By Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio – You did not want to start up front at Attica Raceway Park in the 410 sprint feature Friday night. The top six starters encountered some sort of problem, as Byron Reed – who started 7th – would go on to take his fourth victory of the season on Kear’s Speed Shop Fan Appreciation Night.
National UMP point leader Rusty Schlenk would score his third victory of the season in the Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop Late Models, while D.J. Foos would rack up his third straight feature win in the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints. Dwight Waltermeier would hold off Brian Arnold to grab his first win of the year in the Computer Man Dirt Trucks.
Reed would inherit the lead on lap 17 when Phil Gressman and Bryan Sebetto would get together battling for the top spot, sending Sebetto on a wild series of flips while Gressman’s night was done with a broken front end. Following that mêlée, the race would go the last 13 laps caution free as Reed raced to his 26th career Attica victory to pad his point lead at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant. The win also increased his point lead in the Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title (FAST) Championship Series.
It wasn’t easy for Reed, who said he lost the brakes on his Reebar Diecasting backed #5 around 12 laps into the event. And he survived the multitude of cautions in the early going of the feature.
“Things were going our way tonight. On the 12th lap I lost my brakes so I couldn’t really drive very aggressively. I was just lucky those guys (Sebetto and Gressman) bounced away from me cause there was no way I was going to miss them if they crashed in front of me because I had no brakes,” said Reed beside his Schoenfeld Headers, Weld Wheels backed car.
After posting no wins at Attica in 2009, the “Monclova Missile” is on a roll in 2010.
“I don’t know what it is. The JEI car and the Kistler motor are working good and the crew is working good and the breaks are going our way. We shouldn’t have won this race…this thing is wounded..it’s not good at all. Just sometimes things go your way,” added Reed.
Schlenk would drive from his 5th starting spout into second by the second lap and then raced side by side with Rick DeLong over the next three laps before using the high groove to move into the lead on lap 6. DeLong would drive around the bottom and continue to challenge Schlenk over the next four laps until they hit lapped traffic. Schlenk would pull away to a comfortable lead in the non-stop feature. Lapped traffic would frustrate Schlenk the last 10 laps, but his DeLong also had his problems and could not close.
“I didn’t know I had a big lead and I almost blew it in turn four. I saw Rick poke his nose under me a few times so I was running scared…I didn’t know how far back he was. The car went away..I don’t know if I hurt a tire or what happened there. The last 10 laps the car was on top of the track and I couldn’t get a hold of anything,” said Schlenk beside his Micro Armor Lubricants, CJ Rayburn Racecars, Man & Company, Aumack’s Home Care backed #91.
“Hopefully after the Summer Nationals deal is over we still have a 100 point lead in the National UMP points. Hell Tour is exactly what it is…I did five of them, I planned on running about 18 of them, but I had 5 DNF’s…stuff’s breaking and I’ve been getting into wrecks. So I’ll just stick around here and try and get some points,” added Schlenk. “We’ll put on a show here when they come to Attica.”
Foos’ fourth Attica win wasn’t easy though he lead all 25 laps. First he had to contend with challenges from Stuart Brubaker, then Bobby Clark and finally a late race slide job by Paul Weaver to score his 7th career Attica victory.
“I kept looking at the big old scoreboard and saw Bobby and Weaver and I thought man I’ve got my work cut out for me know. I just had to keep driving harder and harder…these old guys are tough,” said Foos beside his Buckshot Farms, Burger King, Level Performance backed #11F. “The high side in turns three and four were very tricky..there was a little bump going in and it got the car upset.”
Waltermeier raced side by side with previous feature winner Brian Arnold from lap 2 through lap 10 before pulling away for his third career dirt truck victory at Attica.
“I like the high side of this place a lot. You have to be patient up top..you can’t get in too hard or you’ll go off the end. It took me awhile to get going and we had so many cautions I couldn’t get momentum. I like racing on Kear’s Speed Shop Night…I won on Kear’s night last year,” said Waltermeier beside his Graham Racing Engines, Mitchelle Agronomics backed #39.
Mike Linder would jump into the early lead of the 410 feature, but the yellow would fly after a lap when Sheldon Haudenschild, who was running second, Aaron Middaugh and Brian Smith all spun. Another lap and another caution for fourth place running Brian Lay who collected fifth place running Dean Jacobs. While Lay’s night was done, Jacobs would go to the tail.
On the lap 3 restart, Linder would have his hands full with outside row starter Craig Mintz while 12th place starter Phil Gressman would storm into third with Jody Keegan, Reed and Sebetto in tow. The caution would wave on lap five for a Matt Linder spin and Mintz put his wing all the way back and used the ensuing restart to blast under Linder for the lead, bringing Gressman into second. Gressman would use the same move on Mintz – going low in turns one and two – to take the lead on lap 7. Gressman could not shake Mintz who was glued to his rear bumper while Linder battled 9th place starter Bryan Sebetto for third with Reed running fifth.
Reed would use the low line to drive around Sebetto on lap 9 and under Linder a lap later to take third. The caution would fly for Haudenschild on lap 11 with the running order Gressman, Mintz, Reed, Linder, Sebetto, Jody Keegan and 16th place starter Mark Keegan. On the restart it became a three-car battle for the lead until a broken driveline on Mintz’ car stopped his great run, bringing out the caution. On the ensuing restart Linder would drive off the track in turn 2, bringing out another caution. Now it was Gressman over Reed, Sebetto, Jody Keegan and 14th place starter Brandon Martin, and Mark Keegan. Disaster would strike for Jody Keegan on lap 14 as his car jumped the cushion in turn three and overturned.
A lap after the restart, Brian Smith would stop on the back stretch for yet another caution with Gressman now leading Sebetto, who was running an uncharacteristic low line, Reed, Martin and Mark Keegan. On the ensuing restart, Sebetto would drive to the outside of Gressman exiting turn two for the lead. As Sebetto tried to stay on the track, Gressman’s momentum carried him up the track and the two collided, sending Sebetto into a series of flips and ending Gressman’s night with a broken front end. That handed the lead to Reed with Martin in second, Mark Keegan in third, 13th place starter Brandon Wimmer in fourth and Dean Jacobs from the tail up to fifth.
The race would go non-stop the remaining 13 laps with Reed pulling away. The battle was for second between Martin, Keegan, Wimmer and Jacobs. Keegan would drive around Martin on lap 19. At the checkered it was Reed over Keegan, Martin, Jacobs and Wimmer.
In the 25-lap late model feature, Rick DeLong would grab the early lead with Ernie Haynes in second and Schlenk blasting into third from his fifth place starting spot in just two corners. Schlenk would dispose of Haynes on lap 2 and began closing on DeLong. The battle for third was a good one between Haynes, Devin Schiels, Steve Kester and Ken Hahn.
DeLong, running the bottom, and Schlenk, running the top, raced side by side over the next three laps before Schlenk would drive into the lead exiting turn four on lap six. DeLong was comfortably in second while Haynes, Hahn, Jeff Babock, Shiels, Kester and Rocky Owens battled for third. Schlenk hit lapped traffic by lap 10, but DeLong could not close as Haynes, Hahn, Babcock and Shiels continued their impressive battle for third. By lap 12, DeLong has caught Schlenk as they raced side by side for the lead with Hahn taking third and Babock fourth. Schlenk was able to negotiate through traffic and pulled away from DeLong with Hahn and Babock racing hard for third.
With nine laps remaining, Schlenk was in heavy lapped traffic, but DeLong was having his own issues with the lapped machines and was unable to close. Babcock would take third from Hahn on lap 18, but Hahn remained glued to his bumper with Shiels making it a three-car battle.
Schlenk would drive to the checkers with DeLong, Babock, Hahn and Shiels rounding out the top five.
After Foos lead the first lap of the 305 sprint feature, the caution would fly for a Dustin Dinan spin. On the restart Foos and Brubaker would wage a torrid battle for the lead with Zack Kramer, Bobby Clark and Paul Weaver fighting for third. Clark would grab third on lap five and would drive around Brubaker into second on lap 7. Clark would drive to Foos’ inside several times over the next four laps before they hit the back of the field. Foos and Clark picked their way through traffic and continued to run nose to tail with Brubaker battling Weaver for third with Kramer and 12th place starter Brad Haudenschild right on their rear bumpers.
Brubaker’s run up front would end as he spun on lap 15. The running order was now Foos, Clark, Weaver, Kramer and Haudenschild. Foos could not shake Clark on the restart with Weaver making it a three-car battle while Haudenschild grabbed fourth. Weaver began pressuring Clark for second with Foos in both of their sights. Clark’s run would end on lap 23 as he got over the cushion in turn four, stopping against the guardrail.
It was now a two-lap dash to the finish with Foos leading Weaver, Haudenschild and 18th place starter Nate Dussel. On the restart, Foos would drive back to the top with Weaver right on his tail. As Foos took the white flag, Weaver tried the slide job for the lead in turns one and two, but Foos was able to drive back around the outside and take the win. Weaver, Haudenschild, Dussel and Paige Polyak would round out the top five. Foos would draw the number #2 pill to give Weaver an extra $100 in the Kear’s Speed Shop FAST challenge.
Foos’ win should tighten up the points for the inaugural FAST Championship Series Presented by Kear’s Speed Shop and Cleveland Golf.
Waltermeier lead lap #1 of the 15-lap truck feature with Brian Sorg, Brian Arnold, Andy Keegan, Bob Dible and Paul Brown Jr. in tow. A caution for a Craig Holland spin would bunch up the field. Another lap and another caution for Cory Ward, with the running order Waltermeier, Arnold, Dible, Keegan, Brown and Dan Hennig. Two laps of side by side racing for the lead between Waltermeier and Arnold would stop when Kent Brewer spun on lap five to bring out another caution.
A lap and another caution for Brown who spun on the front stretch. On every restart Arnold would drive to Waltermeier’s inside as they battled for the lead. The race would go caution-free the last eight laps allowing Waltermeier to pull away and take the win. Arnold, Alex Weichman, Dible and Chuck Roelle would round out the top five.
Attica Raceway Park will celebrate Christmas in July on Friday, July 9 as Smith Family Frosted Foods presents the 410 sprints, UMP late models and 305 sprints.
For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park – 7/2/2010
Kear’s Speed Shop Night
410 Sprints (28 Cars)
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 53-Phil Gressman; 2. 16-Bryan Sebetto; 3. 60-Jody Keegan; 4. 45-Brian Lay; 5. O-Brandon Wimmer; 6. X-Mark Keegan; 7. OM-Bill Morrison; 8. 26-Cody White; 9. 12-Jarred Ridge; 10. 47-Caleb Helms
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 312-Mike Linder; 2. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 3. 5R-Byron Reed; 4. 20X-Craig Mintz; 5. 11M-Brandon Martin; 6. W20-Greg Wilson; 7. 22-Cole Duncan; 8. 3J-Kevin Lee; 9. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 28-Shawn Valenti; 2. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 3. 1X-Matt Linder; 4. 97-Dean Jacobs; 5. 2+-Brian Smith; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 7. 15C-Chris Andrews; 8. 14H-Todd Heller; 9. 5T-Travis Philo
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. X-Mark Keegan; 2. 14H-Todd Heller; 3. 15C-Chris Andrews; 4. 3J-Kevin Lee; 5. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton; 6. W20-Greg Wilson; 7. 47-Caleb Helms; 8. OM-Bill Morrison; 9. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 10. 26-Cody White; 11. 22-Cole Duncan
A-Main – (30 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 5R-Byron Reed[7]; 2. X-Mark Keegan[16]; 3. 11M-Brandon Martin[14]; 4. 97-Dean Jacobs[6]; 5. O-Brandon Wimmer[13]; 6. 3J-Kevin Lee[19]; 7. 312-Mike Linder[1]; 8. 28-Shawn Valenti[8]; 9. 15C-Chris Andrews[18]; 10. 14H-Todd Heller[17]; 11. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[20]; 12. 1X-Matt Linder[11]; 13. 53-Phil Gressman[12]; 14. 16-Bryan Sebetto[9]; 15. 2+-Brian Smith[15]; 16. 60-Jody Keegan[4]; 17. 20X-Craig Mintz[2]; 18. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[3]; 19. 91-Aaron Middaugh[10]; 20. 45-Brian Lay[5]
Hard Charger: X-Mark Keegan[+14]
Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop – UMP Late Models (31 Cars)
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 77-Steve Kester; 2. 29-Rocky Owens; 3. 12-Michael Stiltner II; 4. 85-Chuck Hummer; 5. X3-Dan Wallace; 6. 30-Nate Potts; 7. 1C-Bill Clapp Jr.; 8. 93T-Jeff Esbenshade
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 1-Jeff Babcock; 2. 27-Ken Hahn; 3. 3-Rick Delong; 4. 92-Ky Harper; 5. 36-Matt Irey; 6. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 7. 18-Jamie Reed; 8. 12M-Bobby Michaels
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 15B-Mike Bores; 2. 51-Devin Schiels; 3. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.; 4. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth; 5. 21-Larry Kingseed; 6. 92S-Randy Scott; 7. O6-Kyle Perry; 8. 22-Mike Stiltner
Heat 4 – Tin Lizzy Collision (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. WD40-Dusty Moore; 2. 91-Rusty Schlenk; 3. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 4. 23C-Jeremy Canada; 5. 48-John Bores; 6. 99-Steve Sabo; 7. 50Y-Ryan Missler
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 50Y-Ryan Missler; 2. 21-Larry Kingseed; 3. X3-Dan Wallace; 4. 36-Matt Irey; 5. 92S-Randy Scott; 6. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 7. O6-Kyle Perry; 8. 12M-Bobby Michaels; 9. 93T-Jeff Esbenshade; 10. 18-Jamie Reed; 11. 48-John Bores; 12. 30-Nate Potts; 13. 22-Mike Stiltner; 14. 99-Steve Sabo; 15. 1C-Bill Clapp Jr.
A-Main – (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[5]; 2. 3-Rick Delong[1]; 3. 1-Jeff Babcock[6]; 4. 27-Ken Hahn[3]; 5. 51-Devin Schiels[11]; 6. 29-Rocky Owens[9]; 7. 12-Michael Stiltner II[7]; 8. X3-Dan Wallace[19]; 9. 15B-Mike Bores[10]; 10. 5H-Ernie Haynes[2]; 11. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[12]; 12. 77-Steve Kester[4]; 13. 21-Larry Kingseed[18]; 14. 92-Ky Harper[14]; 15. WD40-Dusty Moore[8]; 16. 50Y-Ryan Missler[17]; 17. 23C-Jeremy Canada[16]; 18. 36-Matt Irey[20]; 19. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth[15]; 20. 85-Chuck Hummer[13]
Hard Charger: X3-Dan Wallace[+11]
Fremont Fence 305 Sprints (31 Cars)
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver; 3. 25-Jason Keckler; 4. 5-Dustin Dinan; 5. 19R-Steve Rando; 6. 72C-John Bartlome; 7. 77JS-Jim Sipe; 8. 23-James Page
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 11F-D.J. Foos; 2. 9-Jimmy Colvin; 3. 40-Bobby Clark; 4. 27-Paige Polyak; 5. 1-Nate Dussel; 6. 71-Bill Kraylek; 7. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 8K-Zack Kramer; 2. 39M-Matt Merrill; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 4. 22D-Dan Hammond; 5. 51-Brad Bowman; 6. 80-Jake Travino; 7. 55-Benny Bowman; 8. 87-Ryan Hetrick
Heat 4 – Tin Lizzy Collision (8 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 10S-Roger Shammo; 2. 48-Mike Burkin; 3. 94-John Ivy; 4. 83X-Nate Reeser; 5. 65-Doug Berryman; 6. 30-Adam Ollom; 7. M28-Josh Muntz
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer)
1. 19R-Steve Rando; 2. 1-Nate Dussel; 3. 51-Brad Bowman; 4. 80-Jake Travino; 5. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 6. M28-Josh Muntz; 7. 71-Bill Kraylek; 8. 55-Benny Bowman; 9. 8J-Jess Stiger; 10. 30-Adam Ollom; 11. 77JS-Jim Sipe; 12. 72C-John Bartlome; 13. 87-Ryan Hetrick; 14. 65-Doug Berryman; 15. 23-James Page
A-Main – (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 11F-D.J. Foos[2]; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[8]; 3. 10-Brad Haudenschild[12]; 4. 1-Nate Dussel[18]; 5. 27-Paige Polyak[14]; 6. 19R-Steve Rando[17]; 7. 8K-Zack Kramer[1]; 8. 9-Jimmy Colvin[5]; 9. 39M-Matt Merrill[11]; 10. 25-Jason Keckler[4]; 11. 94-John Ivy[10]; 12. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3]; 13. 5-Dustin Dinan[13]; 14. 22D-Dan Hammond[15]; 15. 80-Jake Travino[20]; 16. 10S-Roger Shammo[9]; 17. 40-Bobby Clark[6]; 18. 51-Brad Bowman[19]; 19. 48-Mike Burkin[7]; 20. 83X-Nate Reeser[16]
Hard Charger: 1-Nate Dussel[+14]
Computer Man Inc. Dirt Trucks (23 Trucks)
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 8 Transfer)
1. 56-Alex Weichman; 2. 18W-Cory Ward; 3. 8K-Kent Brewer; 4. 32H-Dan Hennig; 5. O9-Jeff Wank; 6. 4S-Keith Sorg; 7. 99X-Gene Potridge; 8. 22J-Josh Kiser
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 8 Transfer)
1. 33-Brian Arnold; 2. 17-Bob Dible; 3. 39-Dwight Waltermier; 4. 3R-Chuck Rolle; 5. 9-Curt Inks; 6. 8-Steve Endicott; 7. 50-Jeff Potridge; 8. 36X-Dustin Keegan
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 8 Transfer)
1. 71-Craig Holland; 2. 4X-Brian Sorg; 3. O-Andy Keegan; 4. P51-Paul Brown Jr.; 5. 84-Ron Kepling; 6. 14-Scott Beard
A-Main – (15 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 39-Dwight Waltermier[1]; 2. 33-Brian Arnold[7]; 3. 56-Alex Weichman[12]; 4. 17-Bob Dible[5]; 5. 3R-Chuck Rolle[10]; 6. 8-Steve Endicott[15]; 7. 32H-Dan Hennig[8]; 8. O9-Jeff Wank[13]; 9. O-Andy Keegan[2]; 10. 8K-Kent Brewer[9]; 11. 4S-Keith Sorg[16]; 12. 9-Curt Inks[14]; 13. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[6]; 14. 99X-Gene Potridge[17]; 15. 71-Craig Holland[4]; 16. 50-Jeff Potridge[20]; 17. 22J-Josh Kiser[19]; 18. 36X-Dustin Keegan[21]; 19. 18W-Cory Ward[11]; 20. 14-Scott Beard[18]; 21. 4X-Brian Sorg[3]
Hard Charger: 56-Alex Weichman[+9]