Fan Notes from Attica All Stars

Attica Raceway Park (Highlight Video from SpeedShiftTV.com) (Tom Myers) 5/24/2019- Finally, good weather allowed the All Star Circuit of Champions to get a race in here at Attica Raceway Park Friday evening, the first of three scheduled events this weekend in Ohio. Hopefully the rain will also hold off for Wayne County Saturday and Fremont Sunday!

I left work early and after picking up my nephew and my Dad, we were on the road, heading to the track by 4:45. We arrived at 6:00, right as hot laps started. We didn’t have a problem finding a seat because of the late arriving, Friday after work crowd. The track looked smooth and tacky but a persistent breeze was blowing in from the east, right into the grandstands. The wind never blows into the stands here so that was a bummer, because you knew you were going to get showered with dirt and dust all evening. The sky was overcast with the temperatures in the mid 60’s, staying comfortable all evening, never getting too chilly.

I was excited to finally see this year’s group of All Star drivers in action, this being the first All Star race for me this season. I was interested to see how Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss, Spencer Bayston, Skylar Gee, Greg Wilson, George Hobaugh and Gerard McIntyre would do. Absent were Cale Conley, (who just recently, found out he didn’t have a car to drive anymore), John Garvin (who was in Charlotte) and the two Shusters.

Attica Pits In addition to the All Star regulars, it was neat to have Buddy Kofoid, Chad Boespflug, Jac Haudenschild, Max Stambaugh, Paige Polyak, Tim Shaffer, Caleb Helms, Brandon Spithaler and Lee Jacobs in the pits.

The scoreboard at Attica was out of commission, not working. That’s a real bummer. I really like having it because they show the driver names, car number, qualifying times, heat race positions, etc. and really keep the fans in the know with it. It’s much better than trying to hear the track announcer speak over the car engines. But, we managed, and hopefully it will be working the next time.

After hot laps, they went right into qualifying. Travis Philo was the first guy out. It seems like he always gets a great draw! The fast timer was Aaron Reutzel, followed by Zearfoss, Haudenschild, McMahon, Blaney, Shaffer, Stambaugh Griffith, Philo and Cap Henry.

The heats featured some good action as a few of the guys were feeling racy. A few times, guys would storm up alongside the car that was in front of them and keep the pedal mashed, forcing the leading car to swerve to avoid contact, giving the position to the aggressor. I would call it “muscling your way to the front.” At other times, the guy being muscled wouldn’t take it and would turn in and pinch off the attacker, forcing a sudden application of the brakes.

Brock Zearfoss There were to be 4 heats with the top 5 transferring to the A, the top 2 going to the Dash. At the start of the first heat, 2nd row starter Haudenschild was trying to pass Philo around the outside down the back straight and Philo crowded Jac off the turn 3 banking.

Luckily for Jac, Tyler Esh spun back at turn 2, causing a complete restart. The heat one finish was Cap Henry winning a nice battle with Jac Haudenschild. Philo, Ryan and Brubaker make up the transfer spots.

In heat 2, Bayston breaks his steering on the opening lap. Man, has Spencer been having some bad luck this season? It seems he just cannot get going. Wrecks that are not his fault and mechanical problems have plagued him so far. He’s a good driver and will make some noise soon. The heat 2 finish is Broc Martin, Dancer, Michaels, Griffith, and Foos. Bayston will go to the B.

The 3rd heat was fairly anti-climactic…..everyone got strung out and there was no passing. The finish was Stambaugh, Blaney, Zearfoss, McMahon, and Eliason.

In heat 4, Kofoid put on a nice show of aggressive thread the needle driving to forge to the front and a Dash spot. The kid is for real. The finish is Kofoid, Andrews, Ruetzel, Gee and Shaffer.

Greg Wilson In the B main, McIntyre was “muscling” Spithaler into turn 3 for the final transfer spot and they ended up getting locked together in turn 4. They both restarted on the tail. The B main finish was Paulker, Bayston, Dussel and Greg Wilson, who benefitted greatly from the McIntyre, Spithaler tangle.

After the B main and the dashes, the 40 lap feature lineup would be Zearfoss on the pole with Kofoid on the outside. Reutzel and Blaney make up row 2, with Haudenschild and Andrews making up row 3. Henry and Dancer make up the 4th row. My money was on Kofoid, but Reutzel and Zearfoss have been really fast. Haud looks good here tonight as well. After watering and reworking the track, we were about to get underway for the A main. Hobaugh and McIntyre start at the tail and use a provisional.

This would be the 123rd All Star race at Attica. The 3 tracks the All Stars are running this weekend have volumes of history with the All Stars. Wayne County Speedway hosted All Star races back in the early 70’s, even as far back as 1970? I thought that is what the announcer said and he said Bobby Allen won that one. Is 1970 correct? Did I hear that right? Fremont has hosted All Star races I would guess almost as far back as Wayne County, if not longer.

The track was really fast and tacky and smooth for the start of the feature. Zearfoss grabbed the early lead with Kofoid hot in second and Reutzel not far behind in 3rd. On lap 3 the yellow flies for Greg Wilson who stopped on the back straight and Jordan Ryan smoking heavily on the front stretch. Ryan will exit, Wilson will restart at the tail. At the restart, Zearfoss keeps the lead while Kofoid and Reutzel furiously follow. Man are these guys flying! Reutzel executes a slide job on Kofoid in turn 3 about lap 4 or 5 and takes 2nd. Yellow on lap 10, Philo pulls off. At the restart, Zearfoss streaks away again with Reutzel and Kofoid following. Haud and Henry and Blaney wage a good battle behind the front 3 leaders.

Aaron Reutzel won Friday with the All Stars at Attica On lap 20 or so, Zearfoss enters turn 1 low and spins around about 3 times as Ruetzel and Kofoid race on by. Zearfoss brings out the yellow and must go to the tail. He would later rally and finish 13th. Ruetzel would race away on the restart with Kofoid staying close, but never rally able to get up to the leader to make a pass, even through heavy traffic. Reutzel navigated the traffic masterfully and grabbed the win. Kofoid, Henry, Dancer and Haud were your top 5.

Dancer made a late run and got past Haud on the last lap for fourth. Blaney faded to 7th with Chris Andrews coming home 6th.

Nice race, good track, we were covered with dirt, eyes burning, teeth crunching…. but happy! When you smell the racing fuel exhaust, have ringing ears and are covered with dirt, you know you had a great time!

Thank you All Stars and thank you Attica! See you at the next race!

(Results from the All Stars)

Qualifying

Group (A)
1. 3-Jac Haudenschild, 12.535; 2. 5T-Travis Philo, 12.680; 3. 4-Cap Henry, 12.693; 4. 8-Jordan Ryan, 12.825; 5. 35b-Stuart Brubaker, 12.833; 6. 97-Caleb Helms, 13.077; 7. 22-Brandon Spithaler, 13.086; 8. 35-Tyler Esh, 13.171; 9. 5B-Chad Blonde, 13.460; 10. 5H-Jordan Harble, 13.846

Group (B)
1. 33W-Caleb Griffith, 12.642; 2. 8M-TJ Michael, 12.756; 3. 49-Shawn Dancer, 12.832; 4. 83M-Broc Martin, 12.878; 5. 70X-Spencer Bayston, 12.884; 6. 16-DJ Foos, 12.907; 7. 1-Nate Dussel, 12.946; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger, 13.098; 9. 21N-Frankie Nervo, 13.143; 10. 3J-Trey Jacobs, 13.183

Group (C)
1. 70-Brock Zearfoss, 12.510; 2. 13-Paul McMahan, 12.583; 3. 11-Dale Blaney, 12.603; 4. 23-Max Stambaugh, 12.625; 5. 57X-Andrew Palker, 12.878; 6. 71h-Ryan Ruhl, 12.885; 7. 26-Cory Eliason, 12.998; 8. 19-Paige Polyak, 13.154; 9. 40-George Hobaugh, 13.321; 10. 98-Chad Boespflug, 13.562

Group (D)
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 12.307; 2. 49x-Tim Shaffer, 12.622; 3. 11N-Buddy Kofoid, 12.804; 4. 25M-Chris Andrews, 12.805; 5. 99-Skylar Gee, 12.916; 6. 81-Lee Jacobs, 12.920; 7. O7-Gerard McIntyre, 13.000; 8. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.010; 9. 20i-Kelsey Ivy, 13.224; 10. 40i-Mark Imler, 13.958

Heat #1 - Group (A) (10 Laps) - Top 5 Transfer
1. 4-Cap Henry [2]; 2. 3-Jac Haudenschild [4]; 3. 5T-Travis Philo [3]; 4. 8-Jordan Ryan [1]; 5. 35B-Stuart Brubaker [5]; 6. 22-Brandon Spithaler [7]; 7. 97-Caleb Helms [6]; 8. 35-Tyler Esh [8]; 9. 5B-Chad Blonde [9]; 10. 5H-Jordan Harble [10]

Heat #2 - Group (B) (10 Laps) - Top 5 Transfer
1. 83M-Broc Martin [1]; 2. 49-Shawn Dancer [2]; 3. 8M-TJ Michael [3]; 4. 33W-Caleb Griffith [4]; 5. 16-DJ Foos [6]; 6. 1-Nate Dussel [7]; 7. 3J-Trey Jacobs [10]; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger [8]; 9. 21N-Frankie Nervo [9]; 10. 70X-Spencer Bayston [5]

Heat #3 - Group (C) (10 Laps) - Top 5 Transfer
1. 23-Max Stambaugh [1]; 2. 11-Dale Blaney [2]; 3. 70-Brock Zearfoss [4]; 4. 13-Paul McMahan [3]; 5. 26-Cory Eliason [7]; 6. 57X-Andrew Palker [5]; 7. 71H-Ryan Ruhl [6]; 8. 98-Chad Boespflug [10]; 9. 19-Paige Polyak [8]; 10. 40-George Hobaugh [9]

Heat #4 - Group (D) (10 Laps) - Top 5 Transfer
1. 11N-Buddy Kofoid [2]; 2. 25M-Chris Andrews [1]; 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel [4]; 4. 99-Skylar Gee [5]; 5. 49X-Tim Shaffer [3]; 6. O7-Gerard McIntyre [7]; 7. W20-Greg Wilson [8]; 8. 81-Lee Jacobs [6]; 9. 40I-Mark Imler [10]; 10. 20I-Kelsey Ivy [9]

Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 70-Brock Zearfoss [1]; 2. 87-Aaron Reutzel [2]; 3. 3-Jac Haudenschild [4]; 4. 4-Cap Henry [3]; 5. 23-Max Stambaugh [5]

Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 11N-Buddy Kofoid [3]; 2. 11-Dale Blaney [1]; 3. 25M-Chris Andrews [2]; 4. 49-Shawn Dancer [4]; 5. 83M-Broc Martin [5]

B-Main (12 Laps) - Top 4 Transfer
1. 57X-Andrew Palker [1]; 2. 70X-Spencer Bayston [2]; 3. 1-Nate Dussel [3]; 4. W20-Greg Wilson [7]; 5. 3J-Trey Jacobs [9]; 6. 71H-Ryan Ruhl [6]; 7. 81-Lee Jacobs [10]; 8. 35-Tyler Esh [12]; 9. 19-Paige Polyak [15]; 10. 97-Caleb Helms [8]; 11. 5B-Chad Blonde [16]; 12. 8J-Jess Stiger [11]; 13. 40-George Hobaugh [19]; 14. 21N-Frankie Nervo [14]; 15. 22-Brandon Spithaler [5]; 16. O7-Gerard McIntyre [4]; 17. 98-Chad Boespflug [13]; 18. 5H-Jordan Harble [20]; 19. 40I-Mark Imler [17]; 20. 20I-Kelsey Ivy [18]

A-Main (40 Laps)
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel [3]; 2. 11N-Buddy Kofoid [2]; 3. 4-Cap Henry [7]; 4. 49-Shawn Dancer [8]; 5. 3-Jac Haudenschild [5]; 6. 25M-Chris Andrews [6]; 7. 11-Dale Blaney [4]; 8. 13-Paul McMahan [13]; 9. 16-DJ Foos [19]; 10. 49X-Tim Shaffer [17]; 11. 70X-Spencer Bayston [22]; 12. 99-Skylar Gee [16]; 13. 70-Brock Zearfoss [1]; 14. W20-Greg Wilson [24]; 15. 23-Max Stambaugh [9]; 16. 33W-Caleb Griffith [14]; 17. O7-Gerard McIntyre [25]; 18. 35B-Stuart Brubaker [18]; 19. 26-Cory Eliason [20]; 20. 40-George Hobaugh [26]; 21. 5T-Travis Philo [11]; 22. 57X-Andrew Palker [21]; 23. 83M-Broc Martin [10]; 24. 8M-TJ Michael [12]; 25. 1-Nate Dussel [23]; 26. 8-Jordan Ryan [15] Lap Leaders: Brock Zearfoss (1-21), Aaron Reutzel (22-40)

2019 All Star Circuit of Champions Driver Standings (after 5/24/2019):

1. Aaron Reutzel - 522
2. Dale Blaney - 486
3. Paul McMahan - 484
4. Spencer Bayston - 474
5. Cory Eliason - 462
6. Brock Zearfoss - 460
7. Tim Shaffer - 458
8. Skylar Gee - 434
9. Gerard McIntyre - 430
10. Greg Wilson - 426

2019 All Star Circuit of Champions Winners:

Bubba Raceway Park (1/31/2019): Tim Shaffer
Bubba Raceway Park (2/1/2019): Tim Shaffer (2)
Bubba Raceway Park (2/2/2019): Tony Stewart
Volusia Speedway Park (2/6/2019): Shane Stewart
Volusia Speedway Park (2/7/2019): Brad Sweet
Virginia Motor Speedway (4/11/2019): Cory Eliason
Port Royal Speedway (4/13/2019): Lance Dewease
Attica Raceway Park (5/24/2019): Aaron Reutzel