From Brian Liskai
Attica, OH — (May 23, 2011) — About a month ago, the crew of the #53 410 sprint car buckled down, rolled up their sleeves and rededicated themselves to showing their late car owner Dee Genzman had built a strong team. That hard work paid off Friday at Attica Raceway Park’s Mid-Season Championship presented by Burns Electric, as driver Phil Gressman held off several challenges from Greg Wilson to score his sixth career victory.
With double points up for grabs in the chase for the Attica Raceway Park track title, it was also an important night in the battle for the Kistler Racing Products FAST (Fremont Attica Sprint Title) Championship Series. Bryan Sebetto, who came into the night trailing defending FAST champion Byron Reed, had to win the B-main and charged from 16th starting spot to a 7th place finish while Reed dropped out with mechanical woes. Sebetto now leads the FAST championship standings.
“I could see the top of the track had a pretty good curb on it but it was pretty hard to quit what I was doing on the bottom. I’ve been here in the past where sometimes you get up there and ride around…I felt good on the top but I didn’t dare move from where I was. But, you get a caution with two to go and anything goes with Greg (Wilson) and Tim (Shaffer)…they’re going to do what they have to do and take a chance. Everything went well…I had a good car,” said Gressman beside his Ludwig Propane, Kear’s Speed Shop, Level Performance backed machine.
“I have to thank Marilyn Genzman and Andy Genzman and all they’ve been through. A little bit before the (World of) Outlaw show here we backed up so bad I couldn’t get out of the way quick enough. We went to work in the shop and straightened some things out and I feel pretty good…I think things are going in the right direction. Hopefully we can fend them off here,” added Gressman in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
In the Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop UMP Late Model Main, Ada, Ohio’s Jon Henry has competitors and fans scratching their heads. “The Steel Driver” had a mechanical issue in his heat, came from the last row in the B-main to qualify for the feature. From there Henry utilized his familiar bottom groove to move from 17th into the lead on lap 13 and went on to his fifth victory of the season. In fact, Henry has won every feature at Attica but two – a 16th to sixth place run last month and he missed a race two weeks ago.
“We didn’t get the tire tightened in the heat and that caused a lot of problems. A lot of parts are bent still…maybe they helped me. I can’t believe this…I’m not as excited cause I can’t believe I came from the back to the front with Matt Miller and Doug Drown up there. This car was just awesome. I changed a few things. I put it on jack stands and made sure I put the extra time to make sure everything was okay,” said Henry beside his Share the Experience at jonhenryracing.com, Wide Open Graphics, Eibach Springs backed #15.
“One I got around a lot of people on the bottom…the bottom was just so good tonight. The sprint cars left that nice brown groove which I love. There was enough moisture I could just get underneath everyone and drag race them down the straight-away. When I got up to third just 10 laps into it I was like ‘we got a damn good race car,” added Henry.
Bradner, Ohio’s Nate Dussel also utilized the bottom groove to overtake early race leader Steve Rando on lap nine and drove away to his second win of the season in the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints.
“Starting seventh in the heat and leading three laps in running the bottom I thought ‘man it’s going to be tough to beat somebody down there.’ All the times I’ve started in the back here I could pass tons of cars on the bottom but I’ve never been able to win one here on the bottom so this is pretty awesome,” said Dussel beside his Berrier Fabrication, Dussel Welding, Kistler Racing Products backed #1. “This night (double points) can definitely hurt you…its hurt me about every time. But tonight it helped us but it’s only half way through the year so I’m not too worried about points yet.”
In the Computer Man Dirt Truck main, Fostoria, Ohio’s Bob Dible patiently cruised in the top five until the half-way point. Then he picked it up a notch and drove into third on lap 7 and into the runner-up spot on lap 8. After a two lap battle with Paul Brown Jr. Dible was able to hug the bottom to take the lead on lap 11 and went on to his second victory of the year at Attica.
“During the heat race I burned a wire up so I got my electric fan hooked up so it’s running all the time to keep it cool. Once I got around them I knew that was the faster line. It was just a matter of waiting for them to slide up so I could pass them. Paul (Brown) was running one line up from mine and once I got underneath him I just kept him up there,” said Dible beside his Bob’s Machine Shop, BMS Engines backed #17.
“The track championship is what we’re striving for…here and Fremont,” added Dible in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
In the 30-lap main for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints, former track champion Chris Andrews grabbed the early lead over Travis Philo, Gressman, Cole Duncan, Dean Jacobs and Greg Wilson. Andrews got crossed up exiting turn two on lap two, handing the lad to Philo with Gressman, Duncan, Jacobs, Brandon Martin, Greg Wilson and 12th place starter Tim Shaffer in tow. The first of several cautions/reds would fly on lap three for a Brad Haudenschild spin and on the restart, Gressman would drive under Philo to take the lead.
Duncan’s good run would end on lap six as he brought out the caution with the running order Gressman, Philo, Jacobs, Wilson, Shaffer, Rob Chaney and Martin. A lap later and Sheldon Haudenschild would spin to once again bunch up the field. On the restart Gressman was able to pull away slightly while Philo and Jacobs put on a tremendous battle for second with Wilson and Shaffer doing the same for fourth. Sheldon Haudenschild would tip over on the back stretch on lap 12 to again bring a halt to the action.
On the restart Gressman again pulled away from Philo while Wilson took third with Jacobs and Shaffer applying pressure. Wilson would move into second on lap 19 and a lap later the caution flew for a stalled Byron Reed. Again with a clear track ahead Gressman would pull away on the restart while Wilson would drive into second followed by Philo, Shaffer, Jacobs, Chaney and Martin. With eight laps to go, Wilson was right on Gressman’s rear bumper. Gressman was better in turns one and two while Wilson road the top rim in three and four to keep the pressure on for the lead.
Gressman and Wilson had the crowd on their feet over the next few laps before a Zack Ames flip on lap 28 brought the battle to a halt. On the restart with two laps remaining the running order was Gressman, Wilson, Shaffer, Jacobs, Martin, Philo, Chaney, Kevin Lee, Sebetto (up from 16th starting spot and Andrews completing the top 10. Gressman rocketed off the bottom on the restart and pulled away for his sixth career Attica victory with Wilson, Shaffer, Martin and Jacobs rounding out the top five.
In the 25-lap late model main, following a tangle between Chester Fitch and Matt Irey on the opening green, Ryan Markham would take the initial lead over Doug Drown, John Bores and Matt Miller. Drown would drive around Markham on lap two with Miller moving into second a lap later while 11th starter Justin Chance on the move into fourth on lap three. Henry would move from 17th to eighth in the first four laps.
Drown continued to lead over Miller, Chance, Markham and George Lee with Henry taking sixth spot on lap six. With eight laps in the books, Drown continued to lead over Miller with Henry sliding into third and Markham and Chance rounding out the top five. The caution flew on lap 9 for a stalled Chance with another caution coming out a lap later for a Bores spin. On the restart Henry would drive under Miller into the runner-up spot and would take the lead from Drown on lap 13.
While Henry pulled away, another car on the move was 16th place starter Jeff Babcock who was third by lap 12 and moved into second on lap 16. Henry would encounter lapped traffic with five to go, but Babcock could not close. Henry went on to his sixth career Attica win with Babcock, Lee, Drown and Miller rounding out the top five.
Steve Rando grabbed the early lead of the 305 sprint feature with Cody Jacobs, Dussel, Paige Polyak and Caleb Griffith in pursuit. Dussel would drive under Jacobs for second on lap three, bringing Polyak into third. Following a caution for a Nate Reeser spin on lap 8, Dussel would drive under Rando on the restart to take the lead, bringing Polyak to second followed by Rando, D.J. Foos, Jacobs and Griffith.
Rando would take the second spot back on lap 13, but Polyak drove back by a lap later. Meanwhile Dussel was pulling away when the red flew for a Paul Weaver flip on lap 15. The running order on the restart was Dussel, Polyak, Rando, Foos, Jacobs, Griffith and Stuart Brubaker. The final caution flew with five laps to go and once again Dussel would pull away on the restart. At the checkered it was Dussel, Polyak, Rando, Foos and Griffith rounding out the top five.
Paul Brown Jr. would take the initial lead of the dirt truck feature over Brian Sorg, Todd Keegan and Steve Endicott. Endicott would move into third on lap two, bringing Dwight Waltermeier and Art Ball along. A caution would bunch up the field, and Brown could not shake Sorg on the restart as Endicott, Waltermeier, Dible, Ball and Brian Arnold waged a tremendous battle for third.
The final caution flew on lap seven with the running order Brown, Sorg, Dible, Ball, Waltermeier, Endicott and Arnold. Dible would drive into second on the restart as Ball got around Sorg into third on lap nine. Dible would rive under Brown for the lead on lap 11 with Ball right on their rear bumpers. Dible and Brown raced door to door the next three laps with Ball waiting for a mistake while Sorg raced Arnold and Waltermeier for fourth. As the field took the white flag, Dible was able to put a little distance between himself and Brown. Ball would take second exiting turn two but ran out of time to catch Dible who went on to his 9th career Attica victory. Ball, Brown, Sorg and Arnold would round out the top five.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, June 10 on All Pro Cylinder Heads/Croghan Colonial Bank Night. It will be another Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series even for the 410 sprints with the 305 sprints and dirt trucks also in action.
For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park – 6/3/2011
Burns Electric Night
O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints (30 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 53-Phil Gressman[1] ; 2. 97-Dean Jacobs[2] ; 3. O9-Craig Mintz[6] ; 4. 3J-Kevin Lee[5] ; 5. 60-Jody Keegan[4] ; 6. 14H-Todd Heller[3] ; 7. 6Z-Zack Ames[9] ; 8. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[8] ; 9. 12-Jarred Ridge[10] ; 10. 91-Aaron Middaugh[7]
Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 5T-Travis Philo[2] ; 2. 45-Rob Chaney[6] ; 3. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[1] ; 4. 22-Cole Duncan[3] ; 5. 60C-Kory Crabtree[5] ; 6. 16-Bryan Sebetto[9] ; 7. 312-Mike Linder[7] ; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[8] ; 9. 38-Aaron Smith[10] ; 10. 16M-Danny Mumaw[4]
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. O-Chris Andrews[2] ; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer[9] ; 3. 9X-Brandon Martin[4] ; 4. W20-Greg Wilson[1] ; 5. 5R-Byron Reed[8] ; 6. 51-Brad Bowman[3] ; 7. 10-Brad Haudenschild[5] ; 8. 26-Ryan French[6] ; 9. 69-Scott Curren[10] ; 10. 98-Robert Robenalt[7]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 16-Bryan Sebetto[2] ; 2. 10-Brad Haudenschild[6] ; 3. 14H-Todd Heller[1] ; 4. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[8] ; 5. 6Z-Zack Ames[4] ; 6. 12-Jarred Ridge[10] ; 7. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[7] ; 8. 38-Aaron Smith[11] ; 9. 91-Aaron Middaugh[13] ; 10. 26-Ryan French[9] ; 11. 98-Robert Robenalt[15] ; 12. 51-Brad Bowman[3] ; 13. 312-Mike Linder[5] ; 14. 69-Scott Curren[12]
A-Main – (30 Laps)
1. 53-Phil Gressman[4]; 2. W20-Greg Wilson[8]; 3. 83-Tim Shaffer[12]; 4. 9X-Brandon Martin[7]; 5. 97-Dean Jacobs[6]; 6. 45-Rob Chaney[5]; 7. 16-Bryan Sebetto[16]; 8. 3J-Kevin Lee[11]; 9. O-Chris Andrews[1]; 10. 5T-Travis Philo[2]; 11. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[19]; 12. 14H-Todd Heller[18]; 13. 60-Jody Keegan[13]; 14. O9-Craig Mintz[10]; 15. 6Z-Zack Ames[20]; 16. 5R-Byron Reed[15]; 17. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[9]; 18. 60C-Kory Crabtree[14]; 19. 22-Cole Duncan[3]; 20. 10-Brad Haudenschild[17]
Hard Charger: 83-Tim Shaffer[+9]
Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop Late Models (31 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. WD40-Dusty Moore[6] ; 2. 12D-Doug Drown[7] ; 3. 50Y-Ryan Missler[10] ; 4. 101-Chester Fitch[3] ; 5. 3R-Chuck Roelle[1] ; 6. 55T-Tom Ordway[5] ; 7. 69-John Mayes Jr.[4] ; 8. 21-Larry Kingseed[9] ; 9. O6-Kyle Perry[8] ; 10. 18-Jamie Reed[2]
Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[5] ; 2. 5M-Ryan Markham[6] ; 3. 36-Matt Irey[2] ; 4. 48B-John Bores[9] ; 5. 71-Dave Hornikel[10] ; 6. 48-Mike Bores[8] ; 7. 30-Nate Potts[1] ; 8. 12M-Bobby Michaels[4] ; 9. 11-Mike Stiltner Sr.[3] ; 10. 99-Steve Sabo[7]
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 7-Matt Miller[6] ; 2. O1-Justin Chance[3] ; 3. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[4] ; 4. 61-George Lee[7] ; 5. 27-Ken Hahn[1] ; 6. 12-Michael Stiltner Jr.[5] ; 7. 1N-Casey Noonan[9] ; 8. 1-Jeff Babcock[10] ; 9. 5H-Ernie Haynes[8] ; 10. 15-Jon Henry[2]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 1-Jeff Babcock[7] ; 2. 15-Jon Henry[13] ; 3. 55T-Tom Ordway[1] ; 4. 12-Michael Stiltner Jr.[3] ; 5. 48-Mike Bores[2] ; 6. 1N-Casey Noonan[6] ; 7. 21-Larry Kingseed[5] ; 8. 5H-Ernie Haynes[12] ; 9. 69-John Mayes Jr.[4] ; 10. O6-Kyle Perry[10] ; 11. 18-Jamie Reed[11] ; 12. 11-Mike Stiltner Sr.[9] ; 13. 99-Steve Sabo[14] ; 14. 12M-Bobby Michaels[8] ; 15. 13-Mike Hudson[15]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 15-Jon Henry[17]; 2. 1-Jeff Babcock[16]; 3. 61-George Lee[8]; 4. 12D-Doug Drown[5]; 5. 7-Matt Miller[4]; 6. 91-Rusty Schlenk[9]; 7. 71-Dave Hornikel[14]; 8. WD40-Dusty Moore[6]; 9. 5M-Ryan Markham[1]; 10. 48-Mike Bores[20]; 11. 12-Michael Stiltner Jr.[19]; 12. 50Y-Ryan Missler[7]; 13. 55T-Tom Ordway[18]; 14. 3R-Chuck Roelle[13]; 15. 101-Chester Fitch[3]; 16. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[12]; 17. 48B-John Bores[2]; 18. 36-Matt Irey[10]; 19. O1-Justin Chance[11]; 20. 27-Ken Hahn[15]
Hard Charger: 15-Jon Henry[+16]
Fremont Fence 305 Sprints (24 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 40-Caleb Griffith[2] ; 2. 11F-D.J. Foos[3] ; 3. 83X-Nate Reeser[1] ; 4. 36X-Dustin Keegan[7] ; 5. 39-Matt Merrill[4] ; 6. 13-Junior Felver[5] ; 7. 72C-Ross Moore[6] ; 8. 5-Dustin Dinan[8]
Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 1-Nate Dussel[7] ; 2. 27-Paige Polyak[4] ; 3. 717-Cody Jacobs[1] ; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3] ; 5. 5R-Jordan Ryan[2] ; 6. 22D-Dan Hammond[8] ; 7. 36-Seth Schneider[5] ; 8. 4M-Jamie Miller[6]
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 9-Jimmy Colvin[3] ; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[1] ; 3. 19R-Steve Rando[4] ; 4. M28-Josh Muntz[5] ; 5. 25-Jason Keckler[2] ; 6. 8B-Zack Kramer[7] ; 7. 48-Mike Burkin[6] ; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger[8]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 13-Junior Felver[1] ; 2. 22D-Dan Hammond[2] ; 3. 8B-Zack Kramer[3] ; 4. 5-Dustin Dinan[7] ; 5. 48-Mike Burkin[6] ; 6. 36-Seth Schneider[5] ; 7. 4M-Jamie Miller[8] ; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger[9] ; 9. 72C-Ross Moore[4]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 1-Nate Dussel[4]; 2. 27-Paige Polyak[7]; 3. 19R-Steve Rando[1]; 4. 11F-D.J. Foos[5]; 5. 40-Caleb Griffith[3]; 6. 717-Cody Jacobs[2]; 7. 35-Stuart Brubaker[9]; 8. 9-Jimmy Colvin[11]; 9. 8B-Zack Kramer[18]; 10. 22D-Dan Hammond[17]; 11. 36X-Dustin Keegan[6]; 12. 39-Matt Merrill[13]; 13. 5-Dustin Dinan[19]; 14. 5R-Jordan Ryan[14]; 15. 25-Jason Keckler[15]; 16. 48-Mike Burkin[20]; 17. 13-Junior Felver[16]; 18. M28-Josh Muntz[12]; 19. 83X-Nate Reeser[10]; 20. 1W-Paul Weaver[8]
Hard Charger: 8B-Zack Kramer[+9]
Computer Man Dirt Trucks (18 Trucks)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. O1-Art Ball[1] ; 2. 4X-Brian Sorg[8] ; 3. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[4] ; 4. 44-Todd Keegan[7] ; 5. 4S-Keith Sorg[5] ; 6. 21-Scott Fowler[6] ; 7. 22J-Josh Kiser[2] ; 8. OO-Greg Summit[9] ; 9. 14-Scott Beard[3]
Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 39-Dwight Waltermier[1] ; 2. 8-Steve Endicott[3] ; 3. 17-Bob Dible[5] ; 4. 33-Brian Arnold[8] ; 5. O9-Jeff Wank[4] ; 6. 71-Craig Holland[2] ; 7. 40-Lee Moore[9] ; 8. 36X-Dana Frey[6] ; 9. 1S-James Saam[7]
A-Main – (15 Laps)
1. 17-Bob Dible[8]; 2. O1-Art Ball[4]; 3. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[1]; 4. 4X-Brian Sorg[3]; 5. 33-Brian Arnold[6]; 6. 39-Dwight Waltermier[7]; 7. O9-Jeff Wank[10]; 8. OO-Greg Summit[13]; 9. 8-Steve Endicott[5]; 10. 71-Craig Holland[12]; 11. 21-Scott Fowler[9]; 12. 36X-Dana Frey[15]; 13. 22J-Josh Kiser[11]; 14. 44-Todd Keegan[2]; 15. 40-Lee Moore[14]
Hard Charger: 17-Bob Dible[+7]