Blaney holds off Kemenah for Attica All Star win

| April 16, 2016

ATTICA, Ohio – When a sprint car driver is leading, sometimes it puts him at a disadvantage…not knowing where the best groove is or where to make a pass. For Dale Blaney, it took another driver to show him where the track was taking rubber Friday night at Attica Raceway Park.

Blaney, a six-time Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions titlist, would battle with two time series champ Chad Kemenah while dealing with a rubber-down racing surface and lapped traffic to earn his 128th career All Star win.

Blaney’s 24th career Attica win – 17 of which have been All Star victories – came on the rescheduled HD Supply Spring Nationals Presented by Fisher Performance and Underground Utilities Inc.

“I smelled it (rubber) off of two early as soon as I got a straight away from lapped traffic. I kinda didn’t know really where to run. They were all running through the middle here (turns three and four) and I thought I might be able to clear a few of them up. All of sudden Chad got a run and went by. I picked the pace up in a different spot. I knew I wasn’t very good and I knew I had to get going and he kind of showed me where to run,” said Blaney, pilot of the GoMuddy.com, Big Game Tree stands, CH Motorsports #1.

“CH Motorsports….Janet (Holbrook), Aaron (Call), Todd Quiring and everybody at Big Game and Muddy…we have a great situation. George and Skippy and Donny are killer on the car. I just have to drive this thing. Ninety-eight percent of the time it’s really good…20 percent of the time I’m really good so I was 20 percent tonight. Glad we started up front tonight. Track position meant a lot. I love coming to Attica….you fans have treated me great the past 28 years of my life and I appreciate it,” added Blaney.

At one point – from lap 13 through lap 17 – Blaney and Kemenah would trade sliders while battling in lapped traffic. It was frustrating for Kemenah, who sits fourth on Attica’s all-time win list right behind Blaney.

“The track took rubber and then we got behind someone who, in my mind, probably shouldn’t be out there but we just make things up as we go along but we’ll have that. I want to thank all these fans. I’m really proud of my team. Rob Hunter gives us a great race car. I want to thank Scott Bonnell for coming on board this year,  JRC Transport…we have a big team effort going on right now and to get off this good of a start is awesome,” said Kemenah.

Lee Jacobs, who ran second during the early stages of the 40-lap feature, would stay within striking distance but would come home third.

“This place and Fremont were both home tracks to me for a long time and laps around here meant a lot tonight. When the track gets slick like that you know where you have to move and when you have to move. About half way through I saw Dale begin to gain speed and he passed Chad on the bottom and got a hint of rubber down there so I moved and then it was hold on to position and don’t miss the bottom,” said Jacobs beside his Simcox Grinding and Steel, Amanda J. Lewis Attorney at Law, Crown investments backed #81.

“I can’t thank Johnny Lewis enough and the two guys helping me Brian Shane and Steve Shane. This is an unbelievable first night with the All Stars. I’m making all the calls on my own so to do this and end up on the front stretch is pretty damn awesome,” added Jacobs.

In the 30-lap Sunoco American Late Model Series feature which had only one caution, Doug Drown would utilize the high line to take the lead from Rusty Schlenk on lap 17 after a very spirited battle, and went on to claim his 14th career Attica win. For the defending track champion, the victory moves him into second on the Attica all-time win list.

“This thing was great any where we went on the track. I have to thank Keith Berner for building a heck of a shock and helping us out on things to do and Dave Hornikel for the help with the Swartz chassis…I really had no clue what we were doing but the car was awesome,” said Drown beside his Hall’s Auto Sales, Wooster Glass, Kar Konnections, Malcuit Racing Engines backed #240.

“I have to thank Leroy Hall for believing in us to do a switch after the year we had,” Drown. “I’ve always struggled in slick so to have a car we can maneuver around and beat Rusty who is one of the best in the business in the slick…hopefully we can keep working and get better.”

Young Kyle Capodice showed the maturity of a season veteran in the Fremont Fence 305 Sprint Feature. At the drop of the green, he let pole sitter Jamie Miller pull ahead going into turn one, and then he turned under him to the bottom and took the lead. The Sandusky, Ohio driver was then patient with lapped traffic and made another veteran move on a lapped car with four laps remaining to drive to his first career sprint car win.

“I’m speechless…. I want to thank Franklin Sanitation and Joe Darmofal of Dramofal Racing, Fred Wolfe Auctioneer, Alvin Roepke at Vision Quest, my dad for all the hours he puts in the shop with me, my brother, my girlfriend and most of all the man above,” said Capodice.

For the Arctic Cat All Star feature, Blaney and Jacobs would bring the field to green with Blaney gaining the advantage. Jacobs, opening week winner Caleb Griffith, Byron Reed and Kemenah would stay close. The action would slow on lap 7 for a Broc Martin spin. On the restart Blaney would lead Jacobs and Griffith with Kemenah getting around Reed.

Kemenah had found something on that restart as he immediately then took second on lap 10 and began reeling in Blaney. On lap 15 Kemenah executed a slider for the lead in turns three and four with Blaney returning the favor in one and two and Kemenah moving back into the lead on lap 16. Blaney would drive to the bottom of turns three and four to regain the lead on lap 17 as the leaders entered lapped traffic.

Kemenah stayed close to Blaney with Jacobs, Reed and Griffith in tow while Chris Andrews, Bryan Sebetto, Sheldon Haudenschild and Ryan Smith waged a terrific battle behind the leaders. With 12 laps to go, Blaney muscled his way around a lapped car to put a little distance between himself and Kemenah.

Blaney would stay in the rubber the remainder of the race for the win over Kemenah, Jacobs, Reed, Griffith, Smith, Haudenschild, Sebetto, Travis Philo (up from 18th) and Andrews.

In the ALMS feature, Schlenk and Rocky Owens brought the field to green with Owens gaining the advantage over Schlenk, Drown and Matt Irey, the top four would entertain the big crowd with Schlenk taking the lead on lap three while Owens continued to race to his inside with Drown ready to pounce.

Drown was able to squeeze under Owens for second on lap 14 and then used a lapped car to drive around Schlenk for the lead on lap 17. The only caution would fly for Bob Mayer on lap 19 with Drown leading Schlenk, Owens, Irey and Jeep VanWormer. The car on the move was opening night winner Mike Bores who had worked his way to 7th from his 17th starting position.

Drown was able to pull away the final 11 laps for the win over Schlenk, Owens, VanWormer and Irey.

Jamie Miller and Capodice would lead the field to green for the 25-lap 305 sprint feature, but C.J. Jones would tangle with Kelsey Ivy sending Ivy against the wall in turn one and Jones upside down. On the ensuing restart Capodice would drive under Miller for the lead as Nate Dussel rocketed into second before the caution flew for Jerry Dahms. On the restart Alex Hill would spin. The race would go green the rest of the way.

Capodice would pull away slightly from Dussel as Ricky Peterson took third on lap three. Paul Weaver would drive around Miller into fourth by lap six. The car on the move was Dustin Dinan who drove into six from his 15th starting spot.

Capodice encountered heavy lapped traffic by the half-way point as Dussel and now Weaver closed. Capodice showed patience beyond his years as he stayed glued to the bottom despite the lapped cars. With four laps to go Dussel was within a car length with Weaver, Peterson, Miller and Dinan closing.

Capodice was finally able to dispatch a lapped car with two laps to go and drove away to his first win over Dussel, who edged out Weaver, Peterson and Miller.

Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, April 22 on Kear’s Speed Shop/Merrill Lynch Night. It will be a Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series Presented by KS Sales and Service event for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints and a JLH General Contractor 305 FAST Championship Series Presented by Engine Pro event for the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints. The Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models will also be on the card.

 

For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com, follow the track on Twitter at twitter.com/atticaracewyprk and Facebook at www.facebook.com/atticaracewaypark.

 

HD Supply Spring Nationals

Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions

40 cars

Starting position  [*]

 

Attica 04-15-2016

–

410 Sprints – UNOH

 

Qualifying

1.09x-Carson Macedo, 12.198; 2.1-Dale Blaney, 12.315; 3.22-Cole Duncan, 12.329; 4.33M-Caleb Griffith, 12.337; 5.10H-Chad Kemenah, 12.344; 6.23c-Tyler Courtney, 12.366; 7.40-Caleb Helms, 12.389; 8.94-Ryan Smith, 12.439; 9.8M-TJ Michael, 12.445; 10.5T-Travis Philo, 12.446; 11.81-Lee Jacobs, 12.482; 12.8-Bryan Sebetto, 12.518; 13.23-DJ Foos, 12.526; 14.5-Byron Reed, 12.527; 15.49-Tim Shaffer, 12.540; 16.16-Stuart Brubaker, 12.541; 17.45L-Brian Lay, 12.599; 18.73-Chris Andrews, 12.611; 19.7C-Caleb Armstrong, 12.637; 20.3J-Trey Jacobs, 12.641; 21.9-Jordan Ryan, 12.680; 22.97-Dean Jacobs, 12.702; 23.60-Kory Crabtree, 12.707; 24.9x-Rob Chaney, 12.716; 25.93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.784; 26.68G-Tyler Gunn, 12.836; 27.6-Bill Rose, 12.846; 28.57X-Andrew Palker, 12.853; 29.60K-Jody Keegan, 12.939; 30.11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.048; 31.19-Joe Kubiniec, 13.151; 32.38-Matt Westfall, 13.168; 33.22S-Brandon Spithaler, 13.234; 34.9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.237; 35.83M-Broc Martin, 13.394; 36.49H-Bradley Howard, 13.450; 37.7-Shawn Valenti, 13.713; 38.8J-Jess Stiger, 13.996; 39.21-Cap Henry, 13.997; 40.70-Danny Holtgraver, 99.390;

 

Heat 1, Group A –  (10 Laps, top 5 to A)

  1. 45L-Brian Lay[1] ; 2. 8-Bryan Sebetto[2] ; 3. 8M-TJ Michael[4] ; 4. 73-Chris Andrews[5] ; 5. 5T-Travis Philo[3] ; 6. 9-Jordan Ryan[7] ; 7. 3J-Trey Jacobs[6] ; 8. 60-Kory Crabtree[8] ; 9. 49H-Bradley Howard[10] ; 10. 19-Joe Kubiniec[9]

 

Heat 2, Group B –  (10 Laps, top 5 to A)

  1. 40-Caleb Helms[2] ; 2. 94-Ryan Smith[1] ; 3. 60K-Jody Keegan[6] ; 4. 23c-Tyler Courtney[3] ; 5. 83M-Broc Martin[9] ; 6. 16-Stuart Brubaker[5] ; 7. 09x-Carson Macedo[4] ; 8. 38-Matt Westfall[8] ; 9. 11K-Kraig Kinser[7] ; 10. 21-Cap Henry[10]

 

Heat 3, Group C –  (10 Laps, top 5 to A)

  1. 81-Lee Jacobs[1] ; 2. 5-Byron Reed[6] ; 3. 10H-Chad Kemenah[2] ; 4. 23-DJ Foos[5] ; 5. 33M-Caleb Griffith[3] ; 6. 70-Danny Holtgraver[10] ; 7. 97-Dean Jacobs[8] ; 8. 22S-Brandon Spithaler[9] ; 9. 7C-Caleb Armstrong[7] ; 10. 22-Cole Duncan[4]

 

Heat 4, Group D –  (10 Laps, top 5 to A)

  1. 1-Dale Blaney[4] ; 2. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[1] ; 3. 9x-Rob Chaney[2] ; 4. 49-Tim Shaffer[3] ; 5. 68G-Tyler Gunn[5] ; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[8] ; 7. 8J-Jess Stiger[10] ; 8. 57X-Andrew Palker[7] ; 9. 6-Bill Rose[6] ; 10. 7-Shawn Valenti[9]

 

Dash 1 (8 Laps, finish determines A-main line-up)

  1. 1-Dale Blaney[2] ; 2. 81-Lee Jacobs[4] ; 3. 10H-Chad Kemenah[1] ; 4. 33M-Caleb Griffith[6] ; 5. 5-Byron Reed[8] ; 6. 94-Ryan Smith[5] ; 7. 40-Caleb Helms[3] ; 8. 8-Bryan Sebetto[7]

 

B-Main 1 –  (12 Laps, top 4 to A)

  1. 09x-Carson Macedo[1] ; 2. 16-Stuart Brubaker[2] ; 3. 7C-Caleb Armstrong[3] ; 4. 57X-Andrew Palker[9] ; 5. 9-Jordan Ryan[5] ; 6. 3J-Trey Jacobs[4] ; 7. 6-Bill Rose[8] ; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[14] ; 9. 97-Dean Jacobs[6] ; 10. 70-Danny Holtgraver[19] ; 11. 21-Cap Henry[18] ; 12. 38-Matt Westfall[12] ; 13. 7-Shawn Valenti[16] ; 14. 19-Joe Kubiniec[11] ; 15. 22S-Brandon Spithaler[13] ; 16. 8J-Jess Stiger[17] ; 17. 49H-Bradley Howard[15] ; 18. 60-Kory Crabtree[7] ; 19. 11K-Kraig Kinser[10] ; 20. 22-Cole Duncan[20]

 

A-Main 1 –  (40 Laps)

  1. 1-Dale Blaney[1] ; 2. 10H-Chad Kemenah[3] ; 3. 81-Lee Jacobs[2] ; 4. 5-Byron Reed[5] ; 5. 33M-Caleb Griffith[4] ; 6. 94-Ryan Smith[6] ; 7. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[10] ; 8. 8-Bryan Sebetto[8] ; 9. 5T-Travis Philo[18] ; 10. 73-Chris Andrews[14] ; 11. 8M-TJ Michael[11] ; 12. 49-Tim Shaffer[17] ; 13. 23c-Tyler Courtney[15] ; 14. 60K-Jody Keegan[12] ; 15. 40-Caleb Helms[7] ; 16. 68G-Tyler Gunn[20] ; 17. 45L-Brian Lay[9] ; 18. 9x-Rob Chaney[13] ; 19. 23-DJ Foos[16] ; 20. 21-Cap Henry[26] ; 21. 16-Stuart Brubaker[22] ; 22. 09x-Carson Macedo[21] ; 23. 70-Danny Holtgraver[25] ; 24. 7C-Caleb Armstrong[23] ; 25. 57X-Andrew Palker[24] ; 26. 83M-Broc Martin[19]

 

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