SARVER, PA (8-31-07) The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions made their second and final appearance of 2007 at Western PA’s Lernerville Speedway to complete Round #1 of the “Fall Brawl” weekend. Thirty-three local stars and All Stars lined the pits ready to duke it out on the famed half mile. Local heavy hitters Rod George, Ed Lynch Jr., and Todd Schaeffer were all ready to defend their turf, but it was PA native Stevie Smith, who now resides in Oklahoma, who would make his way to the front to take the checkered flag.
Rob Chaney and Scott Priester started on the front row and Chaney jumped out to the early lead as the track slicked off more and more each lap. Byron Reed challenged Chaney early in the race, but Dale Blaney was on a mission to the front and was eventually able to get past Reed and then power past Chaney on the outside to take the lead.
As the rest of the field bumped and banged their way through the turns and ran 3 wide down the straight-aways, Stevie Smith quietly worked his way toward the front. Working the low groove paid off for Smith as he caught the leader and dove under him in turn two to take the lead. Blaney chased him hard to the checkers, but Smith would prevail and take home the win.
“In my mind I wanted to win this race, but didn’t think it was possible,” said Smith as he commented on his 9th place starting position. “These guys were all going so good tonight. I don’t expect to do this every night. We just got better through the night and made some changes for the feature. I got passed by somebody who got down there underneath me. I figured if he can do it then I can do it and that’s probably what won us the race,” said Smith referring to the moisture on the bottom of turn two.
The battle was hot and heavy back in sixth and seventh place with Greg Wilson fighting Danny Smith for crucial points toward the 2007 season championship. Wilson came into the event down just 34 points behind Smith and he fought tooth and nail to gain just a couple more points on the leader by finishing one spot ahead of Smith. Both drivers bumped wheels all around the speedway for several laps as Wilson held off multiple charges by Smith. The two traded positions a number of times in the closing laps of the non-stop 35 lap event. With just a handful of points races left in the season, Smith is trying to hang on for his first ever championship title.
The All Stars travel to Attica Raceway Park on Saturday Sept. 1st for Round #2 of the “Fall Brawl”. Don’t miss it. Visit www.allstarsprint.com for more info.
Lernerville Speedway - 8-31-07 - O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Statistical Report
Qualifying - Huggins Cams
1. 15-Mike Lutz, 15.319; 2. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr., 15.353; 3. 20E-Brian Ellenberger, 15.416; 4. 6F-Bob Felmlee, 15.505; 5. 45-Todd Bauer, 15.584; 6. 5-Byron Reed, 15.586; 7. 5B-Chad Blonde, 15.588; 8. 11-Scott Priester, 15.692; 9. 24H-Rob Chaney, 15.871; 10. 28-Brian Paulus, 15.880; 11. 2-Dale Blaney, 15.926; 12. 9-Kevin Schaeffer, 15.942; 13. 19-Stevie Smith, 15.972; 14. 42-Charlie Holben, 15.973; 15. W20-Greg Wilson, 16.003; 16. 4G-Rod George, 16.021; 17. O9-Craig Mintz, 16.036; 18. 4-Danny Smith, 16.092; 19. 10-Carl Bowser, 16.181; 20. 12-Caleb Griffith, 16.196; 21. 0-Andy Mckisson, 16.231; 22. 33-Brent Matus, 16.249; 23. 3B-Scott Bonnell, 16.361; 24. 56R-Ryan Myers, 16.417; 25. 51-Jason Pisani, 16.560; 26. 11M-Brandon Martin, 16.573; 27. 11B-Brock Mayes, 16.705; 28. 98-Dan Shetler, 16.806; 29. 18-Arnie Kent, 16.891; 30. 71M-Paul May, 16.965; 31. D4-Danny Holtgraver, 17.135; 32. 3J-Joe Butera, 18.254; 33. 4K-Bill Kiley, 22.807;
Heat 1 - Crown Battery
1. O9-Craig Mintz; 2. 0-Andy Mckisson; 3. 19-Stevie Smith; 4. 24H-Rob Chaney; 5. 15-Mike Lutz; 6. 18-Arnie Kent; 7. 45-Todd Bauer; 8. 51-Jason Pisani; 9. 4K-Bill Kiley;
Heat 2 - Hoosier Racing Tire
1. 4-Danny Smith; 2. 42-Charlie Holben; 3. 33-Brent Matus; 4. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.; 5. 5-Byron Reed; 6. 28-Brian Paulus; 7. 11M-Brandon Martin; 8. 71M-Paul May;
Heat 3 - Engler Machine & Tool
1. 2-Dale Blaney; 2. 3B-Scott Bonnell; 3. 10-Carl Bowser; 4. W20-Greg Wilson; 5. 11B-Brock Mayes; 6. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 7. D4-Danny Holtgraver; 8. 5B-Chad Blonde;
Heat 4 - Taylor Wings
1. 4G-Rod George; 2. 11-Scott Priester; 3. 12-Caleb Griffith; 4. 9-Kevin Schaeffer; 5. 6F-Bob Felmlee; 6. 98-Dan Shetler; 7. 56R-Ryan Myers; 8. 3J-Joe Butera;
All Star Dash
1. 2-Dale Blaney; 2. W20-Greg Wilson; 3. O9-Craig Mintz; 4. 24H-Rob Chaney; 5. 4-Danny Smith; 6. 5-Byron Reed;
B-main - University of Northwest Ohio
1. 5B-Chad Blonde; 2. 28-Brian Paulus; 3. 71M-Paul May; 4. 18-Arnie Kent; 5. 11M-Brandon Martin; 6. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 7. D4-Danny Holtgraver; 8. 51-Jason Pisani; 9. 98-Dan Shetler; 10. 4K-Bill Kiley; 11. 45-Todd Bauer; 12. 3J-Joe Butera; 13. 56R-Ryan Myers;
A-main - MSD Ignition Starting Position [#]
1. 19-Stevie Smith[9]; 2. 2-Dale Blaney[7]; 3. 5-Byron Reed[3]; 4. 5B-Chad Blonde[11]; 5. 24H-Rob Chaney[1]; 6. W20-Greg Wilson[13]; 7. 4-Danny Smith[16]; 8. 15-Mike Lutz[6]; 9. O9-Craig Mintz[15]; 10. 6F-Bob Felmlee[4]; 11. 28-Brian Paulus[12]; 12. 9-Kevin Schaeffer[8]; 13. 11-Scott Priester[2]; 14. 0-Andy Mckisson[19]; 15. 11B-Brock Mayes[22]; 16. 10-Carl Bowser[17]; 17. 4G-Rod George[14]; 18. 11M-Brandon Martin[25]; 19. 33-Brent Matus[20]; 20. 42-Charlie Holben[10]; 21. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.[5]; 22. 3B-Scott Bonnell[21]; 23. 71M-Paul May[24]; 24. 98-Dan Shetler[26]; 25. 12-Caleb Griffith[18]; 26. 18-Arnie Kent[23];
Rob Chaney and Scott Priester started on the front row and Chaney jumped out to the early lead as the track slicked off more and more each lap. Byron Reed challenged Chaney early in the race, but Dale Blaney was on a mission to the front and was eventually able to get past Reed and then power past Chaney on the outside to take the lead.
As the rest of the field bumped and banged their way through the turns and ran 3 wide down the straight-aways, Stevie Smith quietly worked his way toward the front. Working the low groove paid off for Smith as he caught the leader and dove under him in turn two to take the lead. Blaney chased him hard to the checkers, but Smith would prevail and take home the win.
“In my mind I wanted to win this race, but didn’t think it was possible,” said Smith as he commented on his 9th place starting position. “These guys were all going so good tonight. I don’t expect to do this every night. We just got better through the night and made some changes for the feature. I got passed by somebody who got down there underneath me. I figured if he can do it then I can do it and that’s probably what won us the race,” said Smith referring to the moisture on the bottom of turn two.
The battle was hot and heavy back in sixth and seventh place with Greg Wilson fighting Danny Smith for crucial points toward the 2007 season championship. Wilson came into the event down just 34 points behind Smith and he fought tooth and nail to gain just a couple more points on the leader by finishing one spot ahead of Smith. Both drivers bumped wheels all around the speedway for several laps as Wilson held off multiple charges by Smith. The two traded positions a number of times in the closing laps of the non-stop 35 lap event. With just a handful of points races left in the season, Smith is trying to hang on for his first ever championship title.
The All Stars travel to Attica Raceway Park on Saturday Sept. 1st for Round #2 of the “Fall Brawl”. Don’t miss it. Visit www.allstarsprint.com for more info.
Lernerville Speedway - 8-31-07 - O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Statistical Report
Qualifying - Huggins Cams
1. 15-Mike Lutz, 15.319; 2. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr., 15.353; 3. 20E-Brian Ellenberger, 15.416; 4. 6F-Bob Felmlee, 15.505; 5. 45-Todd Bauer, 15.584; 6. 5-Byron Reed, 15.586; 7. 5B-Chad Blonde, 15.588; 8. 11-Scott Priester, 15.692; 9. 24H-Rob Chaney, 15.871; 10. 28-Brian Paulus, 15.880; 11. 2-Dale Blaney, 15.926; 12. 9-Kevin Schaeffer, 15.942; 13. 19-Stevie Smith, 15.972; 14. 42-Charlie Holben, 15.973; 15. W20-Greg Wilson, 16.003; 16. 4G-Rod George, 16.021; 17. O9-Craig Mintz, 16.036; 18. 4-Danny Smith, 16.092; 19. 10-Carl Bowser, 16.181; 20. 12-Caleb Griffith, 16.196; 21. 0-Andy Mckisson, 16.231; 22. 33-Brent Matus, 16.249; 23. 3B-Scott Bonnell, 16.361; 24. 56R-Ryan Myers, 16.417; 25. 51-Jason Pisani, 16.560; 26. 11M-Brandon Martin, 16.573; 27. 11B-Brock Mayes, 16.705; 28. 98-Dan Shetler, 16.806; 29. 18-Arnie Kent, 16.891; 30. 71M-Paul May, 16.965; 31. D4-Danny Holtgraver, 17.135; 32. 3J-Joe Butera, 18.254; 33. 4K-Bill Kiley, 22.807;
Heat 1 - Crown Battery
1. O9-Craig Mintz; 2. 0-Andy Mckisson; 3. 19-Stevie Smith; 4. 24H-Rob Chaney; 5. 15-Mike Lutz; 6. 18-Arnie Kent; 7. 45-Todd Bauer; 8. 51-Jason Pisani; 9. 4K-Bill Kiley;
Heat 2 - Hoosier Racing Tire
1. 4-Danny Smith; 2. 42-Charlie Holben; 3. 33-Brent Matus; 4. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.; 5. 5-Byron Reed; 6. 28-Brian Paulus; 7. 11M-Brandon Martin; 8. 71M-Paul May;
Heat 3 - Engler Machine & Tool
1. 2-Dale Blaney; 2. 3B-Scott Bonnell; 3. 10-Carl Bowser; 4. W20-Greg Wilson; 5. 11B-Brock Mayes; 6. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 7. D4-Danny Holtgraver; 8. 5B-Chad Blonde;
Heat 4 - Taylor Wings
1. 4G-Rod George; 2. 11-Scott Priester; 3. 12-Caleb Griffith; 4. 9-Kevin Schaeffer; 5. 6F-Bob Felmlee; 6. 98-Dan Shetler; 7. 56R-Ryan Myers; 8. 3J-Joe Butera;
All Star Dash
1. 2-Dale Blaney; 2. W20-Greg Wilson; 3. O9-Craig Mintz; 4. 24H-Rob Chaney; 5. 4-Danny Smith; 6. 5-Byron Reed;
B-main - University of Northwest Ohio
1. 5B-Chad Blonde; 2. 28-Brian Paulus; 3. 71M-Paul May; 4. 18-Arnie Kent; 5. 11M-Brandon Martin; 6. 20E-Brian Ellenberger; 7. D4-Danny Holtgraver; 8. 51-Jason Pisani; 9. 98-Dan Shetler; 10. 4K-Bill Kiley; 11. 45-Todd Bauer; 12. 3J-Joe Butera; 13. 56R-Ryan Myers;
A-main - MSD Ignition Starting Position [#]
1. 19-Stevie Smith[9]; 2. 2-Dale Blaney[7]; 3. 5-Byron Reed[3]; 4. 5B-Chad Blonde[11]; 5. 24H-Rob Chaney[1]; 6. W20-Greg Wilson[13]; 7. 4-Danny Smith[16]; 8. 15-Mike Lutz[6]; 9. O9-Craig Mintz[15]; 10. 6F-Bob Felmlee[4]; 11. 28-Brian Paulus[12]; 12. 9-Kevin Schaeffer[8]; 13. 11-Scott Priester[2]; 14. 0-Andy Mckisson[19]; 15. 11B-Brock Mayes[22]; 16. 10-Carl Bowser[17]; 17. 4G-Rod George[14]; 18. 11M-Brandon Martin[25]; 19. 33-Brent Matus[20]; 20. 42-Charlie Holben[10]; 21. 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.[5]; 22. 3B-Scott Bonnell[21]; 23. 71M-Paul May[24]; 24. 98-Dan Shetler[26]; 25. 12-Caleb Griffith[18]; 26. 18-Arnie Kent[23];
