Dale Blaney Wins First Annual Showdown At The Creek!
4 min readPEEBLES, Ohio (Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014) – Dale Blaney held off a furious charge by Tim Kaeding over the last six laps Saturday to earn his 16th University of Northwestern All Star Circuit of Champions victory of the season at Brushcreek Motorsports Complex.
In the UNOH All Stars first appearance at “The Creek” since 2005 – the track has been reshaped and made smaller and racer since then – Blaney charged around Derek Hagar on lap 19 and then survived several attempts by Kaeding following a late race caution, to earn his 20thoverall win of 2014.
“This is the most wins I’ve ever had in a season. It’s been unbelievable. Tony (Kennedy) has put together such an awesome team. I’ve said it a bunch this year, but George (Fisher, crew chief) is more focused than I’ve ever seen him,” said Blaney beside his Kennedy Cattle/Ti22 Performance/Penske Shocks backed #14k.
The victory was Blaney’s 115th career UNOH All Star win and is the second most in a season with the series – he earned 17 All Star wins in 1996. Blaney has essentially wrapped up his fifth UNOH All Star championship – a feat no other driver has accomplished in the history of the series.
“I heard Tim a lot there the last few laps. I was getting tighter and was using all the track to keep him behind me. This was a fun track,” added Blaney.
For Kaeding, it was another second place finish behind “The Low Rider.”
“Just like out west…I finished behind him again. I’m going to have to pull a Tonya Harding on him and break his knees or something,” jokedKaeding beside his Tom and Sherry Leidig owned, Southern Pacific Farms/Auto Electric backed #59. “He was just better than me in one and two. I could get a great run on him in three and four, but Dale’s just on top of his game right now. I can’t thank the Leidigs and Bonzi and everyone who works hard on this thing enough and believing in me.”
Like Blaney, Lee Jacobs is having the best season of his career, and powered to another podium finish, coming home third.
“Just an awesome season. I can’t thank the Lewis family enough for believing in me and giving me everything I need to do this. I screwed up early…wasn’t aggressive enough. When I finally got up on the wheel I started coming on at the end,” said Jacobs beside his Simcox Grinding and Steel/Crown Investments/Amanda Lewis Attorney At Law backed #81.
Paul May and Derek Hagar would bring the field to green for the 30-lap feature with Hagar powering into the lead. After two laps were complete R.J. Perkins and Rick Fraley would tangle, bringing out the caution.
On the restart Hagar led Jimmy Stinson, who established a new qualifying record at Brushcreek the previous night, May, Nathan Skaggs, Blaney and Jacobs. Stinson would slide off the back stretch on lap three as May, Blaney, Skaggs, Jacobs, Danny Smith (who won the previous night at the track),Kaeding and JacHaudenschild drove by.
With five laps in Kirk Jeffries would stop on the track for another caution. On the restart Hagar pulled away as May and Blaney battled for second with Skaggs, Jacobs, Kaeding and Haudenschild racing hard for fourth. The caution would fly again on lap eight when Smith and Ryan Broughton stopping on the track.
When the green flew Hagar led Blaney, Skaggs, May, Jacobs, Kaeding, Cory Crabtree and Aaron Higgins. Hagar quickly caught the back of the pack by lap 13 with Blaney inching closer while Skaggs and Kaeding battled for third. The caution flew again on lap 13 with Dave Dickson, Bryan Nuckles and Adam Strausser involved in the melee.
On the ensuing restart Hagar got a tremendous jump and pulled away from Blaney with Kaeding working into third over Skaggs, May, Jacobs, Crabtree and Danny Smith. Blaney would methodically real in Hagar and just after completing lap 18,Blaney would duck under Hagar exiting turn two and grab the lead.
The caution would come out again on lap 20 for a Stuart Brubaker spin. On the restart Blaney pulled away as Hagar now had his hands full with Kaeding while Jacobs, Skaggs and May gave chase. Kaeding would grab second on lap 22 just before the caution flew for Ronnie Blair who stopped on the speedway.
When the green reappeared Kaeding drove the high line and raced side by side with Blaney in turns three and four. That battle continued the next lap before the caution flew for Crabtree with six laps to go. That prompted a refueling stop. When the green flew again Crabtree made contact with the turn one wall, ending his night.
The final six laps had the crowd on their feet as lap after lap Kaeding would pull under Blaney exiting turn four. Blaney would hold a narrow lead into turn one but would pull away slight exiting off the bottom of turn two. Lap after lap this battle transpired with Blaney holding off Kaeding at the checkered. Jacobs, Hagar and Skaggs would round out the top five.
The Brushcreek Motorsports Complex is back in action for its final race of the 2014 Season on Saturday October 4th for the Hallow-Creek Enduro Fest! The points championships are all wrapped up and there is a 100 Lap enduro with a car decoration contest! For more info visit www.brushcreekmotorsports.com
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