CAMARGO, IL (8-26-12) By Brian Liskai– The battle for the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions Ohio Region championship – and its $20,000 top prize – is heating up with just a handful of races remaining in 2012. And the pressure will mount as the teams prepare for a big Labor Day Weekend triple-header.
The teams will head to Sarver, Pa. to the Lernerville Speedway on Friday, Aug. 31. The following day they will help Attica Raceway Park close out its 2012 season on Saturday, Sept. 1, followed the next day, Sunday, Sept. 2, with the second appearance of the series at the NAPA Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway near Orrville, Ohio.
Three time UNOH All Star champion Dale Blaney currently leads three time series champion Tim Shaffer by just 73 points in the Ohio Region. Shaffer looks to become only the third driver in the history of the UNOH All Stars to win his fourth straight national title. Blaney had eight series wins in 2012 to run his career total to 92, just six away from tying hall-of-famer Kenny Jacobs atop the all-time win list. Shaffer has five series wins in 2012 and now has 50 for his career.
When the UNOH All Stars visit Lernerville, the event will certainly draw some of the tough Western Pennsylvania teams. Last season Shaffer picked up the win at Lernerville. But, don’t count out former track champions Blaney or Danny Holtgraver, who sits fifth in the Ohio Region points and scored his first career UNOH All Star win during the Ohio Sprint Speedweek. Through in Stevie Smith, Paul McMahan, Greg Wilson, David Gravel, Pete Miller and a host of other drivers on the famous Lernerville Speedway and it could be a barn-burner.
When the UNOH All Stars head to Attica on Saturday, they will again be faced with tackling the track’s tough weekly competition. Earlier this year, Craig Mintz, who looks to become the track’s champion for 2012 and has three wins this season, passed Blaney on the last lap to score his first ever All Star win. Blaney got a late race pass of Stevie Smith the previous night during the Spring Nationals, to score the win. Then, to open the Ohio Sprint Speedweek, Holtgraver took the win when race-long leader Cap Henry crashed with a lapped car late in the race. The night’s sponsor – the Baumann Auto Group – is putting up extra cash for the event as well.
Shaffer has picked up the Attica Ambush win the past two seasons, with Blaney and Stevie Smith winning in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
Throw in Bryan Sebetto, who has four wins at Attica in 2012; six-time track champion Byron Reed; Phil Gressman; former track champion Chris Andrews; Mike Linder, Travis Philo; 2011 champion Dean Jacobs; two time All Star champion Greg Wilson and a host of other contenders, and the UNOH All Stars will have their hands full.
The UNOH All Stars will wrap up the weekend with their second appearance of the season at the NAPA Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 2. The track was instrumental in the creation of the All Stars back in the early 1970s. When the UNOH All Stars competed at Wayne County during the Ohio Sprint Speedweek, “Young Money” Kyle Larson scored the win in his first ever appearance at the track.
The NAPA Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway returned to weekly sprint car racing in 2012 and has seen fantastic racing. Again, the UNOH All Star competitors will have to battle the tough “regulars” like track champion Andrew Palker, Cole Duncan, Rob Chaney, Danny Mumaw, Chris Myers and a host of others.
For more information go to www.allstarsprint.com.