By Brian Liskai
ATTICA, Ohio — It took two months, but Dale Blaney finally closed the books on the Coors Light Spring Nationals at Attica Raceway Park, winning the O’Reilly All Star sprint-car feature Friday.
In the Budweiser Night main, defending Attica champion Byron Reed held off several challengers for his second 410 victory of the year at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” venue.
The All Star triumph — the 55th of Blaney’s career — came after the race was rained out in April and again May 25. It marked Blaney’s eighth victory at Attica, as he led all 30 laps aboard the George Fisher-owned entry.
“When we finish, we’re always in the top five,” Blaney said. “We’ve just had some mechanical misfortunes. George sets this thing up, and I know it’s always going to be fast. I was more concerned over who was behind me on those restarts at the end than the tire sealing up. When you have Rob Chaney right on your bumper the way he’s been running, you better be on your game.”
Chaney, who started sixth, made his way to second quickly and shadowed Blaney through most of the race.
“This is probably the best start I’ve had in my career. This team is just working so well together,” said Chaney.
Dean Jacobs, Greg Wilson and Caleb Griffith rounded out the top five.
A second, regularly scheduled sprint-car race (unsanctioned) was also on the card, and three-time Attica champion Reed earned $3,000 for his 19th-career victory at the fast third-mile dirt track. He led every lap.
“I don’t like starting up front...I get too complacent. I like coming from mid-pack and passing cars. When Caleb...man he has been good lately...when he got under me, it woke me up. I found I could drive the car harder into three and four and I started going faster,” said Reed.
Shane Stewart finished second in the nightcap, with Wilson, Gus Wasson and Jacobs filling the top five.
The summary:
Fast time: Rob Chaney, 12.288 seconds (34 cars, qualifying and heats held May 25).
First Heat: Mark Keegan, Dean Jacobs, Rob Chaney, Caleb Griffith, Bryan Scott, Bruce Robenalt, Paul Weaver, Kirk Jeffries, Ed Neumeister.
Second Heat: Brock Mayes, Brian Paulus, Craig Mintz, Lee Jacobs, Brian Ellenberger, Roger Shammo, Aaron Middaugh, Danny Smith.
Third Heat: Dusin Daggett, Bill Rose, Jamie Miller, Shane Stewart, Byron Reed, Mike Hogan, John Ivy, George Hawkins.
Fourth Heat: Mike Linder, Dale Blaney, Brandon Martin, Greg Wilson, Andy Shammo, Chris Andrews, Tony Beaber, Paul May.
B Main: Smith, Andrews, Robenalt, Hogan, Weaver, Middaugh, Shammo, Beaber, Neumeister, Hawkins, Jeffries, Ivy.
First Feature: Blaney, Chaney, D. Jacobs, Wilson, Griffith, Reed, Smith, Andrews, Stewart, Mintz, Rose, Paulus, Ellenberger, Weaver, Hogan, Keegan, Mayes, L. Jacobs, Linder, Middaugh, Martin, Scott, Robenalt, Shammo.
Second Feature: Reed, Stewart, Wilson, Gus Wasson, D. Jacobs, Linder, Blaney, Smith, Keegan, Ivy, Kenny Jacobs, Andrews, L. Jacobs, Weaver, Rose, Beaber, Griffith, Chaney, Neumeister, Martin.

June 5
SARVER, Pa. — Danny Smith has won at a lot of race tracks, but on June 5 he posted his first victory at Lernerville Speedway, as the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions stopped at the half-mile oval.
After beating Greg Wilson by 11 spots, Smith also took the point lead for the first time this season.
Brian Ellenberger led the first 30 laps of the 35 lapper, but mechanical problems sent him backward through the pack with just a handful of laps to go.
Smith inherited the lead on lap 31 and held off a final-lap charge by Rod George, who nearly took the victory away from Smith. George finished second. Ed Lynch, Jr., Dale Blaney and Brian Paulus rounded out the top five.
Smith is on a three-race winning streak, having won the last two weekly events at Ohio’s K-C Raceway.
“Its always good to get a win,” said Smith. “We built up some confidence at K-C with a few wins. Tonight we just had a good car and a good night. We just do the best that we can each night, and we’ll count up the points at the end of the season.”
The summary:
Fast time: Ed Lynch, Jr., 13.071 seconds (36 cars).
First Heat: Arnie Kent, Kevin Nouse, Brian Paulus, Ed Lynch, Jr., Brock Mayes, Gus Wasson, Carl Bowser, Sheila Rankin, Cory Good.
Second Heat: Greg Wilson, Brian Ellenberger, Terry Bowser, Bill Rose, Dale Blaney, Jesse Hockett, Gary Rankin, Joe Butera, Rob Eyler.
Third Heat: Ed Neumeister, Rod George, Dan Shetler, Brandon Martin, Paul May, Bob Felmlee, Andy McKisson, Brent Matus, Rich Reinhart.
Fourth Heat: Rob Chaney, Lance Dewease, Craig Mintz, Danny Smith, Bill Kiley, Brent Covell, Davey Jones, Scott Priester, Danny Holtgraver.
Dash: Ellenberger, Mintz, Mayes, Blaney, Smith, Paulus.
B Main: Felmlee, Priester, Wasson, Hockett, Eyler, C. Bowser, Matus, McKisson, Butera, S. Rankin, Jones, G. Rankin, Covell, Reinhart, Good.
Feature: Smith, George, Lynch, Blaney, Paulus, Hockett, Felmlee, Chaney, Nouse, Mayes, Dewease, Wilson, Martin, Kent, Wilson, Martin, Kent, May, T. Bowser, Ellenberger, Kiley, Rose, Shetler, Mintz, Wasson, Neumeister, Priester.