Dale Blaney Extends Winning Streak To 28 Years At Attica
Dale Blaney Extends Winning Streak To 28 Years At Attica
Dale Blaney had to wait until August this year, but he extended his sprint car winning streak to 28 consecutive years.
Dale Blaney first strapped into a sprint car 28 years ago. Since that time, he has found his way to a Victory Lane at least once per year.
Throughout the spring and most of the summer, it appeared this season might be different. Blaney found himself still searching for that elusive win as races wound down and the end of August approached. Last Friday at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park -- a track where Blaney now sits third on the list of all-time wins with 26 victories -- the weight was lifted from his shoulders as he took the lead late and pulled away for the the Hammer Pallets 410 sprint win.
"It was a tough night. My daughter's coming home this weekend." Blaney said. "It's her birthday on Wednesday and I don't get to see her a whole lot. I can't thank Gene Jenkins and Scott Mertz and Rick enough for helping out tonight. Scott and Gene have been friends of mine for a long time. Gene worked on my car on the Outlaw tour for a long time. I'm dumbfounded the way things have been going this year. I haven't had the greatest of years. But no better place to finally get one than Attica."
The night started for Blaney with frustration. The car was experiencing mechanical issues and the team debated even racing the first night of the two-night showcase.
Blaney then recorded the fastest lap in qualifying and started and finished fourth in his heat.
Cap Henry led the race of the pole for the first 18 laps of the 30-lap feature before he jumped the cushion causing him to spin in corner four. This was Blaney's chance to grab the lead. He did and held it through two late race cautions that bunched the field back up on lap 20 and 21. After 30 laps, Blaney found himself 5.6 seconds in front of the field as the checkered flag flew.
Chris Andrews started next to Henry on the pole, but with a championship in sight, he could not race as hard as the sprints around him.
Andrews secured his second Attica track championship with a seventh-place finish. He claimed his first in 2009.
"Points racing is not fun." Andrews said. "I relate it to like NASCAR when they tell you to drive 30 miles an hour slower to save fuel… it's not fun at all. Sonny (Burmeister) is looking down on us and Sharon… I got a championship for them. I can't say enough about DJ Foos and that team with Jay Kiser and Daniel Smith… they are tough to beat."
Top 10 Finishers
1. Dale Blaney
2. Craig Mintz
3. Travis Philo
4. Stuart Brubaker
5. Cap Henry
6. Shawn Valenti
7. Chris Andrews
8. Jody Keegan
9. Trevor Baker
10. Dan McCarron
Throughout the spring and most of the summer, it appeared this season might be different. Blaney found himself still searching for that elusive win as races wound down and the end of August approached. Last Friday at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park -- a track where Blaney now sits third on the list of all-time wins with 26 victories -- the weight was lifted from his shoulders as he took the lead late and pulled away for the the Hammer Pallets 410 sprint win.
"It was a tough night. My daughter's coming home this weekend." Blaney said. "It's her birthday on Wednesday and I don't get to see her a whole lot. I can't thank Gene Jenkins and Scott Mertz and Rick enough for helping out tonight. Scott and Gene have been friends of mine for a long time. Gene worked on my car on the Outlaw tour for a long time. I'm dumbfounded the way things have been going this year. I haven't had the greatest of years. But no better place to finally get one than Attica."
The night started for Blaney with frustration. The car was experiencing mechanical issues and the team debated even racing the first night of the two-night showcase.
Blaney then recorded the fastest lap in qualifying and started and finished fourth in his heat.
Cap Henry led the race of the pole for the first 18 laps of the 30-lap feature before he jumped the cushion causing him to spin in corner four. This was Blaney's chance to grab the lead. He did and held it through two late race cautions that bunched the field back up on lap 20 and 21. After 30 laps, Blaney found himself 5.6 seconds in front of the field as the checkered flag flew.
Chris Andrews started next to Henry on the pole, but with a championship in sight, he could not race as hard as the sprints around him.
Andrews secured his second Attica track championship with a seventh-place finish. He claimed his first in 2009.
"Points racing is not fun." Andrews said. "I relate it to like NASCAR when they tell you to drive 30 miles an hour slower to save fuel… it's not fun at all. Sonny (Burmeister) is looking down on us and Sharon… I got a championship for them. I can't say enough about DJ Foos and that team with Jay Kiser and Daniel Smith… they are tough to beat."
Top 10 Finishers
1. Dale Blaney
2. Craig Mintz
3. Travis Philo
4. Stuart Brubaker
5. Cap Henry
6. Shawn Valenti
7. Chris Andrews
8. Jody Keegan
9. Trevor Baker
10. Dan McCarron