Fan Notes from Attica All Stars

Craig Mintz (TOM MYERS) 5/26/2017 - I got to the track later than I like to…..in the middle of time trials. I was still able to squeeze into a seat at the top row so I was happy. The track had a nice cushion and it was smooth around the top, but the middle and bottom looked heavy and bumpy. Almost all the timers went around the top. During time trials we learned from the announcer that Broc Martin, who was in his family 83M car, ran and finished the Boston Marathon this year. Congrats also go out to Caleb Armstrong, who sits on the pole for the little 500 for the second year in a row. Caleb is also 2nd in All Star points so far this season. 

Right after time trials and before I trekked down to the pits, I learned there were 48 cars on hand…..a really nice field.  Among them were Carson Macedo and Spencer Bayston. I call them the slider brothers  because they race this track in a similar fashion…very aggressive, throwing  slide job after slide job at the competition. In addition to the regular All Star and Attica racers we got to see Brady Bacon, Tayler Malsom, Thomas Meseraull, Justin Peck, Cale Thomas, Parker Price Miller, and Craig Mintz, who was making his first race of the season in the Nuemeister 11n. 

The fastest overall timer was Craig Mintz and Chad Kemenah was a close second. Next up were the heat races and they proved to be eventful……if not brutal for some….like the car owners! There were 4 heats and each heat had 12 cars! On a fast track like this, passing was hard and having so many cars in the heats proved too much for some to overcome. 

In heat 1 and on lap 4, Tayler Malson tangles with Tyler Gunn in turn 1 and gets air born. He was ok but his car went to the pits on the hook. Macedo was buried in the back and this was the break he needed to bunch them up again. He was not able to capitalize however, and was relegated to the C main.  On lap 7 of this same heat, Trevor Baker and Jordan Mackison tangle at the exit of turn 4 and both flip, suffering heavy damage. Both were okay but neither would return. The finish was 1. 2-Parker Price-Miller [3]; 2. 9M-Jordan Ryan [1]; 3. 59-Ryan Smith [5]; 4. 68G-Tyler Gunn [4]; 5. 4-Brian Smith. 

In heat 2, Spencer Bayston missed the transfer. Tough heats! Spencer won the race last time he was here and now he was relegated to the B main. You could tell he was frustrated a little because a pulled a nice wheelie down the backstretch, not lifting…as he was trying to grab the next position. The heat finish was 1. 5R-Byron Reed [1]; 2. 16-Chris Andrews [2]; 3. 23-DJ Foos [4]; 4. 57X-Andrew Palker [3]; 5. 81-Lee Jacobs [5].  The heat 3 finish was 1. 83M-Broc Martin [1]; 2. 7C-Caleb Armstrong [2]; 3. 11N-Craig Mintz [4]; 4. 22-Brandon Spithaler [3]; 5. 99-Brady Bacon [5]. 

Now heat 4 gets the prize as the heat of the evening and not necessarily for the best of reasons. The heat finished as follows….1. 35S-Stuart Brubaker [1]; 2. 10H-Chad Kemenah [4]; 3. 17-Caleb Helms [3]; 4. 5T-Travis Philo [2]; 5. 35-Tyler Esh. Most of this heat Philo had 2nd. The last 3 laps so Kemenah came up and challenged for that spot, with a dash position on the line. The racing was close and neither wanted to give an inch of track position. While passing the flagstand, and with the white flag waiving, both drivers made hard contact, with Kemenah getting to turn 1 first and Philo suffering some damage. It looked like a racing deal, nothing intentional. Helms then came around and passed Philo for 3rd  at the checkers. On the cool down lap, you could see what was going to happen as Philo sped up exirting turn 2 and raced towards Kemenah’s car. Philo then fed Kemenah his RR tire and broke Chad’s front axle. As Philo continued on to the pits, Kemenah got out of his broken racer and proceeded to run towards the pits. By that time, track officials were at Kemenah’s car and Chad, in his mad dash ran over one of the officials, knocking him to the ground. Afterwards, we learned that both Philo and Kemenah had been disqualified. Needless to say, that didn’t sit too well with Chad and his team as they were very unhappy with the All Star officials and their decision. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few days. 

Carson Macedo won the C main followed by Duane Zablocki, Cale Thomas and youngster Justin Peck, who looked like he could drive a race car pretty good. 

The carnage continued as Brandon Matis and Bryan Nuckles flipped in the B main. Both drivers were okay. Bayston had this one wrapped up but with a few laps remaining his car quit on him, handing the win to Max Stambaugh. 

Byron Reed won with the All Stars at Attica Friday Before the A started and after the 4 abreast, front row starter Parker Price Miller came to a halt on the back stretch…his engine expiring….before they even saw the green flag for the 40 lapper. A bad break obviously. That allowed Chris Andrews to start at the front and he took advantage, racing Stuart Brubaker for the lead on the first lap. Jody Keegan stops the action on lap 2, spinning out in turn 4. When the action resumed, Brubaker fell back as Andrews led Mintz, Byron Reed, Brubaker, Armstrong, Helms and Foos. Reed has been quietly steady all evening and now is starting to become a factor. On lap 7, Armstrong goes off turn 3 and that ends his bid for a win as Andrews still leads. The action resumed and went non-stop until lap 16 when Brady Bacon went off turn 3….bringing out the yellow. The top 3 cars had started to pull away from everyone else but those 3 kept only a car length distance between them as they went at it. The action went non-stop from lap 16 to lap 30 with Reed passing Andrews for the lead in heavy traffic with Mintz close in 3rd. The yellow on lap 30 was for Hunter Mackison, who slowed to a stop in turn 4. 

The running order was now Reed, Andrews, Mintz, Foos, Broc Martin, Brubaker and Helms. The action resumed and like before, the top 3 raced away from everyone else. Mintz gets by Andrews for 2nd in the heavy traffic and on the white flag lap Andrews slows, giving 3rd to Foos.  Eight time and defending track champion Byron Reed wins it! Wow, what a race with the top 3 dicing in and out of traffic non-stop. That was a really good race. 

Helms was the highest finishing All Star with a 6th place finish and Ryan Smit was the next highest All Star  with a 11th  place finish. Thank you All Stars and Attica Raceway Park. On to Mansfield!