Missler defends home sturf to nab American Ethanol Late Model Series win
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 10, 2019
Contact: Brian Liskai
By Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio – Ryan Missler defended the home turf Friday, May 10 at Attica Raceway Park. The Bellevue, Ohio driver – a five time Attica track champion – scored the biggest win of his career, besting the American Ethanol Late Model Tour to nab the $4,000 payday in the Buckeye 40 on Stillwater Metal/Bazell Race Fuels Night.
Missler battled with Doug Drown early in the 40-lap affair and then had to deal with Greg Satterlee as well later on. With 14 laps to go, Missler used lapped cars to his advantage and charged from third to first and drove to his 14th career victory at Attica, placing him in a three way tie for third on the track’s all-time win list for the UMP late models.
“After the restart (on lap 13) I thought oh crap the car isn’t firing the way it was before. But as the laps went on the car kept getting better and better and better and I was so comfortable in that thing…it was awesome. The car just picked where it wanted to go and it was good any where I wanted to put it. I have to thank all my guys. Matt Carmody for putting this thing together…it’s his birthday and his wife’s birthday on the same day…how about that for a present? This is the biggest race I’ve ever won. We’ve only ever won a $2,000 to win race. We defended our home turf,” said Missler beside his Handy Grafix, Rick Delong Racecars, Keizer Wheels, Wilson’s Barber Shop, NAPA of Bryan, King Industrial Supply, Terry McConnel Excavating, Accuforce Shocks, 3D Racing, Missler Sweets backed #50.
Indiana, Pennsylvania’s Satterlee would hold off Drown for the runner-up finish, though blaming himself for “making too many mistakes.”
“Drown and Missler were both really good. I just made too many mistakes. Drown pushed off the corner there once and needed to take advantage and had made a bad corner myself and I let him get back by me. I got to where I was hanging at the end and just couldn’t go near as hard as I could the first 25 laps. It’s a step in the right direction. We haven’t had a real good season so far. It was a lot of fun and and an awesome race track tonight,” said Satterlee.
Drown, from nearby Wooster, Ohio, came home third. “I just cruised too long. I was looking over my shoulder and saw them and they were down on the bottom and normally on the bottom you will wear out a tire so I was just cruising. Ryan had a good car and could manuever anywhere,” said Drown.
Sandusky, Ohio’s Kyle Capodice was in the right place at the right time to capitalize when early race contenders suffered mechanical woes in the Fremont Fence 305 sprint feature. For much of the 25 laps main event it looked like the race woud come down to Jamie Miller or Kyle Peters but first Peters retired with mechanical problems and then Miller suffered the same fate with just six laps remaining and Capodice drove to the win, the fourth of his career at Attica.
“We were better on the long runs and I just really wanted to win. We went through a drought last year and I can’t thank Franlin Sanitation, Greber Racing Components, Barnes Nursery, Fred Wolf, Rob Butts and Lynette Lawless, Burns Electric, my fiancee Kylie, my Dad and Tyler Crump who isn’t here tonight because he just became a dad,” said Capodice.
Fostoria, Ohio’s Shawn Valenti knows a great race vehicle when he drives one and his dirt truck was unstoppable at Attica as he drove to a dominating feature win, the 16th of his career in the division at the track.
“This truck has 50 some wins. I’m not sure what makes it so good. It’s unbelieveable it’s able to keep doing what it’s doing,” said Valenti beside his Best Performance Motorsports, A Plus Auto Center, Craig Miller Trucking, KS Sales & Service, Gressman Powersports backed #7B.
Drown and Missler brougth the field to green for the 40 laps American Ethanol Late Model Tour main event with Drown gaining the advantage over Missler, Steve Kester, Zach Dohm, David Mielke, Ryan Markham and Devin Shiels. While Drown and Missler pulled away, a tremendous battle ensued involving Kester, Shiels and Dohm. Shiels was able to take the third spot on lap four and closed on Drown and Missler while Dohm now had his hands full with Satterlee.
Just as Drown was struggling to put several cars a lap down, the only caution of the feature fly for a Chad Finley spin on lap 13 just after Satterlee had worked his way into third. On the restart, Drown, Missler and Satterlee had the crowd on their feet as the trio put on a whale of a show. Satterlee was able to take second a lap later but Missler continued to apply pressure. Things settled down somewhat over the next hand full of laps as Drown, Satterlee and Missler ran nose to tail with Shiels locked in a battle with Markham for fourth. However, at the half-way point Satterlee began applying pressure to Drown with Missler closing five laps later.
As the leaders raced into lapped traffic, Missler made his move, driving around both Satterlee and Drown to take the lead exiting turn two. Missler was able to drive any where on the racing surface and pulled away as Satterlee and Drown battled for second with Shiels and defending AELMT champion Brandon Thirlby who had stormed from his 11th starting spot, battling for fourth. As the white flag flew Missler had only a one car length advantage as Satterlee, Drown and Thirlby battled hard for second. Missler got through traffic and took the win over Satterlee, Drown, Thirlby and Shiels.
In the 25 lap 305 sprint A-main opening night winner Kyle Peters and former track champion Jamie Miller brought the field to green with Miller and Peters quickly establishing themselves as the cars to beet with Capodice battling with John Ivy and Paul Weaver for third. A caution flew when Kevin Mingus and Shawn Valenti came to a stop on the speedway on lap four. When the green flew Miller pulled away slightly from Peters with Capodice holding the advantage over Weaver, Ivy and Tyler Street for third. Jerry Dahms tipped over on lap 10 just as the leaders were racing into lapped traffic.
When the green flew again Miller used the clean air to pull away as Peters drove into the infield with mechanical issues handing second to Capodice as Street moved into third. Miller found lapped traffic with eight laps to go but seemed headed to the win. But disaster struck for Miller on lap 19 as he pulled to the pits putting Capodice into the lead. Capodice hit his marks perfectly to take the win over a closing Street with Weaver, Ivy and Brandon Moore rounding out the top five.
The 15 lap dirt truck feature saw outside front row starter Cory McCaughey jump into the early lead with Valenti, Brad Stuckey and Jimmy McGrath Jr. staying close. Valenti drove to the outside of McCaughey to take the lead on lap three and the only thing that slowed his march to victory lane was a couple of cautions with three laps to go. While Valenti drove away, the battle for second was very entertaining the entire feature involving McCaughey, McGrath, Stuckey and John Brooks. When the dust settled Valenti had the win with McCaughey earning second over Brooks, McGrath and Stuckey.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, May 17 for the Eric Phillips 31st Anniversary Classic presented by American Powersports of Findlay and Sandusky and AmeriGas. The Kistler Racing Products/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Attica Fremont Championship Series Presented by the Baumann Auto Group for the 410 sprints will pay $4,000 to win while the KS Sales & Service AFCS Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales for the 305 sprints will pay $1,000 to win thanks to Gressman Powersports. The Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models will also be in action as part of the Attica/Wayne County Speedway Late Model Series Challenge.
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