By Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio – Last year Byron Reed just couldn’t get a break. This year, everything seems to be going his way.
The Monclova, Ohio driver, who posted only one victory in 2009, had everything fall into place for him Friday, July 23 at Attica Raceway Park, as he raced to his fifth victory of the season. The win stretches out his point lead in not only the track’s championship standings, but the Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title (FAST) Championship Series as well.
Reed’s night didn’t start out too promising. He drew a bad pill and had to start sixth in his heat. Things got worse as on the first lap he spun off the track and had to go to the tail. That must have been the wake-up call for the five-time Attica champion, as he stormed from last to a third place finish, making him eligible for the redraw for the A-main line-up. His luck would continue to improve as he drew a #2 pill putting him on the outside front row.
From there, Reed battled with first Todd Heller and then Bryan Sebetto to grab second, and then on a lap 20, he drove under race-long leader Mark Keegan with a perfect slide-job exiting turn two to grab the lead. Reed avoided disaster on the next lap as he hit the back of the field, Bruce White looped it out right in front of him and Reed had to drive off the banking to avoid crashing. Reed then drove his Reebar Diecasting, Weld Wheels backed #5 away from the field to his 27th career feature win on Quality Welding/Aaron’s Sales and Service Night.
With threatening skies overhead, the post-race interview was delayed and the Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop UMP DIRTcar Late Models hit the track for their A-main. Defending track champion Ryan Missler, who came into the night tied with Larry Kingseed atop the track’s point standings, grabbed the early lead. As the caution flew on lap 7 for a Michael Stiltner spin, the skies opened up, postponing the end of the feature. So with 18 laps remaining, Missler leads Devin Shiels, Jeff Babock, Doug Drown and Rocky Owens.
The Fremont Fence 305 Sprints also have an A-main to run as they were in the staging area when the rains came.
The conclusion of the late model feature and the A-main for the 305 sprints will be held on Friday, Aug. 6. The night will feature a complete program of 410 sprints, late models and 305 sprints, the remaining 18 laps of the late model feature from July 23 and a second 25-lap make-up feature for the 305 sprints.
In Friday’s 410 sprint feature, pole-sitter Mark Keegan stormed into the lead, looking for his 57th career win at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant and his second victory of 2010. Todd Heller slipped under Reed for second with Brandon Wimmer, Sheldon Haudenschild and Bryan Sebetto in tow. Early on it was difficult for the race to get going with a spat of caution flags slowing the pace. The first would fly on lap four for a Bruce White spin. A lap later another caution for a Jody Keegan spin. Another lap and another caution, this time for Haudenschild. Another lap and yet another caution for a Steve Lines, Cody White tangle.
Meanwhile, on each of the ensuing restarts, Keegan would drive to the high side to maintain his lead while the battle for second was awesome between Heller, Reed, Wimmer and Sebetto. Sebetto would blast from sixth to third from lap five to lap six. On the lap seven restart he drove under Reed for second and began to close on Keegan. Just as the race was heating up for the lead between Keegan, Sebetto and Reed, the caution would come out on lap 11 for a Duane Zablocki spin.
On the restart Reed would drive under Sebetto to take second, but Sebetto wasn’t done and neither was Wimmer, who made it a four car battle for the lead with 11th starter Phil Gressman on the move in fifth. Keegan, Reed, Sebetto and Wimmer would wage an exciting battle over the next seven laps. Reed was making steady ground on Keegan, driving low in turns one and two and following Keegan up top in turns three and four. It was the low groove in turn two after completing lap 20 that gave Reed the lead.
But Reed’s adventurous night would not come to an end quickly. Just as he completed lap 21 and was entering turn one, coming up on the rear of the field, Bruce White spun right in front of him. Reed had to drive off the high side of the track and somehow kept the car straight to maintain the lead. On the restart Reed was just too strong as he drove away from the field.
Meanwhile, the battle for second continued to be a dandy between Keegan, Wimmer, Sebetto, Gressman and 13th place starter Dean Jacobs. Sebetto would begin to fade with six laps remaining. At the checkered it was Reed over Keegan, Gressman, Wimmer, Jacobs, Sebetto and Craig Mintz.
Attica Raceway Park will host the World of Outlaws Late Models on Friday, July 30 on Ohio Cat Night, paying $10,000 to the winner. The 410 sprints will also compete for $3,000 to win.
For more information log onto www.atticaracewaypark.com.
Attica Raceway Park – 7/23/2010
QW/Aarons Night
410 Sprints (25 Cars)
Heat 1 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 70-Steven Lines
2. 16-Bryan Sebetto
3. 5R-Byron Reed
4. 14H-Todd Heller
5. 97-Dean Jacobs
6. 5T-Travis Philo
7. 60-Jody Keegan
8. 91-Aaron Middaugh
9. 5M-Jamie Miller
Heat 2 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 20X-Craig Mintz
2. O-Brandon Wimmer
3. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild
4. 312-Mike Linder
5. 28-Shawn Valenti
6. 15C-Chris Andrews
7. 98-Bruce Robenalt
8. OM-Bill Morrison
Heat 3 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 53-Phil Gressman
2. 9Z-Duane Zablocki
3. 2+-Brian Smith
4. X-Mark Keegan
5. 26-Cody White
6. 3J-Kevin Lee
7. 96AU-Bruce White
8. 45-Brian Lay
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer)
1. 5T-Travis Philo
2. 3J-Kevin Lee
3. 15C-Chris Andrews
4. 60-Jody Keegan
5. 96AU-Bruce White
6. OM-Bill Morrison
7. 5M-Jamie Miller
8. 91-Aaron Middaugh
9. 98-Bruce Robenalt
10. 45-Brian Lay
A-Main – (30 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 5R-Byron Reed[2]
2. X-Mark Keegan[1]
3. 53-Phil Gressman[11]
4. O-Brandon Wimmer[5]
5. 97-Dean Jacobs[13]
6. 16-Bryan Sebetto[4]
7. 20X-Craig Mintz[9]
8. 14H-Todd Heller[3]
9. 2+-Brian Smith[10]
10. 3J-Kevin Lee[17]
11. 15C-Chris Andrews[18]
12. 28-Shawn Valenti[14]
13. 70-Steven Lines[12]
14. 5T-Travis Philo[16]
15. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[7]
16. 312-Mike Linder[6]
17. 96AU-Bruce White[20]
18. 26-Cody White[15]
19. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[8]
20. 60-Jody Keegan[19]
Hard Charger: 53-Phil Gressman[+8]