From Brian Liskai, image courtesy of Mike Campbell
ATTICA, Ohio – While finishing second in the points at two Northwest Ohio tracks in 2009 might be a career for some 410 sprint drivers, for Monclova, Ohio’s Byron Reed, it was a disappointing season that saw him find victory lane only once. Reed rededicated himself in the off-season, and has stormed out of the gates to start 2010, claiming his 8th career win with the O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champion on HD Supply Spring Nationals Night at Attica Raceway Park Saturday. That comes on the heals of a second place run last week to open Attica’s season.
“Last week was totally different. We came from the tail and believe it or not that’s a lot easier for me. I mean I love the fact we won, but I hate leading for all that time because you know Dale (Blaney) and Tim (Shaffer) back there, you know they’re going to be coming for you. I knew I could drive in hard…it was going to take a good effort to get me. I spun the tires a few times and I was getting a bit nervous,” said Reed of his 23rd career Attica win, second on the all-time victory list.
Once he took the lead on lap 6, Reed received the benefit of a clear track on several occasions thanks to cautions just as he was set to hit lapped traffic.
“We finally got a night where everything went our way and I’ll take it. I don’t know if anyone watched me last year, I had a lot of bad luck so maybe we’re finally turning it around,” said Reed beside his Reebar Diecasting, ProShocks, Schoenfield Headers backed #5. “I have to thank my crew, Kurt (Brewer), Christian Walton has come on with me this year…he’s done a great job, Dick West, Kevin Meyer and my two boys and my mom and dad do a lot for me. It’s been a long time since we won an All Star race and hopefully this is a sign of things to come.”
Fremont’s D.J. Foos led all 25 laps of the Fremont Fence 305 Sprint feature, but had to hold off several late race challenges from Bobby Clark to earn his fourth career Attica win.
“I have to thank my mom and dad…they put all of this together for me. I have to thank my brother and my girlfriend…this is fantastic,” said Foos beside his Burger King, Level Performance, Buckshot Farms, Pit Stop Carryout backed #11F. “I saw Bobby down under me, but I couldn’t worry about that, I had to concentrate on hitting my marks. I knew if I didn’t screw up on the top, they couldn’t beat me. It got a little harry there those last four laps when we hit lapped traffic, but it was fun.”
The 25-lap Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop UMP Late Model feature was a dandy, with three cars – Curtis Deisenroth, Ryan Missler and Jeff Babcock – putting on a show for the win. With three laps remaining, the trio was three wide exiting turn four, with Babcock rocketing off the bottom for the lead. Then, Babock survived a last lap slide job in turn two by Missler, to get his first career late model victory.
“That’s my first win here. My dad raced here all them years and I always had football or baseball going and I could never see him win a race here. It’s pretty neat to end up here on the horse track…it’s pretty special,” said Babcock beside his Halcomb Racing, Potash Corp., JEGS, University of Northwest Ohio backed late model.
“I saw him (Missler) a few times before that (last lap slide job) and I knew he was pretty fast and I just tried to be in the way,” Babcock, who hails from Wayne, Ohio, added. “It’s my second night in the car out here and I’m just trying to feel things out and get comfortable with it so to come in here and get a win this quick that’s pretty cool. To step into a car like this helps out tremendously. They have the best of everything and they know what they’re doing when they set it up.”
Jody Keegan grabbed the lead at the drop of the green in the 40-lap All Star feature with third starting Reed sliding into second, Rob Chaney, Duane Zablocki and Cap Henry in tow. Zablocki would spin on lap two to bring out the first of several cautions. On the restart Blaney, who started 10th, would rocket into fourth spot behind Henry. Zablocki’s night would come to an end on lap four as he tipped over. Again on the restart, Keegan bolted back into the lead with Reed, Blaney, Chaney, Henry, Danny Smith and Tim Shaffer following. Keegan’s great run would end a lap later as he spun in turn four, handing the lead to Reed on lap 6. Read would pull away from Blaney on the restart, but that lead would be wiped out when the red flew for a Travis Philo tip-over.
Reed would set sail on the restart with Blaney and now Shaffer, who started ninth, up to third, with Chaney and Smith rounding out the top five. Behind them was a pretty entertaining battle between Bryan Sebetto, Chris Andrews, 16th starter Craig Mintz and Greg Wilson. Just as Reed was set to hit lapped traffic on lap 13, the caution would fly. Again with a clear track, Reed would power around the outer rim of the track to pull away from Blaney as Shaffer was comfortable in third.
Reed would encounter lapped traffic at the halfway mark, and easily picked them off one at a time as Blaney raced alone in second, Shaffer in third, and now Smith into fourth and Chaney fifth. The caution would fly on lap 16, with Reed now having two lapped machines between himself and Blaney. However, this time Reed’s advantage would be taken away with another caution on lap 31, but there were still two lapped machines between himself and Blaney.
On the restart, Cap Henry would get together with Dean Jacobs, with both getting upside down on the front stretch, also collecting Lee Jacobs, Randy Hannagan and Brandon Martin. Lee Jacobs – minus a front wing – Hannagan and Martin would restart at the tail. On the restart, Reed was again able to pull away from Blaney with Shaffer still comfortably in third while Smith, Chaney, Wilson and Mintz waged a great battle for fourth. Just as Reed took the white flag he encountered lapped traffic, allowing Blaney to close, but it was too little too late. Blaney would finish second with Shaffer, Smith, and Chaney rounding out the top five.
“I really have to thank Paul Kistler he tried really hard last year to do what ever he could to try and get me going better. This motor has a set of heads that are kind of his own design I believe…it’s kind of secret I guess. It was great last week when the track was fast and great this week when it was slick and that says a lot. Another guy…I won’t name any names, but there’s a guy that really got my head screwed on straight this winter and I have to thank him too,” concluded Reed.
For Blaney, a second place run is something to build on. “One time we actually got into traffic a little bit and he (Reed) put a little distance on me. So I was hoping and hoping, but I just wasn’t as maneuverable as he was. He got through there a little better than I did. I seemed like if I had a shot at him it would be after a yellow in one and two. I knew my tire was going to cool down pretty good on that red and I knew I was only going to have one shot at him. I knew I could get to his left rear but I didn’t know if I could get to his left front. If I could have gotten half up beside him it would have been interesting down in three,” said Blaney beside his Ti22 backed George Fisher Racing mount.
“He ran a good race. He never bobbled or made a mistake and he deserved to win. I love this race track and this event. In a 40 lap race here and it gets slick I have a ball. My car is always good. Ti22 is a great addition for us and a great sponsor and George Fisher had the car really good,” added Blaney.
For Shaffer, who opened Attica’s season with a thrilling win a week ago, he just couldn’t close on the top two. “It was a lot of fun, but I just couldn’t get the breaks. I’d get by a couple guys and the yellow would come out and put us back. Hats off to Byron, they did a good job,” he added beside his C&H Motorsports #83.
Foos would bolt into the lead at the drop of the green in the 305 sprint feature with Dustin Stroup, Paige Polyak, Bobby Clark and Dustin Dinan in tow. Dinan would slide into third a lap later and begin to pressure Stroup for second as Foos rocketed around the top of the track. The first of only two yellows in the feature would fly on lap 9 and the car on the move was Brad Bowman who had worked his way up to fourth. Bowman would grab third on lap 11, but now it was Clark’s turn to move forward. After having dropped back to 7th, he worked his way up and drove from third on lap 10 and into second on lap 12. The final yellow would waive on lap 14 with the running order Foos, Clark, Dinan, Stroup, Bowman, Nate Dussel, Zack Kramer and 17th starter Paul Waver.
Foos would not budget from the top shelf of the track and continued to lead on the restart, but Clark would dive under him on numerous occasions as the pair literally raced side by side over the last 10 laps of the race. Foos would take the checkered over Clark, Bowman, Weaver and Dinan.
Curtis Deisenroth would take the early lead of the late model feature with Mike Bores, Rick DeLong and Ernie Haynes waging a great battle for second. The yellow would fly on lap six involving Dusty Moore, Brian Ruhlman, and Ken Hahn. On the restart, Bores and DeLong would tangle, with DeLong spinning. On the ensuing restart, Haynes would drive around Bores into second with 8th starter Babcock working his way into third a lap later. By lap 11, Deisenroth would lead Haynes, Babock and ninth starter Missler. With 10 laps to go, it was a great four car battle for the lead between Deisenroth, Haynes, Babcock and Missler. Babcock would steal second on lap 16, bringing Missler into third. Those three would put on a very entertaining show for the lead over the next five laps before Babcock would drive under Deisenroth for the lead on lap 22, bringing Missler into second. Missler would run to Babcock’s outside every lap and then tried the slide job for the lead exiting turn two on lap 24, but Babock turned under him to retain the top spot.
Babcock would win by less than half a car length with Missler, Deisenroth, Haynes and Jeremy Canada rounding out the top five.
Attica Raceway Park will kick off the 2010 American Late Model Series season on Friday, April 16 on True Value of Woodville Night with the 305 sprints and dirt trucks also in action. For more information log onto www.atticaracewaypark.com.
Attica Raceway Park – 4/10/2010
HD Supply Spring Nationals Night
All Star Circuit of Champions
Qualifying – Kistler Engines
1. 9X-Rob Chaney, 12.592; 2. 27-Scott Euler, 12.670; 3. 60-Jody Keegan, 12.684; 4. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 12.688; 5. 5R-Byron Reed, 12.753; 6. 5T-Travis Philo, 12.804; 7. O4-Cap Henry, 12.874; 8. 10-David Harrison, 12.897; 9. 16-Bryan Sebetto, 12.910; 10. 4-Danny Smith, 12.926; 11. 15C-Chris Andrews, 12.985; 12. 83-Tim Shaffer, 13.147; 13. 2-Dale Blaney, 13.168; 14. 11M-Brandon Martin, 13.207; 15. 15H-Mitch Harble, 13.233; 16. 3J-Kevin Lee, 13.302; 17. 97-Dean Jacobs, 13.305; 18. 20X-Craig Mintz, 13.558; 19. 24H-Lee Jacobs, 13.595; 20. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.635; 21. 23-Ben Rutan, 13.670; 22. 7K-Randy Hannagan, 13.692; 23. 312-Mike Linder, 13.835; 24. 6-Bill Rose, 13.860; 25. 22-Cole Duncan, 13.860; 26. 14-Jessica Zemken, 13.908; 27. X-Mark Keegan, 13.934; 28. 53-Phil Gressman, 13.982; 29. 1X-Matt Linder, 14.042; 30. 89G-David Gravel, 14.205; 31. 14H-Todd Heller, 14.270; 32. 12-Jarred Ridge, 14.371; 33. 10V-Matt Vandervere, 14.407; 34. 91-Aaron Middaugh, 14.485; 35. 11D-Bryce Dickson, 14.529; 36. 3C-Cale Conley, 14.529; 37. 60C-Kory Crabtree, 14.581; 38. 92-Darren Clayton, 14.618; 39. 4K-Khris Spitz, 14.697; 40. 28V-Shawn Valenti, 14.720; 41. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 14.769; 42. 28-Todd Kane, 99.000; 43. 26-Cody White, 99.100; 44. 47-Caleb Helms, 99.990; 45. 11B-Brock Mayes, NT
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 97-Dean Jacobs; 2. 2-Dale Blaney; 3. 9X-Rob Chaney; 4. 5R-Byron Reed; 5. 16-Bryan Sebetto; 6. 1X-Matt Linder; 7. 60C-Kory Crabtree; 8. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 9. 23-Ben Rutan; 10. 22-Cole Duncan; 11. 10V-Matt Vandervere
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 20X-Craig Mintz; 2. 7K-Randy Hannagan; 3. 4-Danny Smith; 4. 11M-Brandon Martin; 5. 14-Jessica Zemken; 6. 27-Scott Euler; 7. 89G-David Gravel; 8. 5T-Travis Philo; 9. 92-Darren Clayton; 10. 28-Todd Kane; 11. 91-Aaron Middaugh
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 24H-Lee Jacobs; 2. 312-Mike Linder; 3. O4-Cap Henry; 4. 15C-Chris Andrews; 5. 60-Jody Keegan; 6. 15H-Mitch Harble; 7. 4K-Khris Spitz; 8. 11D-Bryce Dickson; 9. 26-Cody White; 10. 14H-Todd Heller; 11. X-Mark Keegan
Heat 4 – Tin Lizzy Collision (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. W20-Greg Wilson; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer; 3. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 4. 6-Bill Rose; 5. 53-Phil Gressman; 6. 3J-Kevin Lee; 7. 12-Jarred Ridge; 8. 28V-Shawn Valenti; 9. 3C-Cale Conley; 10. 10-David Harrison
Dash – Scramble Sponsor (6 Laps – Top – Transfer)
1. 2-Dale Blaney; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer; 3. O4-Cap Henry; 4. 5R-Byron Reed; 5. 97-Dean Jacobs; 6. 11M-Brandon Martin
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. X-Mark Keegan; 2. 27-Scott Euler; 3. 3J-Kevin Lee; 4. 5T-Travis Philo; 5. 22-Cole Duncan; 6. 12-Jarred Ridge; 7. 15H-Mitch Harble; 8. 28-Todd Kane; 9. 3C-Cale Conley; 10. 89G-David Gravel; 11. 14H-Todd Heller; 12. 4K-Khris Spitz; 13. 1X-Matt Linder; 14. 60C-Kory Crabtree; 15. 28V-Shawn Valenti; 16. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 17. 10V-Matt Vandervere; 18. 23-Ben Rutan; 19. 92-Darren Clayton; 20. 11D-Bryce Dickson; 21. 26-Cody White; 22. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 23. 10-David Harrison
A-Main – (40 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 5R-Byron Reed[3]; 2. 2-Dale Blaney[10]; 3. 83-Tim Shaffer[9]; 4. 4-Danny Smith[7]; 5. 9X-Rob Chaney[2]; 6. W20-Greg Wilson[18]; 7. 20X-Craig Mintz[16]; 8. 53-Phil Gressman[24]; 9. 7K-Randy Hannagan[19]; 10. 312-Mike Linder[20]; 11. 24H-Lee Jacobs[17]; 12. 11M-Brandon Martin[13]; 13. 3J-Kevin Lee[14]; 14. 14-Jessica Zemken[22]; 15. 6-Bill Rose[21]; 16. 27-Scott Euler[11]; 17. O4-Cap Henry[5]; 18. 97-Dean Jacobs[15]; 19. 16-Bryan Sebetto[6]; 20. 60-Jody Keegan[1]; 21. 15C-Chris Andrews[8]; 22. X-Mark Keegan[23]; 23. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[4]; 24. 5T-Travis Philo[12]
Fremont Frence 305 Sprints
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 94-John Ivy; 2. 51-Brad Bowman; 3. 27-Paige Polyak; 4. 41-Dustin Dinan; 5. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 6. 31-Chuck Wilson; 7. 14-Chad Wilson; 8. 13-Junior Felver; 9. 55-Benny Bowman
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 40-Bobby Clark; 2. 11F-D.J. Foos; 3. 30-Adam Ollom; 4. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 5. M28-Josh Muntz; 6. 8J-Jess Stiger; 7. 19R-Steve Rando; 8. 25-Jason Keckler; 9. 1W-Paul Weaver
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 8K-Zack Kramer; 2. 1-Nate Dussel; 3. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 4. 22D-Dan Hammond; 5. 83X-Nate Reeser; 6. 71-Bill Kraylek; 7. 77JS-Jim Sipe; 8. 87-Ryan Hetrick
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 8J-Jess Stiger; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver; 3. 31-Chuck Wilson; 4. 71-Bill Kraylek; 5. 19R-Steve Rando; 6. 14-Chad Wilson; 7. 77JS-Jim Sipe; 8. 25-Jason Keckler; 9. 87-Ryan Hetrick
A-Main – (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 11F-D.J. Foos[1]; 2. 40-Bobby Clark[5]; 3. 51-Brad Bowman[7]; 4. 1W-Paul Weaver[17]; 5. 41-Dustin Dinan[4]; 6. 1-Nate Dussel[8]; 7. 8K-Zack Kramer[6]; 8. 94-John Ivy[10]; 9. 19R-Steve Rando[20]; 10. M28-Josh Muntz[14]; 11. 35-Stuart Brubaker[13]; 12. 10X-Dustin Stroup[2]; 13. 22D-Dan Hammond[11]; 14. 10-Brad Haudenschild[12]; 15. 31-Chuck Wilson[18]; 16. 83X-Nate Reeser[15]; 17. 8J-Jess Stiger[16]; 18. 30-Adam Ollom[9]; 19. 27-Paige Polyak[3]; 20. 71-Bill Kraylek[19]
Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop – UMP Late Models
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. WD40-Dusty Moore; 2. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth; 3. 3-Rick Delong; 4. 77-Steve Kester; 5. 27-Ken Hahn; 6. 49L-Matt Lindsey; 7. 51-Devin Schields; 8. 99-Steve Sabo; 9. 92-Brandon Perkins; 10. 666-Chester Fitch
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 50Y-Ryan Missler; 2. 15B-Mike Bores; 3. 1-Jeff Babcock; 4. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 5. 11-Keith Berner; 6. 23C-Jeremy Canada; 7. 30-Nate Potts; 8. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 9. 48-John Bores; 10. O14-Paul Brown Jr.
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 15-Phil Ausra; 2. 49-Brian Ruhlman; 3. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.; 4. B4U-Brad Entiear; 5. 21-Larry Kingseed; 6. 55T-Tom Ordway; 7. 12-Michael Stiltner II; 8. X3-Dan Wallace; 9. 84-Tim Sabo; 10. 35-Ron Miller
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 23C-Jeremy Canada; 2. 55T-Tom Ordway; 3. X3-Dan Wallace; 4. 12-Michael Stiltner II; 5. 30-Nate Potts; 6. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 7. 99-Steve Sabo; 8. 51-Devin Schields; 9. 49L-Matt Lindsey; 10. 84-Tim Sabo; 11. 48-John Bores; 12. 92-Brandon Perkins; 13. 666-Chester Fitch; 14. O14-Paul Brown Jr.
A-Main – (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 1-Jeff Babcock[8]; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[9]; 3. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth[2]; 4. 5H-Ernie Haynes[5]; 5. 23C-Jeremy Canada[16]; 6. 15-Phil Ausra[12]; 7. 15B-Mike Bores[1]; 8. 49-Brian Ruhlman[11]; 9. B4U-Brad Entiear[10]; 10. 12-Michael Stiltner II[19]; 11. X3-Dan Wallace[18]; 12. 11-Keith Berner[14]; 13. WD40-Dusty Moore[7]; 14. 55T-Tom Ordway[17]; 15. 21-Larry Kingseed[15]; 16. 30-Nate Potts[20]; 17. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[6]; 18. 3-Rick Delong[3]; 19. 77-Steve Kester[4]; 20. 27-Ken Hahn[13]