Mayes, Drown, Clark, Waltermeier Get Attica Victories; Andrews, Missler, Weaver, Ball Crowned Champions
By Brian Liskai
(Attica, OH) Brock Mayes scored his first 410 sprint win of the season at Attica Raceway Park Saturday night, while Sandusky, Ohio's Chris Andrews' fourth place run vaulted him over Byron Reed to claim the 2009 track championship on Kistler Racing Products Season Championship Night.
Wooster, Ohio's Doug Drown scored his second win in the Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop UMP Late Models at Attica, while Bellevue, Ohio's Ryan Missler took the track championship with his second place feature finish.
Fremont, Ohio's Bobby Clark scored his fourth win in the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints. While it wasn't an easy night - he had to grab the last feature transfer spot in the B-Main and start last in the feature - Fremont, Ohio's Paul Weaver would finish eighth, good enough to wrap up the 2009 Attica Raceway Park track title.
Wayne, Ohio's Dwight Waltermeier and Art Ball ran the last 10 laps of the dirt truck feature side-by-side with Waltermier edging Ball for the win. However, Ball claimed his third dirt truck track championship to go with two others he has in the street stocks/limited late models. It was also Ball's 23rd championship at various tracks in his 48-year racing career.
"Mark had a good car...hats off to him. He blew by all of us on the start. I have to give it up to my guys. We've been close so many times here this year. We had a monkey on our back and this feels like an All Star win," said Mayes beside his J&F Construction, Mansfield Cement, Kinn Brothers Heating and Cooling, Mortiz Concrete backed #11B. "I'm just happy for the guys....Daniel Smith and Keith Kramer. I have to thank my dad, and Booger and Paul Kistler getting the motor back to us and Mike getting the truck here...if it weren't for them I'd probably still be golfing."
Mayes had missed racing at Attica the previous week as he participated in a golf outing for his dad's company, J&F Construction.
"I might have to golf every other week if this is how it turns out," joked Mayes. "We've been real busy at work...we've been blessed by the Lord on that. We've been having to do a lot of extra overtime...I just needed a night off and went golfing," added Mayes.
Coming into the night, five-time Attica champion Byron Reed was looking for his fifth straight title. All he had to do was finish fifth or better. But the tangle with Lee Jacobs on lap eight sent him to the tail and he could only come back to finish 13th. With double points on the line, Andrews, who has three wins in 2009 at Attica, charged from his ninth starting spot to finish fourth to become only the sixth different 410 sprint driver to win a championship at "Ohio's Finest Racing" speedplant in the last 21 years. He took the title by just 11 points over Reed and 19 points over Mike Linder.
"I knew some miracles had to happen to night. Byron's been pretty tough as of late. I knew I had a shot when I saw him sitting there on the front stretch. I got a little too excited and jumped the cushion and gassed her back up and come back on the track. Just said some Hail Mary's," said Andrews beside his Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Goofy Golf backed #15c.
"I was pretty far back about two months ago. I have to thank Craig Stevens. We came out of a hole and brought it back alive...I couldn't be happier," added Andrews. "To be up there now with Byron Reed and Mark Keegan is great."
"It was real good on the bottom there for a little bit...good enough to get the pass for the lead, but then Wayne would get a run on me up top and Ryan was right there. Hats off to Ryan for the track championship," said Drown beside his Wooster Glass, D.J. Directional Services, Lazer Chassis backed late model.
"I went with a little harder right rear tire and wasn't coming in and I thought 'oh my God they're leaving me.' But then it started coming in and I found a little bit better groove and I knew I had better get up top to at least block their line...if they could get around the bottom they would deserve the win," added Drown. "I love racing here. The fans are awesome...look at the crowd tonight. It's great to put on a show like that in front of a group like this."
Missler, who scored three feature wins in 2009 at Attica, will earn a new Rocket Chassis for his track title thanks to Fultz Fabrications and Speed Shop and Attica Raceway Park.
"I didn't plan on sitting back at all...I'm here to race. I'm here to show what I can do," said Missler, who came into the night only needing to finish eighth or better to wrap up the championship.
"We had a good race. The whole team worked hard this whole year. I'm happy we could win it for everybody," said Missler beside his Taze D.J. Services, J&H Concrete, Gordon Lumber, Simple Green Guy.com, Hawk's Auto Reconditioning backed late model.
"I definitely helped where I started at (1st)...I was kind of the guy that got to the cushion first. The car's been good the last couple of weeks. These guys got this car really nice," said Clark, who had hinted a year ago he might quit driving sprint cars. "I changed my mind...I'm going to finish this year and try again next year and then I might try to hang it up for awhile."
While Weaver came into the night with three wins at Attica in the 305 sprints, all he had to do was finish fifth or better in the feature to wrap up the title. But, he failed to qualify for the feature through his heat, then had to battle hard for the final transfer spot in the B-main. Rolling off 20th - last - in the feature, he had his work cut out for him. Then, he had several near misses with cars spinning in front of him. But he as patient and worked his way to an eighth place finish to take the championship.
"Nothing went right tonight except for the feature. When you struggle like I did in the heat and you start in the back, that's where all the action is. You have to try and avoid the problems and go around the crashes," said Weaver beside his Ludwig Propane, Genzman Enterprises, M&L Excavating backed #1W.
"We've been up front all year and we finally got it figured out to where we're competitive," said Waltermeier of his second win in 2009 aboard his Graham Racing Engines, Mitchelle Agronomics backed truck. "What can you say about Art Ball...he just don't give up. I want to thank my crew and my wife and everybody that helps me."
For Ball, who will turn 71 years of age next month, all he had to do was take the green flag for the feature and he locked up the track championship for the dirt trucks.
"That was a good race tonight. A couple of times when I thought I had him the caution would come out. Dwight done a good job...he done what he had to do tonight. I had fun tonight. I wasn't going to sit in the back just to get the championship," said Ball beside his Chaney Roofing Maintenance, Magers Lumber, Kear's Speed Shop backed dirt truck.
Besides the championship night, it was the final Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title (FAST) Championship Night at Attica for the 410 sprints. There is just one race left in the hunt for the Kistler Cup, that coming next month at Fremont. Point leader Craig Mintz padded his lead by moving from his 15th starting spot to sixth place finish in the feature.
Attica Raceway Park will wrap up the 2009 racing season on Saturday, Sept. 5 as the Baumann Auto Group Presents the Attica Ambush featuring the O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champion Sprints, along with the late models and dirt trucks.
For more information log onto www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park - 8/29/2009
Kistler Racing Products Season Championship Night
410 Sprints
Heat 1 - Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. O4-Cap Henry; 2. 11B-Brock Mayes; 3. 53X-Kenny Jacobs; 4. X-Mark Keegan; 5. 14H-Todd Heller; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 7. 3J-Kevin Lee; 8. 45-Brian Lay; 9. 1K-Willie Keegan
Heat 2 - Bell Racing (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 60-Jody Keegan; 2. 312-Mike Linder; 3. 83-Tim Shaffer; 4. 25-Lee Jacobs; 5. 11M-Brandon Martin; 6. 53-Phil Gressman; 7. 2+-Brian Smith; 8. 10-David Harrison; 9. 15H-Mitch Harble
Heat 3 - Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 15C-Chris Andrews; 2. 63-Chad Kemenah; 3. O-Brandon Wimmer; 4. 5R-Byron Reed; 5. O9-Craig Mintz; 6. 12-Caleb Griffith; 7. 5T-Travis Philo; 8. 27-Scott Euler; 9. 69-Scott Curren
B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 53-Phil Gressman; 2. 12-Caleb Griffith; 3. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 4. 3J-Kevin Lee; 5. 5T-Travis Philo; 6. 10-David Harrison; 7. 45-Brian Lay; 8. 2+-Brian Smith; 9. 15H-Mitch Harble; 10. 27-Scott Euler; 11. 69-Scott Curren; 12. 1K-Willie Keegan
A-Main - (30 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 11B-Brock Mayes[2]; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer[7]; 3. 63-Chad Kemenah[3]; 4. 15C-Chris Andrews[9]; 5. 312-Mike Linder[1]; 6. O9-Craig Mintz[15]; 7. O-Brandon Wimmer[11]; 8. X-Mark Keegan[4]; 9. 12-Caleb Griffith[17]; 10. O4-Cap Henry[8]; 11. 53-Phil Gressman[16]; 12. 60-Jody Keegan[5]; 13. 5R-Byron Reed[10]; 14. 3J-Kevin Lee[19]; 15. 14H-Todd Heller[13]; 16. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[18]; 17. 5T-Travis Philo[20]; 18. 53X-Kenny Jacobs[6]; 19. 25-Lee Jacobs[12]; 20. 11M-Brandon Martin[14]
Fultz Fabrications & Speed Shop UMP DIRTcar Late Models
Heat 1 - Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 1DJ-D.J. Miller; 2. 23C-Jeremy Canada; 3. 48B-Mike Marteney; 4. OO7-Rick Bond; 5. 48-John Bores; 6. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 7. O3-Jim Gingery; 8. 92H-Hiram Bachmann; 9. 11-Ben Adkins
Heat 2 - Bell Racing (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 12D-Doug Drown; 2. 40WD-Dusty Moore; 3. 50Y-Ryan Missler; 4. 51-Devin Shiels; 5. 27-Ken Hahn; 6. 12-Michael Stiltner; 7. 99-Steve Sabo; 8. O6-Kyle Perry; 9. 12M-Bobby Michaels; 10. 18-Jamie Reed
Heat 3 - Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.; 2. O1-Justin Chance; 3. 15B-Mike Bores; 4. 83-Noah Wagner; 5. 92-Chuck Roelle; 6. 93T-Jeff Esbenshade; 7. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 8. 9C-Troy Cattarene; 9. 29-Nate Potts; 10. 76-Skip McKinney
B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 11-Ben Adkins; 2. 69-John Mayes Jr.; 3. 12-Michael Stiltner; 4. 5H-Ernie Haynes; 5. O3-Jim Gingery; 6. 29-Nate Potts; 7. 99-Steve Sabo; 8. 93T-Jeff Esbenshade; 9. 18-Jamie Reed; 10. 92H-Hiram Bachmann; 11. 76-Skip McKinney; 12. 12M-Bobby Michaels; 13. O6-Kyle Perry; 14. 9C-Troy Cattarene
A-Main - (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 12D-Doug Drown[3]; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[7]; 3. 40WD-Dusty Moore[11]; 4. OO7-Rick Bond[9]; 5. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[4]; 6. O1-Justin Chance[8]; 7. 27-Ken Hahn[14]; 8. 51-Devin Shiels[6]; 9. 12-Michael Stiltner[18]; 10. 69-John Mayes Jr.[17]; 11. 1DJ-D.J. Miller[10]; 12. O3-Jim Gingery[20]; 13. 48B-Mike Marteney[5]; 14. 92-Chuck Roelle[15]; 15. 15B-Mike Bores[2]; 16. 83-Noah Wagner[1]; 17. 11-Ben Adkins[16]; 18. 23C-Jeremy Canada[12]; 19. 48-John Bores[13]; 20. 5H-Ernie Haynes[19]
Fremont Fence 305 Sprints
Heat 1 - Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. M28-Josh Muntz; 2. 80-Jake Trevino; 3. 1-Nate Dussel; 4. 8K-Zack Kramer; 5. 28-Shawn Valenti; 6. 1W-Paul Weaver; 7. 22D-Dan Hammond; 8. 99X-Tim Buchanan; 9. 36X-Dustin Keegan
Heat 2 - Bell Racing (8 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 2. 40-Bobby Clark; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 4. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 5. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 6. 83X-Nate Reeser; 7. 30-Adam Ollom; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger; 9. 15-Matt Merrill
Heat 3 - Friendship Food Stores (8 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 27-Paige Polyak; 2. 51-Brad Bowman; 3. 29-Chris Lang; 4. 14-Chad Wilson; 5. 94-John Ivy; 6. 13-Junior Felver; 7. 71-Bill Kraylek; 8. 19R-Steve Rando
Heat 4 - Tin Lizzy Collision (8 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 11F-D.J. Foos; 2. 18-Todd Heuerman; 3. 9-Jimmy Colvin; 4. 49-Coty Runion; 5. 2-Tim Kern; 6. 2N-Brian Neeb; 7. 4T-Jim Taddeo; 8. 65-Mark Lang
B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 28-Shawn Valenti; 2. 94-John Ivy; 3. 2-Tim Kern; 4. 1W-Paul Weaver; 5. 13-Junior Felver; 6. 83X-Nate Reeser; 7. 2N-Brian Neeb; 8. 71-Bill Kraylek; 9. 99X-Tim Buchanan; 10. 22D-Dan Hammond; 11. 8J-Jess Stiger; 12. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 13. 65-Mark Lang; 14. 30-Adam Ollom; 15. 4T-Jim Taddeo; 16. 36X-Dustin Keegan
A-Main - (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 40-Bobby Clark[1]; 2. 18-Todd Heuerman[3]; 3. 51-Brad Bowman[9]; 4. 11F-D.J. Foos[12]; 5. 94-John Ivy[18]; 6. 35-Stuart Brubaker[6]; 7. 1-Nate Dussel[4]; 8. 1W-Paul Weaver[20]; 9. 80-Jake Trevino[11]; 10. 28-Shawn Valenti[17]; 11. 27-Paige Polyak[8]; 12. 8K-Zack Kramer[13]; 13. M28-Josh Muntz[7]; 14. 29-Chris Lang[2]; 15. 14-Chad Wilson[15]; 16. 10-Brad Haudenschild[10]; 17. 9-Jimmy Colvin[5]; 18. 49-Coty Runion[16]; 19. 67M-Matt Ferrell[14]; 20. 2-Tim Kern[19]
Computer Man Dirt Trucks
Heat 1 - Ultra Schield Race Products (8 Laps)
1. 39-Dwight Waltermier; 2. 33-Brian Arnold; 3. O1-Art Ball; 4. 32H-Dan Hennig; 5. 84-Adam Jones; 6. 9-Curt Inks; 7. 4J-Jeremy Lozano; 8. 4S-Keith Sorg; 9. 21R-Matt Kohlman
Heat 2 - Bell Racing (8 Laps)
1. P51-Paul Brown Jr.; 2. O-Jim Keegan; 3. 56-Alex Weichman; 4. 8-Steve Endicott; 5. 4X-Brian Sorg; 6. 30-Dave Gibbs; 7. 8K-Kent Brewer
A-Main - (15 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 39-Dwight Waltermier[2]; 2. O1-Art Ball[4]; 3. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[3]; 4. 8-Steve Endicott[5]; 5. O-Jim Keegan[7]; 6. 32H-Dan Hennig[1]; 7. 17-Bob Dible[17]; 8. 56-Alex Weichman[6]; 9. 33-Brian Arnold[8]; 10. 84-Adam Jones[9]; 11. 9-Curt Inks[11]; 12. 4J-Jeremy Lozano[13]; 13. 4X-Brian Sorg[10]; 14. 4S-Keith Sorg[15]; 15. 21R-Matt Kohlman[16]; 16. 30-Dave Gibbs[12]; 17. 8K-Kent Brewer[14]