By Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio – Attica Raceway Park capped off a very successful 2011 racing season Friday, Nov. 12, with a gala banquet to reward the race teams who finished in the top 10 in points. Crowned champions for 2011 were: Dean Jacobs, O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints; Ryan Missler, Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop UMP Late Models; Nate Dussel, Fremont Fence 305 Sprints; and Bob Dible, Computer Man Dirt Trucks.
Jacobs, from Wooster, Ohio, became only the seventh 410 sprint track champion in the 24 seasons of racing at Attica. He opened the season with a win – the 10th of his career – and was one of only four drivers to compete in all 13 A-mains at the track in 2011. Jacobs scored a remarkable nine top 10 runs and eight top five finishes. In fact, during a stretch from July 1 through Aug. 27, Jacobs finished no worse than fourth. Besides his win, he picked up a pair of runner-up finishes and a pair of thirds. His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
Jacobs thanked his car owners, Joe and Diane Seeling, and said the team will be back together in 2012, and will chase the Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title once again.
“I’ve raced against the World of Outlaws, the All Stars…some of the toughest competition in the country over the 30 years I’ve been doing this. The weekly racers at Attica and Fremont are just as tough,” said Jacobs.
Missler, from Bellevue, Ohio, wrapped up his third consecutive late model track championship by being the only driver to compete in all 16 A-mains in 2011. He started the year hot, not finishing worse than seventh through the end of May. Missler racked up 10 top 10 finishes and five top fives. He scored a pair of runner-up finishes – April 15 and Sept. 3. Missler’s average A-main finishing position was 10th.
“We had a lot of little things hamper us this year…mainly electrical issues. But, we had a strong car every night out and a great motor from Dennis Level. I have to thank my dad and all my crew who busted their tails all year,” said Missler. “We will be back better and stronger in 2012.”
Bradner, Ohio’s Nate Dussel had a story-book season at Attica in 2011. Of the 13 A-mains he competed in, he never finished out of the top 10! In fact, Dussel’s worse finish was a 10th on Aug. 20. Dussel racked up an unbelievable 12 top five runs. He scored wins on April 29 and June 3 to run his career total to three. He had a runner-up finish on opening night and April 15 and scored three third place finishes. Dussel’s average A-main finishing position was an incredible fourth.
“I have to thank my dad and mom and all my crew and family. I learned how to win championships from watching my brothers Craig and Mike. Scott Gressman gave us an incredible motor all season,” said Dussel who plans to be back to defend his title in 2012.
Bob Dible, of Fostoria, Ohio, never finished out of the top five in the seven A-mains in 2011 at Attica. He scored three wins – April 15, June 3 and July 2 – to take his career total to 10 at Attica. He also scored a pair of runner-up finishes. Dible’s average A-main finishing position was a remarkable second!
Dible credited his crew and family for his success, and said with their help in repairing his truck; he will be back in 2012.
The rest of the top 10 in each division follows:
O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints:
Rookie of the Year: Brad Bowman, Shelby, Ohio. After spending several years in the 305 sprint division, Brad had a very good year in the 410 sprints. He finished 12th in the track’s final points, and made five of the 13 A-mains. A 12th place finish on Aug. 5 was his best showing. Brad’s season highlight was a top five run with the All Star Circuit of Champions at Sharon Speedway.
10th. Kevin Lee, Green Springs. Kevin drove the Jason Deel #3J in 9 of the 13 A-mains in 2011 at Attica. He scored five top 10 finishes, including a season-best pair of seventh place runs on July 29 and Aug. 5. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
9. Duane Zablocki, Tiffin. Duane competed in 7 of the 13 A-mains in 2011, recording one top 10 finish, a 10th on Aug. 5. His average A-main finishing position was 15th.
8. Mike Linder, Fremont. Mike started the year out slow, but a new chassis mid-way through propelled him to several top 10 finishes. He competed in 9 of the 13 A-mains in 2011, including not missing a feature after Ohio Sprint Speedweek. Mike scored six top 10 finishes and a pair of top five runs including a season best fourth on July 1. Mike’s average A-main finishing position was 9th.
7. Travis Philo, Waterville. Travis had a break-out season in his young career. He competed in 10 of the 13 A-mains, missing only the April 9 All Star show, the May 20 World of Outlaw event and the Ohio Sprint Speedweek show. Travis made the last 7 A-mains of the year at Attica. He recorded one top 10 finish, a season-best sixth on April 29. Travis’ average A-main finishing position was 13th.
6. Phil Gressman, Fremont. Phil was one of only four drivers to make all 13 A-mains in 2011. If not for nagging mechanical woes, the two-time Attica 305 sprint champion, would have contended for the championship. He recorded six top 10 finishes and three top five runs. He scored his sixth 410 career Attica feature win on June 3 and now has 24 total victories in all divisions at Attica. Phil opened the season with a second place run. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
5. Craig Mintz, Gibsonburg. Craig, the 2009 FAST champion and 2010 Fremont champ, competed in 12 of the 13 A-mains in 2011 at Attica, missing only the April 29 show. He recorded eight top 10 runs and six top fives including a season-best pair of third place finishes on April 1 and July 1. He had a span from June 7 through Aug. 27 when he never finished out of the top 10. Craig’s average A-main finishing position was 8th.
4. Byron Reed, Monclova. Byron, who has won the Attica track championship six out of the past nine seasons, was one of four drivers to make all 13 A-mains in 2011. He struggled early in the season, but finished out of the top five only once – a 9th place run on July 29 – during the last eight races of the year. Byron, the 2010 FAST champion, recorded nine top 10 runs and eight top five finishes. He scored his 28th career Attica feature win – he sits second on the track’s all time win list for 410 sprints – on July 8. He also scored a pair of top three runs. Byron’s average A-main finishing position was 9th.
3. Brandon Martin, Attica. After 11 years of trying, Brandon finally won a feature at his home track. In fact, he scored two victories – July 1 and Aug. 5. Brandon competed in 12 of the 13 A-mains in 2011, missing only the May 20 World of Outlaws main. He recorded eight top 10 finishes and six top fives. Besides his pair of wins, Brandon also had two runner-up finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
2. Bryan Sebetto, Fremont. To say 2011 was impressive for the young driver is a huge understatement. The 2011 FAST champion and 2011 Fremont champion was one of four drivers to compete in all 13 A-mains at Attica in 2011. Sebetto scored back-to-back feature wins on Aug. 20 and 27 to run his career total to 3 at Attica in 410 sprint racing to go with his 12 305 sprint victories. Bryan scored an incredible 9 top 10 runs and five top fives. From July 1 through Aug. 27, Bryan never finished worse than eighth. Bryan’s average A-main finishing position was 8th.
Fultz Fabrications & Speed Shop UMP Late Models
10. Ernie Haynes, Risingsun. Ernie competed in 8 of the 16 A-mains in 2011. He recorded three top 10 finishes and a season best fourth on the last night of the year. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
9. Matt Irey, Mansfield. Matt competed in 10 of the 16 A-mains in 2011. He recorded a pair of top 10 finishes including a season best seventh on Aug. 27. His average A-main finishing position was 13th.
8. Jon Henry, Ada. Had the Steel Driver competed in all the events in 2011, no one would have touched him for the track championship. He ran in 11 of the 16 A-mains in 2011, scoring an incredible eight wins including opening the season with four straight victories. He now has nine career Attica wins in the late models to sit second on the track’s all-time win list. Of the 11 features he competed in, Jon’s worst finish was a sixth on May 6. His average A-main finishing position was an incredible second!
7. Kyle Perry, Perrysburg. The 17-year-old had an impressive season, competing in 11 of the 16 A-mains at Attica in 2011. He recorded four top 10 finishes including a season-best seventh on July 8. Kyle’s average A-main finishing position was 12th.
6. Michael Stiltner II, Green Springs. Michael competed in 8 of the 16 A-mains in 2011 at Attica. He recorded a season-best 11th place finish on June 3. Michael’s average A-main finishing position was 14th.
5. John Bores, Bellevue. While operating Attica Raceway Park, John still managed to compete in 12 of the 16 A-mains in 2011. He scored a pair of top 10 finishes including a season-best seventh on April 15. John’s average A-main finishing position was 14th.
4. Mike Bores, Bellevue. Despite some engine woes during the 2011 season, Mike competed in 12 of the 16 A-mains at Attica in 2011. Mike recorded six top 10 finishes including a season best pair of sixth place runs on July 8 and July 29. Mike’s average A-main finishing position was 11th.
3. Ken Hahn, Gibsonburg. The 2007 Attica limited late model champion competed in 13 of the 16 A-mains in 2011, missing only the April 15, July 15, and Sept. 3 shows. Ken recorded five top 10 runs and 3 top fives including a season best third on Aug. 27. Ken’s average A-main finishing position was 12th.
2. Larry Kingseed, Castalia. A five time Attica limited late model champion, Larry competed in 13 of the 16 A-mains in 2011, missing only the May 20, June 3 and July 15 events. He compiled 7 top 10 finishes and five top five runs, including a season-best runner-up finish on Aug. 27. Larry’s average A-main finishing position was 9th.
Fremont Fenced 305 Sprints
2011 Rookie of the year – Seth Schneider, Fremont. Seth had a very impressive rookie season, making 10 of the 13 A-mains at Attica in 2011, missing from June 3 through July 8 due to a crash. He scored his season-best finish – an eighth – on the last night. Seth’s average A-main finishing position was 15th.
10. Paul Weaver, Fremont. The 2009 track champion competed in 10 of the 13 A-mains at Attica in 2011, missing April 1, April 15 and July 15. Throw out a 20th place finish on June 3, and Paul never finished out of the top five. He scored four wins in 2011 – April 9, July 29, Aug. 20 and Aug. 27 – bringing his division leading total to 28. His average A-main finishing position was 4th.
9. Josh Muntz, Fremont. Josh competed in all 13 A-mains in 2011 at Attica, recording 7 top 10 finishes. He opened the year strong, not finishing out of the top 10 in each of the first four races. His best finish was a 7th on Aug. 20. Josh’s average A-main finishing position was 12th.
8. Junior Felver, Plymouth. Junior made all 13 A-mains in 2011, recording four top 10 finishes. His season-best was a third on April 9. Junior’s average A-main finishing position was 12th.
7. Jimmy Colvin, Bellevue. After missing opening night, Jimmy competed in the remaining 13 A-mains in 2011 at Attica. He racked up 10 top 10 finishes. In fact, from April 9 through June 3, his worst finish was an eighth. Jimmy had four top five runs, including a season-best second on April 9 and a pair of third place finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
6. Jason Keckler, Fremont. The 2010 Attica rookie of the year made all 13 A-mains in 2011. He had 7 top 10 finishes, including the last five races of the season. He scored a season-best pair of fifth place finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.
5. Dustin Dinan, Clyde. Dustin competed in all 13 A-mains at Attica in 2011. He scored an incredible 10 top 10 finishes – in fact, his worse finish was a 15th on July 8. Dustin opened the season strong, finishing no worse that 9th through May 6. Dustin recorded a season-best runner-up finish on Aug. 20. Dustin’s average A-main finishing position was 8th.
4. Paige Polyak, Tiffin. The 17-year-old driver competed in all 13 A-mains in 2011 at Attica. She recorded a remarkable 10 top 10 finishes and 8 top five runs. Paige had four runner-up finishes in 2011. Her average A-main finishing position was 8th.
3. D. J. Foos, Fremont. The 2010 Attica champion competed in all 13 A-mains in 2011. He opened the season strong, not finishing out of the top10 through June 3. In fact, throw out a 19th place finish on July 1, and D.J.’s worst finish the rest of the year was an 11th on Aug. 5. D.J. racked up a remarkable 11 top 10 finishes and five top five runs. He scored wins on April 1 and July 15 to take his career total to 10 at Attica. Foos’ average A-main finishing position was 7th.
2. Stuart Brubaker, Fremont. The 2008 Attica champion competed in all 13 A-mains in 2011. He finished out of the top 10 only once – a 12th place run on Aug. 20. He racked up a remarkable 10 top five finishes. Stuart recorded his 7th career Attica win on May 6, the Engine Builders Challenge. He scored a runner-up finish on July 1 and had three third place showings. His average A-main finishing position was an incredible 5th.
Computer Man Dirt Trucks
10. Keith Sorg, Fremont. The former Attica rookie of the year competed in 6 of the 7 A-mains in 2011, missing only the June 3 show. He scored a season-best 10th place finish on opening night. Keith’s average A-main finishing position was 14th.
9. Brian Sorg, Fremont. Brian competed in 6 of the 7 A-mains in 2011, missing only the Aug. 27 feature. He scored three top 10 runs, including a season-best fourth on June 3. Brian’s average A-main finishing position was 11th.
8. Todd Keegan, Clyde. Todd competed in five of the 7 A-mains in 2011, missing the last two shows. His season-best finish was a pair of 12th place runs. His average A-main finishing position was 15th.
7. Craig Holland, Fremont. Craig competed in five of the 7 A-mains in 2011, missing the July 1 and Sept. 3 shows. He scored a season-best eighth place finish on opening night. Craig’s average A-main finishing position was 13th.
6. Greg Summit, Carey. Greg competed in five of the 7 A-mains in 2011, missing the Aug. 20 and Sept. 3 events. He scored three top 10 finishes including a pair of season best 8th place runs. Greg’s average A-main finishing position was 11th.
5. Steve Endicott, Risingsun. Steve competed in six of the 7 A-mains in 2011, missing only the last show. He scored five top 10 finishes including a season-best runner-up on opening night. Steve’s average A-main finishing position was 7th.
4. Dwight Waltermeier, Wayne. Dwight competed in all 7 A-mains in 2011. He scored six top 10 finishes including a season best third on May 6. Dwight’s average A-main finishing position was 7th.
3. Brian Arnold, Tiffin. The 2010 Attica champion competed in all 7 A-mains in 2011, never finishing out of the top 10. He scored his 9th career Attica win on May 6. Brian’s average A-main finishing position was 6th.
2. Art Ball, Tiffin. A two-time dirt truck track champion and two-time street stock/limited late model champion, Art never finished worst than 9th in the 7 A-mains he competed in during 2011. In fact after his opening night 9th place run, Art never finished out of the top five. Art had three runner-up finishes in 2011. Art’s average A-main finishing position was an incredible 4th.