CHILLICOTHE, OH (6-23-07) Thirty-two stars and cars came out to kick off the un-official beginning to the 25th Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek at Jim Neir’s K-C Raceway. The lightning fast 3/8 mile bullring in the hills of Southern Ohio saw fast and furious action as the All Stars used the preliminary night to tune up for the 7 straight nights of racing to follow.
The veteran, Danny Smith, who now calls Jim Neir’s K-C Raceway his home track has certainly got the place figured out. Smith dominated the last two weekly events there by lapping most of the field and put that knowledge to use to get his first All Star win of 2007. “I saved my tire so we’d be there at the end and we were able to get it done tonight.” After a couple of victory lane donuts, Smith joked by saying “It’s a good thing I saved enough tire for those donuts because if I would have tipped it over that would have been embarrassing.”
Greg Wilson raced Smith hard the entire way but just couldn’t get around the veteran in lapped traffic. He showed smith his nose several times, but each time Smith was able to pull away. Dale Blaney snuck into 2nd place mid-race but Wilson was able to get back around and challenge Smith until the final checkered flag flew. “It’s great to see Danny running so well,” said Wilson. “He’s been through so much and he’s a guy I have always looked up to and respected. We’re still going to race him hard for the championship.”
With very little rain in recent weeks, fears were that the track would go away early and the decision was made before the drivers meeting to only run one lap of Huggins Cams qualifying. However, in typical All Star event fashion, a steady drizzle fell throughout the heat races. This time it worked in the All Star’s favor by keeping the dust down and the track damp and fast, making for some ferocious heat race action with Greg “Wild Man” Wilson showing why he is the defending All Star champion as he rode the rim to the front of his heat race from a sixth place starting position to win in dominating fashion. Dean Jacobs, Jesse “The Rocket” Hockett, and Danny Smith, who was an obvious early favorite to take home the trophy and the big paycheck, were the other heat race winners.
Greg Wilson won the All Star Dash and Jimmy Stinson won the University of Northwestern Ohio B-main.
The All Stars kick off Ohio Sprint Speedweek at Attica Raceway Park on Sunday June 24th. Visit www.ohiospeedweek.com for more information.
O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Statistical Report - KC Raceway 6-23-07
Huggins Cams Qualifying
1. 2-Dale Blaney, 12.060; 2. 24H-Rob Chaney, 12.112; 3. 4-Danny Smith, 12.193; 4. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.267; 5. 71M-Paul May, 12.302; 6. 22-Nick Naber, 12.311; 7. 92-Jimmy Stinson, 12.338; 8. 11B-Brock Mayes, 12.388; 9. 7K-Dean Jacobs, 12.413; 10. 4S-Eddie Slone, 12.462; 11. M20-Mike Brecht, 12.504; 12. O9-Craig Mintz, 12.569; 13. 20E-Brian Ellenberger, 12.575; 14. 28-Brian Paulus, 12.624; 15. 35-Ron Blair, 12.630; 16. 6-Bill Rose, 12.667; 17. 65-Adam Strausser, 12.682; 18. 51-Aaron Higgins, 12.723; 19. 11N-Ed Neumeister, 12.728; 20. 22B-Ben Gregg, 12.889; 21. 1B-Keith Baxter, 12.969; 22. 75-Jesse Hockett, 12.978; 23. 11M-Brandon Martin, 13.018; 24. 7A-Dave Dickson, 13.152; 25. 37S-Jr Stewart, 13.165; 26. O6-Brandy Bower, 13.292; 27. 40-Mark Imler, 13.412; 28. 95-Spud Gustin, 13.534; 29. 41-Randy Fink, 13.650; 30. 59-Kirk Jeffries, 13.668; 31. 22D-Josh Davis, 13.695; 32. 5H-George Hawkins, 13.708;
Crown Battery Heat Race 1
1. 7K-Dean Jacobs; 2. 2-Dale Blaney; 3. 1B-Keith Baxter; 4. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 5. 71M-Paul May; 6. 37S-Jr Stewart; 7. 41-Randy Fink; 8. 65-Adam Strausser;
Hoosier Racing Tire Heat Race 2
1. 75-Jesse Hockett; 2. 28-Brian Paulus; 3. 24H-Rob Chaney; 4. 4S-Eddie Slone; 5. 22-Nick Naber; 6. 51-Aaron Higgins; 7. O6-Brandy Bower; 8. 59-Kirk Jeffries;
Engler Machine & Tool Heat Race 3
1. 4-Danny Smith; 2. 35-Ron Blair; 3. M20-Mike Brecht; 4. 11M-Brandon Martin; 5. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 6. 92-Jimmy Stinson; 7. 40-Mark Imler; 8. 22D-Josh Davis;
Taylor Wings Heat Race 4
1. W20-Greg Wilson; 2. 22B-Ben Gregg; 3. O9-Craig Mintz; 4. 11B-Brock Mayes; 5. 6-Bill Rose; 6. 7A-Dave Dickson; 7. 5H-George Hawkins; 8. 95-Spud Gustin;
All Star Dash
1. W20-Greg Wilson; 2. 24H-Rob Chaney; 3. 4-Danny Smith; 4. 11B-Brock Mayes; 5. 71M-Paul May; 6. 2-Dale Blaney;
University of Northwest Ohio B-main
1. 92-Jimmy Stinson; 2. 7A-Dave Dickson; 3. 37S-Jr Stewart; 4. 65-Adam Strausser; 5. 40-Mark Imler; 6. 51-Aaron Higgins; 7. 59-Kirk Jeffries; 8. 95-Spud Gustin; 9. 41-Randy Fink; 10. O6-Brandy Bower; 11. 5H-George Hawkins; 12. 22D-Josh Davis;
MSD Ignition A-main Starting Position [#]
1. 4-Danny Smith[4]; 2. W20-Greg Wilson[3]; 3. 2-Dale Blaney[6]; 4. O9-Craig Mintz[12]; 5. 24H-Rob Chaney[5]; 6. 28-Brian Paulus[14]; 7. 71M-Paul May[2]; 8. 92-Jimmy Stinson[11]; 9. 22-Nick Naber[1]; 10. 11B-Brock Mayes[7]; 11. 6-Bill Rose[16]; 12. 7K-Dean Jacobs[8]; 13. 1B-Keith Baxter[20]; 14. 20E-Brian Ellenberger[13]; 15. 75-Jesse Hockett[21]; 16. M20-Mike Brecht[10]; 17. 11M-Brandon Martin[22]; 18. 22B-Ben Gregg[19]; 19. 65-Adam Strausser[17]; 20. 4S-Eddie Slone[9]; 21. 11N-Ed Neumeister[18]; 22. 35-Ron Blair[15]; 23. 7A-Dave Dickson[23]; 24. 37S-Jr Stewart[24]
The veteran, Danny Smith, who now calls Jim Neir’s K-C Raceway his home track has certainly got the place figured out. Smith dominated the last two weekly events there by lapping most of the field and put that knowledge to use to get his first All Star win of 2007. “I saved my tire so we’d be there at the end and we were able to get it done tonight.” After a couple of victory lane donuts, Smith joked by saying “It’s a good thing I saved enough tire for those donuts because if I would have tipped it over that would have been embarrassing.”
Greg Wilson raced Smith hard the entire way but just couldn’t get around the veteran in lapped traffic. He showed smith his nose several times, but each time Smith was able to pull away. Dale Blaney snuck into 2nd place mid-race but Wilson was able to get back around and challenge Smith until the final checkered flag flew. “It’s great to see Danny running so well,” said Wilson. “He’s been through so much and he’s a guy I have always looked up to and respected. We’re still going to race him hard for the championship.”
With very little rain in recent weeks, fears were that the track would go away early and the decision was made before the drivers meeting to only run one lap of Huggins Cams qualifying. However, in typical All Star event fashion, a steady drizzle fell throughout the heat races. This time it worked in the All Star’s favor by keeping the dust down and the track damp and fast, making for some ferocious heat race action with Greg “Wild Man” Wilson showing why he is the defending All Star champion as he rode the rim to the front of his heat race from a sixth place starting position to win in dominating fashion. Dean Jacobs, Jesse “The Rocket” Hockett, and Danny Smith, who was an obvious early favorite to take home the trophy and the big paycheck, were the other heat race winners.
Greg Wilson won the All Star Dash and Jimmy Stinson won the University of Northwestern Ohio B-main.
The All Stars kick off Ohio Sprint Speedweek at Attica Raceway Park on Sunday June 24th. Visit www.ohiospeedweek.com for more information.
O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Statistical Report - KC Raceway 6-23-07
Huggins Cams Qualifying
1. 2-Dale Blaney, 12.060; 2. 24H-Rob Chaney, 12.112; 3. 4-Danny Smith, 12.193; 4. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.267; 5. 71M-Paul May, 12.302; 6. 22-Nick Naber, 12.311; 7. 92-Jimmy Stinson, 12.338; 8. 11B-Brock Mayes, 12.388; 9. 7K-Dean Jacobs, 12.413; 10. 4S-Eddie Slone, 12.462; 11. M20-Mike Brecht, 12.504; 12. O9-Craig Mintz, 12.569; 13. 20E-Brian Ellenberger, 12.575; 14. 28-Brian Paulus, 12.624; 15. 35-Ron Blair, 12.630; 16. 6-Bill Rose, 12.667; 17. 65-Adam Strausser, 12.682; 18. 51-Aaron Higgins, 12.723; 19. 11N-Ed Neumeister, 12.728; 20. 22B-Ben Gregg, 12.889; 21. 1B-Keith Baxter, 12.969; 22. 75-Jesse Hockett, 12.978; 23. 11M-Brandon Martin, 13.018; 24. 7A-Dave Dickson, 13.152; 25. 37S-Jr Stewart, 13.165; 26. O6-Brandy Bower, 13.292; 27. 40-Mark Imler, 13.412; 28. 95-Spud Gustin, 13.534; 29. 41-Randy Fink, 13.650; 30. 59-Kirk Jeffries, 13.668; 31. 22D-Josh Davis, 13.695; 32. 5H-George Hawkins, 13.708;
Crown Battery Heat Race 1
1. 7K-Dean Jacobs; 2. 2-Dale Blaney; 3. 1B-Keith Baxter; 4. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 5. 71M-Paul May; 6. 37S-Jr Stewart; 7. 41-Randy Fink; 8. 65-Adam Strausser;
Hoosier Racing Tire Heat Race 2
1. 75-Jesse Hockett; 2. 28-Brian Paulus; 3. 24H-Rob Chaney; 4. 4S-Eddie Slone; 5. 22-Nick Naber; 6. 51-Aaron Higgins; 7. O6-Brandy Bower; 8. 59-Kirk Jeffries;
Engler Machine & Tool Heat Race 3
1. 4-Danny Smith; 2. 35-Ron Blair; 3. M20-Mike Brecht; 4. 11M-Brandon Martin; 5. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 6. 92-Jimmy Stinson; 7. 40-Mark Imler; 8. 22D-Josh Davis;
Taylor Wings Heat Race 4
1. W20-Greg Wilson; 2. 22B-Ben Gregg; 3. O9-Craig Mintz; 4. 11B-Brock Mayes; 5. 6-Bill Rose; 6. 7A-Dave Dickson; 7. 5H-George Hawkins; 8. 95-Spud Gustin;
All Star Dash
1. W20-Greg Wilson; 2. 24H-Rob Chaney; 3. 4-Danny Smith; 4. 11B-Brock Mayes; 5. 71M-Paul May; 6. 2-Dale Blaney;
University of Northwest Ohio B-main
1. 92-Jimmy Stinson; 2. 7A-Dave Dickson; 3. 37S-Jr Stewart; 4. 65-Adam Strausser; 5. 40-Mark Imler; 6. 51-Aaron Higgins; 7. 59-Kirk Jeffries; 8. 95-Spud Gustin; 9. 41-Randy Fink; 10. O6-Brandy Bower; 11. 5H-George Hawkins; 12. 22D-Josh Davis;
MSD Ignition A-main Starting Position [#]
1. 4-Danny Smith[4]; 2. W20-Greg Wilson[3]; 3. 2-Dale Blaney[6]; 4. O9-Craig Mintz[12]; 5. 24H-Rob Chaney[5]; 6. 28-Brian Paulus[14]; 7. 71M-Paul May[2]; 8. 92-Jimmy Stinson[11]; 9. 22-Nick Naber[1]; 10. 11B-Brock Mayes[7]; 11. 6-Bill Rose[16]; 12. 7K-Dean Jacobs[8]; 13. 1B-Keith Baxter[20]; 14. 20E-Brian Ellenberger[13]; 15. 75-Jesse Hockett[21]; 16. M20-Mike Brecht[10]; 17. 11M-Brandon Martin[22]; 18. 22B-Ben Gregg[19]; 19. 65-Adam Strausser[17]; 20. 4S-Eddie Slone[9]; 21. 11N-Ed Neumeister[18]; 22. 35-Ron Blair[15]; 23. 7A-Dave Dickson[23]; 24. 37S-Jr Stewart[24]
