From Aaron Fielder
Attica, OH — (May 29, 2015) —
A mid-race restart proved pivotal in the battle for Friday night’s Kistler Engines Classic at Attica Raceway Park, as Dale Blaney was able to battle past Cody Darrah and best the Outlaws to become the 12th different World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series winner of the season.
Blaney, who came into the night as the reigning winner of the Outlaws event at Attica, picked up the quick time early on in the night and started on the outside pole of the feature after charging from sixth to second in the Dash.
Through the early portion of the feature Blaney battled with Darrah for the lead. As the two drivers came around to complete lap five, they got side-by-side off of turn four. Blaney got hung up at the top and was forced to give up his run for the position.
“I had a couple of runs on him getting into three but it was a 40 lap race and I didn’t want to do anything to negate what we were both doing up there,” Blaney said. “I knew the last 20 was going to tell the tale.”
The caution flag flew for the first and only time of the night on lap 15. D.J. Foos got caught up with Dean Jacobs and cut a tire down.
When the feature returned to green, momentum and a mistake changed the narrative of the night.
“I just got a good restart there,” Blaney said. “I kind of kept my speed up a little bit and we came to the line together but I had a head of speed going.”
Blaney charged forward in his No. 1 Muddy car, taking over the lead as the two drivers dove into turn one.
For Darrah, the restart captured a familiar frustration.
“I’ve been struggling with my restarts here lately and I’ve been getting yelled at,” Darrah said. “I got a little anxious and went a little too early and had to get my tires back under me and it just gave him enough time to get around me. And then once he got in front of me I throttled down and put myself in a wheel stand. Just made one bad mistake and then another one after that.”
Blaney caught traffic on lap 30 and Darrah was able to close a several car length lead for Blaney. Through the late going though, Blaney held firm, and scored his 10th career World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series feature victory.
“I was a little bit better than Cody was early but then once we got to traffic we were the same and I couldn’t do anything with him,” Blaney said. “I don’t know how we were in the open traffic. To defend what I did last year just makes it even more special.”
Blaney, a regular competitor with Darrah in the All Star Circuit of Champions, complimented the Red Lion, Pennsylvania-native. Blaney currently leads Darrah by 35 points in that series’ championship points standings.
“I get to race with Cody every night with the All Stars and for him to be up here with us is really good – he’s a great kid and we’re going to have a great battle this year,” Blaney said.
Darrah, who got his best Outlaws finish of the season with his No. 89 J&K Salvage car tonight, shared a similar sentiment.
“It felt like we had a great car,” Darrah said. “We were right on him there in traffic, it’s just when it slows down like this it’s really hard to get grip. I’ve learned so much here racing behind (Blaney) in the last couple of (All Star) races. He’s been kicking our butt but we’re closing up on the way he gets around the race track.”
If the restart proved critical for Blaney and Darrah, it was a big break for David Gravel. When the race returned to green, Gravel, who started the night in 11th, restarted in the eighth position. By the time he came around onto the backstretch he had driven his No. 7 Destiny Motorsports car to fourth.
Following a three lap battle with Joey Saldana for third, Gravel drag raced past him down the backstretch on lap 28 and then held him off as the two exited turn four. Gravel closed on Darrah in the waning laps but was not able to find a way around him.
It was the second Outlaws feature in a row that Gravel finished on the podium.
“We had a great car,” Gravel said. “I wish it was 50 laps. Cody was catching Dale a little bit and I was catching them. It was getting interesting.”
Of his transition with a still fairly new team for him, Gravel said, “It’s been a work in progress. Everybody’s been working hard to make this better.”
James McFadden was the night’s KSE Racing Hard Charger recipient after advancing 16 positions from 24th to finish in eighth.
Donny Schatz, who finished the night in sixth after starting the feature in 15th, expanded his championship points lead over second place Shane Stewart to 105.
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series returns to action tomorrow night for the NAPA Auto Parts Rumble in Michigan at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan. For more information on the event and to learn how to purchase tickets, visit http://woosprint.com/i-96-speedway.
World of Outlaws
Kistler Racing Products Classic
Attica Raceway Park – Attica, OH
Friday May 29, 2015
Qualifications:
1. 1 – Dale Blaney, 12.508
2. 2 – Shane Stewart, 12.525
3. 40 – Caleb Helms, 12.765
4. 21 – D.J. Foos, 12.780
5. 9X – Rob Chaney, 12.800
6. 71M – Joey Saldana, 12.828
7. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 12.894
8. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 12.906
9. 97 – Dean Jacobs, 12.915
10. 7 – David Gravel, 12.917
11. 53 – Cap Henry, 12.978
12. 19 – Paige Polyak, 13.022
13. 89 – Cody Darrah, 13.102
14. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 13.124
15. 33M – Caleb Griffith, 13.136
16. 45 – Tim Shaffer, 13.141
17. 15 – Donny Schatz, 13.167
18. 9Z – Duane Zablocki, 13.201
19. 7S – Jason Sides, 13.276
20. W20 – Greg Wilson, 13.297
21. 5T – Travis Philo, 13.326
22. 49 – Brad Sweet, 13.337
23. 51 – Paul McMahan, 13.350
24. 63 – Kody Swanson, 13.376
25. 41 – Jamie Veal, 13.398
26. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 13.416
27. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 13.441
28. 5 – Byron Reed, 13.455
29. O9 – Craig Mintz, 13.519
30. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 13.535
31. 59 – Danny Holtgraver, 13.537
32. 3G – James McFadden, 13.571
33. 19M – Brent Marks, 13.578
34. 16 – Stuart Brubaker, 13.580
35. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.602
36. 1A – Jacob Allen, 13.609
37. 40DD – Nate Dussel, 13.668
38. 45L – Brian Lay, 13.695
39. 19A – Chris Andrews, 13.715
40. 9P – Parker Price-Miller, 13.727
41. 40I – Mark Imler, 14.049
Heat Race #1:
1. 89 – Cody Darrah
2. 15 – Donny Schatz
3. 97 – Dean Jacobs
4. 1 – Dale Blaney
5. 5T – Travis Philo
6. 19M – Brent Marks
7. 41 – Jamie Veal
8. O9 – Craig Mintz
9. 9X – Rob Chaney
10. 40I – Mark Imler
11. 40DD – Nate Dussel
Heat Race #1:
1. 29 – Kerry Madsen
2. 7 – David Gravel
3. 71M – Joey Saldana
4. 2 – Shane Stewart
5. 49 – Brad Sweet
6. 81 – Lee Jacobs
7. 16 – Stuart Brubaker
8. 11K – Kraig Kinser
9. 9Z – Duane Zablocki
10. 45L – Brian Lay
Heat Race #2:
1. 7S – Jason Sides
2. 33M – Caleb Griffith
3. 51 – Paul McMahan
4. 1S – Logan Schuchart
5. 53 – Cap Henry
6. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild
7. 40 – Caleb Helms
8. 59 – Danny Holtgraver
9. 10H – Chad Kemenah
10. 19A – Chris Andrews
11. 45 – Tim Shaffer
Heat Race #3:
1. 9 – Daryn Pittman
2. 45 – Tim Shaffer
3. W20 – Greg Wilson
4. 3G – James McFadden
5. 5 – Byron Reed
6. 9P – Parker Price-Miller
7. 19 – Paige Polyak
8. 21 – D.J. Foos
9. 1A – Jacob Allen
10. 63 – Kody Swanson
Heat Race #4:
1. 89 – Cody Darrah
2. 1 – Dale Blaney
3. 97 – Dean Jacobs
4. 71M – Joey Saldana
5. 9 – Daryn Pittman
6. 29 – Kerry Madsen
7. 2 – Shane Stewart
8. 7S – Jason Sides
C-Main:
1. 19M – Brent Marks
2. 16 – Stuart Brubaker
3. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild
4. 1A – Jacob Allen
5. 45L – Brian Lay
6. 40DD – Nate Dussel
7. 9P – Parker Price-Miller
8. 40I – Mark Imler
9. 19A – Chris Andrews
B-Main:
1. 21 – D.J. Foos
2. O9 – Craig Mintz
3. 9X – Rob Chaney
4. 41 – Jamie Veal
5. 11K – Kraig Kinser
6. 9Z – Duane Zablocki
7. 59 – Danny Holtgraver
8. 63 – Kody Swanson
9. 19M – Brent Marks
10. 10H – Chad Kemenah
11. 16 – Stuart Brubaker
12. 81 – Lee Jacobs
13. 19 – Paige Polyak
14. 40 – Caleb Helms
Feature:
1. 1 – Dale Blaney
2. 89 – Cody Darrah
3. 7 – David Gravel
4. 71M – Joey Saldana
5. 9 – Daryn Pittman
6. 15 – Donny Schatz
7. 7S – Jason Sides
8. 3G – James McFadden
9. 9X – Rob Chaney
10. 29 – Kerry Madsen
11. W20 – Greg Wilson
12. 49 – Brad Sweet
13. 45 – Tim Shaffer
14. 1S – Logan Schuchart
15. 5T – Travis Philo
16. 33M – Caleb Griffith
17. O9 – Craig Mintz
18. 5 – Byron Reed
19. 2 – Shane Stewart
20. 53 – Cap Henry
21. 41 – Jamie Veal
22. 51 – Paul McMahan
23. 97 – Dean Jacobs
24. 21 – D.J. Foos