UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions Announce Winter Dates
CAMARGO, IL (11-14-13)
The University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars will open the 2014 racing season with five big events beginning with the Fourth Annual “Winter Freeze” Thursday, Feb. 6th at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, GA. For more information about Screven Motor Speedway go to www.screvenmotorsportscomplex.com
The UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions will then head to Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, FL on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7th and 8th for a two day event. For more information about Bubba Raceway Park, go to www.bubbaracewaypark.com
The UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions will wrap up their southern swing at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL on Wednesday and Thursday Feb. 12th and 13th as part of the 43rd Annual Dirt Car Nationals. For more information about Volusia Speedway Park, go to www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com. For more information about the 43rd Annual DIRTcar Nationals, go to www.dirtcarnationals.com
These five UNOH All Star events – Feb. 6th at Screven, Feb. 7th and 8th at Bubba Raceway Park, and Feb. 12 and 13 at Volusia – are Eastern Region Points events.
For more information about the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions go to www.allstarsprint.com
2013 Year in Review
CAMARGO, IL (Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013) By Brian Liskai – Dale Blaney became only the fifth driver in the 34 year history of the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions to score four series championships, as “The Low Rider” wrapped up the title for 2013 with a last lap pass for third place on the final event of the season at Eldora Speedway.
The Hartford, Ohio driver, who posted UNOH All Star titles in 1995, 1996 and 2008, joins Frank Kerr, Kenny Jacobs, Chad Kemenah and Tim Shaffer to accomplish the feat. Blaney also lead the series in 2013 with six feature wins to run his career total to 99 to lead the all-time victory list.
Blaney and Shaffer tied for the UNOH All Star Ohio Region championship with Blaney taking the $20,000 title by virtue of having more feature wins during the season. Blaney would also claim the $10,000 prize for winning the Great Plains Region title while Lance Dewease would wrap up the $20,000 Eastern Region title for the second time in three years.
Blaney also cashed in on three $10,000 feature wins during the season at Fremont Speedway (May 26, June 29 and Sept. 14).
Weather hampered the early season for the UNOH All Stars with only two of the five races held during the annual southern swing in February. Donnie Schatz would take both victories at Bubba Raceway Park.
There were 35 total events held in 2013 by the UNOH All Stars. And, after the June 27 rain-out at Fremont Speedway during the 31st Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek, the final 21 events would go off without one cancellation due to weather.
Of the 35 races held in 2013, there were 22 different winners including six first time series winners. Blaney scored six wins with Jac Haudenschild and Danny Holtgraver each earning 3 victories while Shaffer, Schatz, Donnie Kreitz and Danny Dietrich each scoring two wins. First time series winners were Thomas Kennedy, Ian Madsen, Alan Krimes, Cole Duncan, Chris Andrews and Travis Whitney. Others picking up UNOH All Star wins in 2013 included Dave Blaney, Greg Hodnett, Byron Reed, Shane Stewart, Bryan Sebetto, Brad Sweet, Mark Dobmeier, Lance Dewease and Doug Esh.
The 31st Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek once again highlighted the UNOH All Star Schedule with eight events scheduled over nine nights across the Buckeye State. Two of the events were lost due to rain. Haudenschild was the only repeat winner during the week, taking the victories at Eldora and Limaland. Other speedweek winners included Chris Andrews (Attica), Brad Sweet (Waynesfield), Shane Stewart (Wayne County) and Blaney at Fremont. Shaffer would wrap up his second career Ohio Sprint Speedweek championship.
Shaffer had an uncharacteristically down year in terms of wins, only scoring a weekend sweep of the Attica Ambush to end August. Shaffer now has 53 career All Star wins to move into fifth on the all-time win list. However, Shaffer had many second and third place runs during 2013. Shaffer would finish second in the national points, 40 markers behind Blaney. He would also finish second in the Eastern Region points, 48 behind Dewease, and second in the Great Plains region, 73 points behind Blaney.
While Blaney wrapped up the national, Ohio and Great Plains titles, he would finish third in the Eastern region.
Holtgraver would have a consistent season to finish third in the national and Ohio region standings, eighth in the Eastern region and fourth in the Great Plains region.
Cap Henry would represent the UNOH All Stars well, racing his way into his first ever Knoxville Nationals A-main in only his third attempt. He would finish fourth in the series’ national and Ohio region standings, and fifth in the Eastern and Great Plains regions.
Caleb Helms, traveling with the UNOH All Stars for the first time, would finish fifth in the national and Ohio region standings, 7th in the Eastern Region and third in the Great Plains region.
Another youngster competing with the series for the first time, Trey Gustin, would show tremendous improvement throughout the year. He would finish eighth in the national standings, seventh in the Ohio region, ninth in the Eastern region and sixth in the Great Plains region.
Haudenschild edges Hannagan for UNOH All Star win at Eldora
By Brian Liskai
ROSSBURG, Ohio (Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013) – In one of the most exciting University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions races of the season, Wooster, Ohio’s Jac Haudenschild edged Randy Hannagan by half a car length to claim his third series win of 2013 at Eldora Speedway.
The last 5 laps of the 30-lap feature saw Haudenschild, Hannagan and Shane Stewart slicing and dicing through lapped traffic and trading sliders. When the checkered flew Haudenschild had scored his 26th career UNOH All Star win. Haudenschild, who won the series event during Ohio Sprint Speedweek at “The Big E,” now has 9 career All Star wins at Eldora.
A last lap pass for third propelled Dale Blaney to his fourth career UNOH All Star championship. Blaney now joins Frank Kerr, Chad Kemenah, Kenny Jacobs and Tim Shaffer with four series titles.
Also, unofficially – pending a thorough review of the year’s points – Blaney edged Shaffer for the $20,000 championship for the UNOH All Stars Ohio Region by one point.
Haudenschild, who is a master around the half-mile Eldora Speedway, jumped into the early lead from his pole starting spot and battled early with Swindell. Haudenschild narrowly avoided disaster on lap eight as the lapped car of Caleb Helms flipped right in front of the race leader. Haudenschild would execute a 360 spin and kept going to maintain the lead. Swindell wasn’t so lucky. He too would execute a pair of 360 spins to keep going, but his top wing was damaged and he would slide back through the field.
Once Haudenschild hit lapped traffic again at the half-way point, Hannagan and Stewart closed quickly. Stewart would take second on lap 21 and with five to go was trading sliders with Haudenschild with Hannagan right on both of their rear bumpers. Stewart would actually lead lap 27 by a front bumper before getting hung up on a lap car on the next circuit allowing Haudenschild and Hannagan to slip by.
As they took the white flag and with heavy lapped traffic coming into play, Haudenschild and Hannagan raced down the back stretch. Haudenschild, who normally runs that high, ragged edge next to Eldora’s infamous concrete wall, opted to try the middle of the track and Hannagan seized the opportunity to blast to his outside. Haudenschild would drift up coming out of four to the checkers and Hannagan turned under. The drag race to the finish had Haudenschild win by literally less than half a car length.
“Boy that was fun. I knew someone was there and when we got to three and those lapped cars I picked the middle and it nearly cost me,” said Haudenschild beside his Southern Pacific Farms/Rick’s Auto Body backed #59.
“Bonzai had the car awesome tonight. I have to thank Tom and Sherry Leidig for giving me this opportunity to drive their car. I think I have another 10 years of this left in me,” added Haudenschild.
Hannagan knew he only had one shot at Haudenschild.
“If anyone has ever watched Haud here….it’s nearly impossible to beat him at Eldora. I got excited when I saw him go to the middle in three on that last lap. He left the outside open and I gave it all I could,” said Hannagan beside his Ed Neumeister owned, Kenny’s Components/Upper Auto Parts backed machine.
For Blaney, the third place run and the championships wasn’t easy. His Ti22 Performance/GF1 Chassis machine had to undergo an engine change following the dash.
“Thanks to everyone who helped change that motor. That got us the championship. The car really came on late…wish we had another five laps. But, I had a heck of a view of Haud and Randy…the fans got their money’s worth,” said Blaney.
“To win four All Star championships…I got three with Tim Hughes and now one with George (Fisher) and to do it with Kenny Jacobs here and to be in the company of great drivers like him and Shaff (Tim Shaffer) and Frankie and Chad…it’s awesome,” added Blaney.
The event wrapped up Eldora’s 60th season and was the 132nd visit of the UNOH All Stars to the famous facility. The UNOH Sprintacular gave the fans their money’s worth as there were 199 sprint cars signed in for the three classes which included not only the All Stars but the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series non-wing warriors and 27 of the K&L Ready Mix NRA Sprint Invaders 360 sprints.
Broken Arrow Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon would compete in all three A-mains and scored the BOSS victory. Tony Beaber would start the night getting upside down in hot laps. He would jump in his dad’s car and race his way into the BOSS feature and would claim the 2013 series championship.
Kevin Swindell would score his first ever Eldora win in the NRA Sprint Invaders main.
Eldora Speedway - 10/12/2013 UNOH Night
All Star Circuit of Champions (37 Cars) [#]-Starting Position
Blaney holds off Shaffer for $10,000 All Star win at Fremont
FREMONT, Ohio- By Brian Liskai –(9-14-13) Dale Blaney has turned Fremont Speedway into his personal bank. The Hartford, Ohio driver took his third $10,000-to-win victory of the season Saturday to wrap up the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions 110th visit to “The Track That Action Built.”
Blaney led all 50 laps of the Sixth Annual Jim Ford Classic on JLH General Contractors Night, but Tim Shaffer didn’t make it an easy payday. Shaffer, who started 16th in the field, caught Blaney with six laps to go but a slight bobble in turn two on the white flag lap cost him a shot at “The Low Rider.”
For Blaney it was his sixth UNOH All Star win of the season and the 99th of his career to move him into first place in all-time series wins. It was Blaney’s 14th career All Star win at Fremont and the 19th overall at the track moving him into a tie for 28th on Fremont’s all-time win list.
Blaney had suffered mechanical issues the previous couple of weeks and was looking forward to the two-day Jim Ford Classic at Fremont.
“Fremont is like my second home. You guys have treated me great here and we always really good here. Rich Farmer (promoter) does a fantastic job with this place. People of Fremont are lucky to have him. The track was awesome and you could run any where. The top was prevalent but traffic was fun. I wish we could have stayed in traffic the whole race it was fun working through there. To get 99 here with the $10,000…it doesn’t get any better than that,” said Blaney beside his Ti22 Performance/GF1 Chassis backed #2.
“I always say I hate to lead early here but our car was really good. I knew he (Shaffer) was coming because when I got to the back of the pack I never ever saw him. I could see his crew guy on the yellows looking like he wasn’t far behind me. We are buddies and he races me clean. He probably could have slid me. I was just hanging on the last seven and getting really, really free. I was just trying to stay smooth and not spin,” added Blaney.
With one more UNOH All Star race remaining next month at Eldora Speedway, Blaney could wrap up his fourth career series championship to move into elite company with Shaffer, Chad Kemenah and Frank Kerr.
“We run good at Eldora. We just have to go over there and do the best we can and not have any problems and qualify well and have a good night. We have a couple of three weeks to prepare and we’ll be over to Eldora this Friday (for World of Outlaws show) to test a little bit,” said Blaney.
Who knows what the outcome of Saturday’s race would have been had Shaffer not jumped the cushion in turn two on the white flag lap. He would bring the Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook owned #83 home in second.
“It was like a storybook…everything was working just right…be aggressive and be patient, don’t get the tires sealed up. I was running Dale down there at the end and it was going to be perfect and I just entered too hard and tripped over the cushion and there went our momentum,” said Shaffer of his Kistler Engines/J&J Auto Racing/VRP Shocks/Champion Oil backed machine.
“My team has been doing a great job. Those guys have been sticking with me and it’s been great. At the beginning the car was sticking pretty good and I could be aggressive and not kill the tires. If I could just sneak on up there little by little and be patient and it would really drive forward,” added Shaffer.
Central Pennsylvania’s Alan Krimes made his first trip to Fremont Speedway memorable, bringing his #87 home in third.
“This place is awesome. I think this was the best racing surface we’ve run on all year. We like it when it gets slick like this and unfortunately back home it doesn’t get like this. When it gets slick like this I usually get rolling pretty good but those two cars in front of me are pretty good here,” said Krimes.
“My wing was stuck forward there the first 15 laps and that hurt us early and a couple of guys got by us. We were fortunate enough to get back by those guys. This is an awesome place and we’re tickled to death to come out here and run so good against a tough local field,” added Krimes.
Krimes and Blaney would bring the field to the green for the 50-lap feature but a spin by Caleb Helms would necessitate another start. On the second attempt Blaney would bolt into the lead over D.J. Foos, Krimes, Chris Andrews, Andrew Palker and Friday night’s winner Byron Reed.
With a lap in Sheldon Haudenschild would stop to bring out the caution. When the green flew Blaney quickly pulled away from Foos, Krimes, Andrews and Reed. With just five laps in Blaney had caught the back of the field and they were racing side-by-side, allowing Foos to close. But, on lap 11, Danny Mumaw would spin to give Blaney a clear track.
On the restart Blaney set sail again as Foos now was challenged by Andrews with Reed moving into fourth with Krimes, Palker and Shaffer in tow. By lap 17 Blaney was once again in lapped traffic but Foos could not close until Blaney encountered heavy traffic on lap 23 which allow Foos and Andrews to close to his rear bumper.
Disaster struck for Foos on lap 24 as the lapped car of Sam Hafertepe spun, collecting Foos who exited the track with front end damage. On the restart Blaney had three lapped cars separating him and Andrews with three more lapped cars to third running Shaffer.
At the half-way point Trey Gustin and Caleb Griffith would spin which would bring about a fuel stoppage. When the race went back to green, Blaney had two lapped cars separating him from Andrews with Shaffer in third followed by Reed, Krimes, Palker and Broc Martin.
On lap 28 Rob Hunter would get upside down in turn four and now the top four ran nose to tail on the restart. Blaney would again pull away slightly as things settled down a bit for the top five. But once Blaney encountered lapped traffic again on lap 34 Andrews and Shaffer closed with Krimes also narrowing the gap. Shaffer would take second don lap 36 and a caution for another Trey Gustin spin on lap 37 would put ‘The Steel City Outlaw” on Blaney’s rear bumper.
When the green flew Blaney was able to put some distance between himself and Shaffer as Krimes drove into third and quickly closed on Shaffer. As the laps ticked off Shaffer began to close as the top two pulled away from Krimes with Andrews, Brock Martin and 23rd starting Jeff Swindell in tow.
With five laps to go, Shaffer was on Blaney’s rear bumper as they prepared to race into lapped traffic. As they raced to the white flag Shaffer was within half a car length of Blaney. Rocketing into turns one and two Shaffer slipped over the turn two cushion and Blaney drove off for the win. Shaffer, Krimes, Andrews and Martin would round out the top five.
Paige Polyak would storm from 21st starting spot to sixth with Swindell from 23rd to 7th while Palker, Cap Henry and Craig Mintz (up from 20th) rounding out the top 10.
Fremont Speedway put together a two-day, $5,000 point fund for the Jim Ford Classic that involved points for qualifying, passing points in the heats and feature along with heat and feature finishing positions and hard charger points. After the two days, Blaney would earn an extra $1,500 with Reed taking home an additional $1,000 with Palker getting $500; Andrews $400; Shaffer $350; Polyak $300; Sheldon Haudenschild $275; Henry $250; Mintz $225 and Krimes $200.
Fremont Speedway - 9/14/2013
All Star Circuit of Champions (37 Cars) [#]-Starting Position
FREMONT, Ohio – (9-13-13) By Brian Liskai- It’s hard to believe after all the wins he has accumulated at Fremont Speedway over the years that Byron Reed hadn’t won a University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions feature at “The Track That Action Built.”
The 109th appearance of the series at Fremont Speedway kicked off the Sixth Annual Jim Ford Classic with a $10,000 to win finale Saturday.
Reed, who secured his fourth track championship at Fremont last week, took the lead from Dean Jacobs on lap 17 of the 30-lap main on All Pro Cylinder Heads Night and went on to record his first ever UNOH All Star win at the track. It is Reed’s 10th career series victory. It is Reed’s third win of the season at Fremont and the 25th of his driving career at track, moving him into a tie for 17th on the track’s all-time win list.
“When you look back we really had a good year here. This means a lot. If this was tomorrow night I’d say it was my biggest win ever but it’s among the top five. I definitely wanted an All Star win here for a lot of years. Come real close a couple of times but this is the first,” said Reed beside his Crown Battery backed #5.
“This is a pretty historic track and it feels good to be a part of that history. I’m getting older now…I’m 40-years-old so I’m starting to pull out the scrap book and showing the kids ‘see what I did when I was young.’ I have to thank my crew…they had it really dialed in tonight. I have to thank Paul Kistler…this motor is my favorite motor,” added Reed.
After a fantastic battle with Caleb Griffith for the lead early in the race, Jacobs would bring the Joe and Diane Seeling machine home in second.
“This race track was pretty good tonight, I can’t complain about anything. We just didn’t tighten our car up enough and later on in the race I wasn’t as good as I was early. Obviously Byron was good. He just flat drove by me and beat me. I could stay a couple of car lengths behind I just needed some lapped cars and before you know it I saw the white flag,” said Jacobs beside his Northwest Ohio Towing and Recover/Napa Truck and Auto Center, Sugar Street Bar and Grill backed #97.
“Caleb and I had a really good race going. Generally when you get under a lapped car that’s what spooks them because you can’t see the guys off to your right too much and obviously he didn’t see Caleb and he got the bad end of the deal. This car is a good car and it’s getting better each time. We need to do a little work on it for tomorrow,” added Jacobs.
Rob Chaney would come home third after a great battle with Andrew Palker throughout the feature.
“How about Andrew Palker this year? I mean a guy who just ran Wayne County and coming out and showing what he’s got. Hat’s off to him…we had a pretty good race there and I look for him to be pretty good next year,” said Chaney beside his Stan Cortad owned #9x. “I’m ready for tomorrow and I hope we can get our car ready for it. It will be a whole new ball game tomorrow. We stayed pretty loose through this race and it just about bit us in the end. We’ll make some adjustments and we’ll be ready for it tomorrow.”
Jacobs and Griffith would bring the field to the green for the 30-lap feature with Jacobs gaining the advantage. Griffith would immediately apply pressure as Chaney, Reed, Palker, Paige Polyak, Craig Mintz and Sheldon Haudenschild gave chase. The leaders moved into heavy lapped traffic by the fifth circuit and when Jacobs slipped up in turn two Griffith was there to pounce and take the lead.
Jacobs would fight back and would drive low in turn two on lap eight to regain the top spot with Chaney locked in a tremendous battle with Reed and Palker for third. Griffith would drive back into the lead on lap 10 with Jacobs glued to his bumper. As they hit the lapped car of Jordan Mackison entering turn three, Jacobs went low and Griffith high. Griffith and Mackison made contact, sending Griffith tumbling. He was uninjured but done for the night.
On the restart Jacobs would lead Reed, Chaney, Palker, Mintz, Polyak, Haudenschild and Dale Blaney. Palker would take third on lap 12 as Jacobs and Reed pulled away. Reed would drive under Jacobs exiting turn two on lay 17 to take the lead.
Mackison would slow and the front stretch and stop after 17 circuits were complete, necessitating a caution. Reed now led Jacobs, Chaney, Palker, Mintz, Polyak, Sheldon Haudenschild and Blaney. When the green flew Reed pulled away slightly. It wasn’t until there were four laps to go when Reed caught the back of the field that Jacobs had a shot.
But, Reed maneuvered through the traffic and went on to take the win over Jacobs, Chaney, Palker, Blaney, Mintz, Polyak, Sheldon Haudenschild, D.J. Foos (up from 18th) and Jac Haudenschild (up from 20th).
Blaney’s run coupled with Shaffer’s 13th place finish increased “The Low Rider’s” lead in the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champion’s national point standings to 27 with only two races remaining in 2013. Shaffer leads the Ohio Region of the series by just 13 over Blaney.
Kreitz earns third career Tuscarora 50 win at Port Royal
PORT ROYAL, PA (Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013) By Brian Liskai – Don Kreitz Jr. didn’t forget how to get around Port Royal Speedway. The Sinking Springs driver hadn’t won at Port Royal Speedway in nearly four years. But, he led all but three laps to earn his third Tuscarora 50 which was worth $13,200 as he led 47 of the 50 laps.
It was the second University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions victory of 2013 for Kreitz who took a series win in April at Williams Grove Speedway. Kreitz now has eight career UNOH All Star wins.
Kreitz dominated the race, starting second and jumping into an easy lead and extending it as the first half of the race wore on.
“Davey (Brown) had this thing locked down tonight. That thing in clean air was unbelievable, said Kreitz of his Henry R. Sherman Builders/Kreitz Oval Track Parts/RV Workshop.com/Schannauer #69k.
Kreitz was in clean air…a lot. He took the lead from Ryan Smith coming out of turn 4 to complete lap 1 and by lap 6 had built a straightaway lead.
The race was divided into two 25-lap segments. While Kreitz dominated at the front, all eyes were on Brian Montieth as he charged from dead last – 24th. Montieth was flying inches from the fence and took eighth from Friday night’s winner Greg Hodnett on lap 13 and blew by Cap Henry for seventh two laps later. He continued his assault, driving by Danny Holtgraver on lap 19 and dispatching Lance Dewease for fourth on lap 22.
At the half-way point, crews were allowed to make changes but no one could touch Kreitz when the green flew again as he again opened up a straightaway advantage over Smith and Montieth by lap 30.
It appeared the race was over but Kreitz struggled in lapped traffic which allowed Smith and Kreitz to close.
“Well, the first time I got to lapped traffic I tried to roll around them,” said Kreitz who was also the Tuscarora 50 champion in 1993 and 1999. “I got one but I couldn’t do anything. The second time, I would kind of hang in the middle and couldn’t do anything.”
Montieth seized the opportunity, crushing the cushion to shoot by Smith in turn two on lap 37 and ripped past Kreitz coming out of turn four on the same lap. But, the experienced Kreitz wasn’t done. He got by the lapped car and chased down Montieth. Kreitz moved up a lane, hit the middle and split Montieth and a lapped car entering turn three on lap 40 and opened up a big lead a lap later.
“We changed the car a little bit at the break and when I saw Montieth go by my heart sank a bit. Once I wiped my tears away I figured I needed to pick up the pace. We were lucky to get by him,” said Kreitz. “We’re just so excited to be here in victory lane. When we came here, we didn’t think it would be possible.”
Danny Dietrich stormed from his 15th-place starting spot to take second from Montieth on lap 42. He looked to be cutting into Kreitz’s lead until the caution came out on lap 45 for Blane Heimbach. Kreitz was too good on the restart and pulled away for the win.
“We were really, really fast. We got to second and I thought we could make a run on him until the caution came out. We ran really hard but when the race went back green the tires sealed over. We had a good car and 15th to second…we’ll take it,” said Dietrich of his Gary Kauffman Racing #48 with sponsorship from Sandoe’s Fruit Market/Racers Used Parts Warehouse/Mark Bell Trucking/Drop of Ink Tattoo and Body Piercing/Mortiz Machine Repairs/Hickory Run Orchards.
“We were really, really fast. Us and the 21 (Montieth) came up through there. I think we could’ve won this thing. We were using the fence to get the car straight. If it gets you to the front, that’s what you have to do. I’m glad it’s in one piece. We wanted to win, but we’ll take coming from 15th,” added Dietrich.
Montieth would come home third.
“Honestly, this place, I don’t like being that high. But what are you going to do? Starting back where we started, I’ll definitely take it,” said Montieth beside his Premier Auto Works/Auto Locator/Beer Hill Gang/Hanover Toyota/Bricker’s/Golf Cart Services/Pancho’s Racing Products/All Star Performance/Triple X Race Co. backed #21.
With his fifth place finish, Lance Dewease locked up the UNOH All Star’s Eastern Region championship and its $20,000 payday. Dewease also took the regional title in 2011.
The point battle for the UNOH All Star’s national and Ohio Region titles are heating up with just three races remaining in 2013. The series heads to Fremont Speedway for a double-header on Friday and Saturday before wrapping up the season at Eldora Speedway on Oct. 12.
Go to www.allstarsprint.com for more information.
Port Royal Speedway - 9/7/2013 UNOH Night
All Star Circuit of Champions (40 Cars) [#]-Starting Position
Hodnett captures another Port Royal Night Before Tuscarora 50 UNOH All Star win
PORT ROYAL, PA (Friday, Sept. 6, 2013) By Brian Liskai - There's just something about the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions and Port Royal Speedway that brings out the best in Greg Hodnett.
Hodnett led all 30 laps Friday for the $5,000 victory in the Night Before The Tuscarora 50. It was his fourth career win in the event having also taken the Night Before checkers in 1998, 2002 and 2003. It was Hodnett's 16th career UNOH All Star win. The victory was the eighth of the season overall for Hodnett.
"We were lucky I guess. The cautions really worked out for us. We weren't very good in traffic so the cautions gave us clean air and the car reacted much better. We have some work to do for tomorrow to get the car better to be able to make passes. We need to put ourselves in a good position," said Hodnett beside his Trone Outdoor/Eagle Steel/Eagle Evergreens/Apple Chevrolet/Bricker's Fries/KTS/Macri Concrete/Energym backed #39.
Brian Leppo hasn't raced a lot this summer but once given the opportunity to drive the John Zemaitis owned Zemco Speed Equipment/Zemco Headers backed #1z, he has made the most of it. He would come home second Friday and is excited about Saturday's big race.
"I haven't raced a lot this summer but I was lucky enough to team up with John and Pee Wee and Tommy (Karl, crew chief) and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. We have been a little off this year and we made some changes to the car last night and it made it much better...I was able to drive it any where and manuever the car. I'm excited about Saturday," said Leppo. "You can't put Greg Hodnett on the front row and expect to beat him. He's just too good and doesn't make many mistakes."
Pittsburgh native Danny Holtgraver continued his solid performance with a third place finish. He had gotten around Leppo second but it was negated by a caution, putting Leppo back into the runner-up spot.
"I had gotten around Brian and the caution came out and they put him back in front of me and on the restart he went to the bottom and I couldn't get around him. I was worried about holding Shaffer off. That team has found something lately. We went out late in qualifying and got fifth quick which put us in a great position for the rest of the night. The car was good all night but toward the end of the race I was just okay. We have some work to do for tomorrow," said Holtgraver of his Bryan Grove/Rob Hunter owned #45 with Canton Erectors/Berlin Natural Bakery sponsorship.
Hodnett started second in the Night Before The Tuscarora 50 sprint car feature and drove into control over Brian Leppo when the green flag fell.
Only the first two laps were recorded when the first caution flag unfurled for a stopped Ryan Taylor in the first corner.
The next eight laps went non-stop with Hodnett opening up a straightaway over Leppo before the next caution occurred for a stopped Doug Esh.
Hodnett was trailed by Leppo, Danny Holtgraver, eighth starter Tim Shaffer and Dale Blaney for the restart.
Another lap was notched before another yellow unfurled, this time forcing a stoppage for refueling.
The restart saw Logan Schuchart surge to the front, making advances from his 17th starting spot to break into the top five with 12 laps to go.
And then another yellow slowed the pace for a stopped Brent Marks with 11 laps left.
Hodnett was nearly home free on the final lap when Caleb Helms laid his car over as he ran onto the front stretch, stopping the race short of the checkers.
The green-white-checkered restart saw Hodnett still easily in control for a cruise to the finish and victory that was his first of the season at the track and 33rd overall of his Port Royal career.
Leppo finished second followed by Holtgraver, Shaffer and Schuchart. After starting 10th, Blane Heimbach rode home sixth followed by Lance Dewease, TJ Stutts, Cap Henry and Chad Layton.
With his fourth place finish Shaffer, who has won the last four straight UNOH All Star championships, narrowed the gap between he and current series point leader Dale Blaney to just 15 points with only four races left in the season. With his 7th place finish Lance Dewease, the 2011 UNOH All Star Eastern Region champion, nearly locked up the $20,000 top prize for 2013 with just Saturday's Tuscarora 50 remaining in the points race.
Port Royal Speedway - 9/6/2013
All Star Circuit of Champions (39 Cars) [#]-Starting Position
Duncan makes decision pay off with first UNOH All Star win at NAPA Wayne County Speedway
ORRVILLE, Ohio (9-1-13) By Brian Liskai – After the weekend he had, Cole Duncan and his family had thought about just sitting at home Sunday. Good thing the Lockbourne, Ohio driver changed his mind.
Duncan took the lead with just two laps to go after race-long leader Jac Haudenschild blew a left rear tire, and went on to score his first career University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions victory at the NAPA Wayne County Speedway. Haudenschild, driving for fellow hall-of-famer Rick Ferkel lead the first 26 laps of the 30 lap feature before his left rear tire blew.
During the two day show at Attica on Friday and Saturday, Duncan’s family own team suffered a motor problem Friday and then broke a rear-end on Saturday.
“Oh my God…I don’t even know what to say. We weren’t even going to come today. We woke up and unloaded it out of the trailer and we were going to leave it in the shop for the week and go at it next week. Holy crap I’m glad we came,” said Duncan, whose father Rodney was a staple on the UNOH All Star circuit in the 1980s and 1990s.
“I didn’t even see Jac leave the track. I saw the tire laying on the back stretch…man I hate that for Rick (Ferkel, Jac’s car owner for the night) and Jac and those guys. Especially Rick…he works so hard and he deserved this win. But we’ll take it after the weekend we’ve had,” continued Duncan beside his Bobby Labonte Racing/Motorcity Auto Transport/CnB Mushroom Farms/Wolfden Carbonfiber Products/Industrial Special Powdercoating/Hoosier Tire backed #22.
“We raced with Andrew (Palker) a lot here last year…he’s a good racer obviously as he’s won the track championship twice in the last two years…that’s pretty impressive. To get to race with him…we raced each other clean and it was a hell of a lot of fun,” continued Palker. “First I have to thank my Mom and Dad and my two grandpas and my crew…they worked their asses off to get us here. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”
Local driver Dean Jacobs capped off a great weekend and celebrated his 50th birthday in style by bringing the Joe and Diane Seeling owned #97 home in second.
“They were telling me I was getting old and I had to prove them wrong. We were good…I actually thought I was better than Cole. You couldn’t hardly see to enter this corner (turn one) from the dust but if you could get in there you could run the crap out of the thing. Cole was doing the exact same thing that I was and that’s why he beat me I guess,” said Jacobs beside his Northwest Ohio Towing and Recovery/NAPA Truck and Auto Center/Sugar Street Bar and Grill backed machine. “We needed this. Joe and Diane Seeling have given me a nice race car and I try my hardest. Sometimes it bites you and sometimes you have good results like tonight. Now we’re going to go celebrate my birthday and have a lot of fun.”
“I thought I had run fourth and we came around and saw that Cole won. I don’t know if I was happy I ran second or just as happy that he won. I raced a lot of races with his dad and his dad beat me a lot. I was just telling him the other night because he was so good at Attica that as soon as he gets that first one they will start coming. Let me tell you…that boy is going to win a lot of races,” added Jacobs.
Track champion Andrew Palker kept his impressive run going with a third place finish after running second through much of the race.
“I just didn’t hear Cole up top and I should have put up there in the crap and cooled that tire off but I spent too much time on the bottom. And I got my right rear too hot and there at the end it was just too hot and I had nothing left. I can’t say enough about this team and Kistler Racing Products and Brian Kemenah and Paul Kistler…they are helping us out a bunch. We are sure learning a lot out here right now and it’s really showing when we came back home,” said Palker beside his Albreight Trucking/King Inspection/J&J Auto Racing/Weld Wheels backed #57x.
Newly crowned Lernerville Speedway champion Brandon Spithaler and Haudenschild would bring the field to green with Haudenschild rim-riding into the lead. Just three laps in third place running Lee Jacobs would spin with Brad Haudenschild stopping to avoid a collision. On the restart Haudenschild would rocket away from Spithaler with Duncan, Palker, Jacobs, Dale Blaney and Trey Gustin in tow.
Palker would move into third on lap six and would take second two circuits later. The caution would fly on lap nine for a Caleb Helms spin. On the restart Haudenschild would again blast into a commanding lead with Palker comfortably in second while Spithaler, Duncan, Blaney and Jacobs battled for third.
The caution would come out again on lap 12 as Lee Jacobs’ mount stopped on the front stretch with brake issues. The restart order was Haudenschild, Palker, Blaney, Duncan, Spithaler and Dean Jacobs. The field didn’t stay under green long as Jack Sodeman Jr. and Shawn Hubler got together on lap 12.
When the green reappeared Palker dove under Haudenschild in turns one and two, but “The Wild Child” rocketed off the cushion to pull away. As the laps ticked off Haudenschild built a sizeable lead over Palker as Blaney, Duncan and Jacobs battled for third.
The leaders would catch the back of the field on lap 18 and as most of the field ran the bottom, Haudenschild used the very top groove to pick off the lapped cars. Disaster nearly struck for Haudenschild with five laps to go as he jumped the heavy cushion in turn four and nearly got into the front stretch fence. That allowed Palker, Blaney, Duncan, Dean Jacobs and a closing Tim Shaffer to make up ground.
With seven laps to go Blaney would retire to the infield with mechanical woes, moving Duncan into third. As Haudenschild exited turn two on lap 27, his left rear tire would explode and he limped his mount back to the pits, handing the lead to Palker with Duncan, Dean Jacobs and Shaffer ready to pounce.
Duncan would drive around Palker for the lead with just two laps to go with Jacobs sneaking by on the white flag lap for second.
Duncan would drive to the win over Jacobs, Palker, Shaffer (from 11th), Rob Chaney, Danny Holtgraver (from 20th), Danny Mumaw (from 22nd), Brock Martin (from 16th), Spithaler and Gustin.
The UNOH All Stars will wrap up their Eastern Region points with a double-header at the Port Royal Speedway in Pennsylvania Sept. 6 and 7 before returning to Ohio for the Jim Ford Classic at Fremont Speedway Sept. 13 and 14.
After Sunday’s race at the NAPA Wayne County Speedway, the point’s battle for the UNOH All Star championship and the Ohio Region title are getting interesting with Dale Blaney’s lead shrinking as Shaffer seeks his unprecedented fifth straight series title. Blaney is also trying to earn his fourth career series championship.
For more information go to www.allstarsprint.com
Wayne County Speedway - 9/1/2013
All Star Circuit of Champions (30 Cars) [#]-Starting Position
Shaffer catches fire at Attica, gets back to back UNOH All Star wins
ATTICA, Ohio – (8-31-13) By Brian Liskai- Don’t look now, but Tim Shaffer is on his game. The four time University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions titlist passed Dale Blaney with nine laps to go Saturday and went on to sweep the weekend at Attica Raceway Park.
Shaffer earned $5,500 thanks to the Baumann Auto Group and just as important stays within striking distance of Blaney as he looks to take his unprecedented fifth straight UNOH All Star championship.
Shaffer, who came into the weekend double-header winless with the UNOH All Stars, now has 53 career series wins, tying him with Frankie Kerr for fourth on the all-time win list, just three away from matching the legendary Jack Hewitt. It’s Shaffer’s 12th career win at Attica, moving him to ninth on the track’s all-time win list, just one away from tying Frankie Kerr.
“It’s definitely good to come back to Attica. Here and Fremont are two awesome tracks and the fans are so awesome. They put such good racing on here. They give us two lanes to race and everyone races each other clean as you possibly can and I really respect that and I think everyone respects that two,” said Shaffer beside his Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook owned machine.
Unlike the previous night when Shaffer used the extreme high line around the track, Saturday he used the bottom groove.
“Yeah it was like Shaff can run the top and the bottom again. It’s a lot of fun running the top like that but usually your days are numbered up there. To get the win last night was awesome and to come back tonight…we had a really bad ass car. These guys gave me a great car. It’s been awhile. I feel like Shaff’s back,” said a beaming Shaffer of his Kistler Engines/VRP Shocks/J&J Auto Racing/FK Rod Ends/Champion Oil/KSE Steering backed #83.
Bellevue, Ohio’s Cap Henry would battle with Blaney throughout the closing laps and would bring his Kistler Engines/K&N Filters/FK Rod Ends/Champion Oil/Keizer Wheels #54 home in second.
“My car was pretty awesome. We kind of got held up there and I had to make some stuff happen but that’s what racing is about. Those guys (lapped cars) got real fast all of a sudden. Wish they wouldn’t have but it is what it is. I kept seeing his (Shaffer’s) nose and I was like ‘I have to get going.’ I kind of got caught up there on one of the restarts,” said Henry.
Blaney was disappointed with his third place finish.
“The car was okay. We just got third. I made some mistakes in traffic…traffic didn’t go my way a couple of times and I didn’t pick the right lane a few times and we got beat. We’ve been running well. I just feel like I’ve disappointed myself. I’ve lead a couple races and I don’t want to say I’ve let them get away but I had an opportunity to win some races and I haven’t capitalized on it so I just have to come out and do a better job,” said Blaney beside his Ti22 Performance/GF1 chassis backed machine.
Cole Duncan and Danny Holtgraver would bring the field to the green for the 40 lap feature with Duncan grabbing the lead over Dean Jacobs, Holtgraver, Blaney, Henry, D.J. Foos and Shaffer. Duncan would pull away with Jacobs comfortably in second while Holtgraver, Blaney and Henry waged a great battle for third.
Duncan would find heavy lapped traffic by the seventh circuit but Jacobs couldn’t close as Blaney, Holtgraver, Henry and Shaffer gave chase. With 13 laps in the books Jacobs began to close and as Duncan exited turn two something went wrong with his mount as he stopped to bring out the caution. Duncan would retire to the pits, handing the lead to Jacobs with Blaney, Henry, Shaffer, Holtgraver, Foos, Byron Reed and Andrew Palker in tow.
When the green flew Jacobs pulled away slightly as Blaney and Henry were locked in a tremendous battle for second. The caution would fly again on lap 16 when Stuart Brubaker spin in turn one and Randy Hannagan stopped in turn four. When the green reappeared Jacobs again pulled away as Blaney, Henry and Shaffer battled for second.
As the laps ticked off, Blaney began to close on Jacobs and by lap 22 was racing to the leader’s inside as Henry, Shaffer, Foos and Reed gave chase. Blaney would drive under Jacobs for the lead on lap 24 as the leaders raced into heavy lapped traffic. Henry and Shaffer would use the traffic to move into second and third with Jacobs back to fourth. Shaffer would drive into second on lap 26 and closed on Blaney.
With 10 laps to go Shaffer was blasting under Blaney and finally took the lead a circuit later with Henry, Jacobs, Reed, Foos and Holtgraver in tow. Shaffer pulled away slightly as he negotiated traffic with Blaney and Henry locked in a torrid battle for second.
Shaffer got held up slightly by traffic with three laps to go and Blaney and Henry were there to challenge. But, Shaffer would be patient on the bottom of the track and drove to the win. Henry, Blaney, Jacobs and Reed would round out the top five.
All Star Circuit of Champions (35 Cars) [#]-Starting Position
ATTICA, Ohio (Friday, Aug. 30, 2013) - It’s hard to believe Tim Shaffer came into the night’s racing having not found victory lane with the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Cars. The Aliquippa, Pennsylvania driver has pretty much dominated the series over the past four years, winning 40 series features in that time spend and four straight All Star championships. But, this season has been a struggle though “The Steel City Outlaw” has numerous seconds and thirds and sits second in the series’ national points.
That all changed Friday night. Shaffer used the track’s treacherous high line to pass Dale Blaney on a restart with six laps to go and went on to score his first All Star win of 2013. It is the 52nd career series win for Shaffer who now has 11 career victories at Attica.
“Finally. This is for this crew. Cody Jacobs, James Chambers and Jim Roby have worked their tails off and my owners Janet (Holbrook) and Aaron (Call) didn’t give up on us,” said Shaffer beside his Kistler Engines/J&J Auto Racing/VRP Shocks backed #83.
“The late models really changed the track. Getting in to turn one on the high side was tricky. I tried the bottom early and it just wasn’t working. Everyone else was down there so I decided to go up top and the car was great,” added Shaffer. “This win was huge for us. It gives me, the crew and everyone a little boost….some confidence. But, this is dirt track racing. That’s the beauty of it…it can all change in one night.”
Blaney, who took the lead from Stuart Williams with nine laps to go and held the point for four laps before Shaffer got around, would bring his Ti22 Performance/GF1 Chassis home in second.
“It might have been interesting if that caution wouldn’t have come out (on lap 24). I thought Stuart would go up there and try it and when I saw Shaffer up there I knew I was in trouble. My car was good. Hats off to Shaff and those guys…they have worked hard all season. We’ll take second and try for better tomorrow,” said Blaney.
Local driver Chris Andrews, who scored his first career UNOH All Star win at Attica earlier this season, would bring his Burmeister #16 home in third.
“Any time you finish behind those two guys you can’t feel bad. For the second time in two weeks we had a tire go down and it might have cost us another win. But, we’ll take third,” said Andrews beside his K&N Filters/Lucas Oil/Adkins Sanitation/Kistler Engines backed machine.
Several drivers experienced tire issues throughout the night, causing a jumbled starting grid for the 30-lap UNOH All Star feature. Wayne Johnson and Stuart Williams would bring the field to the green with Johnson grabbing the lead over Williams, Andrews, Shaffer, Greg Wilson, Blaney, Dean Jacobs, Danny Holtgraver and Byron Reed. Williams would drive under Johnson for the top spot on lap two just as the caution flew for a D.J. Foos spin.
Williams would pull away when the green flew with Andrews racing to Johnson’s outside to grab second on lap four while Blaney took third a circuit later. With nine laps in, Andrews and Blaney were closing on Williams as Shaffer and Wilson rounded out the top five.
The leaders were nearing heavy lapped traffic by the 12th circuit and Andrews was gaining quickly on Williams with Blaney staying close. Williams would hit the back of the field by lap 16 as Blaney moved into second. With 18 laps in Shaffer had found the top groove to his liking and was closing on Williams, Blaney and Andrews. Blaney would slide under Williams in turns one and two on lap 19, but Williams diamond the corner to hold on to the top spot.
Blaney would drive under Williams for the lead on lap 21 with Andrews, Shaffer, Wilson and Brian Lay in pursuit. Shaffer would drive into third on lap 22 but his march to the front would have to wait as Jody Keegan took a tumble in turn one. He was okay.
On the restart Blaney led Williams, Shaffer, Andrews, Wilson and Lay. But, Lay would experience front end damage and coasted to a stop in turn one to bring out the caution. When the green flew, so did Shaffer – to the very top of the track as he drove by Blaney for the lead with Andrews taking third.
Shaffer would pull away for the win with Blaney, Andrews, Wilson and Holtgraver rounding out the top five.
Attica Raceway Park - 8/30/2013 Detroit Chocolat Night All Star Circuit of Champions (35 Cars)
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All Star Sprint Series
The All Stars are one of the premier sprint car sanctioning bodies in the USA. It is owned by an Illinois businessman, and now in their 30th year of operation, the All Stars take pride in their reputation of providing highly competitive, fair, exciting racing for outlaw sprint cars with many different winners in a year. About 400 drivers participate in All Star races yearly in front of an average of 5,000 spectators per event. Currently 40+ races are scheduled in numerous states, such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Kansas.
Ohio Sprint Speedweek
Ohio Sprint Speedweek proves to be one of the most competitive weeks in racing during the 2010 All Star season. Tough battles happened in the 2010 Ohio Sprint Speedweek season, as it included nine straight nights of racing action in the buckeye state, it challenged the best of the best, but young David Gravel- DDR Motorsports was crowned the 2010 champion.
PORT ROYAL, PA (Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013) By Brian Liskai – Don Kreitz Jr. didn’t forget how to get around Port Royal Speedway. The Sinking Springs driver hadn’t won at Port Royal Speedway in nearly four years. But, he led all but three laps to earn his third Tuscarora 50 which was worth $13,200 as he led 47 of the 50 laps.
The All Stars are one of the premier sprint car sanctioning bodies in the USA. It is owned by an Illinois businessman, and now in their 30th year of operation, the All Stars take pride in their reputation of providing highly competitive, fair, exciting racing for outlaw sprint cars with many different winners in a year. About 400 drivers participate in All Star races yearly in front of an average of 5,000 spectators per event. Currently 40+ races are scheduled in numerous states, such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Kansas. 
Ohio Sprint Speedweek proves to be one of the most competitive weeks in racing during the 2010 All Star season. Tough battles happened in the 2010 Ohio Sprint Speedweek season, as it included nine straight nights of racing action in the buckeye state, it challenged the best of the best, but young David Gravel- DDR Motorsports was crowned the 2010 champion.