ROSSBURG, OH (6-30-07) – The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions wrapped up the 25^th Annual UNOH Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by RacingJunk.com at “The Big E” – Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway with a huge crowd and 39 cars and stars ready to cap off the week. One surprise visitor was Ed Lynch Jr., a Western PA standout who has come close to a win at Eldora Speedway many times, but always came up short. This time he finally took the checkered flag for his first win at “The Track That Earl Built” by virtue of a good qualifying run and a fast car that allowed him to drive it hard anywhere on the speedway.
“Earl always told me I was going to get one down here,” said Lynch. “I finally got it and I’m glad Earl is still around to see it. I pulled the wing back too far and Kenny drove away from me, then I got back by him, then he drove away from me again and then broke. I guess his misfortune was just my fortune this time.”
As the green flag dropped on the 24-car starting field, Lynch took the lead over Brock Mayes, Kenny Jacobs, and Jimmy Stinson. Jacobs got by Mayes on the first lap and the chase was on as he eventually got by Lynch and pulled away to a commanding lead. A lap 16 caution for a slowing Rob Chaney allowed Lynch to gather Jacobs back in and the two battled hard with Mayes running 3^rd and Dale Blaney, who could have picked up the $50,000 bonus money with a win, began his charge to the front and was up to 5^th place.
On lap 20, disaster struck as “The Mouse” – looking for his 98^th career All Star win - had his drive line break and the lead was handed over to Lynch. On lap 23 the caution flew once again with Blaney eyeing that top spot and the bonus check, but Shane Stewart was the man on the move and passed up Blaney on his way to a 3^rd place finish all the way from 21^st . This hard charge to the front would also net him the Ohio Sprint Speedweek Championship as he started the night one point behind leader Dale Blaney.
“This week has been so grueling,” said Stewart about his Speedweek championship. “You get to bed at 4 or 5 in the morning and have to get up early to do it all over again. We kept our car on all four wheels all week and didn’t tear much stuff up and my Eagle car has been fantastic all week. It was a lot of fun. I just wish we could have got a couple more cautions tonight, but I hope the fans enjoyed it.”
At the checkered flag it was Lynch Jr., Mayes, Stewart, Jimmy Stinson, and Phil Gressman. Blaney’s tire had begun to go down on the final restart and he could not hold onto his Top 5 spot. It was Mayes’ best finish at Eldora Speedway and he has gotten better each time he has visited the facility. “I should have drove it in a little harder on that last restart and been a little bit more aggressive,” said Mayes, “but I don’t know if we would have had anything for him. We’re happy with the 2^nd place finish.”
The HoserVille Ohio Dash – a special event lined up by points accumulated throughout the week, was won by Shane Stewart.
Heat races were won by Kenny Jacobs (who was also the Huggins Cams fast qualifier), Stewart, Lynch Jr., and Brian Paulus. Neil Shepherd won the UNOH B-main.
The All Stars will take a short break to regroup and then head to Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, PA on Tuesday night for the “Freedom Fifty” event which will also be a double-points event for the All Stars.
For more info visit www.tricityspeedway.com <http://www.tricityspeedway.com/> or www.allstarsprint.com <http://www.allstarsprint.com/speedweek/> .
*O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions - Eldora Speedway 6-30-07*
Huggins Cams Qualifying
1. 8J-Kenny Jacobs, 13.439; 2. 2M-Dustin Daggett, 13.573; 3. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr., 13.602; 4. 24H-Rob Chaney, 13.634; 5. 11B-Brock Mayes, 13.636; 6.
4N-Neil Shepherd, 13.691; 7. 92-Jimmy Stinson, 13.722; 8. 2-Dale Blaney, 13.751; 9. 71M-Paul May, 13.803; 10. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.862; 11.
1R-Phil Gressman, 13.872; 12. 20E-Brian Ellenberger, 13.885; 13. 4-Danny Smith, 13.895; 14. 7K-Dean Jacobs, 13.930; 15. 11M-Brandon Martin, 13.962; 16. 34-Luke Hall, 13.965; 17. 81-Robert Ballou, 13.966; 18.
5B-Chad Blonde, 14.003; 19. 22-Nick Naber, 14.005; 20. 28-Brian Paulus, 14.022; 21. 20AU-Troy Little, 14.063; 22. 8H-Shane Stewart, 14.072; 23.
9X-Kevin Huntley, 14.081; 24. 22B-Ben Gregg, 14.118; 25. 11N-Ed Neumeister, 14.179; 26. 35-Ron Blair, 14.203; 27. 15C-Chris Andrews, 14.238; 28. 16-Lee Stark, 14.238; 29. 4M-Jamie Miller, 14.252; 30.
6-Bill Rose, 14.310; 31. 6B-Mike Dussel, 14.321; 32. 82-Mike Miller, 14.332; 33. 12-Caleb Griffith, 14.364; 34. 0-Gus Wasson, 14.397; 35.
99-Keith Baxter, 14.559; 36. 49T-Gregg Dalman, 14.910; 37. 96AU-Bruce White, 15.284; 38. 1A-Mark Aldrich, 99.000; 39. O9-Craig Mintz, 99.000;
Crown Battery Heat Race 1
1. 8J-Kenny Jacobs; 2. 20AU-Troy Little; 3. 4-Danny Smith; 4. 71M-Paul May; 5. 11B-Brock Mayes; 6. 12-Caleb Griffith; 7. 81-Robert Ballou; 8.
96AU-Bruce White; 9. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 10. 4M-Jamie Miller;
Hoosier Racing Tire Heat Race 2
1. 8H-Shane Stewart; 2. 7K-Dean Jacobs; 3. 5B-Chad Blonde; 4. W20-Greg Wilson; 5. 2M-Dustin Daggett; 6. 4N-Neil Shepherd; 7. 6-Bill Rose; 8.
35-Ron Blair; 9. 0-Gus Wasson;
Engler Machine & Tool Heat Race 3
1. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.; 2. 1R-Phil Gressman; 3. 92-Jimmy Stinson; 4. 22-Nick Naber; 5. 6B-Mike Dussel; 6. 15C-Chris Andrews; 7. 9X-Kevin Huntley; 8.
99-Keith Baxter; 9. 11M-Brandon Martin;
Taylor Wings Heat Race 4
1. 28-Brian Paulus; 2. 2-Dale Blaney; 3. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 4.
24H-Rob Chaney; 5. 34-Luke Hall; 6. 22B-Ben Gregg; 7. 82-Mike Miller; 8.
16-Lee Stark; 9. 49T-Gregg Dalman;
Hoserville Ohio All Star Dash
1. 8H-Shane Stewart; 2. 71M-Paul May; 3. 11B-Brock Mayes; 4. 24H-Rob Chaney; 5. W20-Greg Wilson; 6. 28-Brian Paulus;
University of Northwest Ohio B-main
1. 4N-Neil Shepherd; 2. 11M-Brandon Martin; 3. 12-Caleb Griffith; 4.
6-Bill Rose; 5. 9X-Kevin Huntley; 6. 4M-Jamie Miller; 7. 15C-Chris Andrews; 8. 81-Robert Ballou; 9. 99-Keith Baxter; 10. 35-Ron Blair; 11.
49T-Gregg Dalman; 12. 82-Mike Miller; 13. 96AU-Bruce White; 14. 16-Lee Stark; 15. 0-Gus Wasson; 16. 22B-Ben Gregg; 17. 11N-Ed Neumeister;
MSD Ignition A-main Starting Position [#] 1. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.[4]; 2. 11B-Brock Mayes[2]; 3. 8H-Shane Stewart[21]; 4. 92-Jimmy Stinson[1]; 5. 1R-Phil Gressman[10]; 6. 5B-Chad Blonde[17]; 7. 2-Dale Blaney[7]; 8. 28-Brian Paulus[19]; 9. 4-Danny Smith[13]; 10.
7K-Dean Jacobs[14]; 11. 24H-Rob Chaney[3]; 12. 11M-Brandon Martin[15]; 13. 6-Bill Rose[22]; 14. 71M-Paul May[8]; 15. W20-Greg Wilson[9]; 16.
20E-Brian Ellenberger[12]; 17. 12-Caleb Griffith[24]; 18. 34-Luke Hall[16]; 19. 20AU-Troy Little[20]; 20. 2M-Dustin Daggett[5]; 21.
4N-Neil Shepherd[11]; 22. 8J-Kenny Jacobs[6]; 23. 6B-Mike Dussel[23]; 24. 22-Nick Naber[18];
“Earl always told me I was going to get one down here,” said Lynch. “I finally got it and I’m glad Earl is still around to see it. I pulled the wing back too far and Kenny drove away from me, then I got back by him, then he drove away from me again and then broke. I guess his misfortune was just my fortune this time.”
As the green flag dropped on the 24-car starting field, Lynch took the lead over Brock Mayes, Kenny Jacobs, and Jimmy Stinson. Jacobs got by Mayes on the first lap and the chase was on as he eventually got by Lynch and pulled away to a commanding lead. A lap 16 caution for a slowing Rob Chaney allowed Lynch to gather Jacobs back in and the two battled hard with Mayes running 3^rd and Dale Blaney, who could have picked up the $50,000 bonus money with a win, began his charge to the front and was up to 5^th place.
On lap 20, disaster struck as “The Mouse” – looking for his 98^th career All Star win - had his drive line break and the lead was handed over to Lynch. On lap 23 the caution flew once again with Blaney eyeing that top spot and the bonus check, but Shane Stewart was the man on the move and passed up Blaney on his way to a 3^rd place finish all the way from 21^st . This hard charge to the front would also net him the Ohio Sprint Speedweek Championship as he started the night one point behind leader Dale Blaney.
“This week has been so grueling,” said Stewart about his Speedweek championship. “You get to bed at 4 or 5 in the morning and have to get up early to do it all over again. We kept our car on all four wheels all week and didn’t tear much stuff up and my Eagle car has been fantastic all week. It was a lot of fun. I just wish we could have got a couple more cautions tonight, but I hope the fans enjoyed it.”
At the checkered flag it was Lynch Jr., Mayes, Stewart, Jimmy Stinson, and Phil Gressman. Blaney’s tire had begun to go down on the final restart and he could not hold onto his Top 5 spot. It was Mayes’ best finish at Eldora Speedway and he has gotten better each time he has visited the facility. “I should have drove it in a little harder on that last restart and been a little bit more aggressive,” said Mayes, “but I don’t know if we would have had anything for him. We’re happy with the 2^nd place finish.”
The HoserVille Ohio Dash – a special event lined up by points accumulated throughout the week, was won by Shane Stewart.
Heat races were won by Kenny Jacobs (who was also the Huggins Cams fast qualifier), Stewart, Lynch Jr., and Brian Paulus. Neil Shepherd won the UNOH B-main.
The All Stars will take a short break to regroup and then head to Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, PA on Tuesday night for the “Freedom Fifty” event which will also be a double-points event for the All Stars.
For more info visit www.tricityspeedway.com <http://www.tricityspeedway.com/> or www.allstarsprint.com <http://www.allstarsprint.com/speedweek/> .
*O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions - Eldora Speedway 6-30-07*
Huggins Cams Qualifying
1. 8J-Kenny Jacobs, 13.439; 2. 2M-Dustin Daggett, 13.573; 3. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr., 13.602; 4. 24H-Rob Chaney, 13.634; 5. 11B-Brock Mayes, 13.636; 6.
4N-Neil Shepherd, 13.691; 7. 92-Jimmy Stinson, 13.722; 8. 2-Dale Blaney, 13.751; 9. 71M-Paul May, 13.803; 10. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.862; 11.
1R-Phil Gressman, 13.872; 12. 20E-Brian Ellenberger, 13.885; 13. 4-Danny Smith, 13.895; 14. 7K-Dean Jacobs, 13.930; 15. 11M-Brandon Martin, 13.962; 16. 34-Luke Hall, 13.965; 17. 81-Robert Ballou, 13.966; 18.
5B-Chad Blonde, 14.003; 19. 22-Nick Naber, 14.005; 20. 28-Brian Paulus, 14.022; 21. 20AU-Troy Little, 14.063; 22. 8H-Shane Stewart, 14.072; 23.
9X-Kevin Huntley, 14.081; 24. 22B-Ben Gregg, 14.118; 25. 11N-Ed Neumeister, 14.179; 26. 35-Ron Blair, 14.203; 27. 15C-Chris Andrews, 14.238; 28. 16-Lee Stark, 14.238; 29. 4M-Jamie Miller, 14.252; 30.
6-Bill Rose, 14.310; 31. 6B-Mike Dussel, 14.321; 32. 82-Mike Miller, 14.332; 33. 12-Caleb Griffith, 14.364; 34. 0-Gus Wasson, 14.397; 35.
99-Keith Baxter, 14.559; 36. 49T-Gregg Dalman, 14.910; 37. 96AU-Bruce White, 15.284; 38. 1A-Mark Aldrich, 99.000; 39. O9-Craig Mintz, 99.000;
Crown Battery Heat Race 1
1. 8J-Kenny Jacobs; 2. 20AU-Troy Little; 3. 4-Danny Smith; 4. 71M-Paul May; 5. 11B-Brock Mayes; 6. 12-Caleb Griffith; 7. 81-Robert Ballou; 8.
96AU-Bruce White; 9. 11N-Ed Neumeister; 10. 4M-Jamie Miller;
Hoosier Racing Tire Heat Race 2
1. 8H-Shane Stewart; 2. 7K-Dean Jacobs; 3. 5B-Chad Blonde; 4. W20-Greg Wilson; 5. 2M-Dustin Daggett; 6. 4N-Neil Shepherd; 7. 6-Bill Rose; 8.
35-Ron Blair; 9. 0-Gus Wasson;
Engler Machine & Tool Heat Race 3
1. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.; 2. 1R-Phil Gressman; 3. 92-Jimmy Stinson; 4. 22-Nick Naber; 5. 6B-Mike Dussel; 6. 15C-Chris Andrews; 7. 9X-Kevin Huntley; 8.
99-Keith Baxter; 9. 11M-Brandon Martin;
Taylor Wings Heat Race 4
1. 28-Brian Paulus; 2. 2-Dale Blaney; 3. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 4.
24H-Rob Chaney; 5. 34-Luke Hall; 6. 22B-Ben Gregg; 7. 82-Mike Miller; 8.
16-Lee Stark; 9. 49T-Gregg Dalman;
Hoserville Ohio All Star Dash
1. 8H-Shane Stewart; 2. 71M-Paul May; 3. 11B-Brock Mayes; 4. 24H-Rob Chaney; 5. W20-Greg Wilson; 6. 28-Brian Paulus;
University of Northwest Ohio B-main
1. 4N-Neil Shepherd; 2. 11M-Brandon Martin; 3. 12-Caleb Griffith; 4.
6-Bill Rose; 5. 9X-Kevin Huntley; 6. 4M-Jamie Miller; 7. 15C-Chris Andrews; 8. 81-Robert Ballou; 9. 99-Keith Baxter; 10. 35-Ron Blair; 11.
49T-Gregg Dalman; 12. 82-Mike Miller; 13. 96AU-Bruce White; 14. 16-Lee Stark; 15. 0-Gus Wasson; 16. 22B-Ben Gregg; 17. 11N-Ed Neumeister;
MSD Ignition A-main Starting Position [#] 1. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.[4]; 2. 11B-Brock Mayes[2]; 3. 8H-Shane Stewart[21]; 4. 92-Jimmy Stinson[1]; 5. 1R-Phil Gressman[10]; 6. 5B-Chad Blonde[17]; 7. 2-Dale Blaney[7]; 8. 28-Brian Paulus[19]; 9. 4-Danny Smith[13]; 10.
7K-Dean Jacobs[14]; 11. 24H-Rob Chaney[3]; 12. 11M-Brandon Martin[15]; 13. 6-Bill Rose[22]; 14. 71M-Paul May[8]; 15. W20-Greg Wilson[9]; 16.
20E-Brian Ellenberger[12]; 17. 12-Caleb Griffith[24]; 18. 34-Luke Hall[16]; 19. 20AU-Troy Little[20]; 20. 2M-Dustin Daggett[5]; 21.
4N-Neil Shepherd[11]; 22. 8J-Kenny Jacobs[6]; 23. 6B-Mike Dussel[23]; 24. 22-Nick Naber[18];
