By Brian Liskai
Camargo, IL.-(6-29-10)- – With the way the weather has been
in Ohio so far this spring and summer who would have thought the O’Reilly
Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Cars would get all nine
nights of the 28th Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek in? Well, it happened as
six different drivers visited victory lane over the nine straight nights of
racing across the Buckeye State.
Watertown, Connecticut’s David Gravel edged defending All Star champion and
current point leader Tim Shaffer by just three points for the Ohio Sprint
Speedweek crown. Gravel, who turned 18 during the tour, would also grab his
first career All Star win, holding off Brad Sweet for the victory at
Limaland Motorsports Park. Shaffer would score three wins during the week,
at KC Raceway, Sharon Speedway and the $10,000 to win finale at Fremont
Speedway. Four-time Speedweek Champion Dale Blaney would finish third in
the standings, recording two wins during the week, at Millstream Speedway
and Wayne County Speedway.
Other winners for the week were Byron Reed at Attica Raceway Park, Rob
Chaney on a last lap, last corner pass at Hilltop Speedway, and Brad Sweet
at Waynesfield Motorsports Park.
There was over $241,000 in prize money up for grabs during the nine nights
of racing, and Shaffer took home the most loot, totaling $25,690. Blaney
earned $18,080 over the nine nights with Gravel taking home $15,250. Chaney
would bag $10,640 with Dean Jacobs earning $8,800 and 2009 Speedweek
champion Stevie Smith heading to Pennsylvania with $8,320. With a couple of
podium finishes Brandon Wimmer took home $8,300 with Lee Jacobs earning
$7,900 and Tyler Walking earning $7,550. Former All Star champion Greg
Wilson earned $6,150 over the nine nights with Bill Rose taking home $5,570
and Australian Mathew Reed earning $4,170. Rookie Cap Henry earned $3,820
while Kevin Lee grabbed $3,620 and Jared Ridge earned $3,020.
Other Speedweek notes:
Average car counts over Speedweek were in the mid-30s with Attica having
the high car-count of the week at 42. There were 86 different drivers who
competed during the nine nights of racing.
Fremont, Ohio’s Mark Keegan has now competed in at least one Ohio Sprint
Speedweek event in each of the 28 years it has been held, even recording a
second place finish at Attica Raceway Park this year.
Four-time Speedweek champion Dale Blaney has not finished out of the top
five in the Speedweek points since 2002. Blaney’s two wins during the 2010
Speedweek take him to 75 All Star victories over his career, as he is
second on the all-time All Star win list behind Kenny Jacobs who has 98
wins.
There were a couple of driver birthdays celebrated over Speedweek. Champion
David Gravel turned 18 on Wednesday, June 23, while Tim Shaffer celebrated
his 43rd birthday Saturday, June 26 with a $10,000 victory at Fremont
Speedway.