Fan Notes from Wayne County Pete Jacobs Memorial 9-2-18

Wayne County Speedway (Tom Myers) 9/2/18 – The All Star Circuit of Champions scheduled their third race of the Labor Day weekend at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio for the annual $10,000 to win Pete Jacobs Memorial. Pete Jacobs put Wayne County Speedway here in 1965 and the rest is history. Thank you Pete, for a racetrack in my backyard and a racetrack that produces some of the most exciting racing you will ever see. Thank you Pete, for a racetrack that features the most fun - to - race turns 1 and 2 in all of sprint car racing…that, according to Kyle Larson.

I was really excited for this race because I invited some friends to come and they were, to my amazement, actually excited about it too. I knew my buddy and his daughter liked sprint cars because when I had them come with me a few weeks back to watch a weekly race here, they got hooked on it. “Wow, the sprints are fast.” That’s what I heard over and over again. And the dirt didn’t bother them, so I thought, okay, maybe we have something here. They then asked about the next race and I told them about the All Stars coming to town and they were all in. A week later, I found out that my buddy was bringing his wife to this All Star race as well as his daughter. Now, I have known this lady for many, many years. She is not what you would call a rough and tumble person. She is quiet and genteel….and seems more suited for watching a ballet than attending a dirt slinging, alcohol chugging, earth shaking and ear splitting type of event like a sprint car race. But there she was….hat on, sunglasses, and bandana all on her person, prepared for the worst. So, I didn’t know how she would react to all this, being her first time and all but I held out some hope. Obviously, our sport needs new fans. My sons, for some reason, have no interest in sprint cars whatsoever. I have done everything I can. I have failed and I hang my head in shame. But my friends, ah, my friends have given me a new hope! Ha Ha

It was a beautiful day and we arrived early to get a good seat and put our blankets down. My wife was along too so the ladies were having a good time talking while sitting in the stands watching the water truck go round and round. My buddy and I went down to the concession area seated ourselves on one of the picnic tables and enjoyed a cigar. A fellow sitting next to us, who was wearing a Jac Haudenschild shirt, spoke up and told us about a nice cigar shop in Canton that we should go and visit sometime. Yes we will friend, thank you! After that, it was time for me to go back to the pits and nose around.

Gio Scelzi (Hutch Xtreme Racing Photo) There were 35 cars on hand, the best car count of the weekend for the All Stars. Jac Haudenschild was making his first appearance of the weekend. In addition to the Wayne County regulars and All Star regulars, FAST regulars Cap Henry, Broc Martin and T.J. Michaels were in the pits. Joining them were Tim Shaffer, Ryan Smith, Geo Scelzi, Cole Duncan, Dean and Lee Jacobs, Hunter Schurenburg, Parker Price-Miller, Brandon Wimmer, Max Stambaugh and western PA racers George Hobaugh and Jack Sodeman Jr.

During and after hot laps, I looked over at my friends to see how it was going. As they watched the cars race by they all had a smile and a look of wonderment on their faces. I mean, really, they did. Well this is good so far, I thought. But wait until the dust starts…..I thought. Tim Shaffer, coming out near the end of time trials got the quick time, and Cole Duncan was second fastest. The track was smooth but drying a bit in the middle and around the top. The fast way around was up high in turns 1 and 2 and in the middle or bottom of turns 3 and 4.

They watered the track after time trials and then there were some super stocks running around for a bit. I went back to the pits to check out the heat race lineups and to look the car of Kris Davis, who turned over in turn 3 and 4, smacking the guardrail hard as he came down. The frame was toast, totally twisted and bent in the front. But the driver was a-ok. Jordan Ryan also tangled with the turn 3 guardrail in hot laps. After repairs, he returned to time 30th. Not the time he wanted, that’s for sure.

Brock Zearfoss (Hutch Xtreme Racing Photo) A packed grandstand anticipated the start of the heat races. There would be 4 heats taking the top 5 to the A main and the top 2 finishers to the dash. In the first heat, Lee Jacobs got the win, followed by Cap Henry, Parker Price-Miller, Jac Haudenschild and Brandon Wimmer. Ryan missed the transfer by 1 spot. In heat 2, Ryan Smith scored the victory followed by Travis Philo, Andrew Paulker, Cole Duncan and Cale Conley. In heat 3, Aaron Reutzel grabbed the win, followed by Geo Scelzi, Dave Blaney, Paul McMahon and Brock Zearfoss. Scelzi threw a massive slider at Blaney to grab the Dash transfer spot on the last lap in turns 3 and 4. In the last heat, the winner was Hunter Schurenburg, Chad Kemenah, Tim Shaffer, Carson Macedo and Max Stambaugh. The track had slicked off in turns 3 and 4 and those who ventured up there found a smooth surface, but no traction and they would lose ground. The track was tacky around the bottom but a little bumpy and the entrance to turns 1 and 3 using the low groove were a bit dicey and tricky.

In the B main, Wayne County regular Danny Mumaw had the last transfer spot until All Star runner Brandon Spithaler actually ran into Mumaw and bumped him out of the way on the last lap in turn 3 to grab the final A-main transfer spot. He really wanted that spot! The B-main finish was George Hobaugh, Broc Martin, T.J. Michaels and Spithaler.

After the dashes, the A-main lineup would be Ryan Smith, Henry, Schurenburg, Philo and Duncan on the inside row with Reutzel, Scelzi, Kemenah, Shaffer and Lee Jacobs on the outside row. At the start of the 35 lap race, Smith and Reutzel raced for the lead with Smith leading lap one and Reutzel leading lap 2. Smith then grabbed back the lead and started to pull away. Smith was utilizing the middle and bottom as Reutzel started to fade on the top. On lap 5 Price-Miller spins it in turn 4 bringing out a yellow. At the restart the running order was Smith, Reutzel, Scelzi, Henry, Shaffer and Kemenah. The race went green until a lap 16 yellow.

Tim Shaffer won the Pete Jacobs Memorial at Wayne County Sept. 2 Smith had been working on extending his big lead while Shaffer had been surging and had just passed Scelzi for 2nd. Reutzel was fading as Henry was solidly in 4th. Smith looked way too fast for anyone to catch…but your knew Shaffer must have been good to come up to 2nd. The running order was Smith, Shaffer, Scelzi, Henry, Reutzel and Kemenah. When the race resumed, Smith tried in vain to hold off Shaffer. Tim was too much and swept past Smith on the next lap and then proceeded to race away from the rest. Tim was using the high groove up by the fence in 1 and 2 and the middle and bottom in 2 and 4. His winning move came in 3 and 4 with a diamond off turn 3 and shooting under Smith at the turn 4 exit. Even though there were 2 more cautions and one open red on lap 25, Shaffer never again was challenged for the lead. One of the yellows negated a Geo Scelzi pass of Ryan Smith for 2nd. Scelzi never got that chance again as Smith held on for 2nd.

In victory lane Shaffer said he and his race team and owners really work well together. Both Tim and crew chief Cody Jacobs really wanted to win this race because of the obvious family connections to the track. Tim talked about this place being tough for them and being close here before, finally glad they got it done. Tim praised Cody for a great car and fast setup as well as finding some new things that work along with their RPM Chassis. Cody stated that it’s good working with one of the best drivers in the world.

That was a fine race and a fun time! Because there was only one support class, we were leaving the track at a decent hour and everyone had a great time, thank you Wayne County Speedway! The next day I found out that my friend’s wife loved the sprint cars, dust or no dust, it didn’t matter. As a matter of fact, she wanted to know when the next race was! My buddy told me she was talking about the race almost as soon as she got out of bed the following morning! Now that is satisfying, I gotta say. So, we are planning on hitting a few more races before there is frost on the pumpkin.

Thank you All Star Circuit of Champions and thank you Wayne County Speedway. We will see you again the next time!