Blaney Claims Ohio Speedweek Opener, Enters Midpoint Fourth in Points

Dale Blaney (Serena Dalhamer photo)

 

Inside Line Promotions

ORRVILLE, Ohio (June 23, 2015) – Dale Blaney is heading into the midpoint of the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions Ohio Speedweek in a good position.

Blaney and the Mainstream Holdings, Inc., backed CH Motorsports team have recorded a feature victory and three top 10s during four races. They currently rank fourth in Speedweek standings, only 72 points out of the lead with five events remaining.

Dale Blaney (Serena Dalhamer photo)
Dale Blaney (Serena Dalhamer photo)

The action began last Friday at Attica Raceway Park in Attica, Ohio, where Blaney qualified 17th quickest before winning a heat race to lock himself into the dash. He picked up a position in the dash to place second, which lined him up on the outside of the front row for the main event.

“To us Attica is Attica and we’re always going to run pretty well there,” he said. “I was able to start on the front row of the feature. Parker Price-Miller passed me early in traffic and I got back by him getting into turn one. Traffic was tough. The track stayed pretty fast until about the last 10 laps. It was hard to get around guys. I got three timely yellows and that helped me a little bit. It was awesome to get the win right off the bat. It was a good night, what we were hoping for to start the week.”

Unfortunately, that momentum was stymied the following night at Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio. Blaney set quick time during qualifying and placed third in a heat race to advance into the dash. He maneuvered to a seventh-place result in the dash and methodically worked his way into the runner-up position during the main event.

“We got really good from about Lap 10 on and really got rolling,” he said. “I felt like I had a really good chance. Greg (Wilson) was right in front of us with no lapped cars between us.”

Blaney was closing in on the lead with seven laps remaining when his rear axle broke, sending the car into the wall in turn one. He was credited with a 22 nd-place result.

“I’ve never had one of those happen before,” he said. “It was unfortunate for everybody. It killed the car and took a chance at winning the race away. It was a tough night.”

The team pulled out a backup car on Sunday for Round 3 of Ohio Speedweek at Waynesfield Raceway Park in Waynesfield, Ohio. Blaney timed in 25th quickest before placing second in a heat race. That put the Mainstream Holdings, Inc., sponsored team in the dash for the third night in a row.

Blaney ended 12th in the dash, which lined him up on the outside of the sixth row for the feature.

“They watered the track a little before the A Main and it changed the track some,” he said. “It was a tough 35 laps. I felt like I was decent the first 10 laps, but the longer the race went the worse we got. To come back from the night before and get ourselves in the dash was a good night though.”

Blaney earned a 10th-place result.

The team returned to form to start Monday’s event at Wayne County Speedway, where Blaney set quick time during qualifying. He scored a third-place result in a heat race and finished 10th in the dash.

“The last four or five times we’ve run it it’s been a bit brutal,” he said. “We put ourselves in a good positon by qualifying well and then we drew a high number in the dash draw for the third night in a row. The track was hard to pass, to make a good charge. It’s not too often your jaw hurts after a race and my jaw hurt after last night’s race.”

Blaney maintained a top 10 throughout the main event before recording a 10th-place result, which was the team’s 27th top 10 in 36 races this season.

The remaining Ohio Speedweek action includes: Tuesday at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio; Wednesday at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio; Thursday at Fremont Speedway in Fremont, Ohio; Friday at Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio; and Saturday at Fremont Speedway.

QUICK RESULTS –

June 19 – Attica Raceway Park in Attica, Ohio – Qualifying: 17; Heat race: 1 (2); Dash: 2 (3); Feature: 1 (2).

June 20 – Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 3 (4); Dash: 7 (10); Feature: 22 (7).

June 21 – Waynesfield Raceway Park in Waynesfield, Ohio – Qualifying: 25; Heat race: 2 (3); Dash: 12 (11); Feature: 10 (12).

June 22 – Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 3 (4); Dash: 10 (10); Feature: 10 (10).

SEASON STATS –

36 races, 6 wins, 17 top fives, 27 top 10s, 28 top 15s, 31 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Tuesday at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio; Wednesday at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio; Thursday at Fremont Speedway in Fremont, Ohio; Friday at Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio; and Saturday at Fremont Speedway in Fremont, Ohio, for the final five rounds of the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions Ohio Speedweek

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Website: http://www.BigGameTreestands.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Game-Treestands/251832101535076?fref=ts

VIDEO –

Here is a link to highlights of Blaney’s World of Outlaws victory at Attica Raceway Park on May 29: https://youtu.be/ZZ0DlkA5T1c.

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INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –

Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.