By Tyler Altmeyer
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (September 10, 2019) – Continuing their late season trend of flip-flopping between Pennsylvania and Ohio, the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 will resume their final month of competition with another big money weekend in the Buckeye State, this time making the trip to southern Ohio’s Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe for the 2nd Annual Dean Knittel Memorial on Thursday through Saturday, September 12-14.
The 2019 edition of the Dean Knittel Memorial was originally slated for just two days on the calendar, but with the Ohio Sprint Speedweek date at Atomic Speedway resulting in a cancellation, what better way to create a monster weekend at the ‘Nation’s Fastest 3/8-Mile Oval’ than to reschedule the Speedweek date for the night before the Dean Knittel Memorial opener.
‘Speedweek: Reloaded’ will activate the long weekend at Atomic Speedway, officially, on Thursday, September 12, awarding a $5,000 top prize; just a fraction of the total weekend winner’s share that exceeds $22,000.
Dean Knittel Memorial competition will take over Atomic Speedway headlines the next two evenings on Friday and Saturday, September 13 & 14. ‘The Night Before The Knittel’ and Dean Knittel Memorial programs will award $5,054 and $12,554, respectively, as well as a guaranteed $754 to each A-Main starter on Saturday night.
In addition, a non-qualifiers event will also take shape on Saturday night awarding a $1,254 top prize. Those not qualifying for the Dean Knittel Memorial A-Main on Saturday night will be eligible to participate in the non-qualifiers feature. If the non-qualifier feature winner should choose to do so, they may forfeit their non-qualifier feature earnings and tag the back of the A-Main lineup.
Clute, Texas’ Aaron Reutzel will lead the All Star charge into Chillicothe on Thursday afternoon. The recent Tuscarora 50 champion, earning $52,000 in the process, holds a 44-point lead in the All Star championship chase entering Dean Knittel Memorial weekend. Six-time Series champion and all-time Series win leader, Dale Blaney, is currently second in the title hunt, followed by Rudeen Racing’s Cory Eliason, Nashville’s Paul McMahan, and three-time winner in 2019, Brock Zearfoss.
In total control of the 2019 win column, Reutzel will enter Atomic weekend with 12 victories on the season. Dale Blaney and Brock Zearfoss each own three on the year, followed by Cory Eliason and non-All Star Danny Dietrich, each with two in the ‘W’ column.
Those seeking additional news and notes pertaining to the upcoming events at Atomic Speedway should visit the facility live on the Web at www.atomicspeedway.net. All Star Circuit of Champions hot laps are scheduled to hit the racing surface at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, September 12 & 13, with Saturday’s finale kicking-off with hot laps at 6 p.m., sharp.
2019 All Star Circuit of Champions Driver Standings (After 9/7/2019):
1. Aaron Reutzel – 4710
2. Dale Blaney – 4666
3. Cory Eliason – 4610
4. Paul McMahan – 4496
5. Brock Zearfoss – 4478
6. Greg Wilson – 4304
7. Gerard McIntyre – 4160
8. Skylar Gee – 4080
9. George Hobaugh – 3512
10. Justin Peck – 3058