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Blaney gets late race pass for Fremont
All Star win; Lee is 14th 305 winner
Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008
Contact: Brian Liskai
liskai2x@cros.net]
FREMONT, Ohio - Dale Blaney took a giant step toward his third O'Reilly All
Star Circuit of Champions title Saturday at Fremont Speedway. The Hartford,
Ohio driver took the lead on lap 44 and went on to score his 67th career All
Star victory on Ohio CAT Night at "The Track That Action Built."
"George Fisher makes this thing so easy to drive...I'm just the lucky guy
that gets to sit behind the wheel," said Blaney.
"Craig (Mintz) was good on the high side and I could get to him and show him
my nose but I couldn't get by him. I had to search around the track the
entire race before I finally found a groove late in the race and was able to
slip under him. I thought Craig would move down...that's the advantage to
running second, you can move around and the leader has to pretty much stay
his groove," added Blaney on his ninth career Fremont Speedway victory.
Blaney came into Saturday's race with a slight point advantage over Lance
Dewease for the $50,000 All Star title. Dewease qualified poorly while
Blaney set quick time which put him in the dash for more of those valuable
points. After an early race spin, Dewease came from the tail to finish
eighth in the feature, setting up a dramatic end-of-the-year race for the
championship at Lawrenceburg Speedway.
In the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 sprints, Kevin Lee became the 14th
different feature winner in 14 A-mains in 2008 at Fremont Speedway. His win
tightens the championship race at Fremont for the 305 sprints. Lee came in
14 points behind Stuart Brubaker who flipped in his heat, brought a back-up
car out for the B and failed to transfer. However, Benny Bowman allowed
Brubaker to drive his A-main qualified car in the feature where he came from
the tail to finish ninth.
"Finally...we got a little luck and were there to take advantage of it,"
said Lee, who was running a distant second to leader Steve Rando when his
left front wheel broke at the half-way mark of the feature.
"The car was just great tonight, especially on longer runs," continued Lee
in the Engine Pro Victory Lane beside his JD Automotive, Papa Jimmy's Pizza,
Humbert Trucking backed sprint car. "This really helps us in the
championship hunt...we just need to stay consistent."
Tiffin, Ohio's Art Ball matched his age with his 69th career feature - the
most in the history of Fremont Speedway - in the Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks.
"I knew on the second lap when I took the lead I was not going to move off
the bottom of the track. I have to give credit to Andy Maynard, he raced me
hard and clean and made me work for it tonight," said Ball beside his Magers
Lumber, Chaney Roofing backed truck.
After catching on fire in the dash and burning his foot, Mintz' crew
replaced fuel lines and he jumped into the lead at the drop of the green in
the 50-lap All Star feature. While Mintz pulled away, Lee Jacobs, Tim
Shaffer, Rob Chaney and Byron Reed waged a torrid battle for second. Mintz
hit lapped traffic by the 10th circuit allowing Jacobs to close. But Jacobs
soon found his hands full with Reed who moved under him into the runner-up
spot on lap 11.
Just as Mintz hit heavy lapped traffic on lap 16, the caution flew for a
Dewease spin. The running order was Mintz, Reed, Jacobs, sixth-starting
Blaney, Chaney and 12th starter Jody Keegan. Two laps later Jacobs would
drive around Reed to regain second. Following a lap 21 caution for a Keegan
spin, Mintz would again build his lead with a clean track ahead.
Another yellow on lap 26 for a Dean Jacobs spin continued to help and hurt
Mintz at the same time. While giving him a clear track, it kept the rest of
the pack on his bumper. Blaney moved under Jacobs and into second on the
restart and began to close on Mintz. On lap 33, Blaney was racing side by
side with Mintz while Jacobs stayed close. The car on the move was Randy
Hannagan who started 11th but fell back early in the race after getting into
another car and having his nose wing collapse, and had charged back to
fourth.
Another caution on lap 36 would again keep Mintz in clean air, but with
Blaney on his tail he could not relax. The next seven laps the pair would
race side-by-side with Blaney attempting several slide jobs only to see
Mintz drive back by. Blaney would finally take the lead on lap 44 with an
inside pass exiting turn two. Mintz now had his hands full with Jacobs who
found some speed late in the race.
The final caution would fly on lap 46 just after Jacobs took second and was
beginning to put pressure on Blaney in lapped traffic.Blaney would hold off
one last challenge for Jacobs for the win with Mintz - who lead the first
44 laps - coming home third, Hannagan fourth and Shaffer fifth.
"Second again...that's the third straight runner-up finish. I just can't be
disappointed with that. I knew I'd have a good car late...that's what Andy
Potter sets it up to do and no one does it better. I've said it before, but
this is an incredible opportunity and I'm making the most of it," said
Jacobs beside his Southern Crane and Tractor backed sprint car.
"We put a soft tire on...I was hoping to build a big lead with some lapped
cars between us. Those cautions really hurt us. But hey, after catching on
fire, to get a top three with the All Stars is great. I have to thank my mom
and dad for all the sacrifices they have made for me to race and my crew for
all the hard work tonight," said Mintz beside his Erie Shore Propane, Keller
Chevrolet backed machine.
In the 25-lap 305 sprint feature, Steve Rando was the class of the field
early, building a substantial lead untl a lap seven caution. He would pull
away again on the restart with a tremendous battle behind him between Todd
Heuerman, Kevin Lee and Bobby Clark.
Disaster struck for Rando on lap 13 when his left front wheel broke off,
handing the point to Lee with Heuerman and now a closing Chad Wilson in tow.
The car on the move was rookie D.J. Foos who moved from his 14th starting
spot into fifth by lap 14.
It was now Lee's turn to check out as Heuerman, Wilson, Clark and Foos
battled hard for second. With four laps to go, Lee held a nine car advantage
over Heuerman who had pulled away from the rest of the pack. A great battle
was going on for third between Wilson, Clark and Foos.
At the checkered it was Lee getting his second career Fremont Speedway win
with Heuerman, Clark, Foos and Wilson rounding out the top five.
Loren Schwochow led the first lap of the dirt truck feature, but Ball would
drive under him a lap later. Kent Brewer would apply the pressure first to
Ball until Andy Maynard moved into second on lap 13. Maynard would then race
side by side with Ball the remaining seven laps.
Ball would take the checkered by less than a truck length over Maynard, with
Brewer, Bob Dible and Jim McGrath rounding out the top five. McGrath
continues to hold a slim lead in the point standings over Cory Ward who
finished sixth.
Fremont Speedway will be back in action Saturday, Sept. 13 as the Sunoco
American Late Model Series come to town to decide their point championship
on Ludwig Propane Night. The 305 sprints and dirt trucks are also in action.
For more information log onto www.fremontohspeedway.com
Fremont Speedway (09-06-08)
Ohio CAT Night
O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions
Qualifying - Kistler Engines
1. 2-Dale Blaney, 12.349; 2. 5B-Chad Blonde, 12.461; 3. 59-Lee Jacobs,
12.462; 4. 1X-Randy Hannagan, 12.523; 5. 5R-Byron Reed, 12.585; 6. 27-Scott
Euler, 12.586; 7. 7K-Blake Feese, 12.605; 8. 24H-Rob Chaney, 12.627; 9.
83A-Tim Shaffer, 12.655; 10. O9-Craig Mintz, 12.662; 11. 60-Jody Keegan,
12.685; 12. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr., 12.706; 13. 75-Dean Jacobs, 12.709; 14.
22-Cole Duncan, 12.722; 15. 6-Mike Dussell, 12.728; 16. 15C-Chris Andrews,
12.730; 17. O2-Brian Smith, 12.753; 18. 12-Caleb Griffith, 12.753; 19.
20E-Brian Ellenberger, 12.807; 20. 55-John Ivy, 12.837; 21. 11N-Ed
Neumeister, 12.837; 22. 30C-Lance Dewease, 12.851; 23. 11B-Brock Mayes,
12.870; 24. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.871; 25. 9X-Phil Gressman, 12.890; 26.
16X-Bryan Sebetto, 12.945; 27. 312-Mike Linder, 12.960; 28. 8-Mike Lutz,
12.962; 29. O-Brandon Wimmer, 12.963; 30. 11M-Brandon Martin, 12.993; 31.
5T-Travis Philo, 12.998; 32. X-Mark Keegan, 13.068; 33. D4-Danny Holtgraver,
13.085; 34. 10-Dave Harrison, 13.088; 35. 1XL-Matt Linder, 13.092; 36.
14H-Todd Heller, 13.133; 37. B20-Butch Schroeder, 13.141; 38. 16-Lee Stark,
13.161; 39. 56-Ryan Myers, 13.166; 40. 7T-Troy Vaccaro, 13.232; 41. O4-Cap
Henry, 13.417; 42. 91-Aaron Middaugh, 13.454; 43. 48-Mike Burkin, 13.477;
44. 47-Caleb Helms, 13.608; 45. 10S-Roger Shammo, 13.632; 46. 11-Josh
Harrison, 13.883; 47. 15-A.J. Sleek, 14.025; 48. 14-Willie Keegan, 14.195;
49. 26-Cody White, 14.248
Heat 1 - All Pro Heads (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 83A-Tim Shaffer; 2. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 3. 2-Dale Blaney; 4. O2-Brian
Smith; 5. 5R-Byron Reed; 6. O-Brandon Wimmer; 7. 75-Dean Jacobs; 8.
B20-Butch Schroeder; 9. O4-Cap Henry; 10. D4-Danny Holtgraver; 11. 10S-Roger
Shammo; 12. 26-Cody White; 13. 9X-Phil Gressman
Heat 2 - Engler Machine & Tool (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 30C-Lance Dewease; 2. 12-Caleb Griffith; 3. O9-Craig Mintz; 4.
11M-Brandon Martin; 5. 22-Cole Duncan; 6. 10-Dave Harrison; 7. 16X-Bryan
Sebetto; 8. 27-Scott Euler; 9. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 10. 11-Josh Harrison; 11.
5B-Chad Blonde; 12. 16-Lee Stark
Heat 3 - Hoosier Tire (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 11B-Brock Mayes; 2. 6-Mike Dussell; 3. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 4. 59-Lee
Jacobs; 5. 312-Mike Linder; 6. 60-Jody Keegan; 7. 1XL-Matt Linder; 8.
48-Mike Burkin; 9. 15-A.J. Sleek; 10. 5T-Travis Philo; 11. 7K-Blake Feese;
12. 56-Ryan Myers
Heat 4 - Hank's Performance Products (10 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. W20-Greg Wilson; 2. 15C-Chris Andrews; 3. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr.; 4.
24H-Rob Chaney; 5. 55-John Ivy; 6. X-Mark Keegan; 7. 14H-Todd Heller; 8.
1X-Randy Hannagan; 9. 7T-Troy Vaccaro; 10. 14-Willie Keegan; 11. 47-Caleb
Helms; 12. 8-Mike Lutz
Dash - O'Reilly Auto Parts
1. 83A-Tim Shaffer; 2. 2-Dale Blaney; 3. 24H-Rob Chaney; 4. 59-Lee Jacobs;
5. 15C-Chris Andrews; 6. O9-Craig Mintz
C-main - Outerwears Racing Accessories (12 laps, top 2 transfer to B-Main)
1. B20-Butch Schroeder; 2. 7T-Troy Vaccaro; 3. O4-Cap Henry; 4. 16-Lee
Stark; 5. 56-Ryan Myers; 6. 15-A.J. Sleek; 7. 48-Mike Burkin; 8. 91-Aaron
Middaugh; 9. 14-Willie Keegan; 10. 11-Josh Harrison; 11. 47-Caleb Helms; 12.
10S-Roger Shammo
B-main - University of Northwestern Ohio (15 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 1X-Randy Hannagan; 2. 60-Jody Keegan; 3. 75-Dean Jacobs; 4. 16X-Bryan
Sebetto; 5. 5B-Chad Blonde; 6. 7K-Blake Feese; 7. O-Brandon Wimmer; 8.
10-Dave Harrison; 9. 7T-Troy Vaccaro; 10. 27-Scott Euler; 11. 9X-Phil
Gressman; 12. B20-Butch Schroeder; 13. 8-Mike Lutz; 14. D4-Danny Holtgraver;
15. 5T-Travis Philo; 16. X-Mark Keegan; 17. 14H-Todd Heller; 18. 1XL-Matt
Linder
A-main - MSD Ignition, 50 laps, Starting Position
1. 2-Dale Blaney[6]; 2. 59-Lee Jacobs[3]; 3. O9-Craig Mintz[2]; 4. 1X-Randy
Hannagan[11]; 5. 83A-Tim Shaffer[1]; 6. 24H-Rob Chaney[4]; 7. 5R-Byron
Reed[5]; 8. 30C-Lance Dewease[19]; 9. O2-Brian Smith[14]; 10. W20-Greg
Wilson[21]; 11. 15C-Chris Andrews[10]; 12. 11M-Brandon Martin[24]; 13.
6-Mike Dussell[9]; 14. 16X-Bryan Sebetto[22]; 15. 22-Cole Duncan[8]; 16.
11B-Brock Mayes[20]; 17. 55-John Ivy[17]; 18. 12-Caleb Griffith[15]; 19.
20E-Brian Ellenberger[16]; 20. 60-Jody Keegan[12]; 21. 75-Dean Jacobs[13];
22. 312-Mike Linder[23]; 23. 11N-Ed Neumeister[18]; 24. 23JR-Jack Sodeman
Jr.[7]
Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints
Heat 1 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 19R-Steve Rando; 2. 14-Chad Wilson; 3. 29-Chris Lang; 4. 65-Mark Lang; 5.
39-Matt Merrill; 6. 8K-Zack Kramer (R); 7. X-Dustin Stroup (R); 8. 2-Tim
Kern; 9. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 10. 71-Bill Kraylek
Heat 2 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 2. 11-Shawn Colvin; 3. 15-A.J. Sleek; 4. 80-Jake
Trevino (R); 5. 1-Nate Dussel (R); 6. 22D-Dan Hammond; 7. 3X-Brad Keckler;
8. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 9. 49-Coty Runion; 10. 24X-Tom Nichols
Heat 3 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 40-Bobby Clark; 2. 3J-Kevin Lee; 3.
28-Shaun Valenti (R); 4. 25P-Mark
Pridemore; 5. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 6. 61L-Adam Thacker (R); 7. 66L-Brad Bowman;
8. 27-Paige Polyak; 9. 9-Jimmy Colvin (R); 10. 83X-Nate Reeser
Heat 4 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 18-Todd Heuerman; 2. 55-Benny Bowman; 3. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 4.
11F-D.J. Foos (R); 5. 5-Dustin Dinan; 6. 44-John Ivy; 7. 82-Travis
Hoffbauer; 8. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh; 9. 26-Zack Moore
B1 Main (10 laps, top 2 transfer to A-main)
1. 1-Nate Dussel (R); 2. 39-Matt Merrill; 3. 8K-Zack Kramer (R); 4. 3X-Brad
Keckler; 5. 22D-Dan Hammond; 6. 71-Bill Kraylek; 7. X-Dustin Stroup (R); 8.
36X-Dustin Keegan; 9. 2-Tim Kern; 10. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 11. 49-Coty
Runion; 12. 24X-Tom Nichols
B2 Main (10 laps, top 2 transfer to A-Main)
1. 5-Dustin Dinan; 2. 9-Jimmy Colvin (R); 3. 82-Travis Hoffbauer; 4.
67M-Matt Ferrell; 5. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh; 6. 61L-Adam Thacker (R); 7.
26-Zack Moore; 8. 44-John Ivy; 9. 83X-Nate Reeser; 10. 27-Paige Polyak; 11.
66L-Brad Bowman
A-main (25 laps) Starting Position
1. 3J-Kevin Lee[6]; 2. 18-Todd
Heuerman[4]; 3. 40-Bobby Clark[3]; 4.
11F-D.J. Foos (R)[14]; 5. 14-Chad Wilson[7]; 6. 80-Jake Trevino (R)[12]; 7.
28-Shaun Valenti (R)[8]; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[5]; 9. 35-Stuart Brubaker[20];
10. 1-Nate Dussel (R)[17]; 11. 39-Matt Merrill[19]; 12. 15-A.J. Sleek[10];
13. 5-Dustin Dinan[16]; 14. 25P-Mark Pridemore[15]; 15. 9-Jimmy Colvin
(R)[18]; 16. 10-Brad Haudenschild[2]; 17. 19R-Steve Rando[1]; 18. 29-Chris
Lang[9]; 19. 65-Mark Lang[13]; 20. 11-Shawn Colvin[11]
Fremont Fence Co. Dirt Trucks
Heat 1
1. 5-Jim McGrath; 2. 20-Andy Maynard; 3. 16-Steve Sabo; 4. 18W-Cory Ward; 5.
39-Dwight Waltermier; 6. 23M-Brad Mitten; 7. 30-Dave Gibbs; 8. 71-Craig
Holland; 9. 4J-Josh Lazono
Heat 2
1. 33-Brian Arnold; 2. 8-Steve Endicott; 3. 92-Loren Schwochow; 4. O-Jim
Keegan; 5. 4X-Dave Brewer; 6. 32H-Dan Hennig; 7. 62-Dave Severs
Heat 3
1. 5JR-Jim McGrath Jr.; 2. 8K-Kent Brewer; 3. O1-Art Ball; 4. 17-Bob Dible;
5. 88-Brian Sorg; 6. 52-Will Tezak; 7. 91-Rick Potts
A-main (20 laps) Starting Position
1. O1-Art Ball[2]; 2. 20-Andy Maynard[7]; 3. 8K-Kent Brewer[4]; 4. 17-Bob
Dible[6]; 5. 5-Jim McGrath[11]; 6. 18W-Cory Ward[12]; 7. O-Jim Keegan[8]; 8.
39-Dwight Waltermier[13]; 9. 4X-Dave Brewer[14]; 10. 16-Steve Sabo[9]; 11.
92-Loren Schwochow[1]; 12. 88-Brian Sorg[15]; 13. 33-Brian Arnold[3]; 14.
30-Dave Gibbs[18]; 15. 71-Craig Holland[20]; 16. 91-Rick Potts[19]; 17.
8-Steve Endicott[10]; 18. 5JR-Jim McGrath Jr.[5]; 19. 52-Will Tezak[17]; 20.
23M-Brad Mitten[16]
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