From Brian Liskai, image courtesy of Mike Campbell
ATTICA, Ohio – The racing at Attica Raceway Park has been nothing short of spectacular so far in 2010 and Friday night, April 23 was no exception. The in the 410 sprints, late models and 305 sprints on All Pro Cylinder Heads/Construction Equipment & Supply Night saw drivers coming from deep in the fields to challenge for feature wins.
Two-time All Star champion Greg Wilson held off a late race charge from Dean Jacobs, who started 16th and was involved in an opening race spin, to record his 19th career Attica victory in the 410 sprint division to open the 2010 Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title Championship Series. The FAST series is a 22-race series – 11 races at Attica and 11 at Fremont – that pays out a separate point fund for the 410 sprints from that of the two tracks.
Defending Attica champion Ryan Missler held off continued challenges from Rusty Schlenk to score his first victory of the season in the Fultz Fabrications & Speed Shop UMP Late Models.
And, just beating the rain drops, the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints put on a whale of a racing exhibition, with Steve Rando, Zack Kramer and 14th starter Paul Weaver going three wide out of turn four coming down for the checkers. Rando would edge Kramer by a wheel for his first career Attica win.
After an opening race yellow for a Brock Mayes, Dean Jacobs spin, outside front row starter Bryan Sebetto would also stop with a sticking throttle. That would move Wilson up to the outside front row for the start of the 30-lap affair. He would first battle five-time Attica champion Byron Reed, but was able to pull away in the middle portion of the race. However, Jacobs, who went to the tail on the opening mishap, continued to use the extreme bottom groove to work his way to the front. By lap 8 he had moved to 6th and got to third on lap 14. Jacobs would drive under Reed for second just past the halfway mark and would begin to hunt down Wilson. When the leaders hit lapped traffic on lap 22, Jacobs was right on Wilson’s back bumper. Wilson, driving the All Star Plumbing and Heating backed W20 would stay smooth and record the win.
“The race track…I mean the way the weather looked…the race track was awesome. There were a couple of grooves. I ran the bottom most of the race and I moved up to the top in three and four and I saw Dean (Jacobs) duck underneath of me and I thought man I better get to where I like to be and put this thing in the bag,” said Wilson beside his DNC Hydraulics, TTI Supply, Don Snyder Excavating, Kear’s Speed Shop backed sprinter. “It’s great to win…this place has been so darn good to me. We’ve had a rough couple of weeks. We were heading to the Outlaw shows and broke down and didn’t even get there. Veryl Warnimont has stuck behind me through thick and thin. I have to thank my guys, Floyd and Jason and we brought on Rick Ferkel…man what an awesome experience working with a legend and I think he’s going to help me win some races.”
“We’ve struggled just getting the terminology right but we’re getting closer obviously. Hopefully we can get something for the 83 (2009 All Star champion Tim Shaffer) in the All Star deal. They’re pretty tough and we have to keep picking up our game,” added Wilson.
Bellevue, Ohio’s Missler has been close to winning several times in the early 2010 season. He took advantage of an outside front row starting spot and stayed smooth up against the top cushion, and didn’t get rattled with Schlenk pulled right on his bumper and raced inside of him throughout the 25-lap feature, with last week’s winner Doug Drown also coming into the picture late in the race.
“The race car was really good…and we got some things figured out. I knew who was behind me…that new scoreboard is great, you can go past on the front stretch and see what lap you’re on and who’s behind you so you know what to do,” said Missler beside his Terry McConnell Excavating, York Fabrication, Quality Welding, Taze DJ Services, Missler Industries backed late model.
“I knew I just had to keep it straight and keep it on top. You can carry so much momentum up there and the cushion always helps. I have to thank all my guys, Jerry Huff, Dave Goulick and my dad (Norb) and my wife Amber and everyone that helps out on the car,” added Missler.
Anyone who left after the first two feature events missed a dandy with the 305 sprints. Rando would get the early lead but had to hold off challenges from first Brad Bowman and then John Ivy. Ivy would actually drive under Rando to lead lap 7, but Rando would slingshot around to regain the top spot the next two laps only to see Ivy creep by on the bottom to lead laps 10 and 11. Right behind them Rich Farmer would continually apply pressure and then 10 laps into the event, 9th starter Kramer would make it a four-car lead battle.
By lap 13, Rando, Ivy and Kramer would race side-by-side for the lead. Kramer would drive under both Ivy and Rando to take the lead on lap 17, but Rando would continue to hound him up top. As Kramer got the five-to-go signal, he hit lapped traffic in the non-stop feature, and Kramer used a backmarker as a pick entering turn three to drive back into the lead. As those two battled up front, last week’s winner Paul Weaver had worked his way from 14th starting spot into third on lap 20. With three laps to go, it was now a three-way battle for the lead between Rando, Kramer and Weaver – Rando was up top with Kramer on the bottom and Weaver utilizing the entire racing surface. As they raced through turns three and four on the final lap they came out side-by-side-by-side and Rando took the win by two feet over Kramer and five feet over Weaver.
“I couldn’t see behind me I just knew Kramer was beside me and I just held my line. I started trying harder and I passed him again and then on the last lap I saw Paul Weaver and I thought ‘oh no this is going to be a catastrophe.’ But we all made it…they made me work for it. I didn’t even know I won it…I thought Kramer got it,” said Rando beside his Kistler Engines, Garza Construction, Attitudes Hair Salon, Lakeview Electric, A Tolento Auto, North Coast Sealing backed #19r.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, April 30 on Fisher Performance/Merrill Lynch Night. It will be another FAST Championship Series event for the 410 sprints with the late models and 305 sprints also in action.
For more information log onto www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park – 4/23/2010
All Pro Heads/Construction Equipment & Supply Night
410 Sprints
Heat 1 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 2M-Dustin Daggett; 2. 9X-Rob Chaney; 3. 24H-Lee Jacobs; 4. 12-Jarred Ridge; 5. 20X-Craig Mintz; 6. 23-Ben Rutan; 7. 22-Cole Duncan; 8. 15H-Mitch Harble; 9. 26-Cody White
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 312-Mike Linder; 2. W20-Greg Wilson; 3. 5R-Byron Reed; 4. 11M-Brandon Martin; 5. 15C-Chris Andrews; 6. 3J-Kevin Lee; 7. 2+-Brian Smith; 8. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 9. 26X-Rodney Hurst
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 5T-Travis Philo; 2. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 3. 28K-Todd Kane; 4. 53-Phil Gressman; 5. O4-Cap Henry; 6. 14H-Todd Heller; 7. 45-Brian Lay; 8. 47-Caleb Helms
Heat 4 – Tin Lizzy Collision (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 11B-Brock Mayes; 2. X-Mark Keegan; 3. 16-Bryan Sebetto; 4. 97-Dean Jacobs; 5. 10-David Harrison; 6. 60-Jody Keegan; 7. 28-Shawn Valenti; 8. O-Bill Morrison
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 15C-Chris Andrews; 2. 20X-Craig Mintz; 3. O4-Cap Henry; 4. 60-Jody Keegan; 5. 22-Cole Duncan; 6. 23-Ben Rutan; 7. 2+-Brian Smith; 8. 10-David Harrison; 9. 45-Brian Lay; 10. 14H-Todd Heller; 11. 26-Cody White; 12. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 13. O-Bill Morrison; 14. 26X-Rodney Hurst; 15. 15H-Mitch Harble; 16. 3J-Kevin Lee; 17. 28-Shawn Valenti; 18. 47-Caleb Helms
A-Main – (30 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. W20-Greg Wilson[4]; 2. 97-Dean Jacobs[16]; 3. 20X-Craig Mintz[18]; 4. 5R-Byron Reed[6]; 5. 2M-Dustin Daggett[8]; 6. 24H-Lee Jacobs[7]; 7. 9X-Rob Chaney[5]; 8. 15C-Chris Andrews[17]; 9. X-Mark Keegan[10]; 10. 11B-Brock Mayes[12]; 11. O4-Cap Henry[19]; 12. 11M-Brandon Martin[14]; 13. 5T-Travis Philo[1]; 14. 28K-Todd Kane[3]; 15. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[9]; 16. 53-Phil Gressman[15]; 17. 12-Jarred Ridge[13]; 18. 60-Jody Keegan[20]; 19. 312-Mike Linder[11]; 20. 16-Bryan Sebetto[2]
Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop – UMP Late Models
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 5M-Ryan Markham; 2. 48-John Bores; 3. 15B-Mike Bores; 4. 21-Larry Kingseed; 5. 12-Michael Stiltner II; 6. X3-Dan Wallace; 7. 56-B.J. Gregory; 8. 12M-Bobby Michaels; 9. 3F-Brian Fisher
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk; 2. 29-Rocky Owens; 3. 36-Matt Irey; 4. WD40-Dusty Moore; 5. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 6. 99-Steve Sabo; 7. 22-Mike Stiltner; 8. 666-Chester Fitch; 9. 49-Matt Lindsey
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 1C-Wayne Chinn; 2. 51-Devin Schiels; 3. 55T-Tom Ordway; 4. 1-Jeff Babcock; 5. 27-Ken Hahn; 6. 30-Nate Potts; 7. 92X-Cody Scott; 8. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth; 9. 5H-Ernie Haynes
Heat 4 – Tin Lizzy Collision (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 12D-Doug Drown; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler; 3. 23C-Jeremy Canada; 4. 15-Jon Henry; 5. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.; 6. 92-Brandon Perkins; 7. 77-Steve Kester
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.; 2. 27-Ken Hahn; 3. X3-Dan Wallace; 4. 77-Steve Kester; 5. 12-Michael Stiltner II; 6. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 7. 92-Brandon Perkins; 8. 92X-Cody Scott; 9. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth; 10. 666-Chester Fitch; 11. 99-Steve Sabo; 12. 56-B.J. Gregory; 13. 12M-Bobby Michaels; 14. 22-Mike Stiltner; 15. 30-Nate Potts; 16. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 17. 3F-Brian Fisher
A-Main – (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 50Y-Ryan Missler[2]; 2. 91-Rusty Schlenk[4]; 3. 12D-Doug Drown[8]; 4. 23C-Jeremy Canada[7]; 5. 1C-Wayne Chinn[10]; 6. 15-Jon Henry[16]; 7. 21-Larry Kingseed[13]; 8. 51-Devin Schiels[6]; 9. 27-Ken Hahn[18]; 10. WD40-Dusty Moore[14]; 11. X3-Dan Wallace[19]; 12. 15B-Mike Bores[12]; 13. 48-John Bores[9]; 14. 36-Matt Irey[11]; 15. 5M-Ryan Markham[1]; 16. 55T-Tom Ordway[5]; 17. 29-Rocky Owens[3]; 18. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[17]; 19. 1-Jeff Babcock[15]; 20. 77-Steve Kester[20]
Fremont Fence 305 Sprints
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 312-Rich Farmer; 2. 19R-Steve Rando; 3. 9-Jimmy Colvin; 4. 40-Bobby Clark; 5. 22D-Dan Hammond; 6. 39-Matt Merrill; 7. 31-Chuck Wilson; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger; 9. 65-Doug Berryman
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 51-Brad Bowman; 2. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 3. 1-Nate Dussel; 4. 8K-Zack Kramer; 5. 1W-Paul Weaver; 6. 13-Junior Felver; 7. 83X-Nate Reeser; 8. 77J-Jim Sipe; 9. 25-Jason Keckler
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 27-Paige Polyak; 2. 94-John Ivy; 3. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 4. 11F-D.J. Foos; 5. 41-Dustin Dinan; 6. 14-Chad Wilson; 7. M28-Josh Muntz; 8. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 9. 87-Ryan Hetrick
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 13-Junior Felver; 2. 39-Matt Merrill; 3. M28-Josh Muntz; 4. 14-Chad Wilson; 5. 8J-Jess Stiger; 6. 25-Jason Keckler; 7. 65-Doug Berryman; 8. 31-Chuck Wilson; 9. 83X-Nate Reeser; 10. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 11. 77J-Jim Sipe; 12. 87-Ryan Hetrick
A-Main – (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 19R-Steve Rando[2]; 2. 8K-Zack Kramer[9]; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver[14]; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker[10]; 5. 40-Bobby Clark[8]; 6. 1-Nate Dussel[12]; 7. 22D-Dan Hammond[13]; 8. 94-John Ivy[5]; 9. 27-Paige Polyak[6]; 10. 312-Rich Farmer[4]; 11. 39-Matt Merrill[17]; 12. 13-Junior Felver[16]; 13. 51-Brad Bowman[1]; 14. M28-Josh Muntz[18]; 15. 11F-D.J. Foos[7]; 16. 8J-Jess Stiger[20]; 17. 9-Jimmy Colvin[11]; 18. 14-Chad Wilson[19]; 19. 10-Brad Haudenschild[3]; 20. 41-Dustin Dinan[15]