By T.J. Buffenbarger
ROSSBURG, Ohio (October 8, 2016) – ROSSBURG, Ohio (October 8, 2016) – Rico Abreu picked up the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions victory during the “Sprintacular” event Saturday night at Eldora Speedway. The victory was very similar to Abreu’s first Sprintacular win in 2014 racing Dale Blaney for the victory. The win was Abreu’s fourth win this season with the All Stars and sixth of his career for the Rutherford, California resident.
“I knew Dale was getting close,” said Abreu. “I probably shouldn’t have, but I looked up on the big screen there a couple of times. Once I started catching traffic you couldn’t get impatient with them. The track kept getting narrower and narrower down there in three and four, and I wasn’t sure where to go in one and two where I just kept following the guys that I was catching, and they were not passing anybody. So I just had to make sure I hit my marks.”
Abreu had his work cut out for him having to hold off Blaney while navigating slower traffic during the non-stop 30-lap feature event.
Abreu raced side by side with Kemenah for the lead at the start with Abreu taking the lead down the backstretch. Sheldon Haudenschild overcame dropping back at the start to drive into second with a huge run off of turn two.
By lap three Blaney drove by Kemenah and Sheldon Haudenschild into second off turn two. Sheldon Haudenschild then tapped the wall in turn for and allowed Kemenah to pass for third on lap five.
Abreu started to encounter slower traffic on lap seven. By lap 12 the traffic was able to hold Abreu up enough for Blaney to close on the leader. On lap 18 Abreu tried to lap Jac Haudenschild and could not get by, allowing Blaney to dive to the inside of Abreu to challenge for the lead. Abreu was able to hold onto the top spot and pulled away as Blaney had to contend with Kemenah challenging him for second.
With five laps to go Abreu was slowed trying to overtake Tyler Courtney in slower traffic and Blaney closed in. Blaney dove to the inside of Abreu in turn three with two laps to go, but could not make the pass as Abreu pulled away for the victory. Blaney held on for second with Kemenah, Cap Henry, and Cole Duncan rounded out the top five.
Blaney’s second place finish allowed him to close within 18 points of Kemenah for the 2016 Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions point title.
Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions
Eldora Speedway
Rossburg, Ohio
Saturday September 8, 2016
Qualifying: 1. 18 – Ian Madsen, 14.193; 2. 24 – Rico Abreu, 14.267; 3. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 14.282; 4. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 14.322; 5. 57X – Andrew Palker, 14.358; 6. 5T – Travis Philo, 14.410; 7. 12N – Cole Duncan, 14.419; 8. 1 – Dale Blaney, 14.426; 9. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 14.453; 10. 6M – Jac Haudenschild, 14.508; 11. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 14.514; 12. 82 – Sammy Swindell, 14.533; 13. 17B – Bill Balog, 14.559; 14. 23C – Tyler Courtney, 14.565; 15. 7C – Caleb Armstrong, 14.567; 16. 70 – Danny Holtgraver, 14.613; 17. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 14.619; 18. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss, 14.664; 19. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 14.718; 20. 21 – Cap Henry, 14.754; 21. 97 – Aaron Reutzel, 14.821; 22. 5M – Max Stambaugh, 14.887; 23. 40 – Caleb Helms, 14.897; 24. 71M – Paul May, 14.933; 25. 7 – Joe Swanson, 14.978; 26. 8M – T.J. Michael, 15.148; 27. 97 – Cale Conley, 15.209; 28. 4 – Danny Smith, 15.300; 29. 60 – Kory Crabtree, 15.346; 30. 13 – Brandon Matus, 15.367; 31. 49H – Bradley Howard, 15.389; 32. 21K – Kyle Pruitt, 15.718; 33. O7 – Jacob Wilson, 15.788; 34. 5J – Jeremy Schultz, 15.832; 35. 59N – Bryan Nuckles, 15.887; 36. 3FX – Dean Kester, 16.234; 37. 7K – Dallas Hewitt, 16.243; 38. 16M – Danny Mumaw, 16.264; 39. 83 – Adam Cruea, 16.499; 40. 11 – Brian Benson, 16.685.
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 2. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 3. 17B – Bill Balog, 4. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 5. 8M – T.J. Michael, 6. 60 – Kory Crabtree, 7. 71M – Paul May, 8. 59 – Bryan Nuckles, 9. 21K – Kyle Pruitt, 10. 07 – Jacob Wilson. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 18 – Ian Madsen, 2. 5T – Travis Philo, 3. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 4. 7C – Caleb Armstrong, 5. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss, 6. 91A – Cale Conley, 7. 5M – Max Stambaugh, 8. 7J – Joe Swanson, 9. 3FX – Dean Kester, 10. 57X – Andrew Palker. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 24 – Rico Abreu, 2. 1 – Dale BLaney, 3. 82 – Sammy Swindell, 4. 12N – Cole Duncan, 5. 21H – Cap Henry, 6. 23C – Tyler Courtney, 7. 70 – Danny Holtgraver, 8. 6 – Jac Haudenschild, 9. 97 – Aaron Reutzel, 10. 40 – Caleb Helms. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 2. 13 – Brandon Matus, 3. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 4. 4 – Danny Smith, 5. 7K – Dallas Hewitt, 6. 5J – Jeremy Schultz, 7. 16M – Danny Mumaw, 8. 83 – Adam Cruea, 9. 11 – Brian Menson, 10. 49H – Bradley Howard. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Dash (6 Laps): 1. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 2. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 3. 24 – Rico Abreu, 4. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 5. 1B – Dale Blaney, 6. 18 – Ian Madsen, 7. 12N – Cole Duncan, 8. 5T – Travis Philo. (Finish determined the first eight starting spot for the A-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps): 1. 97 – Aaron Reutzel, 2. 23C – Tyler Courtney, 3. 70 – Danny Holtgraver, 4. 6M – Jac Haudenschild, 5. 60 – Kory Crabtree, 6. 71M – Paul May, 7. 40 – Caleb Helms, 8. 07 – Jacob Wilson, 9. 97A – Cale Conley, 10. 16M – Danny Mumaw, 11. 59N – Bryan Nuckles, 12. 49H – Bradley Howard, 13. 21K – Kyle Pruitt, 14. 83 – Adam Cruea, 15. 11 – Brian Benson, 16. 5J – Jeremy Schultz, 17. 3FX – Dean Kester, 18. 5M – Max Stambaugh, 19. 7 – Joe Swanson. DNS: 57X – Andrew Palker.
A-Main (30 Laps): 1. 24 – Rico Abreu, 2. 1 – Dale Blaney, 3. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 4. 21 – Cap Henry, 5. 12N – Cole Duncan, 6. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 7. 18 – Ian Madsen, 8. 5T – Travis Philo, 9. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 10. 97 – Aaron Reutzel, 11. 82 – Sammy Swindell, 12. 70 – Danny Holtgraver, 13. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss, 14. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 15. 7C – Caleb Armstrong, 16. 23C – Tyler Courtney, 17. 6M – Jac Haudenschild, 18. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 19. 17B – Bill Balog, 20. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 21. 7K – Dallas Hewitt, 22. 8M – T.J. Michael, 23. 60 – Kory Crabtree, 24. 4 – Danny Smith, 25. 13 – Brandon Matus.