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Blonde shakes jet lag and Attica competition.
ATTICA, Ohio - Chad Blonde made a triumphant return to the United States
after racing in Australia all winter, by scoring his second career 410
sprint win at Attica Raceway Park Friday, April 25, on Merrill Lynch Night.
Fremont, Ohio's Bobby Clark claimed his third career 305 sprint victory at
"Ohio's Finest Racing" speedplant, while Risingsun, Ohio's Ernie Haynes and
Steve Endicott claimed their first career wins in the Service Drive
Solutions UMP Attica Late Models and dirt trucks respectively.
Blonde, behind the wheel of his TLC Auto Collision, Tuckey Motorsports #5b,
picked right up where he left off the 2007 season at Attica - in victory
lane. The 2006 All Star Circuit of Champions Rookie of the Year, closed out
ARP's season last year by winning the All Star feature.
"I'm a little tired...I still have some jet lag from coming back from
Australia. I'm not used to the time change yet. I got to sleep the
three-hour trip here tonight and that helped," said Blonde, who held off
Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws driver Daryn Pittman for the win. "I
broke a steering gear in the heat and we thrashed around on that and then
had to work on the motor...we didn't fire until just before the feature, but
we'll take this win."
Clark, aboard the David Bros. Racing, Crown Battery sponsored #40, passed
last week's feature winner, Cap Henry, with two laps to go and went on to
the victory.
"Last week I got impatient and hit one of those tractor tires. That went
through my mind tonight. I just had to stay cool and waited until lapped
traffic. These guys on this car just want to have fun and I fit right in,"
said Clark beside the Jenny's Copper Penny backed sprinter.
Haynes led all 20 laps of the late model feature, but held off a strong
early race challenge by Wayne Maffett Jr. and late in the race by last
week's winner Rusty Schlenk.
"Finally...we've worked so hard to get here and to finally get a win is
awesome. I have to thank Bob Dible and BMS Engines for building me one heck
of a motor," said Haynes.
Another BMS Engines backed racer, Endicott, took the lead from Brian Arnold
with an outside move on lap 6 and went on to edge Arnold and Bob Dible in
the 15-lap truck feature.
"It's about time...we've led here late only to lose it in the final laps.
We've had a lot of seconds and thirds here. I have to thank BMS Engines and
Stylecrest Products for their support," said Endicott.
In the 30 lap 410 sprint feature, Blonde jumped out into the lead from his
pole starting spot, only to see the action come to a halt when Brian Lay
flipped, collecting Byron Reed. Lay was unhurt but was done for the night,
with Reed able to make repairs and rejoin the fray.
When the green flew again, Blonde bolted to the lead with David Harrison
right on his rear bumper. The caution would fly on lap 5 for a Paul Weaver
spin with the running order Blonde, Harrison, 8th starting Pittman, and Lee
Jacobs. The running order would remain that way until former NRA 360
champion Mike Dussell would move fourth on lap 9. Harrison and Pittman would
battle side-by-side for second on laps 13 and 14, with Pittman taking the
spot at the halfway mark.
Blonde had a comfortable four car length advantage until he hit lapped
traffic on lap 17. Pittman would close until he too got held up in the
back-markers, allowing Blonde to power away for the win. Pittman - for the
second straight week would settle for second, with Harrison, Dussell and
Jacobs rounding out the top five, while Reed came from the tail to grab
sixth.
In the 25-lap 305 sprint feature, Cap Henry looked like he would make it two
in a row, pulling out to the lead. After a lap 2 caution for a Kevin Lee
spin, the action would heat up with Henry holding the bottom groove and
Clark powering to his outside in turns 3 and 4. Those two pulled away from
the pack, as Duane Zablocki and Dustin Keegan battled for third.
Another yellow on lap 9 would bunch up the field just as Henry was getting
to lapped traffic. He would continue to lead with Clark nipping at his rear
bumper. The car on the move was 10th starter Stuart Brubaker, who moved into
third on lap 11, bringing 15th starter Todd Heuerman with him.
While Clark began to really pressure Henry on lap 17, while Brubaker,
Heuerman and now Bryan Sebetto waged a torrid battle behind. Clark would
slingshot around the outside of Henry exiting turn 4 on lap 23 and would
score the victory, while Brubaker would slip around Henry for the runner-up
finish, with Sebetto claiming fourth and Heuerman fifth.
In the late model 20-lap main, Haynes would grab the lead and held off
several early race challenges from defending ARP champion Ken Hahn and
Michael Stiltner. Ninth place starter Maffett, who is second on the all-time
limited late model win list at Attica, would grab third on lap four and
would drive under Hahn for second a lap later. Maffett would run right on
Haynes rear bumper the next 11 laps.
Meanwhile, Schlenk, who started 10th, was steadily using the high groove to
move around Hahn into third on lap 12. He would drive around Maffett for
second on lap 17, but got held up in lapped traffic as Haynes powered to the
checkered. Schlenk, Maffett, Hahn and 13th starter Chuck Hummer would round
out the top five.
In the 15-lap truck feature Brian Arnold would grab the lead at the drop of
the green, with fourth place starter Endicott getting around Dible on lap 2
for second. Arnold would hug the bottom while Endicott slung around the top
as the pair raced side-by-side for the next four laps before Endicott would
grab the lead on lap 6. Arnold would hold on for second with Dible and Art
Ball (coming from the tail after an early race altercation with another
truck) rounding out the top five.
Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, May 2 on Ohio Cat Night
with the 410 and 305 sprints, Service Drive Solutions UMP Attica Late Models
and dirt trucks in action. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing getting underway
at 8 p.m.
For more information log onto www.atticaracewaypark.com
Attica Raceway Park (4-25-08)
Merrill Lynch Night
410 Sprints
Heat 1 - All Pro Heads (8 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 12-Caleb Griffith; 2. 98-Bruce Robenalt; 3. 1R-Brian Lay (R); 4. 6-Mike
Dussell (R); 5. X-Mark Keegan; 6. 59-Kirk Jeffries; 7. 4K-Kody Kinser; 8.
75-Mike Hogan; 9. 23-Ben Rutan
Heat 2 - Ultra Shield Race Products (8 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 312-Mike Linder; 2. 48S-Andy Shammo; 3. 10-David Harrison; 4. 1W-Paul
Weaver; 5. 16-Lee Jacobs; 6. 69-Scott Curren; 7. 7T-Troy Vaccaro
Heat 3 - Bell Racing (8 laps, top 5 transfer to A-Main)
1. 21-Daryn Pittman; 2. 5B-Chad Blonde; 3. 20X-Brian Smith; 4. 5R-Byron
Reed; 5. 48-Mike Burkin; 6. 5T-Travis Philo; 7. 15C-Chris Andrews; 8.
91-Aaron Middaugh
B-main - Computer Man Inc. (10 laps, top 6 transfer to A-Main)
1. 69-Scott Curren; 2. 4K-Kody Kinser; 3. 75-Mike Hogan; 4. 59-Kirk
Jeffries; 5. 91-Aaron Middaugh; 6. 7T-Troy Vaccaro; 7. 5T-Travis Philo; 8.
15C-Chris Andrews
A-main Starting Position [#]
1. 5B-Chad Blonde[1]; 2. 21-Daryn Pittman[8]; 3. 10-David Harrison[6]; 4.
6-Mike Dussell (R)[7]; 5. 16-Lee Jacobs[14]; 6. 5R-Byron Reed[5]; 7. X-Mark
Keegan[11]; 8. 20X-Brian Smith[12]; 9. 75-Mike Hogan[17]; 10. 15C-Chris
Andrews[20]; 11. 12-Caleb Griffith[4]; 12. 4K-Kody Kinser[16]; 13. 48-Mike
Burkin[13]; 14. 91-Aaron Middaugh[19]; 15. 48S-Andy Shammo[3]; 16. 1W-Paul
Weaver[9]; 17. 69-Scott Curren[15]; 18. 98-Bruce Robenalt[10]; 19. 59-Kirk
Jeffries[18]; 20. 1R-Brian Lay (R)[2]
305 Sprints
Heat 1 - All Pro Heads (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. O1-Bryan Sebetto; 2. 5-Dustin Dinan; 3. O4-Cap Henry; 4. M28-Josh Muntz;
5. 71-Bill Kraylek; 6. 8K-Zack Kramer (R); 7. 25P-Mark Pridemore; 8. 22D-Dan
Hammond; 9. 66L-Brad Bowman
Heat 2 - Ultra Shield Race Products (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 2. 82-Travis Hoffbauer; 3. 55-Benny Bowman; 4. 49-Coty
Runion; 5. 14-Chad Wilson; 6. 28-Shaun Valenti (R); 7. 11F-D.J. Foos (R); 8.
15H-Mitch Harble
Heat 3 - Bell Racing (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 2. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 3. 65-Mark Lang; 4. X-Dustin
Stroup (R); 5. 11-Shawn Colvin; 6. 13-Larry Felver Jr.; 7. 24X-Tom Nichols;
8. 61L-Adam Thacker
Heat 4 - Friendship Food Stores (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 40-Bobby Clark; 2. O2-Kevin Lee; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 4. 18-Todd
Heuerman; 5. 29-Chris Lang; 6. 67M-Matt Ferrell; 7. 23-Willie Keegan; 8.
3X-Brad Keckler
B-Main #1 - Computer Man Inc. (8 laps, top 3 transfer to A-Main)
1. 71-Bill Kraylek; 2. 8K-Zack Kramer (R); 3. 66L-Brad Bowman; 4. 14-Chad
Wilson; 5. 25P-Mark Pridemore; 6. 22D-Dan Hammond; 7. 11F-D.J. Foos (R); 8.
28-Shaun Valenti (R); 9. 15H-Mitch Harble
B-Main #2 - Computer Man Inc. (8 laps, top 2 transfer to A-Main)
1. 11-Shawn Colvin; 2. 3X-Brad Keckler; 3. 23-Willie Keegan; 4. 29-Chris
Lang; 5. 13-Larry Felver Jr.; 6. 24X-Tom Nichols; 7. 61L-Adam Thacker; 8.
67M-Matt Ferrell
A-main Starting Position [#]
1. 40-Bobby Clark[5]; 2. 35-Stuart Brubaker[10]; 3. O4-Cap Henry[1]; 4.
O1-Bryan Sebetto[8]; 5. 18-Todd Heuerman[15]; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[4]; 7.
36X-Dustin Keegan[2]; 8. 49-Coty Runion[13]; 9. 55-Benny Bowman[7]; 10.
71-Bill Kraylek[16]; 11. 65-Mark Lang[3]; 12. 82-Travis Hoffbauer[6]; 13.
8K-Zack Kramer (R)[18]; 14. M28-Josh Muntz[12]; 15. 3X-Brad Keckler[19]; 16.
66L-Brad Bowman[20]; 17. 11-Shawn Colvin[17]; 18. 5-Dustin Dinan[9]; 19.
O2-Kevin Lee[11]; 20. X-Dustin Stroup (R)[14]
Service Drive Solutions Late Models
Heat 1 - Tin Lizzy Collision (8 laps)
1. 50-Ryan Missler; 2. 27-Ken Hahn; 3. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.; 4. 5H-Ernie
Haynes; 5. 25-Chuck Hummer; 6. 77-Steve Kester; 7. 48-John Bores; 8.
12C-Bill Clapp Jr.
Heat 2 - Ultra Shield Race Products (8 laps)
1. 1-Tyler Boggs; 2. 51-Devin Shiels; 3. 12-Michael Stiltner; 4. 88D-Larry
Kingseed; 5. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth; 6. 15B-Mike Bores; 7. 12H-Joe Hartlaub
(R)
Heat 3 - Bell Racing (8 laps)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk; 2. 45-Mike Marteney; 3. 23-Ben Elliott; 4. 99-Steve
Sabo; 5. 77C-Craig Corfman; 6. 83-Noah Wagner (R); 7. 3R-Chuck Rolle (R)
A-main Starting Position [#]
1. 5H-Ernie Haynes[1]; 2. 91-Rusty Schlenk[10]; 3. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[9];
4. 27-Ken Hahn[2]; 5. 25-Chuck Hummer[13]; 6. 51-Devin Shiels[6]; 7.
88D-Larry Kingseed[5]; 8. 15B-Mike Bores[17]; 9. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth[14];
10. 99-Steve Sabo[8]; 11. 50-Ryan Missler[12]; 12. 77C-Craig Corfman[15];
13. 45-Mike Marteney[4]; 14. 48-John Bores[19]; 15. 12C-Bill Clapp Jr.[22];
16. 12-Michael Stiltner[3]; 17. 3R-Chuck Rolle (R)[21]; 18. 1-Tyler
Boggs[11]; 19. 23-Ben Elliott[7]; 20. 77-Steve Kester[16]; 21. 12H-Joe
Hartlaub (R)[20]
Dirt Trucks
Heat 1 - Tin Lizzy Collision (8 laps)
1. 8-Steve Endicott; 2. O1-Art Ball; 3. 33-Brian Arnold; 4. 88-Jim Brewer;
5. 30-Dave Gibbs; 6. 4X-Brian Sorg; 7. 84-Russ Stahl; 8. 91-Rick Potts
Heat 2 - Ultra Shield Race Products (8 laps)
1. 17-Bob Dible; 2. 18W-Cory Ward; 3. 56-Alex Wiechman; 4. 92-Loren
Schwochow; 5. 55B-Bill Bruen; 6. 69-Mark Warnick; 7. 2R-Ron Kepling; 8.
62-Dave Severs
A-main Starting Position [#]
1. 8-Steve Endicott[4]; 2. 33-Brian Arnold[3]; 3. 17-Bob Dible[2]; 4. O1-Art
Ball[5]; 5. 18W-Cory Ward[9]; 6. 92-Loren Schwochow[6]; 7. 56-Alex
Wiechman[11]; 8. 69-Mark Warnick[10]; 9. 2R-Ron Kepling[14]; 10. 4X-Brian
Sorg[12]; 11. 30-Dave Gibbs[8]; 12. 84-Russ Stahl[13]; 13. 62-Dave
Severs[16]; 14. 91-Rick Potts[15]; 15. 88-Jim Brewer[7]; 16. 55B-Bill
Bruen[1]
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