By T.J. Buffenbarger
ATTICA, Ohio (September 3, 2022) — Cory Eliason has been close to winning at Attica Raceway Park multiple times but had not managed to reach the top step on the podium until Saturday night during the finale of the Attica Ambush. The victory was the second of the year for the driver from Visalia, California and was worth $7,000.
Driving for Bernie and Betsy Stuebgen, Eliason started on the front row and pulled away from the field during multiple restarts for his first career victory at Attica.
“It’s a good feeling, this place eluded me,” Eliason said about breaking through for a victory at Attica. “I think we have two or three times on Ohio Speedweek where we ran second, we just ran second this year earlier. I can’t thank Bernie and Betsy enough for giving me this opportunity. It’s been a tough season and it’s a good feeling that I’m able to still get the job done and do it for them.”
Byron Reed and Cory Eliason started on the front row for the 35-lap feature. Eliason took the lead off turn two while Reed diced with Zeth Sabo and Tim Shaffer for the second spot.
The first caution flag of the event came out after the opening lap when Jake Hesson ended up sideways on the front stretch. Hesson was unable to continue.
Eliason pulled away during the restart as Shaffer drove around the top of Sabo to take the third position.
Just as Eliason was starting to overtake slower cars the caution appeared for a second time with eight laps complete when Darin Naida slid off the track in turn four, erasing Eliason’s 2.285 second lead. Naida was able to continue at the tail of the field.
Eliason pulled away during the restart as Shaffer pressured Reed for the second position but could not make the pass. Behind them Cale Thomas, Travis Philo, Sabo, and Cole Macedo were dicing for fourth on back. Thomas took over fourth on lap 13 and started to pursue the lead trio.
15 laps in and Eliason is in lapped traffic. One lap later the caution flag appeared again when Caleb Griffith spun in turn four. Griffith was able to restart.
Eliason was quick during the restart and once again pulled away from the field, but two laps later the red flag appeared when D.J. Foos flipped off turn one. Travis Philo was also involved in the incident. Foos got out of the car under his own power.
This created an open red flag for teams to add fuel. Foos’ team was able to make repairs during the open red to join the back of the field.
Eliason pulled away from the field again as Trey Jacobs got around Cale Thomas for fourth position on lap 20. As Eliason was closing in again on having to overtake the back of the field another caution appeared with 22 laps in when Travis Philo ended up backwards in turn three. Philo’s car had to be towed off the racetrack with front end damage.
Eliason pulled away as Trey Jacobs made his presence felt driving up to third around Shaffer on lap 20. Two laps later Shaffer got the third position back with Chis Andrews entering the top five.
Eliason got into slower traffic with four laps to go when the caution appeared again for Jacobs spinning in turn two while running fourth.
Shaffer was able to slip by reed for second during the restart, but up front it was all Eliason picking up the victory. Shaffer, Reed, Thomas, and Andrews rounded out the top five.
Matt Foos won the 305 sprint car feature for his third victory of the season at Attica. Foos held off Friday night’s feature winner Paul Weaver, who charged from 17th after having to transfer through the B-Main. Mike Keegan, Jamie Miller, and Kody Brewer rounded out the top five.
Attica Ambush
Attica Fremont Challenge Series
Attica Raceway Park
Attica, Ohio
Saturday, September 3, 2022
Winged 410 Sprint Cars
Feature:
1. 71-Cory Eliason
2. 45-Tim Shaffer
3. 5-Byron Reed
4. 49X-Cale Thomas
5. 23-Chris Andrews
6. 18-Cole Macedo
7. 29-Zeth Sabo
8. 47BC-Emerson Axsom
9. 99-Skyler Gee
10. 33W-Caleb Griffith
11. 2-Ricky Peterson
12. 3J-Trey Jacobs
13. 49I-John Ivy
14. 16-DJ Foos
15. 2+ Brian Smith
16. 7N-Darin Naida
17. 24D-Danny Sams
18. 5T-Travis Philo
19. 12-Kyle Capodice
20. 35-Stuart Brubaker
21. 25R-Jordan Ryan
22. 00-Jake Hesson
Winged 305 Sprint Cars
Feature:
1. 12-Matt Foos
2. 31-Paul Weaver
3. X-Mike Keegan
4. 26-Jamie Miller
5. 5-Kody Brewer
6. 19R-Steve Rando
7. 3F-Wade Fraley
8. 16-Bryan Sebetto
9. 9R-Logan Riehl
10. 15K-Creed Kemenah
11. 5JR-Jim McGrath Jr.
12. 3X-Brandon Riehl
13. 7M-Brandon Moore
14. 5i-John Ivy
15. 20I-Kelsey Ivy
16. 47-Matt Lucius
17. 22-Justin Lusk
18. 10TS-Tyler Schiets
19. 51M-Haldon Miller
20. 5K-Kasey Jedrzejek
21. 28-Shawn Valenti
22. 13S-Drew Siferd