Fan Notes from Attica Spring Nationals, Night 1!

Attica Raceway Park Tom Myers- Attica, Ohio 4/14/2017- I travelled west to Attica for the first night of the annual Spring Nationals for the 410 sprint cars. The first night featured the F.A.S.T. (Fremont-Attica Sprint Title) 410 winged sprints offering $5000 to win. With the nice weather and the All Stars scheduled to be in action here the following evening, the opener on Friday evening promised to be a good one. And it was, boy was it ever.

I headed out early so I could putz around Willard and check out the CSX train yard there. Then I wandered about the town of Attica before I had to enter the track. I look for Victorian style, turn of the century homes and mansions that are still standing so I can photograph them. Every day, another one is torn down and lost forever. I had never taken the time to look explore Attica before and to my delight, I found a few of these homes. So that was cool. 

When I entered the track, I put my blanket down, taped it to the bleachers, grabbed my camera and off I went to the pits. I counted 34 or so 410 cars but there ended up being 37 after everyone arrived. A nice count considering no All Star guys were there. That surprised me a little, because I thought a few of them would try for the $5000. I did notice that a few of the All Star crew guys were helping out other teams on this evening and that was cool. 

Byron Reed The field was all quality however. Dale Blaney, Tim Shaffer, Byron Reed, Cole Duncan, Lee Jacobs, Dean Jacobs, Mike Kekich, Chad Blonde, Thomas Meseraull, Carson Macedo, Spencer Bayston, D.J. Foos, Chris Andrews, Stuart Brubaker, Tyler Gunn, Travis Philo, Brian Lay, and others. All of these guys have wins on their resume. Add to the mix up and comers Shaun Valenti, Trevor Baker, Cale Thomas and Jordan Ryan, and you have a great race about to unfold. 

The racing surface was perfect. It was tacky and smooth, no dust.  You know you are in for a dry slick track when dust kicks up during hot laps. That happens a lot here in Ohio. But not tonight! The surface was racy all evening, affording traction and passing and lightening fast lap times. 

I wandered around the pits, got my pictures and then went back to my seat to get ready for hot laps and time trials.

Carson Macedo The FAST series times 3 cars at a time, and groups those timers together by heat race draw. So the heat 1 guys time first, three cars at a time, your time determining your starting position in your heat group. D.J. Foos, Carson Macedo, Cole Duncan and Spencer Bayston all had times in the 12.1 or 12.2 range, making them the fastest timers. Macedo was driving for our old friend Joe Gearte in the black 3G car. If I was a driver, I would love to drive a car sponsored by the engine builder and have that guy be your crew chief….. Wouldn’t you?  Bayston was driving the Kevin Swindell 39 and he was fast. Foos was in his own 23 numbered car. Foos’s team was put together last year and so far this year, D.J. has been very fast, finishing 2nd at the Mansfield opener behind Caleb Helms. 

In time trials, Cale Thomas took a nasty flip in turn 3 and executed many gyrations before coming to a stop. He was done for the evening. Chris Andrews, driving the Burmeister 16 entry, had engine troubles but managed to come out and be the last qualifier. He got 1 lap but made it count because he turned a 12.1 lap…... fastest in his heat group!

The top 2 in each heat redraw for the feature, lining up the starting order for the first 8 spots. In heat 1, Tim Shaffer came home the winner followed by Philo, Ryan, Lee Jacobs and Tyler Gunn. In heat 2, Blaney and Trey Jacobs were fighting for the top spot when Blaney slowed going into turn 3. Andrews then proceeded to ride up one of Blaney’s tires and become air born. It looked to be a bad flip in the making but the 16 car landed on all fours and did not turn over more than 1 time. Andrews would return for the b-main.  Dean Jacobs wins in followed by Mike Keckich, who was racing very well and looking like an Attica regular, Trey Jacobs, T-Mez and Zablocki. Styart Brubaker wins heat 3 followed by Byron Reed, Bayston, Lay and Harbough. The track is fast, lots of traction and the engines are at full song. These guys are serious tonight! Word from the pits is that Blaney is changing a rear end in the car. Macedo wins heat 4, followed by Foos, Duncan, Crabtree and Cody Gallogly. Trevor Baker executed a spectacular flip in his heat….riding over the turn 1 banking and then at the exit of 2, he tried to correct, but it looked like he did a wheelie and that got air under the wind. The car flipped backward and twisted around in the air a few times and then finally came to a stop on all 4 tires. It looked much worse than it was. Trevor was done for the evening.  He had wanted to fix it and come out for the B main but his crew advised that the damage was too severe and putting him out there in the car the way it was would be too dangerous.

DJ Foos Blaney missed the transfer spot in his B main but Andrews did transfer to the A. Duncan and Brubaker started on the front, followed by Reed band Foos. Brubaker grabbed the lead but Duncan followed hard behind. Wow this track is fast tonight! Jordan Ryan flipped it in turn 2 on lap 5, he was okay. On the restart, Brubaker continues to lead followed by Duncan, Macedo and Byron Reed.  Reed gets by Macedo for 3rd as Brubaker and Duncan have a torrid battle for the top spot. Duncan gets first but then Brubaker passes him back. As we get past the halfway point, Reed  comes up and gets by Duncan  and passes Brubaker  for the lead on the low side. Foos is now coming up and joins the battle for second.

Behind the first 3 cars, a spirited battle was taking place between Duncan, Macedo and now Bayston. These guys were throwing haymakers at each other, slide job after slide job….pulling slide jobs when there was no room to do so, firing up to the top from a bonsai turn 3 entrance on the low side, and blasting the cushion on the exit of turn 4, hoping the ridge would keep them on the track and from hitting the catch fence! Dirt was flying as the guys behind had to check up to keep from hitting the sliders!  A caution on lap 21 bunched them all together again as we find out that Andrews has come up to 10th from the very back! On the restart, Foos stalks Reed and then grabs the top spot with 4 to go. After a close brush with the front straight guardrail, Foos wins it followed by Reed and Bayston who grabbed third at the end. Brubaker spun on the last lap, ruining a good run for him as he ended up 17th.

D.J. is a good young driver and I am glad for him. This was a big win for him with nice money and bragging rights because it is hard to beat Byron Reed on any short track, especially at Attica. 

Wow, what a good race and a great evening. Attica has a wonderful facility and the track is always good and the show runs quickly. Thank you Attica and thank you FAST sprints!