ROSSBURG, Ohio — When fast-qualifier Kenny Jacobs slipped around Ed Lynch, Jr. during Saturday night’s All Star Circuit of Champions feature, Lynch thought his chance to win his first race at Eldora Speedway was over.
But, a broken driveshaft forced Jacobs to the pits, clearing the way for Lynch to win easily over Brock Mayes and Shane Stewart.
“This is a dream come true,” said Lynch. “Earl Baltes always said, ‘You’re going to get it, son. I’m telling you, you are going to get it.’ I am glad that he is still around to know that I got it.”
Lynch snatched the lead when the race started, but Jacobs dropped Mayes to third and began his pursuit of the leader. Several slide jobs later, Jacobs finally pulled in front and then to a comfortable margin until the driveline came apart on the 20th lap. From that point on, Lynch never again faced a serious challenge.
Lynch expected lapped traffic to make the race interesting late in the contest, but Jacobs showed him a groove that was quick.
“I drove back by him, and then he drove away from me,” said Lynch. “And then he broke. I guess it was just my turn.”
Stewart, who started 21st, claimed the Ohio Sprint Speedweek crown. Stewart attributed his championship to consistency during the week and avoiding mishaps.
“We kept it on all four wheels all week and didn’t tear much up,” said Stewart.
Dale Blaney entered the feature with a chance to collect a $50,000 bonus in addition to the $10,000 first-place money if he could win for the fourth time in seven races, but finished seventh.
The summary:
Fast time: Kenny Jacobs, 13.439 seconds (39 cars).
First Heat: Kenny Jacobs, Troy Little, Danny Smith, Paul May, Brock Mayes, Caleb Griffith, Robert Ballou, Bruce White, Ed Neumeister.
Second Heat: Shane Stewart, Dean Jacobs, Chad Blonde, Greg Wilson, Dustin Daggett, Neil Shepherd, Bill Rose, Ron Blair, Gus Wasson.
Third Heat: Ed Lynch, Jr., Phil Gressman, Jimmy Stinson, Nick Nabor, Mike Dussell, Chris Andrews, Kevin Huntley, Keith Baxter.
Fourth Heat: Brian Paulus, Dale Blaney, Brian Ellenberger, Rob Chaney, Luke Hall, Ben Gregg, Mike Miller, Lee Stark, Greg Dalman.
Dash: Shane Stewart, Paul May, Brock Mayes, Rob Chaney, Greg Wilson, Brian Paulus.
B Main: Shepherd, Martin, Griffith, Rose, Huntley, Miller, Andrews, Ballou, Baxter, Blair, Dalman, Miller, White, Stark, Wasson.
Feature: Lynch, Mayes, Stewart, Stinson, Gressman, Blonde, Blaney, Paulus, Smith, D. Jacobs, Chaney, Martin, Rose, May, Wilson, Ellenberger, Griffith, Hall, Little, Daggett, Shepherd, K. Jacobs, Dussell, Nabor.