Blaney Gets Last Lap All Star Win at Attica; Paul Weaver Scored 305 Sprint Victory
By Brian Liskai
(Attica, OH) While the weather was cold, the huge crowd at Attica Raceway Park were warmed by a tremendous 40-lap feature Saturday as Hartford, Ohio's Dale Blaney passed race-long leader Tim Shaffer coming down for the white flag to score his 83rd career All Star Circuit of Champions feature event on H.D. Supply Night.
"We didn't get the yellows, but the car got really, really good in the middle of the race. We caught Tim at the wrong time...he got backed up in traffic at the wrong time and I had one shot at him and there was a lapped car there and I just threw it over in front of him...thought sure I'd see him under me, but he didn't," said Blaney, the defending O'Reilly All Star champion.
"I put us behind with a bad qualifying lap so we had to start in the back (14th) but I knew we could get to the front because George Fisher just gives me such a great car," said Blaney. "I wasn't that good the first five to ten laps, but the track was racy and the car came to me and I could drive it any where.
Blaney had a couple of close calls in the closing laps with back markers and pulled off a classic slide job in turns three and four to pass Shaffer as the white flag flew.
"Hey, when you're racing for the lead, you have to go," added Blaney.
For Shaffer, he knew his time in the front was in danger as his C&H Motorsports car got loose at the end.
"We just got slower and slower... I thought they would catch me sooner. The car just wouldn't go on the bottom and I had to stay up top and that hurt in traffic," said Shaffer."We got a long year to go."
Two-time All Star champion Greg Wilson continued his early season consistency with a third place finish after running second most of the race.
"We are so much better than what we were this time last year. We struggled last year and Bob Hampshire worked with Gaerte Engines and Ron Shaver to step up our engine program and we're seeing a lot of improvement. I have to thank Veryl and Sabrina Warnimont for sticking with me after such a bad year last year. To be on the horse track with Dale Blaney and Tim Shaffer shows me we are there...we have improved so much," said Wilson beside his All Star Plumbing & Heating sponsored car.
In the Fremont Fence 305 feature, Paul Weaver and Travis Hoffbauer - who won the first two features of the year - put on a tremendous battle throughout the 25-lap affair. The only caution flew on lap 20 and that gave Weaver an open track as he was mired in heavy traffic, allowing Hoffbauer to close. Weaver pulled away for victory with Hoffbauer, Dustin Dinan, Steve Rando and Stuart Brubaker rounding out the top five."I really needed that caution...I was having trouble with lapped traffic," said Weaver beside his M&L Excavating, Genzman Racing backed sprint car.
"I'm glad I'm back with the 305 sprints...this is fun. These kids are tough on an old man though," laughed Weaver. "I also have to thank my wife, Andrea, for all her help."
At the start of the 40-lap All Star feature, Shaffer, who picked up the win at Attica the week before, jumped into the lead, but the caution would fly before the second lap could be completed. Three more laps of green were followed by back-to-back cautions, but the race would go green the rest of the way.
Shaffer continued to lead, with Wilson comfortably in second while Rob Chaney, Chad Kemenah, Lee Jacobs, Kasey Kahne and Brandon Martin battled hard behind them. Kemenah would slide into third by lap 7 and would begin to close on Wilson and Shaffer. Jacobs would move into fourth and join the battle up front on lap 12. Meanwhile Blaney began his march to the front. He was sixth by lap 13 and took fifth two laps later. At the halfway mark, it was a tremendous five car battle for the lead with Shaffer leading Wilson, Kemenah, Jacobs and Blaney.
Blaney would dispose of Jacobs on lap 21 and would move into third by lap 24. The fans were on the edge of their seats with 13 laps to go as Shaffer, Wilson and Blaney waged a torrid battle up front. Blaney would move under Wilson into the runner-up position on lap 29 and was on Shaffer's rear bumper as they hit lapped traffic for the first time on lap 31. Then it was a matter of time before Blaney would slide past Shaffer for the win.
Behind Blaney - who now has 10 career All Star wins at Attica to lead all drivers - was Shaffer, Wilson, Kemenah and Jacobs.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, April 17 on True Value of Woodville Night featuring the Sunoco American Late Model Series, the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints and the first appearance of the season of the dirt trucks.
For more information log onto www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park - 4/11/2009
HD Supply Night
O’Reilly All Stars Circuit of Champions
Qualifying
1. 2H-Tim Hunter, 12.109; 2. 11M-Brandon Martin, 12.172; 3. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.347; 4. 91E-Kasey Kahne, 12.431; 5. 7K-Rob Chaney, 12.498; 6. 83-Tim Schaffer, 12.507; 7. 59-Lee Jacobs, 12.526; 8. 6K-Chad Kemenah, 12.530; 9. 2M-Dustin Daggett, 12.545; 10. 3C-Cale Conley, 12.563; 11. 60-Jody Keegan, 12.604; 12. 53-Cole Duncan, 12.617; 13. 1X-Randy Hannagan, 12.617; 14. 5R-Byron Reed, 12.654; 15. 2-Dale Blaney, 12.667; 16. O9-Craig Mintz, 12.680; 17. 11B-Brock Mayes, 12.695; 18. 4-Danny Smith, 12.701; 19. 2+-Brian Smith, 12.859; 20. 312-Mike Linder, 12.936; 21. 51-Aaron Higgins, 13.001; 22. 6R-Ryan Bunton, 13.001; 23. 21AU-Brooke Tatnell, 13.026; 24. 25-Daryn Pittman, 13.047; 25. 6-Bill Rose, 13.065; 26. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.104; 27. 15C-Chris Andrews, 13.133; 28. 23-Jamie Miller, 13.168; 29. 78-Todd Kane, 13.201; 30. 89G-David Gravel, 13.266; 31. O4-Cap Henry, 13.277; 32. O-Brandon Wimmer, 13.289; 33. 92-Daron Clayton, 13.327; 34. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.380; 35. 27-Scott Euler, 13.397; 36. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr., 13.411; 37. 20X-Craig Keel, 13.462; 38. 56R-Ryan Myers, 13.465; 39. 16-Brian Sebetto, 13.552; 40. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.595; 41. 10-David Harrison, 13.602; 42. 22D-Josh Davis, 13.633; 43. 3J-Kevin Lee, 13.653; 44. X-Mark Keegan, 13.666; 45. 23R-Ben Rutan, 13.694; 46. 45-Brian Lay, 13.732; 47. 6F-Bob Felmlee, 13.787; 48. 40-Mark Imler, 13.794; 49. 60C-Kory Crabtree, 14.489; 50. 91-Aaron Middaugh, 14.782; 51. 7M-Geoff Dodge, 14.810; 52. 98-Bruce Robenalt, 15.278
Heat 1 - Ultra Schield Race Products (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 51-Aaron Higgins; 2. 1X-Randy Hannagan; 3. 11B-Brock Mayes; 4. 7K-Rob Chaney; 5. 2M-Dustin Daggett; 6. 10-David Harrison; 7. 92-Daron Clayton; 8. 2H-Tim Hunter; 9. 60C-Kory Crabtree; 10. 23R-Ben Rutan; 11. 6-Bill Rose; 12. 20X-Craig Keel; 13. 78-Todd Kane
Heat 2 - Bell Racing (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 83-Tim Schaffer; 2. 4-Danny Smith; 3. 6R-Ryan Bunton; 4. 3C-Cale Conley; 5. 5R-Byron Reed; 6. 11M-Brandon Martin; 7. 22D-Josh Davis; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 9. 56R-Ryan Myers; 10. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 11. 45-Brian Lay; 12. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 13. 89G-David Gravel
Heat 3 - Friendship Food Stores (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 2-Dale Blaney; 2. W20-Greg Wilson; 3. 2+-Brian Smith; 4. 59-Lee Jacobs; 5. O4-Cap Henry; 6. 21AU-Brooke Tatnell; 7. 60-Jody Keegan; 8. 6F-Bob Felmlee; 9. 3J-Kevin Lee; 10. 16-Brian Sebetto; 11. 7M-Geoff Dodge; 12. 15C-Chris Andrews; 13. 27-Scott Euler
Heat 4 - Tin Lizzy Collision (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 25-Daryn Pittman; 2. 53-Cole Duncan; 3. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.; 4. 91E-Kasey Kahne; 5. 6K-Chad Kemenah; 6. X-Mark Keegan; 7. O9-Craig Mintz; 8. O-Brandon Wimmer; 9. 312-Mike Linder; 10. 5T-Travis Philo; 11. 40-Mark Imler; 12. 98-Bruce Robenalt; 13. 23-Jamie Miller
Dash (6 Laps)
1. W20-Greg Wilson; 2. 7K-Rob Chaney; 3. 1X-Randy Hannagan; 4. 59-Lee Jacobs; 5. 4-Danny Smith; 6. 83-Tim Schaffer
C-Main - Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps - Top 2 Transfer)
1. X-Mark Keegan; 2. 16-Brian Sebetto; 3. 5T-Travis Philo; 4. 23R-Ben Rutan; 5. 6F-Bob Felmlee; 6. 3J-Kevin Lee; 7. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 8. 60C-Kory Crabtree; 9. 7M-Geoff Dodge; 10. 40-Mark Imler; 11. 98-Bruce Robenalt; 12. 10-David Harrison; 13. 22D-Josh Davis
B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. O9-Craig Mintz; 2. 11M-Brandon Martin; 3. 21AU-Brooke Tatnell; 4. 60-Jody Keegan; 5. 15C-Chris Andrews; 6. 312-Mike Linder; 7. 78-Todd Kane; 8. O-Brandon Wimmer; 9. 6-Bill Rose; 10. X-Mark Keegan; 11. 2H-Tim Hunter; 12. 20X-Craig Keel; 13. 16-Brian Sebetto; 14. 92-Daron Clayton; 15. 27-Scott Euler; 16. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 17. 56R-Ryan Myers; 18. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 19. 23-Jamie Miller; 20. 89G-David Gravel
A-Main - (40 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 2-Dale Blaney[14]; 2. 83-Tim Schaffer[2]; 3. W20-Greg Wilson[3]; 4. 6K-Chad Kemenah[4]; 5. 59-Lee Jacobs[6]; 6. 53-Cole Duncan[7]; 7. 11M-Brandon Martin[9]; 8. 25-Daryn Pittman[22]; 9. 1X-Randy Hannagan[10]; 10. 11B-Brock Mayes[16]; 11. 7K-Rob Chaney[1]; 12. O9-Craig Mintz[13]; 13. 4-Danny Smith[15]; 14. 5R-Byron Reed[11]; 15. 21AU-Brooke Tatnell[19]; 16. 2+-Brian Smith[18]; 17. O4-Cap Henry[21]; 18. 91E-Kasey Kahne[5]; 19. 51-Aaron Higgins[17]; 20. 60-Jody Keegan[12]; 21. 6R-Ryan Bunton[20]; 22. 3C-Cale Conley[8]; 23. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.[23]
Fremont Fence - 305 Sprints
Heat 1 - Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 40-Bobby Clark; 2. 80-Jake Trevino; 3. 41-Dustin Dinan; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 5. 28-Shawn Valenti; 6. 51-Brad Bowman; 7. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 8. 71-Bill Kraylek; 9. 83X-Nate Reeser
Heat 2 - Bell Racing (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 13-Junior Felver; 2. 11F-D.J. Foos; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver; 4. 14-Chad Wilson; 5. 8K-Zack Kramer; 6. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 7. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 8. 29-Chris Lang; 9. 65-Mark Lang
Heat 3 - Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 82-Travis Hoffbauer; 2. 49-Cody Runion; 3. M28-Josh Muntz; 4. 19R-Steve Rando; 5. 1-Nate Dussel; 6. 22D-Dan Hammond; 7. 18-Todd Heuerman; 8. 93-Dave Saxer; 9. 47-Josh Burdette
B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 2. 51-Brad Bowman; 3. 18-Todd Heuerman; 4. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 5. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 6. 71-Bill Kraylek; 7. 22D-Dan Hammond; 8. 93-Dave Saxer; 9. 47-Josh Burdette; 10. 83X-Nate Reeser
A-Main - (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[1]; 2. 82-Travis Hoffbauer[2]; 3. 41-Dustin Dinan[6]; 4. 19R-Steve Rando[9]; 5. 35-Stuart Brubaker[8]; 6. 14-Chad Wilson[3]; 7. 49-Cody Runion[5]; 8. 80-Jake Trevino[7]; 9. 11F-D.J. Foos[12]; 10. 13-Junior Felver[4]; 11. 1-Nate Dussel[15]; 12. 51-Brad Bowman[17]; 13. 18-Todd Heuerman[18]; 14. 28-Shawn Valenti[13]; 15. 40-Bobby Clark[10]; 16. 8K-Zack Kramer[14]; 17. M28-Josh Muntz[11]; 18. 36X-Dustin Keegan[20]; 19. 10-Brad Haudenschild[16]; 20. 10X-Dustin Stroup[19]