Attica Ohio Sprint Speedweek Preview

By Brian Liskai:

ATTICA, Ohio- Next up for Attica Raceway Park will be the opener of the 33rd Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek Presented by Cometic Gasket featuring the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions on Friday, June 19. The Ohio Cat/UBS Financial Services Night event kicks off nine straight nights of racing across Ohio.

Five time All Star champion Dale Blaney will be the driver to beat. The Low Rider recently scored the World of Outlaws win at Attica and has recorded three All Star wins this season to run his career total to 118. He is the defending and a five time Ohio Sprint Speedweek champion.

The challenge will be stout as four time All Star champion Chad Kemenah recently scored a win at Attica. The last time the All Stars visited Attica in April, up-and-comer Ryan Smith recorded his first career Attica win. And, two time All Star champion Greg Wilson is coming off a series victory a week ago and always does well at Attica.

Several former Attica champions are having very good seasons and will look to defend their home turf. Dean Jacobs has a pair of wins at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” venue this season and six time track champion Byron Reed has had consistent top five finishes all season. Chris Andrews has wins at Fremont Speedway this year and will look to get his second career All Star win to open speedweek as he did in 2013.

Also, Rob Chaney has a win at Attica and a handful of top five finishes and Stuart Brubaker has really come on as of late, recording several top five finishes.

The Ohio Sprint Speedweek event was rained out at Attica last season but previous winners were:

Year Winner
1990 Sammy Swindell
1991 Sammy Swindell
1992 Terry Shephard
1993 Gary Wright
1994 Frank Kerr
1995 Mark Keegan
1996 Frank Kerr
1997 Joey Saldana
1998 Dean Jacobs
1999 Kenny Jacobs
2000 Jeff Shepard
2001 Byron Reed
2002 Greg Wilson
2003 Chad Kemenah
2004 Dale Blaney
2005 Greg Wilson
2006 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2007 Dale Blaney
2008 Rain
2009 Rain
2010 Byron Reed
2011 Tim Shaffer
2012 Danny Holtgraver
2013 Chris Andrews
There’s a lot on the line for the 33rd Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek Presented by Cometic Gasket. Cometic Gasket will pay a $25,000 bonus to any driver that can win at least five of the nine speedweek events and will distribute $3,000 to the overall top-10 in points following the conclusion of speedweek.

Last year’s Ohio Sprint Speedweek saw an average of 50 cars per event and it looks like that number could grow this year. The nine-day, nine-event schedule begins on Friday, June 19th at Attica Raceway Park and culminates at Fremont Speedway on Saturday, June 27th. Teams will travel nearly 1,000 miles over the course of the “week” and compete for nearly $250,000 in prize money.

The 33rd Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Cometic Gasket also will play a pivotal role in determining who wears the overall UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions crown for 2015. Simply put, speedweek can make or break a team’s championship chances.

Attica Raceway Park will open the gates at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 19 with racing underway at 7:45 p.m. The UMP late models will also be in competition.

For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com or www.allstarsprint.com