Blaney Takes $10,000 At Fremont

By Brian Liskai

FREMONT, Ohio – Dale Blaney always says he does not like leading early. But, when you know you have a good car and there’s $10,000 on the line….that can change a driver’s attitude.

Blaney led all 50 laps Sunday at Fremont Speedway on Budweiser Night to take his 95^th career University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions victory and is now just three away from tying Kenny Jacobs for the most series wins. It wasn’t easy for Blaney as he had to hold off a charging Shane Stewart the last seven laps for his 17^th career win at “The Track That Action Built.” Blaney, who finished a close second the previous night at Fremont Speedway, leads all drivers at the track with UNOH All Star wins with 12 as the series has visited the historic speedway 107 times.

“Any time you come here it’s always a good race and that had to be a good race for the fans. Ninety-five wins…that means I’ve been at it a long time. George has won a lot of races for me. He does a hell of a job and if it wasn’t for him doing all the work that he does and Ti22 and GF1…George is 98 percent of the team and I’m just two and sometimes it’s a good two and sometimes it’s a bad two,” said Blaney of his second UNOH All Star win of 2013.

“My car was so good in the dash and I thought I’m just going to get out there and see if I can put as many lapped cars between me and second as I could. I was decent early and George (Fisher, crew chief) kind of told me to look at the top and I did down here and I felt rubber a little bit getting off four and then everybody started to crawl the top and I kept hearing somebody and I was so tight getting in behind guys it was hard for me to get around and get on their right rear. And Shane (Stewart) was up there and I saw his nose wing and man, it was for $10,000 and he had a run around there and I was coming and it was tight but it was a cool race,” said Blaney beside his Ti22 Performance, GF1 Chassis backed machine.

Blaney made it look easy the first 20 laps of the event, but couldn’t run and hide as three cautions in the middle stages of the race kept Stewart, Tim Shaffer, Chris Andrews and Craig Mintz close. Also, fans were on the edge of their seats watching Greg Wilson, who last week came from 18^th starting spot to collect his second win of the season at Fremont, as he charged from 17^th to sixth by the half-way point. But, after the last caution flew on lap 26, the remainder of the race would go green and when Blaney found heavy lapped traffic with 17 to go, Stewart, Shaffer and others had found a little rubber on the high side of the track and closed quickly. With six laps to go, Stewart had pulled right on Blaney’s rear bumper as they diced through traffic.

On lap 46 Stewart drove to Blaney’s outside in turns three and four with Blaney squeezing him to the front stretch wall and breaking his momentum. This allowed 9^th starter Craig Mintz, the track’s defending champion, to make it a three car battle. With two laps to go, Stewart was all over Blaney with Mintz driving inside of both to challenge. As the white flag flew, the large crowd was on their feet as the trio worked each other and traffic. Blaney was able to drive off the top of turn four to take the win while Mintz drove around Stewart for second. Shaffer and 11^th starter Caleb Griffith – after a spirited battle with Wilson – would round out the top five.

“If that were a 55-lap race it would have been fun but hats off to Dale. Those guys got out front and it started taking rubber a little bit and the guys started playing follow the leader around the top…it was kind of hard to pass race cars. You just had to hope for someone to miss rubber,” said Mintz beside his Real Geese Decoys, R2C Filters, Design Graphics Group, Keller Chevrolet, Erie Shore Propane, Walby Construction, KS Sales and Services backed #09.

“I have to thank my mom and my dad and Kathy and my wife and Hoagie and Brad and Kevin and Steven Linder has been helping out a ton. I can’t thank all those folks enough,” added Mintz.

Stewart was disappointed he couldn’t bring home the win aboard his Joe Gaerte and Tim Norman owned #3G.

“I wasn’t here to run second and sacrificed a spot there trying to win. Man I don’t know what George and Dale do but when it gets slick those guys are pretty tough to beat,” said Stewart beside his Gaerte Engines, XYZ Machining, All Star Performance, Red Line Oil backed machine. “I can’t thank my guys enough. They worked hard for me. We had a little altercation…I actually yelled at them a little bit after the dash and I don’t ever mean to do that. But they kept working hard for me and they always give me a great car and I just came up a little bit short.”

“I knew I was going to be better than Dale was once it took rubber because he was better before the rubber laid down. I had one shot at him, maybe two and screwed up both times,” added Stewart.

In the AAA Ohio Auto Club Dirt Trucks, Fremont rookie Matt Foos would take the lead on lap two, but surrendered it to four time feature winner John Ivy in lapped traffic on lap 13. But a caution with three laps to go gave him another shot and he pounced. As Ivy, Dustin Keegan and Foos drove down the back stretch coming to the white flag, Foos drove his machine in hard and blasted under both to lead. But, Ivy and Keegan didn’t falter and the trio raced side by side the last lap with Foos edging out both for his first career win.

“There was a big puddle of water down there (in turns one and two) and I kept hitting it and getting tight and I was messing up left and right and John took advantage of it. I think he actually messed up once and I took advantage of that,” said Foos beside his Fremont Fence, M&L Excavating, Advanced Auto Parts, Kent’s Transmissions backed #2. “I wanted this one. These guys don’t get enough recognition for how much work they do on these things and Charlie Butler been helping me out a lot and it’s obviously been paying off. I have to thank Brian and Sherry Sorg, Cowboy, Keith, Charlie, Craig, and everyone that supports me.”

Not to be outdone, the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints put on a whale of a feature too. Jason Keckler would lead the first eight laps before Dustin Dinan would use a lapped car as a pick to take the lead, Dinan lead the next eight laps before a caution would fly and on the restart Paul Weaver would execute a flier to take the lead as he and Dinan banged wheels. Weaver would then hold off John Ivy the rest of the way for his 32^nd career victory.

Weaver tied Wally Heminger for 11^th on the track’s all-time win list.

“He (Dinan) missed the rubber on that restart and had her hanging out there and I thought he was going to go out the entrance there. I thought if I could at least get beside him in the rubber I’d be alright,” said Weaver beside his Weaver Performance, Hampshire Racing Engines, Buckeye Mobile Coatings, M&L Excavating, Schiets Motorsports backed machine.

Blaney and Shaffer would bring the field to the green for the 50-lap affair with Blaney grabbing the lead over Shaffer while Stewart and Andrews raced hard for third. Andrews would take third on lap two and would drove around Shaffer for second on the next circuit. With six laps recorded all eyes were on Wilson who had moved from 17^th to seventh.

Blaney would drive into heavy lapped traffic by the 10^th lap as Andrews and now Stewart battled hard second with Shaffer, Mintz, Jack Sodeman and Wilson in pursuit. Stewart would nab second on lap 12 but could not close on Blaney. The first caution flew on lap 21 for a stalled Adam Kekich. Blaney would have a lapped machine separating him from Stewart with a resurgent Shaffer, Andrews, Mintz and Wilson in pursuit. Just four laps later Andrews’ great run would end as he slid off the high side of turn two to bring out the caution. A lap and another caution for a stalled Stewart Brubaker kept Blaney from hiding from Stewart.

On the restart Blaney and Stewart pulled away while Shaffer and Mintz were left to battle traffic and each other. Shaffer and Mintz swapped the third spot several times over the next few laps as Blaney and Stewart drove away. On lap 33 the leaders again drove into heavy lapped traffic and Stewart closed on Blaney ever so slightly while Shaffer and Mintz continued their battle with Wilson and now Caleb Griffith in pursuit. Mintz would finally grab third on lap 37.

Blaney sliced his way through traffic like a surgeon until there were just six laps to go and as he struggled somewhat, Stewart quickly closed, setting up the exciting finish.

In the 20 laps dirt truck feature, Brad Mitten and Steve Sabo brought the field to the green but Dana Fry would spin necessitating a complete restart. When the green flew again Sabo jumped into the lead over Mitten, Dustin Keegan, Foos and Shawn Valenti. Foos could drive under everyone into the lead on the second lap, bringing Mitten to second. The caution would fly for a Brian Melnek spin on lap five. A lap and an Art Ball spin kept the field close.

Foos would continue to lead when the green reappeared as Keegan raced into second, bringing Sabo to third and John Ivy into fourth. Ivy would use the bottom groove to slide into second on lap 11 as he, Sabo and Keegan waged a tremendous battle. The caution a lap later put Ivy right on Foos’ rear bumper and on the restart he would vault into the lead. Keegan would drive into second on lap 14 as he stayed within striking distance of Ivy. The final caution flew on lap 17 for Kent Brewer and on the restart, Ivy, Keegan and Foos were locked in a torrid battle. Foos would drive under both to lead by a bumper on the white flag, setting up the dramatic three wide race to the checkered.

Keckler and Jimmy Colvin paced the field to the green in the 25-lap 305 sprint main, but Colvin would spin necessitating a complete restart. Keckler would then jump into the lead with Dinan, Ivy, Weaver, Jeremy Duposki, Nate Dussel, T.J. Michael and Roger Shammo in pursuit. Weaver would drive into third on lap two. As Keckler raced into lapped traffic on lap 7, Dinan closed and took the lead a circuit later. Weaver grabbed second on lap 11 with Keckler and Ivy staying close while Dussel, Shammo, previous night’s winner Jordan Ryan and Dean Jacobs in pursuit.

Jess Stiger would bring out the yellow on lap 16 with Dinan leading Weaver, Ivy, Dussel, Keckler, Shammo, Ryan and Jacobs. On the restart Weaver went for broke and took the lead as Dinan would spin a lap later trying to get back buy. Now, with just seven laps remaining, Weaver had Ivy, Dussel, Keckler, Shammo, Jacobs and Michael on his rear bumper.

Weaver was able to hold off Ivy for the win with Dussel, Keckler and Shammo rounding out the top five.

There is no racing at Fremont Speedway next weekend but the Track That Action Built will be back to racing on Saturday, June 8 for Vision Quest Night with the 410 and 305 sprints, dirt trucks and sports compacts. Prior to the racing the Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will take place in the historic covered grandstands beginning at 2:30 p.m.

For more information go to www.fremontohspeedway.com or like Fremont Speedway on Facebook and follow the track on Twitter.

Fremont Speedway – 5/26/2013

Budweiser Night

All Star Circuit of Champions (34 Cars)

[#]-Starting Position

Qualifying – Kistler Engines

1. 3G-Shane Stewart, 13.161; 2. 40DD-Caleb Griffith, 13.594; 3. 83-Tim Shaffer, 13.666; 4. 60K-Jody Keegan, 13.667; 5. 54-Cap Henry, 13.825; 6. 16-Chris Andrews, 13.906; 7. 29-Rob Chaney, 13.933; 8. 2-Dale Blaney, 14.110; 9. 94-Jack Sodeman Jr., 14.125; 10. 99-Brady Bacon, 14.153; 11. O9-Craig Mintz, 14.159; 12. 35-Stuart Brubaker, 14.263; 13. 5K-Adam Kekich, 14.322; 14. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 14.330; 15. 45L-Brian Lay, 14.423; 16. 53-D.J. Foos, 14.492; 17. W20-Greg Wilson, 14.567; 18. 5R-Byron Reed, 14.598; 19. 5T-Travis Philo, 14.787; 20. 40-Caleb Helms, 14.799; 21. O-Justin Henderson, 14.817; 22. 24H-Bryan Sebetto, 14.818; 23. 45-Danny Holtgraver, 14.836; 24. 27P-Paige Polyak, 14.850; 25. O8-Dan Kuriger, 14.871; 26. 80-Trey Gustin, 14.921; 27. 97-Sam Haffertepe Jr., 15.103; 28. 27L-Brad Lamberson, 15.181; 29. 7C-Max Stanbaugh, 15.263; 30. 9X-Brandon Martin, 15.680; 31. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton, 16.089; 32. 50B-Mike Burns, 16.366; 33. 3F-Dean Kester, 16.368; 34. 46AU-Stuart Williams, 18.036

Heat 1 – Kears Speed Shop (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. W20-Greg Wilson[2] ; 2. O-Justin Henderson[1] ; 3. 3G-Shane Stewart[6] ; 4. 94-Jack Sodeman Jr.[4] ; 5. 5K-Adam Kekich[3] ; 6. 54-Cap Henry[5] ; 7. 7C-Max Stanbaugh[8] ; 8. O8-Dan Kuriger[7]

Heat 2 – All Pro Aluminum Heads (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 5R-Byron Reed[2] ; 2. 99-Brady Bacon[4] ; 3. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[3] ; 4. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[1] ; 5. 16-Chris Andrews[5] ; 6. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[6] ; 7. 9X-Brandon Martin[8] ; 8. 80-Trey Gustin[7]

Heat 3 – Dragon Race Fuel (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 45-Danny Holtgraver[1] ; 2. 45L-Brian Lay[3] ; 3. O9-Craig Mintz[4] ; 4. 83-Tim Shaffer[6] ; 5. 29-Rob Chaney[5] ; 6. 97-Sam Haffertepe Jr.[7] ; 7. 5T-Travis Philo[2] ; 8. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[8]

Heat 4 – Kinsler Fuel Injection (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 27P-Paige Polyak[1] ; 2. 60K-Jody Keegan[6] ; 3. 53-D.J. Foos[3] ; 4. 2-Dale Blaney[5] ; 5. 35-Stuart Brubaker[4] ; 6. 40-Caleb Helms[2] ; 7. 27L-Brad Lamberson[7] ; 8. 50B-Mike Burns[8]

Dash – Outerwears Performance Products (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 6 starting positions of A-feature

1. 2-Dale Blaney[3] ; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer[1] ; 3. 16-Chris Andrews[6] ; 4. 60K-Jody Keegan[2] ; 5. 3G-Shane Stewart[5] ; 6. 29-Rob Chaney[4]

B-Main – MSD Ignition (12 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[1] ; 2. 54-Cap Henry[2] ; 3. 97-Sam Haffertepe Jr.[7] ; 4. 5T-Travis Philo[3] ; 5. 7C-Max Stanbaugh[9] ; 6. 40-Caleb Helms[4] ; 7. 80-Trey Gustin[6] ; 8. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[11] ; 9. 50B-Mike Burns[12] ; 10. 27L-Brad Lamberson[8] ; 11. O8-Dan Kuriger[5]

A-Main – University of Northwestern Ohio (50 Laps)

1. 2-Dale Blaney[1]; 2. O9-Craig Mintz[9]; 3. 3G-Shane Stewart[5]; 4. 83-Tim Shaffer[2]; 5. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[11]; 6. W20-Greg Wilson[17]; 7. 5T-Travis Philo[19]; 8. 29-Rob Chaney[6]; 9. 5R-Byron Reed[18]; 10. 54-Cap Henry[12]; 11. 97-Sam Haffertepe Jr.[24]; 12. 53-D.J. Foos[16]; 13. 99-Brady Bacon[8]; 14. 16-Chris Andrews[3]; 15. 94-Jack Sodeman Jr.[7]; 16. 45-Danny Holtgraver[22]; 17. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[21]; 18. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[14]; 19. 45L-Brian Lay[15]; 20. O-Justin Henderson[20]; 21. 27P-Paige Polyak[23]; 22. 60K-Jody Keegan[4]; 23. 35-Stuart Brubaker[10]; 24. 5K-Adam Kekich[13]

Hard Charger: 97-Sam Haffertepe Jr.[+13]

Fremont Federal Credit Untion 305 Sprints (23 Cars)

[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 1-Nate Dussel[1] ; 2. 9-Jimmy Colvin[2] ; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver[4] ; 4. 6-Dustin Dinan[5] ; 5. 5R-Jordan Ryan[6] ; 6. 22D-Dan Hammond[3] ; 7. OO-Alvin Roepke[7] ; 8. 4X-Zach Kramer[8]

Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 8M-T.J Michael[1] ; 2. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[2] ; 3. 10S-Roger Shammo[5] ; 4. 2-Ricky Peterson[3] ; 5. 68G-Tyler Gunn[7] ; 6. 48-Mike Burkin[6] ; 7. 22M-Dan McCarron[8] ; 8. 26-Ryan French[4]

Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 25-Jason Keckler[1] ; 2. 8I-John Ivy[7] ; 3. 34-Dean Jacobs[3] ; 4. 8J-Jess Stiger[2] ; 5. 39M-Matt Merrill[4] ; 6. 1M-Mike Moore[5] ; 7. 7P-Brandon Moore[6]

A-Main – (25 Laps)

1. 1W-Paul Weaver[4]; 2. 8I-John Ivy[6]; 3. 1-Nate Dussel[5]; 4. 25-Jason Keckler[1]; 5. 10S-Roger Shammo[10]; 6. 34-Dean Jacobs[12]; 7. OO-Alvin Roepke[19]; 8. 8M-T.J Michael[7]; 9. 5R-Jordan Ryan[13]; 10. 2-Ricky Peterson[11]; 11. 48-Mike Burkin[17]; 12. 68G-Tyler Gunn[14]; 13. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[8]; 14. 8J-Jess Stiger[9]; 15. 6-Dustin Dinan[3]; 16. 22M-Dan McCarron[20]; 17. 4X-Zach Kramer[22]; 18. 22D-Dan Hammond[16]; 19. 39M-Matt Merrill[15]; 20. 26-Ryan French[23]; 21. 7P-Brandon Moore[21]; 22. 9-Jimmy Colvin[2]; 23. 1M-Mike Moore[18]

Hard Charger: OO-Alvin Roepke[+12]

AAA Auto Club Dirt Trucks (23 Trucks)

[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[2] ; 2. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[8] ; 3. 95-Keith Sorg[4] ; 4. P51-Willie Keegan[1] ; 5. 8KB-Kent Brewer[3] ; 6. 18-Jeff Ward[7] ; 7. 6-Linda Sabo[6]

Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. OO-John Ivy[7] ; 2. 7B-Shawn Valenti[2] ; 3. 2-Matt Foos[4] ; 4. 5-Jim McGrath[1] ; 5. O1-Art Ball[8] ; 6. 18W-Cory Ward[5] ; 7. 45-Brian Melnek[6] ; 8. 99X-Gene Potridge[3]

Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 8 finishers transfer to the A-feature)

1. D1-Dustin Keegan[1] ; 2. 16-Steve Sabo[3] ; 3. 115-Ben Good[2] ; 4. 23M-Brad Mitten[5] ; 5. 7-Dana Frey[4] ; 6. 37-Eric Devanna[6] ; 7. 99H-Art Howey Jr.[7]

A-Main – (20 Laps)

1. 2-Matt Foos[3]; 2. D1-Dustin Keegan[4]; 3. OO-John Ivy[8]; 4. 16-Steve Sabo[2]; 5. 23M-Brad Mitten[1]; 6. 18W-Cory Ward[17]; 7. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[7]; 8. 7B-Shawn Valenti[6]; 9. 18-Jeff Ward[16]; 10. 36M-Cory McCaughey[23]; 11. O1-Art Ball[14]; 12. 115-Ben Good[12]; 13. 37-Eric Devanna[18]; 14. P51-Willie Keegan[11]; 15. 95-Keith Sorg[10]; 16. 45-Brian Melnek[20]; 17. 99H-Art Howey Jr.[21]; 18. 99X-Gene Potridge[22]; 19. 8KB-Kent Brewer[13]; 20. 6-Linda Sabo[19]; 21. 5-Jim McGrath[9]; 22. 7-Dana Frey[15]; 23. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[5]

Hard Charger: 36M-Cory McCaughey[+13]