ATTICA, Ohio – Dale Blaney went where no one else wanted to go at Attica Raceway Park Friday, living up to his moniker “The Low Rider.” The Hartford, Ohio resident’s bottom line proved to be very beneficial, as he was able to avoid several early race incidents from his 12th starting spot and went on to earn his 16th career victory on Merrill Lynch/All Pro Aluminum Heads Night.
Blaney now has three wins in 2012 at Attica and is fifth on the track’s all-time win list for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints. But, it wasn’t easy, as he avoided the early race pitfalls and then battled Dean Jacobs and Bryan Sebetto the last half of the race before taking the lead with 10 circuits to go.
“I just stayed on the bottom… no one else was racing there so it was wide open and the car was good down there. We have been really fast all season and I’m looking forward to the big shows coming up,” said Blaney beside his Ti22 Performance #2. “The whole trick was to be patient and take what the car and traffic would give you.”
In the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models, Rusty Schlenk battled with defending track champion Ryan Missler early, and then figured out his high line was not the best place to be and tried the bottom on a restart with 15 laps to go and steadily pulled away for his 13th career Attica win and the second of the season.
“I saw Ryan down there and when that yellow came out I made up my mind I was going to go down there and the car worked perfect. We weren’t that good early in the year, but we have it figured out now,” said Schlenk beside his Lazer Chassis, Micro-Armor Lubricants, Main & Company, Zeller Automotive, Kercher Engines backed machine.
In the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints, Caleb Griffith refused to go to the bottom and would ride the track’s outer rim to lead all 25 laps, holding off a charging D.J. Foos, to score his third career win at Attica Raceway Park.
“The car was very good every where tonight. This one is for my crew chief Vic…he celebrated his birthday this week and he gave me the present of a great car tonight,” said Griffith beside his Tackle Box 2, Young’s Breading and Batter Mix, McDonalds Restaurant, Al Davis Carpet and Laminate, JLH General Contractors backed #40.
In the 410 sprint 30-lap feature, Brian Lay and Dean Jacobs would lead the field to the green, but several cars made contact in turn one, sending Lee Jacobs upside down. On the restart Dean Jacobs would power into the lead over Lay, Bryan Sebetto, Phil Gressman, Byron Reed, Andrew Palker and Brad Bowman. By the second lap, Sebetto and Dean Jacobs were running nose to tail with Gressman staying within striking distance while Lay, Reed, Bowman, Palker, Craig Mintz and Blaney battled hard for fourth. Marty Perovich would get upside down in turn four on lap three to stop the action.
On the restart, Dean Jacobs, Sebetto and Gressman continued to wage a torrid battle for the top spot with Lay, Reed and a very quick Blaney in tow. When Duane Zablocki spun on lap eight, the crowd was now paying attention to Blaney who had climbed to fifth. On the restart, however, now all eyes were on Brandon Martin who had climbed to seventh from his 18th starting spot.
Jacobs and Sebetto would continue to run nose to tail, pulling away from Gressman who had his hands full with Blaney and Reed. Blaney would drive under Gressman for third on lap 13 and quickly closed on the front duo. At the half way point, Dean Jacobs still led over Sebetto, Blaney, Gressman, Reed, Mintz, Lay, 14th starter Danny Smith and Bowman. Blaney would drive under Sebetto and beside Dean Jacobs on lap 19 and would take the lead a circuit later.
Blaney would then hit lapped traffic and would pull away as no one else seemed to want to run the bottom groove. Meanwhile Dean Jacobs and Sebetto raced hard for second with Reed, Gressman, Mintz and Smith in tow. With five laps to go, Sebetto would race inside of Dean Jacobs for second and take the runner-up spot with four laps to go. However, no one was going to catch Blaney as he drove to the win over Sebetto, Dean Jacobs, Reed and Mintz.
With is second place run, Sebetto would maintain his lead in the Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title (FAST) Championship Series, which he took the title in last season.
John Bores and Justin Chance would bring the UMP late models to the green to start the 25 laps feature, but a caution on the start for a Cody Scott spin would necessitate a complete restart. When the green came out, Chance would rocket into the lead over third starter Schlenk with Ryan Missler, John Bores, Mike Bores and John Mayes Jr. in tow. Schlenk would driver around Chance for the lead on lap two as Chance spun in turn four, collecting Mike Bores. Schlenk would bang up against the outside cushion on the restart as Missler raced to his inside. That tandem would battle side by side over the next few laps until Missler grabbed the lead on lap 8, with Schlenk regaining the top spot a lap later as they continued to race side by side.
Meanwhile there was a tremendous battle for third involving John Bores, Larry Kingseed, Mayes, Casey Noonan, Jeff Babcock, John Henry and Troy Catterene. Catterene would spin on lap 10, collecting Henry. This time on the restart Schlenk decided on the bottom groove and it worked to perfection as he steadily pulled away. Missler would then battle with Babcock the remainder of the race. Schlenk wouldn’t catch the back of the field until he took the white flag, but he was able to maintain his lead and the win over Missler, Babcock, Kingseed and John Bores.
Jason Keckler and Griffith would pace the field at the start of the 305 sprint main with Griffith using the high line to immediately take the lead. Griffith built a sizeable lead with all eyes on the battle for second between Keckler, Dustin Stroup, D.J. Foos, John Ivy, Steve Rando, Paige Polyak and Nate Dussel. Foos would grab third on lap eight and second by lap 10 and began closing on Griffith.
A spat of cautions on laps 12 and 13 slowed the race pace, with first Dustin Dinan spinning, then a Steve Rando tip-over on the ensuing restart, followed a lap later by a Dustin Stroup spin after contact with Polyak. When the green came back out, Dussel would grab third from Keckler as Griffith pulled away from Foos. Keckler would rebound to regain the third spot on lap 15 with Polyak taking fourth a lap later.
Griffith hit lapped traffic with about five laps to go, allowing Foos to close ever so slightly. But, it was too little too late as Griffith drove to the checkers. Foos, Paul Weaver (from 14th), Keckler and Dussel would round out the top five.
It was also the first race of the FAST Championship Series for the 305 sprints.
Attica Raceway Park will be silent next week in preparation for the June 1st appearance of the World of Outlaw Sprint cars. For reserve seat information and more go to www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park – 5/18/2012
Merrill Lynch / All Pro Aluminum Heads Night
O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints (31 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 2-Dale Blaney[3] ; 2. O9-Craig Mintz[1] ; 3. 3-Mike Linder[2] ; 4. O-Lee Jacobs[8] ; 5. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[7] ; 6. 17-Marty Perovich[5] ; 7. 16-Chris Andrews[10] ; 8. 2+-Brian Smith[9] ; 9. 60-Jody Keegan[11] ; 10. 11N-Ed Neumeister[4] ; 11. 98-Robert Robenalt[6]
Heat 2 – Summit Racing Equipment (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 57X-Andrew Palker[1] ; 2. 97-Dean Jacobs[3] ; 3. 45L-Brian Lay[2] ; 4. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[7] ; 5. 4-Danny Smith[6] ; 6. 44-Austen Wheatley[9] ; 7. 15H-Mitch Harble[4] ; 8. 12-Jarred Ridge[10] ; 9. 11-Shawn Hubler[5] ; 10. 9X-Brandon Martin[8]
Heat 3 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 35-Stuart Brubaker[1] ; 2. 53-Phil Gressman[5] ; 3. 5R-Byron Reed[6] ; 4. 55-Brad Bowman[3] ; 5. 14H-Todd Heller[7] ; 6. 22-Cole Duncan[10] ; 7. 14-Chad Wilson[8] ; 8. 73-Joe Armbruster[2] ; 9. 5T-Travis Philo[9] ; 10. 69-Scott Curren[4]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 44-Austen Wheatley[2] ; 2. 16-Chris Andrews[4] ; 3. 9X-Brandon Martin[14] ; 4. 2+-Brian Smith[7] ; 5. 17-Marty Perovich[1] ; 6. 14-Chad Wilson[6] ; 7. 11N-Ed Neumeister[13] ; 8. 60-Jody Keegan[10] ; 9. 15H-Mitch Harble[5] ; 10. 11-Shawn Hubler[11] ; 11. 69-Scott Curren[15] ; 12. 73-Joe Armbruster[9] ; 13. 5T-Travis Philo[12] ; 14. 22-Cole Duncan[3] ; 15. 12-Jarred Ridge[8] ; 16. 98-Robert Robenalt[16]
A-Main – (30 Laps)
1. 2-Dale Blaney[12]; 2. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[4]; 3. 97-Dean Jacobs[2]; 4. 5R-Byron Reed[3]; 5. O9-Craig Mintz[9]; 6. 53-Phil Gressman[6]; 7. 4-Danny Smith[14]; 8. 57X-Andrew Palker[5]; 9. 55-Brad Bowman[7]; 10. 44-Austen Wheatley[16]; 11. 45L-Brian Lay[1]; 12. 9X-Brandon Martin[18]; 13. 2+-Brian Smith[19]; 14. 16-Chris Andrews[17]; 15. 35-Stuart Brubaker[11]; 16. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[13]; 17. 3-Mike Linder[10]; 18. 14H-Todd Heller[15]; 19. 17-Marty Perovich[20]; 20. O-Lee Jacobs[8]
Hard Charger: 2-Dale Blaney[+11]
Summit Racing Equipment Late Models (24 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 15-Jon Henry[2] ; 2. 1N-Casey Noonan[1] ; 3. 21-Larry Kingseed[3] ; 4. O1-Justin Chance[5] ; 5. 99-Steve Sabo[4] ; 6. 46-Ken Hahn[6] ; 7. 23-Mike Hudson[7]
Heat 2 – Summit Racing Equipment (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[5] ; 2. 48-John Bores[3] ; 3. 69-John Mayes Jr.[6] ; 4. 1-Jeff Babcock[8] ; 5. 9C-Troy Cattarene[1] ; 6. 56-B.J. Gregory[7] ; 7. 75-Dusty Moore[2]
Heat 3 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 50Y-Ryan Missler[7] ; 2. 15B-Mike Bores[3] ; 3. 5H-Ernie Haynes[6] ; 4. 92-Cody Scott[8] ; 5. 8-Rob Anderzack[5] ; 6. 30-Nate Potts[2] ; 7. X3-Dan Wallace[4] ; 8. O6-Kyle Perry[1]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. X3-Dan Wallace[6] ; 2. 56-B.J. Gregory[2] ; 3. 30-Nate Potts[3] ; 4. 23-Mike Hudson[4] ; 5. 46-Ken Hahn[1]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[3]; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[4]; 3. 1-Jeff Babcock[10]; 4. 21-Larry Kingseed[8]; 5. 48-John Bores[1]; 6. 1N-Casey Noonan[7]; 7. 15-Jon Henry[12]; 8. O1-Justin Chance[2]; 9. X3-Dan Wallace[16]; 10. 5H-Ernie Haynes[9]; 11. 69-John Mayes Jr.[6]; 12. 99-Steve Sabo[13]; 13. 92-Cody Scott[11]; 14. 30-Nate Potts[18]; 15. 8-Rob Anderzack[15]; 16. 56-B.J. Gregory[17]; 17. 9C-Troy Cattarene[14]; 18. 46-Ken Hahn[20]; 19. 15B-Mike Bores[5]; 20. 23-Mike Hudson[19]
Hard Charger: 1-Jeff Babcock[+7]
Fremont Fence 305 Sprints (27 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 25-Jason Keckler[3] ; 2. 4M-Jamie Miller[2] ; 3. 19R-Steve Rando[4] ; 4. 5R-Jordan Ryan[1] ; 5. 68G-Tyler Gunn[8] ; 6. 22D-Dan Hammond[5] ; 7. 39M-Matt Merrill[7] ; 8. 77S-Jim Sipe[9] ; 9. 3B-Jeremy Duposki[6]
Heat 2 – Summit Racing Equipment (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 40-Caleb Griffith[3] ; 2. 8K-John Ivy[5] ; 3. 9-Jimmy Colvin[7] ; 4. 83X-Nate Reeser[1] ; 5. 1W-Paul Weaver[8] ; 6. 13-Junior Felver[4] ; 7. 36-Seth Schneider[9] ; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger[6] ; 9. 5-Dustin Dinan[2]
Heat 3 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 10X-Dustin Stroup[1] ; 2. 1-Nate Dussel[6] ; 3. 27-Paige Polyak[2] ; 4. 11F-D.J. Foos[7] ; 5. 4T-Jim Taddeo[3] ; 6. 72C-Ross Moore[4] ; 7. 67M-Matt Ferrell[9] ; 8. 91-Troy Kingman[5] ; 9. 94K-Kurt Huber[8]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 13-Junior Felver[2] ; 2. 5-Dustin Dinan[11] ; 3. 22D-Dan Hammond[1] ; 4. 39M-Matt Merrill[4] ; 5. 67M-Matt Ferrell[6] ; 6. 72C-Ross Moore[3] ; 7. 91-Troy Kingman[9] ; 8. 36-Seth Schneider[5] ; 9. 8J-Jess Stiger[8] ; 10. 94K-Kurt Huber[12] ; 11. 77S-Jim Sipe[7]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 40-Caleb Griffith[2]; 2. 11F-D.J. Foos[5]; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver[14]; 4. 25-Jason Keckler[1]; 5. 1-Nate Dussel[9]; 6. 8K-John Ivy[7]; 7. 39M-Matt Merrill[19]; 8. 27-Paige Polyak[6]; 9. 9-Jimmy Colvin[12]; 10. 4M-Jamie Miller[10]; 11. 5-Dustin Dinan[17]; 12. 5R-Jordan Ryan[8]; 13. 67M-Matt Ferrell[20]; 14. 10X-Dustin Stroup[4]; 15. 83X-Nate Reeser[11]; 16. 13-Junior Felver[16]; 17. 68G-Tyler Gunn[13]; 18. 19R-Steve Rando[3]; 19. 4T-Jim Taddeo[15]; 20. 22D-Dan Hammond[18]
Hard Charger: 39M-Matt Merrill[+12]