From Brian Liskai
MILLERSBURG, Ohio -(6-22-10) – Rob Chaney passed David
Gravel exiting turn four coming to the checkered flag to score the 40-lap
victory Tuesday for night #5 of O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of
Champions Ohio Sprint Speedweek, leaving the huge hometown crowd at Hilltop
Speedway all abuzz.
“I didn’t even know I won. When I passed Tim Shaffer (on lap 32 of the
40-lap affair for third), I knew I was close to the front. This is awesome
to do this in front of my family and friends. Bryan Grove and the crew gave
me a great car tonight. I just had to be patient and save the tires,” said
Chaney, who started eighth and utilized the high groove around the
high-banked little track.
“I feel bad for David (Gravel) to get that close and not get the win…it’s
heartbreaking. I know, I’ve been there before,” added Chaney beside his
Canton Erectors backed #45.
It marked Chaney’s third career All Star victory.
In fact, Chaney didn’t become a threat for the win until a lap 27 restart
when he drove from sixth into fourth. Chaney worked on defending All Star
champion Tim Shaffer the next four laps before driving under him in turn
two to take third. Tyler Walker was the next victim in Chaney’s march to
the front, and he drove around him in turns three and four and into second
with four to go. As leader David Gravel, from Watertown, Conn., who will
celebrate his 18th birthday Wednesday, took the white flag, Chaney was on
his rear bumper. Gravel drove low in turns three and four, his engine
sputtering as his machine ran low on fuel. Chaney would blast to the
outside and the two raced side-by-side out of turn four with Chaney’s
momentum carrying him to the win.
“I ran out of fuel here again. This is the third time I’ve been here and
the second time I’ve run out of fuel…it’s just so disappointing. I had this
one won. My car was just so good on the bottom. With about five laps to go,
the engine began sputtering… I just couldn’t believe it,” said dejected
Gravel beside his DDR Motorsports, P&M Transportation, Hometown Wheels
backed #89G. “At least this time I finished the race.”
Los Angeles, California’s Tyler Walker would lead the first 10 laps before
Gravel would drive under him for the top spot. Walker would fight back to
regain the lead on lap 13 as he and Gravel thrilled the crowed with their
side-by-side, slide job trading racing. Walker would run in the top three
throughout the race and would bring the Keen Motorsports #17 home in third
at the end.
“We have not run these Goodyear tires much and we haven’t raced on slick
tracks like this so my crew and I have had a steep learning curve. My hats
off to my guys…they have worked their tails off to change this thing
around…we’re figuring it out,” said Walker beside his Peterbuilt, Hunter’s
Truck Sales backed #17.
“I lost this one…I burned the tires off way too early. I have to learn to
be more patient. My thanks to the Keens for believing in me and giving me
an opportunity to resurrect my career,” added Walker.
The race got off to a slow start, with one lap complete, Cole Duncan and
Todd Kane got together in turn one to bring out the caution. Outside front
row starter Walker would blast into the lead on the restart with Texan Gary
Wright, Gravel, NASCAR driver Dave Blaney, Matthew Reed and Dean Jacobs in
tow. The caution would fly on lap 9, just as the leaders were hitting the
back of the field. Another quick yellow, and Walker would use the clear
track to jump back into the lead, but not for long. Gravel, who moved
around Wright into second on lap 9, would drive to Walker’s inside exiting
turn four on lap 11 to take the lead with Blaney getting around Wright for
third on lap 10.
Walker would drive the high line to regain the lead on lap 13 as he and
Gravel continued to race side-by-side with Blaney closing. The leaders
would catch lapped traffic on lap 18, and the “Connecticut Kid” would use
one as a pick to regain the lead. Blaney would show his old sprint car
racing form to drive under Walker into second at the halfway mark, but “Tee
dub” would retake the runner-up position on lap 22.
The action would slow on lap 26 for a Greg Wilson, Matthew Reed collision.
On the ensuing restart, Dave Blaney would drive into the turn two
guardrail, putting his #55 on its lid and ending his great run. The running
order was now Gravel, Walker, Dean Jacobs, 9th starter Tim Shaffer, Gary
Wright and Chaney. When the green flew again, Shaffer would blast into
third, with Chaney driving from sixth into fourth. The car on the move was
Brandon Wimmer who started 19th and was not 7th.
Gavel would continue to lead, with Walker and Shaffer racing each other
hard for second with Chaney waiting to pounce. Chaney would wait to take
third on lap 32 as Gavel was mired in traffic, allowing Walker, Chaney and
Shaffer to close. With five laps to go, Chaney would drive around Walker
into second. As Gravel raced under the flags with just two laps remaining,
Chaney quickly closed with Walker and Shaffer right there as well. Gravel
would take the white flag with Chaney glued to his rear bumper while Walker
stuck his nose under Chaney for second with Shaffer in the mix. As Gravel
dove to the bottom of turns three and four one final time, Chaney would
slingshot around the top to race to the win. Gravel, Walker, Shaffer and
Dean Jacobs would round out the top five. For more information go to
www.allstarsprint.com
Qualifying – Kistler Engines
1. 17-Tyler Walker, 12.920; 2. 24H-Lee Jacobs, 12.967; 3. 89G-David Gravel,
12.970; 4. 9X-Gary Wright, 13.029; 5. 55-Dave Blaney, 13.137; 6.
V92-Matthew Reed, 13.137; 7. 97-Dean Jacobs, 13.200; 8. 6-Bill Rose,
13.205; 9. 38K-Duffy Smith, 13.221; 10. 45-Rob Chaney, 13.236; 11. 22-Cole
Duncan, 13.257; 12. 83-Tim Shaffer, 13.290; 13. 11M-Brandon Martin, 13.298;
14. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.404; 15. 16-Danny Mumaw, 13.418; 16. 93-Sheldon
Haudenschild, 13.479; 17. 78-Todd Kane, 13.546; 18. 3J-Kevin Lee, 13.558;
19. 0-Brandon Wimmer, 13.609; 20. 5M-Brad Haudenschild, 13.622; 21.
47-Caleb Helms, 13.772; 22. 12-Jared Ridge, 13.875; 23. 83M-Broc Martin,
13.962; 24. 15C-Chris Andrews, 14.075; 25. 15H-Mitch Harble, 14.087; 26.
2-Dale Blaney, 14.112; 27. O4-Cap Henry, 14.156; 28. 91-Aaron Middaugh,
14.196; 29. 71AU-Matt Butler, 14.301; 30. 6Z-Zack Ames, 14.354; 31.
D12-Jason Dolick, 99.001; 32. 1-Stevie Smith, 99.003
Heat 1 – MSD Ignition (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 11M-Brandon Martin; 2. 78-Todd Kane; 3. 17-Tyler Walker; 4. 38K-Duffy
Smith; 5. 55-Dave Blaney; 6. 47-Caleb Helms; 7. 15H-Mitch Harble; 8.
71AU-Matt Butler
Heat 2 – Kear’s Speed Shop (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 12-Jared Ridge; 2. W20-Greg Wilson; 3. 3J-Kevin Lee; 4. V92-Matthew
Reed; 5. 45-Rob Chaney; 6. 24H-Lee Jacobs; 7. 6Z-Zack Ames; 8. 2-Dale
Blaney- DNS
Heat 3 – All Pro Heads (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 0-Brandon Wimmer; 2. 16-Danny Mumaw; 3. 97-Dean Jacobs; 4. 89G-David
Gravel; 5. O4-Cap Henry; 6. 83M-Broc Martin; 7. 22-Cole Duncan; 8.
D12-Jason Dolick
Heat 4 – Outerwear’s Performance Products (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 5M-Brad Haudenschild; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer; 3. 15C-Chris Andrews; 4.
9X-Gary Wright; 5. 1-Stevie Smith; 6. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 7. 6-Bill Rose; 8.
93-Sheldon Haudenschild
Dash – Rubbn’ Repair (6 Laps – Top – Transfer)
1. 17-Tyler Walker; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer; 3. 89G-David Gravel; 4. 11M-Brandon
Martin; 5. W20-Greg Wilson; 6. 97-Dean Jacobs-DNS
B-Main –
University of Northwestern Ohio (15 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 24H-Lee Jacobs; 2. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 3. 6-Bill Rose; 4. 22-Cole
Duncan; 5. 47-Caleb Helms; 6. 15H-Mitch Harble; 7. 6Z-Zack Ames; 8.
71AU-Matt Butler; 9. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 10. 83M-Broc Martin
A-Main – O’Reilly Auto Parts (40 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 45-Rob Chaney[8]; 2. 89G-David Gravel[3]; 3. 17-Tyler Walker[2]; 4.
83-Tim Shaffer[9]; 5. 97-Dean Jacobs[6]; 6. 0-Brandon Wimmer[19]; 7.
9X-Gary Wright[1]; 8. 16-Danny Mumaw[15]; 9. 11M-Brandon Martin[10]; 10.
6-Bill Rose[12]; 11. 24H-Lee Jacobs[11]; 12. 1-Stevie Smith[24]; 13.
3J-Kevin Lee[18]; 14. 5M-Brad Haudenschild[20]; 15. 22-Cole Duncan[13]; 16.
V92-Matthew Reed[5]; 17. 12-Jared Ridge[21]; 18. 93-Sheldon
Haudenschild[16]; 19. 55-Dave Blaney[4]; 20. W20-Greg Wilson[14]; 21.
38K-Duffy Smith[7]; 22. 15C-Chris Andrews[22]; 23. 78-Todd Kane[17]; 24.
O4-Cap Henry[23]