UNOH All Stars kick off ‘Northern’ tour during Attica Spring Nationals

From Brian Liskai

The stars of the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Car Series will duke it out with the tough weekly competitors of Attica Raceway Park during the 22^nd Annual HD Supply Spring Nationals on Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30.

The event kicks off the UNOH All Star’s “northern tour” and the Ohio Region of the series and has drawn some of the top stars in racing including three time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart and NASCAR star Kasey Kahne. Several Pennsylvania teams and World of Outlaw teams have shown up for the Spring Nationals as well.

“Attica Raceway Park is one of the most exciting tracks the All Stars compete at. With the level of competition that races there every week, and the loyal, intelligent fans that come there, coupled with is its history and proximity to other hot beds of racing….the Spring Nationals has become a ‘must see’ event in the Midwest region,” said Guy Webb, President of the UNOH All Stars. “It’s early enough in the season you just don’t know who will show up. And from what we are hearing, the Ohio Region of the All Stars could be one of the most competitive and exciting in the history of the series.”

After two UNOH All Star events have been completed in 2013 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida, three time series champion and 2012 Ohio Region champion Dale “The Low Rider” Blaney of Hartford, Ohio, leads the UNOH All Star point standings. Blaney, who has 93 career All Star wins, just five away from tying hall-of-famer Kenny Jacobs for most wins in series history, opened the 2012 Spring Nationals with a last lap win and sits fifth on Attica’s all-time with list with 16 victories. Blaney also have five victories in Spring Nationals competition.

Watertown, Connecticut’s David Gravel, who has been filling in for the injured Bill Rose along the World of Outlaws trail as of late, recording solid top 10 runs, is currently second in the All Stars national points. Tim “The Steel City Outlaw Shaffer of Aliquippa, Pa., comes into the Spring Nationals third in the series points. Shaffer has won the last four straight All Star championships, a feat only accomplished by Jacobs and Chad Kemenah. Shaffer does have a 360 sprint win in 2013. Shaffer, who sits sixth on the All Stars’ all-time win list with 51 victories, has 10 career wins at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant. Pennsylvania’s Lance Dewease, in a new ride for 2013, sits fourth the All Star points, and claimed the series’ eastern region champion in 2011 and has one career win at Attica. Rounding out the series top five is four series and Attica rookie of the year Cap Henry from nearby Bellevue, Ohio. Henry had a break-out season with the All Stars in 2012, nearly claiming several wins, including a speedweek event at Attica.

Round out the All Stars’ top 10 in points are Paul McMahan, Logan Schuchart, Danny Dietrich, Danny Holtgraver and Steve Buckwalter. Holtgraver scored his first UNOH All Star win at Attica to open the Ohio Speedweek in 2012, and went on to record 3 series wins in 2013.

And while the Attica Spring Nationals has drawn some of the biggest names in racing, it’s the tough weekly competition that makes the event so exciting. In the 2012 spring nationals, Blaney opened with a last lap pass of Attica’s 2012 champion Craig Mintz for the win. On the second night, Mintz, who has 8 career wins at Attica, executed a last lap pass of Stevie Smith, a 2005 Spring Nationals winner, for his first ever All Star win.

Then throw in six-time Attica champion Byron Reed, who has two Spring National wins, Greg Wilson, a two-time All Star champion and three-time Spring Nationals winner with 19 career victories at Attica, 2011 and 2012 FAST (Fremont Attica Sprint Title) Bryan Sebetto who has 7 career wins at Attica, former track champion Dean Jacobs and a host of other tough weekly and regional competitors and you have a recipe for excitement.

For gate times, admission prices and more for the 22^nd Annual HD Supply Spring Nationals at Attica Raceway Park, go to www.atticaracewaypark.com

Attica Raceway Park Spring Nationals’ History

1992
Frankie Kerr
Frankie Kerr

1993
Mark Keegan

1994
Mark Keegan
Frankie Kerr

1995
Dale Blaney
Joey Saldana

1996
Bobby Teeple
Danny Smith

1997
Gary Wright
Butch Schroeder

1998
Jeff Shepard
Frankie Kerr

1999
Kenny Jacobs

2000
Craig Dollansky

2001
Byron Reed