Philo Earns 2nd Career Attica 410 Sprint Win

By Brian Liskai

(Attica, OH) Travis Philo scored his first career 410 sprint win at Attica Raceway Park last season. He started on the front row that night…he felt he didn’t really earn that win though he held off a veteran racer on a late race restart.

This Friday the Waterville, Ohio driver charged from his third starting spot to take the lead on lap 16 and then traded sliders with defending track champion Craig Mintz late before driving to the win on Smith Family Foods Night. Philo became the 10th different driver to win in 10 A-mains at Attica Raceway Park in the O”Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints this season.

“I was good on the top down here (turns three and four) but Craig showed his nose. He could have taken me out if he wanted to…he’s a class act. The bottom of one and two is where I passed all my cars…I felt real good down there,” said Philo beside his Control Design Solutions/Kistler Racing Products/Banshee Graphics backed machine.

“Last win I started on the front row. Tonight I passed some cars so that was pretty cool. I have to thank my Uncle Dave and Control Design Solutions, Dave and Kyle at Kistler Racing Products, Paul Kistler did a hell of a job. We had to get a motor freshened and he turned it around in a week. I have to thank my Dad and Mom, my grandpa and grandma, Bryan Darling and Gary Bowe,” added Philo.

Mintz would come home second to pad his lead in the $10,000-to-win Kistler Racing Products FAST (Fremont Attica Sprint Title) Championship Series with just a handful of FAST point races remaining at both tracks.

In a caution-free 25-lap late model feature, Rusty Schlenk dominated. At times he had built a five second lead. He had one close call late in the race when a lapped car drove up in front of him and made contact, pushing a bar into his tire. But, the McClure driver nursed his machine home for the fourth win of the season at Attica and the eighth overall of 2013. Schlenk now has 18 career wins at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant.

“A lapped car changed directions on me in the middle of the straight-away…he went high and I thought he was staying low. I tried missing him but ended up getting into him and it pushed my t-bar down into my tire. I could see it smoking and smell it the whole last part of the race so I backed myself down to make sure I wasn’t pushing it too hard. I’d hate to lose it with a flat tire,” said Schlenk beside his Kercher Engines/Micro-Armor Lubricants/Main and Company/Zeller Automotive/Landrum springs backed #91. “I have to thank all the guys that stuck with me this week…it’s been very busy week with the Hell Tour ending.”

In the Foster Auto Body 305 Sprints, Fremont, Ohio’s Dustin Dinan nipped John Ivy by a bumper to the start-finish line on lap 16 with the caution flying soon after, leaving him in the lead. He then had to fend off Ivy on a restart with just one lap to go to score his third win of the season, also the third of his career at Attica. Dinan now has five wins overall as he has two victories at Fremont this year.

With his second place run Ivy cuts into Nate Dussel’s lead in the JLH General Contractors FAST 305 Championship Series lead with just three races remaining in that point battle.

“I got a little hurt at work the other day but this makes it feel better. I didn’t want to go to the doctor because they’d probably tell me I couldn’t race,” said Dinan beside his Tank’s Meats/Quality Welding/Hillside Pawnshop/Quaintance Farms/Alley Tap Room/Johnson’s Hunting and Fishing/Schiets Tender Touch Car Wash backed #6.

“I knew John would be outside on that restart so I kind of run it up there and block my spot. I have to thank my crew…Dave Foos, Jamie Adams, Aaron Fought, Tom Losher, A.J. Sleek…these guys are awesome. I have to thank Rich Farmer and Shelly Liskai, my girlfriend Rachel and my baby girl Skylar and all my sponsors,” added Dinan.

In the 15-lap Bob’s Machine Shop Dirt Truck feature, John Ivy steadily worked his way to the front after starting 12th, and then blasted from third into the lead on lap 7 and drove away to his third win of the season at Attica in a feature that had only one caution – that for debris. Ivy has 6 truck wins at Fremont in 2013. It was his fourth career truck win at Attica. Prior to the feature, the team was going to replace Ivy with Dan Roepke Jr. who suffered mechanical problems in his heat in his truck as he came into the night leading the track points. But, track rules prohibited the move since there was no B-main for Roepke to race Ivy’s truck in prior to the feature.

“The track kind of made up our minds on that. Charlie and Craig have this thing good. We had to start 12th…I told the guys we’ve done it before we’d be alright,” said Ivy beside his Diversified Machine and Welding/Level Performance/Perkins Tree Service/Sonny’s Machine backed #00. “The guys have been working on this thing real hard and it’s been staying together. I tore it up once or twice and they told me they will have to work on it tomorrow. But this thing has been real, real good.”

FAST 410 Sprints – Travis Philo #5T
Paige Polyak and Caleb Griffith would bring the 410 sprint field to the green for their 30-lap affair but before a lap could be completed Scott Euler would spin. On the restart Polyak would blast into the lead over Griffith, Philo, D.J. Foos, Stuart Brubaker, Craig Mintz and Brian Smith. The caution would fly on lap three for a Jody Keegan spin with Polyak leading Griffith, Philo, a charging Mintz, Foos, Brubaker, Cole Duncan and 13th starting Brian Lay.

With seven laps in Polyak continued to lead as Griffith had his hands full with Philo and Mintz. Just as Griffith was closing on Polyak, she would slip over the cushion in turns three and four on lap 11, handing the lead to Griffith with Philo, Mintz and Foos in pursuit. The leaders would hit heavy lapped traffic on lap 14 but the caution would fly for a Christopher Bell spin just as Griffith, Philo and Mintz were ready to put on a great battle for the lead.

A lap after the restart Phil would drive under Griffith for the lead as Mintz now pressured for second with Foos and Brubaker completing the top five. Mintz would finally steal second on lap 22 as the lead group prepared to encounter heavy lapped traffic again. On lap 24, racing into traffic that was battling side-by-side, Mintz executed a slider in turns three and four to steal the lead, but Philo duplicated the act in turns one and two to regain the top spot.

Phil and Mintz continued to battle with Griffith, Foos and Brubaker in tow. But, Griffith would spin in turn four on lap 28, ending his great run. On the restart with just two laps to go, Philo dove to the bottom of one and two as Mintz tried to race to his outside. Philo would drift up the track exiting turn two to block Mintz’ momentum. Phil would drive to the win over Mintz, Foos, Brubaker and Polyak.

Summit Racing Equipment Late Models – Rusty Schlenk #91
In the non-stop 25-lap Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Model feature, Rusty Schlenk and Mike Bores would bring the field to the green. Schlenk served notice he was the car to beat as he pulled away while third place starter John Mayes Jr. jumped into second over Bores, Cody Scott, Ky Harper, Matt Irey and Ryan Missler. Scott would take third on lap two with Harper taking the position a lap later.

Schlenk would build up to a five second lead as the action on back was fantastic with Mayes, Harper, Scott and Missler. Harper would move into second on lap eight as the leader raced into traffic. Mayes would surrender third to Scott on lap 10 and closed on Harper. With 10 laps to go, Schlenk was in heavy lapped traffic and his lead began to shrink as Harper and Scott closed with Missler moving into fourth.

Schlenk’s encounter with the lapped car that caused front end damage to his mount occurred on lap 16 as Harper, Scott and Missler chopped three seconds off his lead. But Schlenk was able to clear traffic and set his cruise control back on high as he drove away to the win with Harper, Scott, Missler and Wayne Maffett Jr. rounding out the top five.

FAST 305 Sprints – Dustin Dinan #6
Bobby Clark and T.J. Michael would bring the field to the green in the 305 sprint main, but something happened to Clark as his car came to a stop coming to the start, nearly causing a massive pile-up. That would move Dan Hammond to the point with Michael and when the green flew again, Michael would bolt into the lead over Hammond, John Ivy, Dinan and Ricky Peterson.

Ivy would take second on lap two and would dive under Michael for the lead a circuit later with Dinan moving into third. With five laps in the running order was Ivy, Dinan, Michael. Alvin Roepke, Peterson and Hammond. Ivy would hit lapped traffic by lap nine, with Dinan closing while Michael, Roepke, Jason Keckler, Peterson and Paul Weaver in pursuit.

By lap 11 the leaders were in heavy lapped traffic, with Ivy making some great moves as Dinan stayed close. As they drove to the line on lap 16, Dinan raced under Ivy and held the lead by a nose as the caution would soon fly for a Jeremy Duposki spin. Since the leaders had crossed the line, the split-caution rule applied and the lap counted with Dinan now in the lead over Ivy, Roepke and Keckler.

When the green flew, Ivy drove to Dinan’s outside. But the caution would fly again on lap 18 for a Hammond spin. Again on the restart Ivy would pressure Dinan to his outside, but once he exited turn two, Dinan regained his momentum and pulled away slightly as Michael, Roepke, Keckler, Jordan Ryan and Paul Weaver gave chase. Ryan would move into fourth by lap 23.

After the leaders took the white flag, Tyler Gunn would spin in turn four necessitating a one lap battle to the finish. Dinan was able to hold off Ivy on the restart and take the win. Michael would come home third with Ryan and Weaver rounding out the top five.

Bob’s Machine Shop Dirt Trucks – John IVy #00
Tony Siferd and Eric Devanna brought the field to the green in the 15-lap truck feature, but before a lap could be completed Roger Inks would spin. On the complete restart Siferd jumped into the lead over Brian Melnek, Devanna and Brian Arnold. Seventh place starter Dustin Keegan would blast into third by lap two and would take second on the next circuit. The truck on the move was 12th starter Ivy who was sixth by lap three and moved into the top five a circuit latter.

With six laps in the battle for the lead was intense between Siferd, Keegan, Ivy and Melnek. Ivy drove around Keegan and Siferd into the lea don lap seven. The only caution would fly on lap eight after one of the infield tractor tires was pushed into the racing groove. The running order was Ivy, Siferd, Keegan, Melnek, Kent Brewer and Kyle Cline.

On the restart Keegan would grab second, but Ivy was starting to stretch his lead. Ivy would drive away to the win over Keegan, Siferd, Brewer and Melnek.

Attica Raceway Park will be back in action Friday, Aug. 2 for Edward Jones of Clyde/Mike Neill financial Advisor Night with all four divisions in action. For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com

Attica Raceway Park – 7/26/2013
Smith Family Foods Night

O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints (25 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. O-Phil Gressman[2] ; 2. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[1] ; 3. 16-Chris Andrews[3] ; 4. 22-Cole Duncan[6] ; 5. 45L-Brian Lay[5] ; 6. 60-Jody Keegan[7] ; 7. 45T-Bob Tucker[8] ; 8. 41-Randy Fink[9] ; 9. 96AU-Bruce White[4]

Heat 2 – Summit Racing Equipment (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[1] ; 2. 5T-Travis Philo[2] ; 3. 53-DJ Foos[3] ; 4. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[5] ; 5. 5R-Byron Reed[6] ; 6. 97-Christopher Bell[7] ; 7. 312-Mike Linder[4] ; 8. 46AU-Stuart Williams[8]

Heat 3 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 81-Paige Polyak[2] ; 2. O9-Craig Mintz[6] ; 3. 2+-Brian Smith[1] ; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker[5] ; 5. 22B-Ryan Broughton[8] ; 6. 17-Scott Euler[7] ; 7. 39-Dean Jacobs[3] ; 8. 97X-Rodney Hurst[4]

B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 97-Christopher Bell[2] ; 2. 46AU-Stuart Williams[8] ; 3. 60-Jody Keegan[1] ; 4. 312-Mike Linder[5] ; 5. 17-Scott Euler[3] ; 6. 39-Dean Jacobs[6] ; 7. 45T-Bob Tucker[4] ; 8. 96AU-Bruce White[10] ; 9. 97X-Rodney Hurst[9] ; 10. 41-Randy Fink[7]

A-Main – (30 Laps)
1. 5T-Travis Philo[3]; 2. O9-Craig Mintz[7]; 3. 53-DJ Foos[4]; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker[6]; 5. 81-Paige Polyak[1]; 6. 22-Cole Duncan[8]; 7. 16-Chris Andrews[11]; 8. 45L-Brian Lay[13]; 9. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[12]; 10. 5R-Byron Reed[14]; 11. 2+-Brian Smith[5]; 12. 46AU-Stuart Williams[17]; 13. 312-Mike Linder[19]; 14. 60-Jody Keegan[18]; 15. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[9]; 16. 97-Christopher Bell[16]; 17. 17-Scott Euler[20]; 18. 22B-Ryan Broughton[15]; 19. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[2]; 20. O-Phil Gressman[10]

Hard Charger: 312-Mike Linder[+6]

Summit Racing Equipment Late Models (19 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (10 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[3] ; 2. 50Y-Ryan Missler[6] ; 3. 34-Ky Harper[2] ; 4. 15B-Mike Bores[5] ; 5. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[7] ; 6. 51-Devin Shiels[1] ; 7. 9C-Troy Cattarene[8] ; 8. O3-Jim Gingery[4] ; 9. 26-Sid Danals[10] ; 10. 48-John Bores[9]

Heat 2 – Summit Racing Equipment (10 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 36-Matt Irey[2] ; 2. 69-John Mayes Jr.[8] ; 3. 92-Cody Scott[4] ; 4. 27-Ken Hahn[1] ; 5. 98-Tim Sabo[5] ; 6. 30-Nate Potts[3] ; 7. 21-Larry Kingseed[9] ; 8. 5J-Josh Haynes[6] ; 9. 16-Steve Sabo[7]

A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 91-Rusty Schlenk[1]; 2. 34-Ky Harper[4]; 3. 92-Cody Scott[5]; 4. 50Y-Ryan Missler[9]; 5. 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[11]; 6. 15B-Mike Bores[2]; 7. 51-Devin Shiels[10]; 8. 36-Matt Irey[7]; 9. 69-John Mayes Jr.[3]; 10. 9C-Troy Cattarene[13]; 11. 21-Larry Kingseed[14]; 12. 30-Nate Potts[12]; 13. 27-Ken Hahn[8]; 14. 48-John Bores[19]; 15. O3-Jim Gingery[15]; 16. 98-Tim Sabo[6]; 17. 26-Sid Danals[17]; 18. 5J-Josh Haynes[16]

Hard Charger: 40-Wayne Maffett Jr.[+6]

Foster Auto Body 305 Sprints (25 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 8M-T.J Michael[1] ; 2. 22D-Dan Hammond[3] ; 3. 9-Jimmy Colvin[2] ; 4. 83X-Nate Reeser[7] ; 5. OO-Alvin Roepke[8] ; 6. 8J-Jess Stiger[6] ; 7. 47-Brett Lane[4] ; 8. 39C-Scott Riley[9] ; 9. 11G-Luke Griffith[5]

Heat 2 – Summit Racing Equipment (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 1-Nate Dussel[4] ; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[1] ; 3. 25-Jason Keckler[2] ; 4. 8I-John Ivy[5] ; 5. 5R-Jordan Ryan[6] ; 6. 19R-Steve Rando[8] ; 7. 68G-Tyler Gunn[3] ; 8. 48-Mike Burkin[7]

Heat 3 – Ultra Shield Race Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 6-Dustin Dinan[4] ; 2. 4X-Bobby Clark[6] ; 3. 36-Seth Schneider[3] ; 4. 2-Ricky Peterson[2] ; 5. 4M-Jamie Miller[8] ; 6. 4T-Jim Taddeo[1] ; 7. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh[7] ; 8. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[5]

B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 19R-Steve Rando[2] ; 2. 68G-Tyler Gunn[5] ; 3. 8J-Jess Stiger[1] ; 4. 4T-Jim Taddeo[3] ; 5. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[9] ; 6. 48-Mike Burkin[8] ; 7. 47-Brett Lane[4] ; 8. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh[6] ; 9. 39C-Scott Riley[7] ; 10. 11G-Luke Griffith[10]

A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 6-Dustin Dinan[6]; 2. 8I-John Ivy[5]; 3. 8M-T.J Michael[2]; 4. 5R-Jordan Ryan[14]; 5. 1W-Paul Weaver[7]; 6. OO-Alvin Roepke[13]; 7. 1-Nate Dussel[9]; 8. 19R-Steve Rando[16]; 9. 9-Jimmy Colvin[12]; 10. 25-Jason Keckler[11]; 11. 22D-Dan Hammond[3]; 12. 2-Ricky Peterson[4]; 13. 68G-Tyler Gunn[17]; 14. 36-Seth Schneider[10]; 15. 8J-Jess Stiger[18]; 16. 4T-Jim Taddeo[19]; 17. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[20]; 18. 4M-Jamie Miller[15]; 19. 83X-Nate Reeser[8]; 20. 4X-Bobby Clark[1]

Hard Charger: 5R-Jordan Ryan[+10]

Bob Machine Shop Dirt Trucks (20 Trucks)
[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 – Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. D1-Dustin Keegan[3] ; 2. O1-Art Ball[1] ; 3. 25S-Tony Siferd[2] ; 4. 33C-Kyle Cline[7] ; 5. 45-Brian Melnek[5] ; 6. 2-Brian Sorg[8] ; 7. 9-Curt Inks[4] ; 8. 95-Keith Sorg[6] ; 9. 7-Dana Frey[9] ; 10. 10-Roger Inks[10]

Heat 2 – Summit Racing Equipment (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. OO-John Ivy[6] ; 2. 33-Brian Arnold[4] ; 3. 37-Eric Devanna[5] ; 4. 8KB-Kent Brewer[10] ; 5. P51-Willie Keegan[9] ; 6. 23M-Brad Mitten[7] ; 7. 85S-Brandon Stuckey[2] ; 8. 69-Jeff Warnick[8] ; 9. 1S-James Saam[3] ; 10. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[1]

A-Main – (15 Laps)
1. OO-John Ivy[12]; 2. D1-Dustin Keegan[7]; 3. 25S-Tony Siferd[1]; 4. 8KB-Kent Brewer[5]; 5. 45-Brian Melnek[4]; 6. 33C-Kyle Cline[10]; 7. O1-Art Ball[6]; 8. 37-Eric Devanna[2]; 9. 33-Brian Arnold[3]; 10. P51-Willie Keegan[8]; 11. 7-Dana Frey[17]; 12. 23M-Brad Mitten[11]; 13. 9-Curt Inks[13]; 14. 95-Keith Sorg[15]; 15. 85S-Brandon Stuckey[14]; 16. 1S-James Saam[18]; 17. 10-Roger Inks[19]; 18. 69-Jeff Warnick[16]; 19. 2-Brian Sorg[9]
Hard Charger: OO-John Ivy[+11]