McMahan capitalizes on leaders misfortunes to capture Ohio Sprint Speedweek opener at Attica
Friday, June 15, 2018
Contact: Brian Liskai
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By Brian Liskai

ATTICA, Ohio – A week ago Paul McMahan ended a 16-year drought with the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobile 1 with a win in New York. The veteran driver from Nashville,Tennessee capitalized on the misfortune of early race leaders Kyle Larson and Aaron Reutzel to score his first ever win at Attica Raceway Park on Friday, June 15 to open up the 36th Annual Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by C&R Racing.

Early on it looked like NASCAR star Larson would drive to dominating win, but he smacked the front stretch wall with 22 laps to go, ending his night. McMahan and Reutzel would battle hard for the top spot until Reutzel also hit the front stretch wall while leading on lap 25. McMahan utilized the bottom groove in the Tom Buch owned machine, Apex Structured, FK Rod Ends, DMI, HP Engines sponsored #13 to hold the top spot when Reutzel’s mount went up in smoke to bring out the caution with 11 laps to go. McMahan now had to hold off Kasey Kahne, but he too found the turn 4 cushion treacherous, hitting the front stretch wall and nearly flipping with five laps to go. Kahne was able to keep rolling but had lost a couple of positions. McMahan had no problems with the bottom lane and drove to a nearly three second win over eight time Attica champion Byron Reed and Jac Haudenschild.

“I’ve run second here several times. It’s a very special place here at Attica. I’ve known Rex (LeJeune, director of operations) for many many years when he was an official with the Gum Out Series and we’ve become really good friends. He’s done a fantastic job here…look at this crowd…thank you for coming out and supporting us. If it wasn’t for you guys supporting us we couldn’t do what we love to do and race and get paid to do it. Man, Sean and Kurt and Danny…they bust their butts all night long. We brought Bobby in from Arizona to help us out through this grueling week. Tom Buch he is missing out…he hasn’t come to a race yet. I think this is the first time Tom has won in Ohio. The 13 car has won in New York three times but no where else,” McMahan said of his fifth career All Star win. Continue reading