Byron Reed took the lead with just four laps remaining and drove to his second win of the year in the 410 sprints at Attica Raceway Park on Columbus Equipment/UBS Financial Services Night.
Reed’s 33rd career win at Attica also added to his lead in the Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series presented by KS Sales and Service as he seeks to become a four time series champion and collect the $10,000 reward. Reed, the defending and seven time Attica champion, has won four the eight FAST events in 2016 – two each at Attica and Fremont.
It wasn’t easy for the Monclova, Ohio driver as a rain shower right as the gates were ready to open made for a very fast track. Travis Philo would lead the opening 25 laps which were marred by a four car pile-up on the start involving Carson Macedo, Trey Jacobs, Shawn Valenti and Brian Nuckles, three cautions and another red for a nasty tumble for Jimmy Colvin (all drivers were uninjured) in the opening seven laps. Reed used heavy lapped traffic in the closing laps to hunt down Philo and executed the text book slider in turns three and four to take the lead.
“I have a personal shout out to my wife. She guaranteed that this race was going to get cancelled…that we were wasting our time. So I have to make sure she knows about it,” joked Reed.
“I have to thank the fans for sticking it out for this late night and thank my sponsors, Crown Battery, Gill Construction and Kistler Engines… I appreciate it. And also thanks to all my crew,” added Reed.
The Sunoco American Late Model Series paid another visit to Attica and it was Ashland, Ohio’s Ryan Markham who inherited the lead with Matt Irey got into the front stretch wall with just six laps remaining and he drove to his second victory of the year at Attica and the ninth of his career at the track.
“About mid race there I packed the right rear wheel full of mud and it was vibrating bad. I thought it was going to break the wheel right off the car. Matt kind of got away from me there for a little bit and it must have spread the mud out enough to balance it enough that I could keep going and I started charging again. Then Matt had some trouble there…I hate to see that happen…I think I had a car that we could race with him. We just needed a few laps to get going. I’ve been dreaming about getting one of these ALMS races for a long time,” said Markham beside his H&T Demolition; Harriger Towing; Accu-Force; Innovative Graphics; Cool-It Thermo Tech. backed machine.
When a track gets a big ledge around the top, Fremont’s Jamie Miller’s eyes light up. He led the first four laps of the Fremont Fence 305 sprint feature before a bobble off turn two handed the lead to Nate Dussel. Miller retook the top spot on lap 13 and then survived a restart with just five laps to go to earn his second win of the year at Attica. It was his 14th career win at the track, moving him into a tie for eighth on Attica’s all-time win list for the 305 sprints.
A fourth place finish for Paul Weaver will keep him atop the JLH General Contractor FAST 305 Sprint Series presented by Engine Pro points. However, Dussel’s second place finish will take a little bite out of that lead for the championship.
“Gotta love it when the track gets like this. I knew if I could get back in front of Nate I could keep him back there because he wasn’t as fast as me when I messed up down there (turn 2). I thought I was going to get him in three and four and we both messed up at the same time so I didn’t gain anything. But I got a good run on him working the bottom so I took advantage of it and here we are. We’ve been struggling here…we’re hit or miss. We finally are on to something and if the track stays consistent we’ll be alright the rest of the year,” said Miller beside his Western Lake Erie Insulation Industry; Fostoria Mod Shop; Advanced Industrial; Crown Battery; Pioneer Quick Lube; Quarterback Transportation; Jamie Miller Trucking; Dick’s Auto Supply backed #66.
Chris Andrews and Philo brought the field to green for the 30-lap O’Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprint feature. But, before a lap could be scored, Jacobs and Macedo would tumble collecting Nuckles with Valenti vaulting over all of the wreckage. When the green flew again, Philo jumped into the lead over Brian Lay, Andrews, Brock Martin, Caleb Griffith, Reed and Jody Keegan. Jimmy Colvin would spin after three laps were complete with the restart order Philo, Lay, Martin, Andrews, and Griffith.
When the race resumed Martin drove into second with Lay, Griffith, Reed and Keegan in tow. After only another lap was completed Andrews spun. On the restart Reed and Keegan got around Griffith just before the caution flew for a stalled Craig Mintz with Stuart Brubaker also spinning. On the restart Colvin took a wicked tumble off turn one – he was uninjured. The race ran the final 23 laps uninterrupted.
When the green flew again Philo had his hands full with Martin with Reed taking third and bringing Keegan to fourth on lap eight. Once he found his rhythm, Philo began pulling away from Martin by the half way point. That’s when the leaders began to hit lapped traffic and that allowed Reed to close on Martin. As he tried to work his way through traffic, Philo would bobble in turns three and four allowing Martin, Reed and Keegan to close quickly.
Reed used the traffic to grab second with 10 laps to go and quickly got to Philo’s rear bumper. Philo and Reed battled hard over the next six laps before Reed executed a slider to take the lead. Philo executed a 360 spin coming to the white flag and dropped several positions. Reed drove to the win over Martin, Keegan, Philo and Griffith.
In the 30 lap ALMS feature Devin Shiels and Matt Irey brought the field to green with Shiels gaining the advantage. Shiels would continue to lead until Irey pounced with eight laps scored with Jon Henry, Rich Bell and Markham in tow. The leaders hit heavy lapped traffic with just nine laps recorded with Irey leading Shiels, Henry, Bell, Markham, Ken Hahn and Dave Hornikel. With Irey and Shiels pulling away, Markham, Bell and Henry engaged in a terrific battle for third.
The caution flew on lap 12 for Henry with the running order Irey, Markham, Shiels, Bell, Hahn, Hornikel and Rusty Schlenk. On the restart Bell grabbed third and pressured Markham. The leaders found lapped traffic again with 22 laps scored with Irey leading Markham, Bell, Shiels, Schlenk, Hornikel, Hahn and Matt Miller. With six laps to go Irey got into the front stretch wall and spun, handing the lead to Markham.
When the race resumed Markham and Bell would race bumper to bumper with Shiels ready to pounce. Shiels took second on lap 25 only to watch Bell regain the spot a circuit latter. This allowed Markham to pull away slightly. With two laps to go Markham held a slight lead over Bell while Hornikel, Shiels, Schlenk and Miller battled for third.
Markham drove to the win over Bell, Hornikel, Shiels and Miller.
Seth Schneider and Miller brought the field to green for the 25-lap 305 sprint feature but Dustin Dinan stopped on the start. On the second attempt at green Miller vaulted into the lead over Dussel, Schneider, Dan McCarron and Luke Griffith. With two laps in, Kyle Capodice made contact with Tyler Street, sending Capodice upside down – he was uninjured. On the restart Miller and Dussel drove away from Schneider who had his hands full with McCarron.
Miller slipped off the banking exiting turn two, as Dussel drove into the lead on lap five while Schneider and McCarron continued their torrid battle for third with Griffith and Paul Weaver in tow. On lap 10 Dussel nearly spun in turn three but Miller also bobbled and could not capitalize. Street would spin right in front of the leaders on lap 11 as they narrowly avoided the trouble. Meanwhile McCarron, last week’s winner, had finally taken third.
When the green flew Miller drove around Dussel to regain the lead with McCarron, Weaver, Schneider and Brandon Moore in pursuit. Trevor Baker stopped on lap 15 for a caution which kept the field close. On the restart Miller again drove away utilizing the high line while Dussel searched for his optimal groove. McCarron caught Dussel with eight laps to go and challenged for the runner-up spot which allowed Miller to pull away.
Baker would spin with just five laps to go with the running order Miller, Dussel, McCarron, Weaver, Schneider, Griffith, Moore, Steve Rando and Ricky Peterson. With a clear track, Miller was able to pull away and drove to the win over Dussel, McCarron, Weaver and Schneider.
Attica Raceway Park will not be back in action until Friday, August 19. It will be a FAST championship point night for both the 410 and 305 sprints with the UMP late models and dirt trucks also in action on WNWO Channel 24 Night.
For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com
- administrator on Aug 01, 2016
- Article Date: 7/30/2016