 410 win at Attica; Drown gets late race pass for late model victory; Miller dominates AFCS 305 feature

Friday, July 5, 2019

Contact: Brian Liskai

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By Brian Liskai

ATTICA, OH. – Byron Reed hasn’t raced a lot in 2019 but the veteran sprint car driver still knows his way around Attica Raceway Park. Reed, an eight time track champion, held off a charging Hunter Schuerenberg to score his second 410 sprint car win of the year Friday on Sutton Bank/Craig Miller Trucking/Burns Electric Night.

 

The victory was the 41st of Reed’s career at Attica, as he inches closer to the Callie’s Performance Product 410 Sprint Car division’s all-time feature win top spot held by Mark Keegan who has 56 checkers.

 

A solid third place finish for Cap Henry puts him closer to Buddy Kofoid in the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series (AFCS) Presented by the Baumann Auto Group standings.

 

In an exciting Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Model feature Wooster, Ohio’s Doug Drown took the lead with just four laps to go after a spirited battle with Matt Irey and Ryan Missler and went on to earn his third victory of the season at Attica. The 25-lap green to checker feature took just seven minutes to complete. Drown’s victory is the 27th of his career at the track as he sits atop the division all-time win list.

 

A week ago former Fremont Fence 305 Sprint track champion Jamie Miller was struggling after having a phenomenal year in 2018. The team took the car to a Tony Beaber’s chassis repair shop and Miller went on to score the win last Saturday at Fremont Speedway. The competition better take note, as Miller is again on a hot streak as he dominated the non-stop feature at Attica Friday, lapping up to 10th place and winning by 7.5 seconds. Miller now has 20 career victories at Attica Raceway Park, placing him fifth on the division’s all-time win list.

 

The win puts Miller back in the thick of things in the KS Sales & Service AFCS Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales points battle for the 305 sprints.

 

For Reed, it was only his fifth race of the season at Attica and while the final finish shows he led all 30 laps of the 410 sprint feature, He withstood early challenges from Buddy Kofoid and the last six laps from a surging Schuerenberg for the victory.

 

“I’m not usually a top groove type guy for a long period of time like that. But watching the B-main I felt like that’s where you had to be. Every year you get a little bit older and you think ‘can I still do this.’ Young guys come in and they’re really fast…confidence means a lot and mine hasn’t been real good lately. This is one of my more satisfying wins. I want to thank Paul Kistler of Kistler Engines and Crown Battery and I had a new shock on from Doug Berryman…I felt like that might have made a difference in trying to run the top. Also, I know Rick Susong passed away recently…I’ve known the guy for 30 years so it’s sad to hear that,” said Reed.

 

The late model feature saw Ryan Missler lead the first 14 laps before a lapped car held him up and Matt Irey took the point for six laps until 11th starter Drown, working the bottom groove, took over the final four laps.

 

“It was a dog fight. That was a pumped up race. Normally I don’t go to the bottom but this car was just digging. The guys talked me into it. Tonight we had a really fast hot rod and I could go any where. Running up top early in the race showed me you had to peddle the car. I hink that’s where a lot of guys were gassing it up too much and just spinning a little bit so I was just trying to peddle the car and really it hooked up. But a great job by the track crew tonight,” said Drown beside his 89 Homes/Ely Road Reel/ABR Farms/Wooster Glass/Kar Konnection/Hoosier Racing Tires/Black Diamond Chassis/AccuForce backed machine.Miller jumped into the lead from the drop of the green in the 305 A-main and never looked back. In fact, at one time his lead was over nine seconds or nearly three-quarters of a lap ahead of the competition.

 

“The car is really working good…I was pretty hooked up. I have to thank Tony Beaber for the chassis fix and everyone who worked on this thing tonight. It’s back to it’s old self so I hope to be on the horse track a lot more,” said Miller beside his Sonic Hauling/Pen Monster.com/Brad’s Barbecue/Napa of Attica/Avon by Angie/Griff’s Engines/Color Street by Jaime Hennig/Reedtown Tavern/Fostoria Mod Shop/York Carpet Outlet/Crown Battery/Branham Builders/Imprint Logo/Phil Rister Racing backed #26.

 

Reed and Kofoid brought the field to green for the 30-lap 410 sprint feature but a multi-car incident involving Jess Stiger, Ryan Broughton and Travis Philo necessitated another attempt. On the second try, Caleb Griffith stopped in turn two and last week’s winner Chris Andrews spun in turn three. On the third try Reed bolted into the lead over Kofoid, Cap Henry, Nate Dussel, DJ Foos and Hunter Schuerenberg.

 

Kofoid stayed glued to Reed’s rear bumper while Henry ran comfortably in third with a great battle for fourth involving Dussel, Foos and Schuerenberg. Kofoid was battling with Reed for the lead on lap nine, when he spun off of turn four, handing second to Henry. On the restart Danny Mumaw and Brock Martin tangled but when the green flew again the race would go to it’s conclusion without another stoppage.

 

Reed pulled away on the restart with Henry working to stay within striking distance while Foos and Schuerenberg battled for third with the later taking the spot on lap 12. At the half way point Reed held a commanding lead over Henry, Schuerenberg, Foos and Dussel. With 10 laps to go all eyes were on Schuerenberg who found the top side of the track to his liking as he took second on lap 24 and closed quickly on Reed who was into heavy lapped traffic.

 

Reed made the move of the race with three laps to go, splitting two lapped cars as Schuerenberg was right on his bumper. Reed was able to hit his marks perfectly the final three laps and took the close win over Schuerenberg, Henry, Foos and Dussel.

 

Matt Irey and Ryan Missler brought the field to green for the non-stop late model feature that took only seven minutes to complete the 25 laps. Missler grabbed the early lead over Irey with Anthony Kinkade, Kent Brewer and Casey Noonan in pursuit. Missler steadily pulled away from Irey but a costly bobble on the cushion in turn two on lap five allowed Irey to pull even with the leader. Meanwhile 11th starter Drown had worked his way to sixth .

 

Missler worked his way into lapped traffic by the 11th circuit with Irey fending off challenges from Devin Shiels for second with Drown moving into fourth. With 10 laps to go Irey drove around Missler who made contact with a lapped car while Shiels and Drown continued fighting for third. With six laps to go it was now a three car battle for the lead involving Irey, Drown and Missler. Drown took a narrow lead on lap 21 with Irey and Missler driving to his outside.

 

Drown pulled away slightly the final three laps to edge out Irey, Missler and Shiels as top four could be covered by a blanket coming to the checkers. Last week’s winner Ryan Markham rounded out the top five

 

The 25 lap 305 feature was essentially over at the drop of the green flag as it too went green to checkers in seven minutes. But, while Miller was pulling away from the field, a tremendous battle ensued the entire 25 laps for second with Jimmy McGrath Jr. holding on for the first 14 laps before surrendering it to Paul Weaver. Bobby Clark took third from McGrath on lap 18 and closed on Weaver.

 

Miller got hung up trying to lap the 10th place car and his lead at the checkers dropped from nearly 10 seconds to 7.5. Weaver, Clark, McGrath and Steve Rando rounded out the top five.

 

Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, July 12for Croghan Colonial Bank/Smith Family Foods Night featuring the AFCS 410 and 305 sprints and dirt trucks.

 

For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.comor follow the track on Twitter @atticaracewyprk or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atticaracewaypark and Instagram at attica_raceway_park.

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June 28th 2019 Results

Andrews Gets Late Race AFCS 410 Victory at Attica; Markham Earns Late Model Win; Harble Scores 1st 305 Win

By Brian Liskai
 
Attica, Ohio – Chris Andrews knew he had to switch something up in order to wrestle the lead away from Cale Conley Friday at Attica Raceway Park. Andrews, a two-time Attica 410 track champion, searched around on the track and found something in the middle and took the lead from Conley with two laps to go and went on to score his eighth career win at Attica on Kear’s Speed Shop/Carpenters’ Union 744 Night.
 
Attica’s defending Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Model track champion Ryan Markham held off Doug Drown to score his 15th career win at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant. Markham, from Ashland, Ohio, now sits alone in third on the track’s all-time late model win list.
 
Newark, Ohio’s Mitch Harble has run 410 sprint cars the majority of his driving career. A deal was struck Thursday night for Harble to drive Matt Russel’s 305 sprint car and it paid off. Harble led all 25 non-stop laps to score his first ever Attica win.
 
In the Callie’s Performance Products 410 Sprint feature, Conley, who scored Attica’s opening season win, bolted into the lead and but Andrews, from Sandusky, Ohio, began searching the track’s surface and found grip in the middle of turns three and four and raced under Conley late before executing a slider in his Mackey Motorsports machine in turns one and two with two laps to go.
 
“Cale got me opening night and he was not going to get me again. The one thing I couldn’t do was keep following him because of the dirty air. I started moving to the middle in one and two and running bottom of three and four and I could get to him but I just couldn’t seal the deal. I saw five to go and I knew I had to do something different. I just sailed it in there…that cushion was pretty sketchy. The car was good. Duane and Ken Mackey put us in some good stuff. Glen wrenching on this thing and Doug Berryman with the shocks…this thing is hooked up,” said Andrews beside his Kistler Racing Products/Scotty’s Body Shop/Griewahn’s Concrete/Design Graphics Group backed machine.
 
The point standings in the $10,000 to win All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series Presented by the Baumann Auto Group will get a big shake-up following the 410 feature Friday as the series heads to Fremont Speedway Saturday, June 29. Also, Kear’s Speed Shop celebrating their 50th anniversary, handed out over $10,000 worth of manufacturer products to the race teams at Attica.
 
Markham had to survive several restarts with Drown, who has two wins on the season at Attica, right on his rear bumper. Markham was an expert handling a very thin cushion in turn two to score his first victory of the season.
 
“We’ve been starting at the back all year and working our way to the front. Luckily tonight we got a good starting spot…the competition here every week is just stellar and sometimes you start back there in 10th and it’s a tough deal. It was good to have some clean track tonight. I kept getting a push in one and two but if your pushing that means the rear tires are hooked up and you’re not spinning. Toward the end I got up on the wheel a little more and made sure I didn’t make a mistake,” said Markham beside his Harriger Towing/Matco Tools/Kingdoms Cup Coffee/The Beer Barrel/Accuforce/Innovative Graphics/Hickory Hollow Concrete backed machine.
 
In the non-stop 25 lap Fremont Fence 305 Sprint feature, Harble grabbed the early lead, nearly gave up the point in heavy lapped traffic and survived a bobble on the cushion in turns three and four late in the race to earn his first ever Attica win.
 
“We put this deal together at about 10 last night….it feels unbelievable to finally be on the horse track at Attica. We’ve been trying to get here for 15 years. I have to thank my mom and dad, Matt Russell, Ryan Prosser and everyone on this team,” said Harble about his Cassandra Mayer Attorney/The Holden Agency/Tim’s Mid-Ohio Home Improvement/Shag-A-Lees/Tru Form Eyewear/Russell’s Property Maintenance/Ace Auto Performance backed #25.
 
Conley and Andrews brought the field to green for the 30-lap 410 sprint feature but Nate Dussel spun on the start, collecting DJ Foos, Hunter Schuerenberg, Jess Stiger and Buddy Kofoid.On the second attempt at green, Conley rocketed into the lead over Andrews while Trey Jacobs and Chad Kemenah battled for third.
 
On lap five Dussel and Travis Philo would bring out the caution, wiping out Conley’s lead over Andrews, Kemenah, Jacobs, Brian Lay and TJ Michael. On the restart Conley, Andrews and Kemenah pulled away while Jacobs and Michael battled for fourth with Lay and Tyler Gunn staying within striking distance. A debris caution at the half-way point saw the running order Conley, Andrews, Kemenah Jacobs, Michael, Gunn, Lay, Stuart Brubaker and Max Stambaugh.
 
With 10 laps to go, Andrews had moved his line and was closing on Conley while Kemenah, Jacobs, Michael, Lay and Stambaugh gave chase. With five laps to go it was a great three car battle for the lead between Conley, Andrews and Kemenah. Kemenah would slide off the track in turn two a lap later but came back on still in third while Conley and Andrews raced side by side for the lead. Andrews through a slider on Conley in turns one and two with two laps to go and made it stick to take the lead.
 
Andrews drove to the victory over Conley, Kemenah, Lay and Jacobs.
 
Steve Kester and Markham led the late model field to green for their 25 lap feature with Kester grabbing the point over Markham, Drown, Mitch Caskey and Jeff Warnick. Markham drove the high line into the lead on lap two just before the caution came out for a Warnick spin which collected Bob Mayer. The early part of the feature had three cautions in the first five laps, slowing the pace. When the green came out for a restart on lap six, Markham had to fend off Drown while Kester and Dan Wallace battled for third.
 
While Markham and Drown ran nose to tail up front and Kester and Wallace battled for third, an entertaining race ensued for fifth involving Caskey, Jeff Geis, Matt Irey and Casey Noonan. A caution for debris with 10 laps to go bunched the field up and once again Markham was able to hold off Drown with Kester and Wallace resuming their battle for third but now joined by Irey. A final caution for a Nate Potts spin on lap 17 gave Drown one last shot at Markham. But, Markham didn’t make a mistake and drove to the win over Drown, Kester, Irey and Wallace.
 
The 305 A-main got off to a rough start as outside front row starter Luke Griffith got upside down as the field started to assemble. When the green flew, pole-sitter Harble bolted into the lead with Kyle Peters, who owns a victory at Attica this season, falling back into second with Jason Keckler, Jamie Miller, Paul Weaver and Zeth Sabo in pursuit. Miller took third on the second lap with Weaver moving into fourth.
 
Harble began to pull away from Peters while Miller and Weaver fought for third with Tyler Street, Kyle Capodice and Keckler giving chase. Harble ran into heavy lapped traffic by lap 11 and that allowed Peters to close to within a car length while Weaver moved into third. Weaver, who also owns a win this year at Attica, used lapped cars to take second on lap 14. Harble bobbled just once on the cushion in turns three and four with four laps to go but was able to maintain the lead.
 
Harble took the checkers in the non-stop race over Weaver, Peters, Miller and Capodice.
 
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, July 5 on Burns Electric/Sutton Bank/Craig Miller Trucking Fan Appreciation Night which features $10 general admission ticket prices along with $1 hot dogs and 50 cent popcorn. The AFCS 410 and 305 sprints and late models will be in action and following hot laps fans will be allowed to visit the teams in the pits prior to the night’s racing getting under way.
 
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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