Rando Wins 305 Feature at Attica Raceway Park

2011 Attica Raceway Park logo

From Brian Liskai

ATTICA, Ohio – Jon Henry remained unbeaten at Attica Raceway Park after picking up his third straight victory in the Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop UMP Late Models Friday, April 15. Henry has won every race – including three heats and three features – he has competed in at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speed plant this season.

“I don’t know what we’re doing, but it is working. It was another exciting one for the fans…they can go to my website (jonhenryracing.com) and see how Ryan (Missler) and I battled…I had an in-car camera as part of our ‘share the experience’ deal we’re doing this year,” said Henry beside his Wide Open Graphics, Eibach Springs, K&N Filters backed machine. “I have to thank my dad and John McClain for putting this team together.

Henry took the lead on lap 2 and then held off a challenge by two-time Attica champion Missler during the mid part of the race. Henry, who used the bottom groove the first two weeks to take wins, tried the high side early in the race, but when Missler showed him his nose, the Ada, Ohio driver went back to the bottom and pulled away the final 7 laps for the victory on Underground Utilities Inc./Bazell Race Fuels Night.

“I feel bad for Rusty (Schlenk) and Jeep (VanWormer)…they got taken out early so who knows what might have happened. I felt good up top and I was cruising and all of a sudden I saw Ryan drive under me and I figured I had better go down to stop him and the car actually got better,” added Henry.

Lindsey, Ohio’s Steve Rando survived several caution flags and held off Nate Dussel to claim his second career victory at ARP in the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints.

“We got to start up front and that’s huge, but the car was good and easy to drive. The high line was where I wanted to be, but I almost blew it off the top a couple of times. This is our little motor that we had last year…and it got the job done,” said Rando beside his Garza Construction, Attitudes Hair Salon, Davis Fabrication, Northcoast Sealing backed #19r.

Fostoria, Ohio’s Bob Dible was involved in an opening lap tangle that sent him to the tail. But, the veteran driver remained calm and drove to the front, taking the lead from Art Ball – who is beginning his 50th year of racing at the age of 72 – on lap 12 and going on to record his eighth career Attica win in the Computer Man Dirt Trucks.

“I was mad, but I knew that wouldn’t help, so I just concentrated on getting to the front. We just pulled this truck off the jack stands last weekend,” said Dible beside his Bob’s Machine Shop, BMS Engines backed #17. “I always liked to run the top here, but that didn’t work at Fremont. So, we made some changes to the truck this winter and this thing is awesome on the bottom now.”

It took three tries to get the 25-lap late model feature underway. On the first attempt, Kyle Perry and Ron Miller got together, and then on the second try, Dave Hornikel, Dusty Moore, Rusty Schlenk and Jeep VanWormer tangled, sending Moore, Schlenk and VanWormer to the pits. That moved Henry from his original 10th starting position up to fourth. On the third try, D.J. Miller grabbed the lead as Henry slid into second with Chris Keller, Ryan Missler and John Bores in tow.

Henry would take the top spot a lap later, bringing Keller into second. Henry would build a comfortable lead over Keller while Miller and Missler battled for third with Bores had his hands full with Larry Kingseed and Ryan Markham for fifth. Missler would move into the runner-up spot on lap seven and began to chase down Henry while Keller was comfortable in third. Missler moved to the rear bumper of Henry by lap 10 and they ran nose to tail the next three laps. Missler would dive under Henry on lap 13 and the pair would race side by side with Missler executing a slide job several times in turns one and two with Henry crossing over to maintain the lead down the backstretch.

With eight laps to go, Henry had enough of Missler and moved to the bottom of the track and began to pull away slightly as Keller continued to run alone in third with Bores still battling Miller, Kingseed and Markham for fourth. The only caution – other than the two to start the race – would fly on lap 20 for debris, giving Missler one final shot at Henry. But, “The Steel Driver” stayed on the bottom groove and pulled away for the victory. Missler, Keller, Markham and Kingseed would round out the top five at the checkered.

In the 25-lap 305 sprint main, Rando used the high line to grab the lead at the drop of the green with Stuart Brubaker moving into second followed by Seth Schneider, Matt Ferrell and Jimmy Colvin. Rando would pull away slightly while Ferrell would slide into the runner-up spot on lap 2. By the fourth circuit, Rando led Ferrell, Brubaker and 11th place starter Nate Dussel. A spin by Justin Franks on lap five would bunch up the field, with all eyes on opening night winner D.J. Foos who had moved from 19th starting spot to eighth. On the restart Rando would pull away from Ferrell who now had to battle Dussel. While Rando rim-rode in front, Ferrell and Dussel battled side-by-side for the runner up spot over the next five laps until Dussel grabbed the second spot on lap 10.

The caution would fly for a Jim Cushing spin on lap 12 with the running order Rando, Dussel, Ferrell, Brubaker, Colvin, Foos, Zack Kramer and Matt Merrill. Junior Felver would tangle with another machine on lap 14, bringing out the yellow flag. Again on the restart Rando would pull away while Dussel tried to close on the bottom. The final caution would fly on lap 19 for a Jason Keckler, Merrill spin. Again, Rando would fight off the restart challenge from Dussel to pull away for the win, with Dussel, Ferrell, Brubaker and Colvin rounding out the top five.

In the 15-lap dirt truck main, Dible tangled with another machine and spun on the initial start, sending him to the trail. Dwight Waltermeier would lead the opening lap with Ball, Paul Brown Jr., Greg Summit and Brian Sorg in tow. A lap and a caution for a stalled Todd Keegan. On the restart, Ball would dive under Waltermeier and grab the lead. A lap and another caution for a Brian Arnold spin. On the restart Ball would lead while Brown grabbed second. Another lap and another caution for Brown who spun battling Ball for the lead.

The race would go the final 11 laps caution-free.

Ball would pull away slightly on the restart as all eyes were on Dible who had moved into the fourth position from the tail by lap five and into third a lap later. Dible would drive under Waltermeier for the runner-up spot on lap eight and began to quickly close on Ball. Meanwhile, Waltermeier and Steve Endicott waged a great battle for third. With five laps to go, Dible drove under Ball as the two raced side-by-side for the lead. Exiting turn four as they came down to complete the 12th lap, Ball got sideways and spun as Dible drove off into the lead. Dible would go on to take the victory over Endicott, Brown, who raced back from the tail, Waltermeier and Sorg.

Attica Raceway Park will kick off the 2011 Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title (FAST) Championship Series on Friday, April 22 with a $3,000 to win feature for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints. The Sunoco American Late Model Series will also be in competition for a $3,000 to win feature on True Value of Woodville/Construction Equipment & Supply Night.

Attica Raceway Park – 4/15/2011

UUI/ Bazell Race Fuels Night

Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop Late Models (33 Cars)

[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 55-Jeep VanWormer[6] ; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[3] ; 3. 48B-John Bores[7] ; 4. 29-Sam Epling[8] ; 5. 35-Ron Miller[5] ; 6. 30-Nate Potts[1] ; 7. 27-Ken Hahn[9] ; 8. 99-Steve Sabo[4]

Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[1] ; 2. WD40-Dusty Moore[4] ; 3. 51-Devin Shiels[2] ; 4. 21-Larry Kingseed[6] ; 5. 5H-Ernie Haynes[7] ; 6. 12M-Bobby Michaels[3]

Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 67-Chris Keller[2] ; 2. 71-Dave Hornikel[3] ; 3. 5M-Ryan Markham[6] ; 4. 30JS-Josh Scott[7] ; 5. 11-Mike Stiltner Jr.[1] ; 6. 3R-Chuck Roelle[4] ; 7. 36-Matt Irey[5] ; 8. 56-B.J. Gregory[8]

Heat 4 – Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 15-Jon Henry[3] ; 2. 1DJ-DJ Miller[2] ; 3. 23C-Jeremy Canada[5] ; 4. 48-Mike Bores[6] ; 5. O6-Kyle Perry[1] ; 6. 60-Dale Glassford[8] ; 7. 14-JR Grentry[4] ; 8. 42S-Bob Mayer[7]

B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. O6-Kyle Perry[4] ; 2. 60-Dale Glassford[8] ; 3. 35-Ron Miller[1] ; 4. 11-Mike Stiltner Jr.[3] ; 5. 5H-Ernie Haynes[2] ; 6. 36-Matt Irey[10] ; 7. 27-Ken Hahn[9] ; 8. 30-Nate Potts[5] ; 9. 56-B.J. Gregory[13] ; 10. 99-Steve Sabo[12] ; 11. 42S-Bob Mayer[14] ; 12. 3R-Chuck Roelle[7] ; 13. 12M-Bobby Michaels[6] ; 14. 14-JR Grentry[11]

A-Main – (25 Laps)

1. 15-Jon Henry[10]; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[5]; 3. 67-Chris Keller[3]; 4. 5M-Ryan Markham[7]; 5. 21-Larry Kingseed[14]; 6. 51-Devin Shiels[11]; 7. 48B-John Bores[2]; 8. 1DJ-DJ Miller[1]; 9. 30JS-Josh Scott[15]; 10. O6-Kyle Perry[17]; 11. 23C-Jeremy Canada[9]; 12. 60-Dale Glassford[18]; 13. 48-Mike Bores[16]; 14. 71-Dave Hornikel[4]; 15. 11-Mike Stiltner Jr.[20]; 16. 29-Sam Epling[13]; 17. WD40-Dusty Moore[6]; 18. 55-Jeep VanWormer[8]; 19. 91-Rusty Schlenk[12]; 20. 35-Ron Miller[19]

Hard Charger: 15-Jon Henry[+9]

Fremont Fence 305 Sprints (22 Cars)

[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 9-Jimmy Colvin[4] ; 2. 19R-Steve Rando[1] ; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker[6] ; 4. 1-Nate Dussel[8] ; 5. M28-Josh Muntz[3] ; 6. 27P-Paige Polyak[2] ; 7. 11F-D.J. Foos[7] ; 8. 717-Cody Jacobs[5]

Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 39-Matt Merrill[3] ; 2. 40-Justin Franks[1] ; 3. 13-Junior Felver[5] ; 4. 36-Seth Schneider[4] ; 5. 25-Jason Keckler[6] ; 6. 22D-Dan Hammond[7]

Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 8K-Zack Kramer[4] ; 2. 83X-Nate Reeser[1] ; 3. 5-Dustin Dinan[6] ; 4. 67M-Matt Ferrell[7] ; 5. 8J-Jess Stiger[2] ; 6. 27-Jim Cushing[5]

A-Main – (25 Laps)

1. 19R-Steve Rando[1]; 2. 1-Nate Dussel[11]; 3. 67M-Matt Ferrell[6]; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker[4]; 5. 9-Jimmy Colvin[9]; 6. 8K-Zack Kramer[12]; 7. 27P-Paige Polyak[16]; 8. 11F-D.J. Foos[19]; 9. 5-Dustin Dinan[10]; 10. M28-Josh Muntz[13]; 11. 83X-Nate Reeser[3]; 12. 8J-Jess Stiger[15]; 13. 27-Jim Cushing[18]; 14. 22D-Dan Hammond[17]; 15. 39-Matt Merrill[7]; 16. 25-Jason Keckler[14]; 17. 13-Junior Felver[8]; 18. 36-Seth Schneider[2]; 19. 40-Justin Franks[5]

Hard Charger: 11F-D.J. Foos[+11]

Computer Man Dirt Trucks (12 Trucks)

[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 12 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[1] ; 2. 17-Bob Dible[10] ; 3. OO-Greg Summit[2] ; 4. 39-Dwight Waltermier[8] ; 5. 33-Brian Arnold[11] ; 6. O1-Art Ball[9] ; 7. 4X-Brian Sorg[7] ; 8. 44-Todd Keegan[5] ; 9. O9-Jeff Wank[4] ; 10. 8-Steve Endicott[6] ; 11. 4S-Keith Sorg[3]

A-Main – (15 Laps)

1. 17-Bob Dible[5]; 2. 8-Steve Endicott[10]; 3. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[3]; 4. 39-Dwight Waltermier[1]; 5. 4X-Brian Sorg[7]; 6. O9-Jeff Wank[9]; 7. 33-Brian Arnold[6]; 8. 71-Craig Holland[12]; 9. O1-Art Ball[4]; 10. 4S-Keith Sorg[11]; 11. OO-Greg Summit[2]; 12. 44-Todd Keegan[8]

Hard Charger: 8-Steve Endicott[+8]

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