Blaney Takes All Star Win at Attica, Reed Claims 410 Victory, Sebetto Earns 3rd Win, Valenti, Missler Takes First Wins

By Brian Liskai

(Attica, OH) It took two months, but Fowler, Ohio's Dale Blaney finally closed the books on the Coors Light Spring Nationals at Attica Raceway Park, winning the O'Reilly All Star feature Friday. In the Budweiser Night main, defending Attica champion Byron Reed held off several challengers for his second 410 win of the year at "Ohio's Finest Racing" venue.

Fremont's Bryan Sebetto edged Andy Shammo in the 305 sprint feature for his third win of the season at Attica, while Bellevue's Ryan Missler claimed his first main victory in the Fultz Fabrication & Speedshop Attica Late Models, and Risingsun's Shawn Valenti recorded his first career Attica win in the dirt trucks.
 

The All Star triumph - the 55th of Blaney's career - came after the original Coors Light Spring Nationals were rained out in early April. The show was rescheduled for May 25, and all the heats were run when the rains came, forcing the 30-lap feature to be run this Friday. It marked Blaney's 8th career win at Attica, as he led all 30 laps aboard the George Fisher-owned entry.

"When we finish we're always in the top five....we've just had some mechanical misfortunes. George sets this thing up and I know it's always going to be fast," said Blaney beside his Berlin Natural Bakery sponsored #2. "I was more concerned over who was behind me on those restarts at the end than the tire sealing up. When you have Rob Chaney right on your bumper the way he's been running, you better be on your game."

In the Budweiser Night show, Reed - the 2003, 2005 and 2006 ARP champion - got a wake-up call in the form of a fast Caleb Griffith, before claiming his 19th career Attica victory (tied with Chad Kemenah for 2nd on the all-time win list) in the World Auto Parts of Huron/Cleveland 410 Sprints. Griffith had actually passed Reed in turn two for the lead with just four laps remaining, but a yellow followed, giving Reed back the top spot.

"I don't like starting up front...I get too complacent. I like coming from mid-pack and passing cars. When Caleb...man he has been good lately...when he got under me it woke me up. I found I could drive the car harder into three and four and I started going faster," said Reed beside his Reebar Die Casting, Pro Shocks backed #5 about his $3,000 payday.

Sebetto had to be patient in lapped traffic while trying to hold off a charging Andy Shammo for his fifth career Attica victory in the 25-lap main for the 305 sprints.

"We had been running a Triple X chassis and I liked it. But, I kept eyeing that new Maxim sitting in the garage and I called Josh (Meggitt, car owner) this week and said, 'Let's put that thing together and give it a try.' Man was it fast," said Sebetto beside his Hot Shots, Painting, Sandblasting and Powder-Coating, Frosty's Put-In-Bay Bar sponsored #01. "I saw Andy under me a couple of times and I was driving  in places I shouldn't have been trying to get around lapped cars. That is the hardest I've ever raced traffic."

For Missler - the 2005 Attica Rookie of the Year - finding victory lane in the Fultz Fabrications & Speed Shop Attica Late Models was just a matter of time. The driver of the McElwain Construction/Taze DJ & Karaoke #50 hasn't finished out of the top five yet this season.

"I just had to be patient around the rim...it's a fine line between disaster and winning up there," said Missler.

Valenti battled with Cory Ward the last half of the dirt truck feature before scoring his first career victory.

"Tim Kern set this thing up...I like the high side and this thing was definitely fast," said Valenti beside his Dymond Motorsports & Fabrication/Kern Tool backed #28. "I started coming to Attica as a kid and I said I always wanted to end up on that horse track...this is a dream come true."

 

The first yellow would fly on lap 12 with the running order Blaney, Jacobs, Chaney, Paulus and Brian Ellenberger. On the restart attempt, Brandon Martin, Ellenberger and Paul Weaver got together to bring out the red. That seemed to be the only thing that could slow Blaney who built a big lead once again on the restart. He would hit lapped traffic again by lap 19, allowing Jacobs, Chaney and Greg Wilson to close in.

The field would be bunched up again on lap 22 as Paulus suffered a flat left rear tire after making contact with Wilson battling for fourth. Blaney now led over Chaney, Jacobs and 11th-starter Danny Smith. The field would get just two more laps in before the yellow came out for a slowing Brock Mayes.

Blaney couldn't shake Chaney the remainder of the race and held on for the victory. Jacobs, Wilson and Griffith would round out the top five.

"This is probably the best start I've had in my career. This team is just working so well together," said Chaney beside his Hammer Pallets sponsored #24H.

Reed jumped into the early lead of the Budweiser Night feature for the 410 sprints, with Griffith, Jacobs, Shane Stewart and Mike Linder running the rim behind. Reed would hit lapped traffic by lap 10, but would retain the top spot over Griffith and Stewart. The first caution would fall on lap 13 for Brandon Martin who stopped off the back stretch, with the running order Reed, Griffith, Stewart, Jacobs and Linder. However. all eyes were on Wilson who had worked his way up from 13th to sixth by the half-way mark.

Griffith would hound Reed until making his move in turns 1 and 2 with just four laps remaining. Griffith dove under Reed and took the lead exiting turn two, but a caution for a stalled Paul Weaver would negate the move, giving Reed back the top spot. On the restart, both Stewart and Wilson tried to make a run on the Griffith and the youngster slid off the high side of turn two, ending his great run. Reed now led over Stewart, Wilson, and 11th-starter Gus Wasson and Jacobs and that's the way they would finish.

In the 25-lap feature for the 305 sprints, Bill Kraylek would grab the initial lead with Dustin Dinan, Sebetto, Jim Taddeo and Shammo in tow. Kraylek and Sebetto would actually cross the start-finish line in a dead heat for the lead on lap six, with Sebetto stealing the top spot exiting turn two. Dinan and Shammo would get around Kraylek on lap eight, and Shammo would drive under Dinan for second a lap later.

Sebetto would hit lapped traffic on lap 10, allowing Shammo to take a peak under him the next few circuits. With just 10 laps remaining, Sebetto had his hands full with Shammo who consistently dove under him, but couldn't clear him for the slide-job. Sebetto got hung up behind lapped traffic with just two laps remaining, and Shammo gave it one last try, but couldn't get the passed accomplished. Dinan, Cap Henry and Dustin Keegan would round out the top five.

Chuck Hummer would grab the lead at the drop of the green for the late model feature, with John Mayes Sr., last week's winner Ken Hahn, Larry Kingseed and Missler in tow. Mayes would grab the top sot on lap four, with Kingseed moving into the lead on lap 7. Missler would drive around Kingseed to take the lad on lap 9 and would cruise to the win. Kingseed, Mayes, Hahn and 12th-starter Mike Marteney would round out the top five.

Steve Endicott grabbed the lead at the start of the 15-lap dirt truck feaure, with Shawn Schultz, Cory Ward, Valenty and Art Ball right on his bumper. ward would move into second a lap later and would take the lead on lap 4. Valenti would move into second on lap 6 and would drive to the outside of Ward exiting turn 4 on lap 8 for the lead. He would cruise to the win with Ward, Ball, Brian Arnold and Endicott rounding out the top five.


Attica Raceway Park (5-25-07)
O'Reilly AllStar Circuit of Champions

Qualifying - Huggins Cams
1. 24H-Rob Chaney, 12.288; 2. 4-Danny Smith, 12.332; 3. 51-John Ivy, 12.335; 4. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.440; 5. 98-Bruce Robenalt, 12.454; 6. 28-Brian Paulus, 12.486; 7. 8H-Shane Stewart, 12.488; 8. 2-Dale Blaney, 12.494; 9. 7K-Dean Jacobs, 12.517; 10. 20E-Brian Ellenberger, 12.544; 11. 5R-Byron Reed, 12.591; 12. 11M-Brandon Martin, 12.606; 13. 12-Caleb Griffith, 12.609; 14. 16-Lee Jacobs, 12.610; 15. 4M-Jamie Miller, 12.630; 16. 15C-Chris Andrews, 12.632; 17. X-Mark Keegan, 12.637; 18. O9-Craig Mintz, 12.642; 19. 6-Bill Rose, 12.661; 20. 3L-Mike Linder, 12.665; 21. 37Z-Bryan Scott, 12.697; 22. 11B-Brock Mayes, 12.705; 23. 2M-Dusin Daggett, 12.709; 24. 71M-Paul May, 12.753; 25. 1W-Paul Weaver, 12.787; 26. 91-Aaron Middaugh, 12.807; 27. 5B-Chad Blonde, 12.829; 28. 75-Mike Hogan, 12.987; 29. 48S-Andy Shammo, 13.012; 30. 11N-Ed Neumeister, 13.014; 31. 10S-Roger Shammo, 13.137; 32. 5H-George Hawkins, 13.147; 33. 3T-Tony Beaber, 13.223; 34. 59-Kirk Jeffries, 14.322

Heat 1 - Crown Battery (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. X-Mark Keegan; 2. 7K-Dean Jacobs; 3. 24H-Rob Chaney; 4. 12-Caleb Griffith; 5. 37Z-Bryan Scott; 6. 98-Bruce Robenalt; 7. 1W-Paul Weaver; 8. 59-Kirk Jeffries; 9. 11N-Ed Neumeister

Heat 2 - Hoosier Racing Tire (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 11B-Brock Mayes; 2. 28-Brian Paulus; 3. O9-Craig Mintz; 4. 16-Lee Jacobs; 5. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 6. 10S-Roger Shammo; 7. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 8. 4-Danny Smith

Heat 3 - Engler Machine & Tool (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 2M-Dusin Daggett; 2. 6-Bill Rose; 3. 4M-Jamie Miller; 4. 8H-Shane Stewart; 5. 5R-Byron Reed; 6. 75-Mike Hogan; 7. 51-John Ivy; 8. 5H-George Hawkins

Heat 4 - Taylor Wings (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 3L-Mike Linder; 2. 2-Dale Blaney; 3. 11M-Brandon Martin; 4. W20-Greg Wilson; 5. 48S-Andy Shammo; 6. 15C-Chris Andrews; 7. 3T-Tony Beaber; 8.71M-Paul May

B-main - University of Northwest Ohio (12 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 4-Danny Smith; 2. 15C-Chris Andrews; 3. 98-Bruce Robenalt; 4. 75-Mike Hogan; 5. 1W-Paul Weaver; 6. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 7. 10S-Roger Shammo; 8. 3T-Tony Beaber; 9. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 10. 5H-George Hawkins; 11. 59-Kirk Jeffries; 12. 51-John Ivy

A-main - MSD Ignition  Starting Position [#] (6-8-07)
1. 2-Dale Blaney[2]; 2. 24H-Rob Chaney[6]; 3. 7K-Dean Jacobs[1]; 4. W20-Greg Wilson[5]; 5. 12-Caleb Griffith[10]; 6. 5R-Byron Reed[8]; 7. 4-Danny Smith[11]; 8. 15C-Chris Andrews[15]; 9. 8H-Shane Stewart[3]; 10. O9-Craig Mintz[17]; 11. 6-Bill Rose[16]; 12. 28-Brian Paulus[4]; 13. 20E-Brian Ellenberger[7]; 14. 1W-Paul Weaver[23]; 15. 75-Mike Hogan[22]; 16. X-Mark Keegan[14]; 17. 11B-Brock Mayes[21]; 18. 16-Lee Jacobs[13]; 19. 3L-Mike Linder[19]; 20. 91-Aaron Middaugh[24]; 21. 11M-Brandon Martin[9]; 22. 37Z-Bryan Scott[18]; 23. 98-Bruce Robenalt[12]; 24. 48S-Andy Shammo[20]