From Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio – Byron Reed got a pep talk from Mark Keegan this week…and it paid off. The Monclova, Ohio driver led all 30 laps Friday, July 8 at Attica Raceway Park to claim his 28th career victory in O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints. For Reed, a six time and defending Attica track champion, it was his first win of the season at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant, and what a present it was for the Smith Family Foods/Sutton Bank Christmas In July event.
Ironically, Reed is second on the track’s all-time win list behind….Mark Keegan who has 56 victories. Keegan, who holds 12 Attica track championships, retired after the 2010 season.
“I talked to him (Mark) today and he gave me a little pep talk. I don’t think I’ll every beat his record…I don’t think I even want to,” said Reed beside his Crown Battery, Reebar Diecasting, ProShocks backed #5.
After coming so close the prior week to winning his first every Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop UMP Late Model feature, Mansfield, Ohio’s Justin Chance wasn’t going to let another opportunity get away. He took advantage of a restart with two laps to go and slid under race-long leader Rick DeLong and went on to score the victory.
“I was hoping I could get him. I just kept thinking of last week. I was like ‘come on let me get him.’ Wow…12 years I’ve been waiting for this,” said Chance beside his Innovative Graphics/IG Image.com, Raceway 42 RC Track, Sophi’s Custom Embroidery backed #01. “I kept getting a run on him (DeLong) and when I saw that last caution I was hitting the dash. I knew I was going to get him.”
Fremont’s John Ivy continues to prove he can drive – and win – in anything. He has won in 410 sprints, 305 sprints, last week in a dirt truck, go-karts, micro sprints…you strap him in and he goes to the front. He did just that in the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints Friday, leading all 25 laps and surviving a restart with two laps to go to get his 10th career victory in the division.
“I went to the bottom on that last restart…I figured if I go down there I can at least slow her (Paige Polyak) down just a little bit. She did it to me on the last one…got under me going into three. I was afraid to go in on the top at the beginning cause without the wing speed it didn’t feel just as good,” said Ivy beside his Adkins Fence/Wendy’s Restaurant/Sonny’s Machine and Welding/Bud’s Tavern backed #94. “We got to start up front tonight and that helps. The boys have been working hard on this thing and we’ve been getting closer and closer and hopefully this will put us over the top and get us going.”
Reed and Darren Long would pace the field to the green in the 410 sprint feature which turned into an hour-long marathon even with eight cautions/reds slowing the pace. Reed would jump into the lead with last week’s winner Brandon Martin getting around Long to take second. A Jody Keegan spin on lap four would slow the pace and on the restart Robert Robenalt would also spin. During the caution, Phil Gressman, who had struggled with engine issues throughout the night, but had worked his way from ninth to fourth, would go pit side.
Reed would pull away on the restart while Martin and Long would battle hard for second with Craig Mintz locked in a race for fourth with Andrew Palker, Dean Jacobs, Mike Linder and Bryan Sebetto. After just one more lap was completed rookie Brad Bowman would flip in turn two. A lap and a caution for a Todd Heller and Travis Philo tangle.
Again on the restart Reed would pull away from Long, who again battled with Martin while Mintz moved into fourth, bringing Jacobs into fifth. Mintz steal third from Martin on lap seven with Jacobs moving into fourth a lap later. While Reed and Long pulled away, Mintz and Jacobs ran side-by-side for third with Martin rebounding to make it a three car battle. Danny Smith would spin on lap 11 and on the restart Reed and Long again pulled away while Mintz held third and Martin drove around Jacobs into fourth.
At the half-way mark, Reed held a five car length advantage over Long while Mintz, Jacobs, Martin, Sebetto and Greg Wilson continued to swap positions at every corner. Reed caught the back of the field by lap 18 and Long quickly closed the gap with Martin now in third and Mintz, Jacobs, Sebetto and Wilson battling for fourth. Duane Zablocki would spin on lap 20 with the running order Reed, Long, Martin, Mintz, Jacobs, Sebetto, Wilson and Mike Linder.
On the restart Long would get over the cushion in turns one and two and lose several positions as Martin, Jacobs, Mintz and Sebetto moved into the top five. Andrew Palker would spin on lap 24 and a lap after the restart he and Zablocki would tangle on the front stretch with Palker flipping. After a quick fuel stop, Reed would use the clear track to pull away the final four laps for the win. Martin, Jacobs, Wilson and Mintz would round out the top five.
“It’s never fun leading when you have that many restarts…you never know what to do. But I felt pretty comfortable. It was one of those nights I can’t say it was a good job, I just did my job. It was a tough track to pass on. When I got by those lapped cars sometimes I feel like I’m driving their car instead of my car…I have to quit doing that,” said Reed in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
In the 25-lap late model feature, Matt Irey and Rick DeLong would lead the field to the green with DeLong assuming the lead as Irey spun into the infield as they came to complete the first lap. Irey was able to continue but at the back of the pack. DeLong would not move off the bottom as Kyle Perry was locked in a tremendous battle for second with Chance, Devin Shiels, Ken Hahn, Larry Kingseed and Ryan Missler.. Chance would take second on lap 2 and immediately moved right in on DeLong’s rear bumper.
The first caution would fly on lap five for a three-car pile-up involving Irey, Brandon Perkins and Nate Potts. DeLong and Chance would pull away on the restart with Perry continuing to battle Shiels, Hahn, Kingseed and 15th place starter Casey Noonan. Shiels would spin on lap 11 just after he had taken third from Perry. On the restart the DeLong and Chance duo would continue to run bumper to bumper while Hahn slid around Perry into third. With 10 laps to go it was still DeLong, Chance, Hahn and now Noonan. Noonan would take third from Hahn on lap 19 but could not close on the top two.
With the laps ticking down, it looked like DeLong was struggling to keep his car on the bottom – especially in turns three and four and Chance was just waiting for his….chance. Just as they crossed the start-finish line to complete the 23rd lap, Perkins would spin again to set up a green, white checkered finish.
On the restart Chance would dive under DeLong and take the lead as they raced to the white flag. Behind them it was a real war for third between Noonan, Kingseed, Hahn, Perry and Mike Bores. Chance would pull away for the win with DeLong, Noonan, Kingseed and Hahn rounding out the top five.
“I have to thank everyone that helps me out…Timmy, my Uncle Mike, Dave, Jamie…my dad’s not here, he’s in Kentucky…he’s going to hate that he went to Kentucky. I have to thank my wife and tomorrow’s my one-year-old’s birthday so that’s even better,” said Chance in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
Ivy and Paige Polyak would bring the 305 sprints to the green of their 25-lap feature with Ivy rim-riding into the lead with Jack Kramer, Junior Felver, D.J. Foos, Jimmy Colvin and Nate Dussel in tow. Kramer would drive off the high side of turn two a lap latter losing several spots. Ivy would continue to lead with Polyak staying within striking distance while Felver, Foos, Colvin, Dussel, Kramer, Caleb Griffith and Stuart Brubaker continued a great battle for third.
Ivy would encounter lapped traffic by the 11th lap with Polyak staying glued to his rear bumper with Felver, Foos, Dussel and Kramer closing. Kramer would again drive off the high side of turns one and two on lap 12 and would coast to a stop to bring out the first caution. Ivy and Polyak would pull away on the restart with Dussel sliding into third, bringing Foos and Brubaker into fourth and fifth as Felver began to fade. Polyak stuck the nose of her car under Ivy on several occasions but could not execute the pass while Dussel, Foos, Brubaker and Weaver battled for third.
Dustin Dinan would slide off the track in turn four on lap 23 to bring out the caution and set up a green, white, checkered finish. On the restart Ivy left his high groove and ducked to the bottom as Polyak switched to the top, but again couldn’t get the pass as Ivy would drive to the checkered over Polyak, Brubaker, Dussel and Weaver.
Attica Raceway Park will host the UMP Late Model Summer Nationals – known s the Hell Tour – on Friday, July 15 on Central Ohio Farmers/ True Value of Woodville Night. The Summer nationals kicked off June 15 and included 28 races over 32 days in nine states. So far all but four days – rain outs postponed to the days prior to Attica’s race – have been completed with Shannon Babb’s three wins earning the Hell Tour’s point lead over Scott James (two wins) and defending Summer Nationals’ champion Jason Feger (who won at Attica in 2010).
The UMP Modifieds and 305 sprints will also be in competition.
For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park – 7/8/2011
Smith Family Foods / Sutton Bank Night
O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints (22 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 312-Mike Linder[3] ; 2. 7-Darren Long[4] ; 3. 97-Dean Jacobs[6] ; 4. 60-Jody Keegan[1] ; 5. W20-Greg Wilson[7] ; 6. 4-Danny Smith[8] ; 7. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[5] ; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[2]
Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 11X-Brandon Martin[1] ; 2. 16-Bryan Sebetto[4] ; 3. O9-Craig Mintz[3] ; 4. 53-Phil Gressman[6] ; 5. 14H-Todd Heller[7] ; 6. O-Mike Dussel[2] ; 7. 98-Robert Robenalt[5]
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 5R-Byron Reed[2] ; 2. 5T-Travis Philo[1] ; 3. 51-Brad Bowman[3] ; 4. 57X-Andrew Palker[5] ; 5. 17-Marty Perovich[7] ; 6. 12-Jarred Ridge[4] ; 7. 96AU-Bruce White[6]
A-Main – (30 Laps)
1. 5R-Byron Reed[1]; 2. 11X-Brandon Martin[3]; 3. 97-Dean Jacobs[12]; 4. W20-Greg Wilson[13]; 5. O9-Craig Mintz[4]; 6. 312-Mike Linder[8]; 7. 16-Bryan Sebetto[10]; 8. 4-Danny Smith[16]; 9. O-Mike Dussel[17]; 10. 14H-Todd Heller[14]; 11. 12-Jarred Ridge[18]; 12. 7-Darren Long[2]; 13. 5T-Travis Philo[7]; 14. 96AU-Bruce White[21]; 15. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[19]; 16. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[22]; 17. 57X-Andrew Palker[5]; 18. 17-Marty Perovich[15]; 19. 51-Brad Bowman[6]; 20. 53-Phil Gressman[9]; 21. 60-Jody Keegan[11]; 22. 98-Robert Robenalt[20]
Hard Charger: 97-Dean Jacobs[+9]
Fultz Fabrication & Speed Shop Late Models (20 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 15B-Mike Bores[1] ; 2. 27-Ken Hahn[3] ; 3. 56-B.J. Gregory[4] ; 4. 48B-John Bores[5] ; 5. 51-Devin Shiels[7] ; 6. O1-Justin Chance[9] ; 7. 29-Rocky Owens[6] ; 8. 1N-Casey Noonan[8] ; 9. 99-Steve Sabo[2] ; 10. 12-Michael Stiltner Jr.[10]
Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 21-Larry Kingseed[2] ; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[1] ; 3. 3-Rick DeLong[7] ; 4. 8-Rob Anderzack[3] ; 5. 36-Matt Irey[8] ; 6. O6-Kyle Perry[9] ; 7. 92-Brandon Perkins[4] ; 8. 30-Nate Potts[10] ; 9. 99M-John Mayers Jr.[6] ; 10. WD40-Dusty Moore[5]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. O1-Justin Chance[6]; 2. 3-Rick DeLong[2]; 3. 1N-Casey Noonan[15]; 4. 21-Larry Kingseed[8]; 5. 27-Ken Hahn[3]; 6. 15B-Mike Bores[10]; 7. O6-Kyle Perry[4]; 8. 29-Rocky Owens[13]; 9. 50Y-Ryan Missler[9]; 10. 48B-John Bores[7]; 11. 99-Steve Sabo[17]; 12. 51-Devin Shiels[5]; 13. 8-Rob Anderzack[11]; 14. 12-Michael Stiltner Jr.[19]; 15. 56-B.J. Gregory[12]; 16. 92-Brandon Perkins[14]; 17. 99M-John Mayers Jr.[18]; 18. 36-Matt Irey[1]; 19. 30-Nate Potts[16]
Hard Charger: 1N-Casey Noonan[+12]
Fremont Fence Sprints (26 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 8B-Zack Kramer[1] ; 2. 13-Junior Felver[2] ; 3. M28-Josh Muntz[3] ; 4. 9-Jimmy Colvin[8] ; 5. 35-Stuart Brubaker[6] ; 6. 67M-Matt Ferrell[9] ; 7. 51-Dave Saxter[4] ; 8. 83X-Nate Reeser[5] ; 9. 36-Seth Schneider[7]
Heat 2 – Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 1-Nate Dussel[1] ; 2. 27-Paige Polyak[4] ; 3. 36X-Dustin Keegan[2] ; 4. 94-John Ivy[9] ; 5. 1W-Paul Weaver[6] ; 6. 25-Jason Keckler[3] ; 7. 72C-Ross Moore[7] ; 8. 1M-Mike Moore[8] ; 9. 48-Mike Burkin[5]
Heat 3 – Bell Racing (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 4M-Jamie Miller[1] ; 2. 40-Caleb Griffith[6] ; 3. 5-Dustin Dinan[4] ; 4. 11F-D.J. Foos[7] ; 5. 22D-Dan Hammond[2] ; 6. 8J-Jess Stiger[5] ; 7. 19R-Steve Rando[8] ; 8. 5R-Jordan Ryan[3]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 67M-Matt Ferrell[1] ; 2. 25-Jason Keckler[2] ; 3. 19R-Steve Rando[6] ; 4. 8J-Jess Stiger[3] ; 5. 51-Dave Saxter[4] ; 6. 72C-Ross Moore[5] ; 7. 5R-Jordan Ryan[9] ; 8. 83X-Nate Reeser[7] ; 9. 36-Seth Schneider[10] ; 10. 48-Mike Burkin[11] ; 11. 1M-Mike Moore[8]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 94-John Ivy[1]; 2. 27-Paige Polyak[2]; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker[13]; 4. 1-Nate Dussel[6]; 5. 1W-Paul Weaver[14]; 6. 11F-D.J. Foos[4]; 7. 13-Junior Felver[5]; 8. 9-Jimmy Colvin[7]; 9. 36X-Dustin Keegan[10]; 10. M28-Josh Muntz[11]; 11. 22D-Dan Hammond[15]; 12. 19R-Steve Rando[18]; 13. 51-Dave Saxter[20]; 14. 25-Jason Keckler[17]; 15. 5-Dustin Dinan[8]; 16. 67M-Matt Ferrell[16]; 17. 40-Caleb Griffith[9]; 18. 8B-Zack Kramer[3]; 19. 8J-Jess Stiger[19]; 20. 4M-Jamie Miller[12]
Hard Charger: 35-Stuart Brubaker[+10]