Blaney Holds Home Turf Against The World of Outlaws At Attica

By Brian Liskai

ATTICA, Ohio – Dale Blaney defended home turf for the second straight year against the World of Outlaws Friday at Attica Raceway Park. The Hartford, Ohio driver drove around Cody Darrah on a restart with 25 laps to go and went on to score the $10,000 Kistler Engines Classic.

For Blaney it is his 22nd career win at Attica, and he becomes the first back-to-back World of Outlaws winner at the track since Steve Kinser accomplished the feat in 1990 and 1991. Blaney has won three of his 10 career World of Outlaw victories at Attica. Blaney became the 12th different series winner out of 29 events so far in 2015.

“We had a good car all night. We got lucky and got a good draw and got out early and had quick time and made it through our heat. We were really really good in the dash and I put myself in a good position. I got a great restart there…kept my speed up a little bit. We came to the line together but I had a head of speed going. I could have pressed the issue with Cody a couple of times but it was a 40 lap race so I laid back a little. It was great to race with Cody and we’ll have to battle with him every week with the All Stars,” said Blaney beside his Go Muddy.com, Eyecon Trail Cameras, BaddAzz Box Blinds, Xecute Scent Control backed #1.

Can’t say enough about Todd Quiring and Big Game and Muddy. They’ve come on board and given us a great opportunity to do some good. And Janet Holbrook with CH Motorsports is awesome to work with. I’m really happy to get them all a win. To get a win at Attica…to defend what I did last year just makes it more special,” added Blaney.

For Red Lion, Pennsylvania’s Darrah, a former World of Outlaws regular who is back in the family owned car, he made one costly mistake on the restart and it cost him

“I’ve been struggling on my restarts lately and have been getting yelled at. I got a little too anxious and went a little too early and had to get my tires back under me and it gave him just enough time to get around me. And once he got in front of me I throttled down and put myself in a wheel stand. I made a bad mistake and another one after that,” said Darrah beside his J&K Salvage, Eichelberger’s U-Pull It, J&K Automotive, Factory Kahne Shocks backed #87.

“I felt like we had a great car…we were right with him there in traffic. When it slows down like this it’s really hard to get grip. I’ve learned so much racing behind him the last couple of races. He’s been kicking our butt but we’re closing up on him. I have to thank my parents for giving me the opportunity to be here, Kasey Kahne for giving us the resources to be out here this year,” added Darrah.

Watertown, Connecticut’s David Gravel would also use that restart with 25 laps to go to gain several positions and later drive into third and was closing on Blaney and Darrah but ran out of laps.

“It’s been a work in progress and everyone’s been working hard to make this deal better. We got a second at Charlotte and now a third so hopefully we can continue to build off this. I was eighth on that restart and I was fourth coming out of turn two so that was a big help. The track slowed down and I got the wing back and went where those guys weren’t. We had a great car…wish it was 50 laps. It was getting interesting,” said Gravel beside his Rick Rogers Construction, Mondak Portables, Fort Union Supply and Trading, Champion Lubricants backed #7.

“I can’t thank Rick and Barb Rogers and all my guys, Scott Benic, Lee Stauffer, Bob Hug…all the guys are working hard. The rainout at Lawrenceburg probably helped us out. It gave us a whole week to prepare for this weekend and catch up on some things. We’re still a work in progress but I’m excited about the future and getting a win here soon,” added Gravel.

In the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models, Ashland, Ohio’s Ryan Markham would hold off a last lap, last corner challenge from Doug Drown to claim his second win of the season at Attica. His half-car length victory is the sixth of his career at the track.

“The right front tire was going away or something. Some of it could be a little driver error. It’s been a long couple of weeks. Very little sleep trying to get this thing to the race track…it didn’t even get washed from last week,” said Markham of his Cool It Thermo Tec., H&T Demolition, Lias Tire by Tye Twarog backed machine.

“We were a little softer on tire and some guys went harder. Starting up front I was afraid to go with a harder tire. You just have to be patient. On those cautions my tire would be coming in and then go away and then come in and go away,” added Markham in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.

Darrah and Blaney would bring the field to green for the 40-lap World of Outlaws feature. Darrah would gain the upper hand over Blaney with Dean Jacobs, Joey Saldana, Daryn Pittman, Kerry Madsen and Jason Sides in tow.

Blaney would move to Darrah’s outside to challenge over the first five circuits before nearly making contact attempting to drive to the outside of Darrah exiting turn four. Darrah would pull away slightly as Blaney settled into second while Jacobs, Saldana, Pittman, Rob Chaney, Madsen, D.J. Foos, Sides and Madsen gave chase.

Just as the leaders were preparing to get into heavy lapped traffic the caution would fly when Jacobs and Foos banged wheels while battling for fourth, sending Foos to the pits with front end damage. On the ensuing double-file restart Darrah would choose the inside lane and when the green flew Blaney blasted into the lead with Saldana running third. Gravel, who started 11th, used the restart to blast from eighth to fourth with Pittman, Chaney and Sides in tow.

At the half-way point Blaney led Darrah by about three car lengths with Saldana, Gavel, Pittman and a tremendous battle for sixth involving Sides, Donnie Schatz, Chaney, Jacobs and Madsen. The car on the move was 24th place starter James McFadden who had driven into the top 10.

Gavel would reel in Saldana and the pair would battle side by side for several laps until Gravel took third on lap 29. The leaders would get into heavy lapped traffic with 10 laps to go and Darrah closed the gap on Blaney as did Gravel with Saldana, Pittman, Schatz, Sides, Chaney and McFadden in tow.

With five laps to go the top three of Blaney, Darrah and Gravel ran nose to tail as they sliced through the traffic. Blaney was able to maneuver around the lapped cars and drove to the win over Darrah, Gravel, Saldana and Pittman rounding out the top five.

Current World of Outlaws point leader Donny Schatz would drive from his 15th starting spot to sixth with Sides, McFadden (up from 24th starting spot), Chaney and Madsen rounding out the top 10.

Markham and Drown would bring the field to green for the 25 lap late model main with the pair racing side by side for the lead as the caution flew with a lap scored for Dusty Moore. When the green flew again the battle up front continued with Mike Bores running third.

The caution came out again on lap seven when Chris Keller, Greg Haskell and Ben Mott got together. A lap and another caution for a Josh Haynes spin. When the green flew Markham and Drown continued their battle with Bores, Matt Irey, Larry Kingseed, Brad Malcuit and Dave Hornikel in tow.

Markham pulled away ever so slightly from Drown as the laps ticked off. But, a caution on lap 15 involving Mott and Bob Mayer would give Drown another opportunity. When the race resumed Drown stayed close to Markham with Bores, Irey, Malcuit, Devin Shiels and Hornikel giving chase.

Markham would hit his marks and pulled away slightly from Drown as Bores and Irey were locked in a tremendous battle for third. However, as Markham took the white flag Drown suddenly came to life and drove to Markham’s outside. The pair raced side by side down the back stretch and into three and four. As they rocketed off turn four to the checkers Drown drove to Markham’s outside. Markham would edge Drown by half a car length for the win with Bores, Irey and Malcuit rounding out the top five.

Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday June 5. It will be a Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title (FAST) Championship Series Presented by KS Sales and Service points night for the 410 sprints with the 305 sprints and dirt trucks also in action.

For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com

Attica Raceway Park
Friday, May 29, 2015
Kistler Engines Classic
41 World of Outlaw Sprints
[#]-Starting Position

Qualifying –
1. 1-Dale Blaney, 12.508; 2. 2-Shane Stewart, 12.525; 3. 40-Caleb Helms, 12.765; 4. 21-D.J. Foos, 12.780; 5. 9X-Rob Chaney, 12.800; 6. 71M-Joey Saldana, 12.828; 7. 10H-Chad Kemenah, 12.894; 8. 9-Daryn Pittman, 12.906; 9. 97-Dean Jacobs, 12.915; 10. 7-David Gravel, 12.917; 11. 53-Cap Henry, 12.978; 12. 19-Paige Polyak, 13.022; 13. 89-Cody Darrah, 13.102; 14. 29-Kerry Madsen, 13.124; 15. 33M-Caleb Griffith, 13.136; 16. 45-Tim Shaffer, 13.141; 17. 15-Donny Schatz, 13.167; 18. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.201; 19. 7S-Jason Sides, 13.276; 20. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.297; 21. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.326; 22. 49-Brad Sweet, 13.337; 23. 51-Paul McMahan, 13.350; 24. 63-Kody Swanson, 13.376; 25. 41-Jamie Veal, 13.398; 26. 81-Lee Jacobs, 13.416; 27. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 13.441; 28. 5-Byron Reed, 13.455; 29. O9-Craig Mintz, 13.519; 30. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.535; 31. 59-Danny Holtgraver, 13.537; 32. 3G-James McFadden, 13.571; 33. 19M-Brent Marks, 13.578; 34. 16-Stuart Brubaker, 13.580; 35. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.602; 36. 1A-Jacob Allen, 13.609; 37. 40DD-Nate Dussel, 13.668; 38. 45L-Brian Lay, 13.695; 39. 19A-Chris Andrews, 13.715; 40. 9P-Parker Price-Miller, 13.727; 41. 40I-Mark Imler, 14.049

Heat 1 – (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 89-Cody Darrah[1] ; 2. 15-Donny Schatz[5] ; 3. 97-Dean Jacobs[2] ; 4. 1-Dale Blaney[4] ; 5. 5T-Travis Philo[6] ; 6. 19M-Brent Marks[9] ; 7. 41-Jamie Veal[7] ; 8. O9-Craig Mintz[8] ; 9. 9X-Rob Chaney[3] ; 10. 40I-Mark Imler[11] ; 11. 40DD-Nate Dussel[10]

Heat 2 – (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 29-Kerry Madsen[1] ; 2. 7-David Gravel[2] ; 3. 71M-Joey Saldana[3] ; 4. 2-Shane Stewart[4] ; 5. 49-Brad Sweet[6] ; 6. 81-Lee Jacobs[7] ; 7. 16-Stuart Brubaker[9] ; 8. 11K-Kraig Kinser[8] ; 9. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[5] ; 10. 45L-Brian Lay[10]

Heat 3 – (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 7S-Jason Sides[5] ; 2. 33M-Caleb Griffith[1] ; 3. 51-Paul McMahan[6] ; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart[7] ; 5. 53-Cap Henry[2] ; 6. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[9] ; 7. 40-Caleb Helms[4] ; 8. 59-Danny Holtgraver[8] ; 9. 10H-Chad Kemenah[3] ; 10. 19A-Chris Andrews[10]

Heat 4 – (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 9-Daryn Pittman[3] ; 2. 45-Tim Shaffer[1] ; 3. W20-Greg Wilson[5] ; 4. 3G-James McFadden[8] ; 5. 5-Byron Reed[7] ; 6. 9P-Parker Price-Miller[10] ; 7. 19-Paige Polyak[2] ; 8. 21-D.J. Foos[4] ; 9. 1A-Jacob Allen[9] ; 10. 63-Kody Swanson[6]

Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 8 starting positions of A-feature
1. 89-Cody Darrah[1] ; 2. 1-Dale Blaney[6] ; 3. 97-Dean Jacobs[2] ; 4. 71M-Joey Saldana[4] ; 5. 9-Daryn Pittman[3] ; 6. 29-Kerry Madsen[7] ; 7. 2-Shane Stewart[5] ; 8. 7S-Jason Sides[8]

C-Main – (10 Laps – Top 2 finishers transfer to the B-feature)
1. 19M-Brent Marks[1] [-]; 2. 16-Stuart Brubaker[2] [-]; 3. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[3] [$150]; 4. 1A-Jacob Allen[4] [$150]; 5. 45L-Brian Lay[6] [$150]; 6. 40DD-Nate Dussel[5] [$125]; 7. 9P-Parker Price-Miller[8] [$125]; 8. 40I-Mark Imler[9] [$125]; 9. 19A-Chris Andrews[7] [$125]

B-Main – (12 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 21-D.J. Foos[2] [-]; 2. O9-Craig Mintz[10] [-]; 3. 9X-Rob Chaney[3] [-]; 4. 41-Jamie Veal[8] [-]; 5. 11K-Kraig Kinser[11] [$300]; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[6] [$250]; 7. 59-Danny Holtgraver[12] [$225]; 8. 63-Kody Swanson[7] [$200]; 9. 19M-Brent Marks[13] [$200]; 10. 10H-Chad Kemenah[4] [$200]; 11. 16-Stuart Brubaker[14] [$200]; 12. 81-Lee Jacobs[9] [$200]; 13. 19-Paige Polyak[5] [$200]; 14. 40-Caleb Helms[1] [$200]

A-Main – (40 Laps)
1. 1-Dale Blaney[2][$10,000]; 2. 89-Cody Darrah[1][$5,500]; 3. 7-David Gravel[11][$3,200]; 4. 71M-Joey Saldana[4][$2,800]; 5. 9-Daryn Pittman[5][$2,500]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz[15][$2,300]; 7. 7S-Jason Sides[8][$2,200]; 8. 3G-James McFadden[24][$2,100]; 9. 9X-Rob Chaney[10][$2,050]; 10. 29-Kerry Madsen[6][$2,000]; 11. W20-Greg Wilson[16][$1,500]; 12. 49-Brad Sweet[18][$1,200]; 13. 45-Tim Shaffer[14][$1,100]; 14. 1S-Logan Schuchart[21][$1,050]; 15. 5T-Travis Philo[17][$1,000]; 16. 33M-Caleb Griffith[13][$900]; 17. O9-Craig Mintz[23][$800]; 18. 5-Byron Reed[22][$800]; 19. 2-Shane Stewart[7][$800]; 20. 53-Cap Henry[12][$800]; 21. 41-Jamie Veal[20][$800]; 22. 51-Paul McMahan[19][$800]; 23. 97-Dean Jacobs[3][$800]; 24. 21-D.J. Foos[9][$800]

Lap Leaders: Cody Darrah 1-15, Dale Blaney 16-40
KSE Hard Charger Award: 3G-James McFadden[+16]

Late Models –

Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro Heat 1 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 15B-Mike Bores[2] ; 2. 5M-Ryan Markham[1] ; 3. 71-Dave Hornikel[3] ; 4. 51-Devin Shiels[4] ; 5. 29-Rocky Owens[7] ; 6. 42*-Bob Mayer[8] ; 7. 69R-Doug Baird[5] ; 8. 00-Chris Keller[6]

Summit Racing Equipment Heat 2 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 21-Larry Kingseed[4] ; 2. 007-Rick Bond[2] ; 3. 75-Dusty Moore[7] ; 4. RH21-Gregg Haskell[3] ; 5. 27-Ken Hahn[5] ; 6. 53-Steve Sabo[1] ; 7. 03-Jim Gingery[8] ; 8. 5J-Josh Haynes[6]

Ultra Shield Race Products Heat 3 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 71I-Matt Irey[2] ; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[4] ; 3. 79-Brad Malcuit[5] ; 4. 240-Doug Drown[6] ; 5. 92-Cody Scott[8] ; 6. 1-Ben Mott[3] ; 7. 75H-Jason Hinton[1]

Computer Man B-Main 1 (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 42*-Bob Mayer[1] ; 2. 00-Chris Keller[7] ; 3. 03-Jim Gingery[5] ; 4. 5J-Josh Haynes[8] ; 5. 1-Ben Mott[3] ; 6. 53-Steve Sabo[2] ; 7. 75H-Jason Hinton[6] ; 8. 69R-Doug Baird[4]

A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. 5M-Ryan Markham[1] ; 2. 240-Doug Drown[2] ; 3. 15B-Mike Bores[3] ; 4. 71I-Matt Irey[5] ; 5. 79-Brad Malcuit[7] ; 6. 71-Dave Hornikel[9] ; 7. 51-Devin Shiels[10] ; 8. 29-Rocky Owens[13] ; 9. 007-Rick Bond[8] ; 10. 92-Cody Scott[15] ; 11. 75-Dusty Moore[12] ; 12. 21-Larry Kingseed[6] ; 13. 00-Chris Keller[17] ; 14. 5J-Josh Haynes[19] ; 15. 27-Ken Hahn[14] ; 16. 03-Jim Gingery[18] ; 17. 50Y-Ryan Missler[11] ; 18. RH21-Gregg Haskell[4] ; 19. 1-Ben Mott[20] ; 20. 42*-Bob Mayer[16]