Rico Abreu Goes Wire-to-Wire at Muskingum County Speedway for First All Star Victory of 2020
DRESDEN, Ohio (July 9, 2020) – Snapping an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 winless streak that dates back to Atomic Speedway on August 25, 2017, St. Helena, California’s Rico Abreu demolished the field on Thursday evening at Muskingum County Speedway, eventually leading all 30 circuits from the pole position to score night six of Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Hercules Tires.
Abreu, driver of the Rico Abreu/Curb-Agajanian Racing/Abreu Vineyards/Lucas Oil Products/Curb Records/Self Made Racing/Dancer Logistics/No. 24 sprint car, was just shy of perfect during his visit to the Dresden, Ohio, highbanks with his only defeat during the entire program coming in the form of a runner-up performance during his respective heat race. The now eight-time All Star Circuit of Champions feature winner, two of which occurring during Ohio Sprint Speedweek, set the fastest qualifying time in his respective group of qualifiers, and won the first of two dashes, ultimately setting up his pole position.
Eventually escaping to a comfortable margin of victory that reached nearly a full straightaway, Abreu did encounter some pressure during the non-stop 30-lap contest, most of which in the form of lapped traffic. Although reaching slower cars by lap seven, it was not until lap 12 when things started to really bunch up in front of the familiar No. 24. The high-speed roadblock allowed fellow frontrunners Aaron Reutzel and Shane Stewart to close the lead gap, all within just a few car lengths by lap 15.
Although intense for a moment, the pressure faded just as rapidly as it started, as Abreu was able to patiently navigate slower cars and pad his lead to a pair of lappers by lap 22.
“Patience was keen there when we got to lapped traffic. You got guys like Aaron Reutzel, Shane Stewart, Kyle Larson behind you; you gotta really hustle it,” an elated Rico Abreu said in victory lane. “My car had a really good right rear squeeze to it, so I could carry a lot of momentum to the center of the corner then just kinda back everything up getting off. My guys did a phenomenal job. They worked all night long and made little tweaks every time we got off of the track. It’s all based on communication with them and making sure you’re giving them the right feedback. I feel like we hit all of our steps tonight.
“A big thanks to all of the fans for coming out tonight. It’s a Thursday night, so it’s great to see a healthy crowd. I’m looking forward to racing the rest of the week with the All Stars. It’s a lot of fun getting to race with them.”
Shane Stewart worked his way around Aaron Reutzel to claim second with two laps remaining. Reutzel, the current Ohio Sprint Speedweek points leader, maintained third at the final checkers, followed by Kyle Larson and Josh Baughman.
What’s Next:
Tony Stewart’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 will continue the 2020 edition of Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Hercules Tires with a visit to Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, Ohio. Home to the Dean Knittel Memorial, the Friday night showstopper will award a $15,554 top prize. To find out more, please visit Muskingum County Speedway online at https://www.muskingumcountyspeedway.com/.
Online Coverage:
Each and every event on the 2020 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 schedule will be broadcast live exclusively at www.floracing.com. To access live and on-demand racing action from the All Star Circuit of Champions, visit www.floracing.com and become an annual PRO subscriber. The subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network. Watch the events across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast. To check out exclusive content, visit https://bit.ly/2XR863e.
Contingency Awards/Results: Muskingum Co. Speedway – July 9, 2020:
Event: Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Hercules Tires
Entries: 31
C&R Racing Warm-Ups: Kyle Larson – 12.945
Lincoln Electric Fast Qualifier: Zeb Wise – 13.235
Ford Performance Heat #1 Winner: Aaron Reutzel
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2 Winner: Brent Marks
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3 Winner: Cale Conley
Mobil 1 Heat #4 Winner: Josh Baughman
Kear’s Speed Shop Dash #1 Winner: Rico Abreu
Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts Dash #2 Winner: Aaron Reutzel
Classic Ink USA Screenprinting & Embroidery B-Main Winner: Henry Malcuit
Rayce Rudeen Foundation First Non-Transfer: Jordan Ryan
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet A-Main Winner: Rico Abreu
Hercules Tire A-Main Hard Charger: Chad Kemenah (+6)
Qualifying
Group (A)
1. 11-Zeb Wise, 13.235; 2. 57-Kyle Larson, 13.373; 3. 71-Shane Stewart, 13.474; 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 13.489; 5. 70M-Henry Malcuit, 13.905; 6. O7-Gerard McIntyre, 14.036; 7. 22B-Ryan Broughton, 14.105; 8. 19R-Jordan Ryan, 15.090
Group (B)
1. 5-Brent Marks, 13.530; 2. 99-Skylar Gee, 13.786; 3. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 13.958; 4. 13-Paul McMahan, 14.079; 5. 70-Sye Lynch, 14.126; 6. 40i-Mark Imler, 14.822; 7. 6-Frank Rodgers, 99.340; 8. 15k-Chad Kemenah, 99.430
Group (C)
1. 26-Cory Eliason, 13.877; 2. 28-Tim Shaffer, 13.951; 3. 12n-Joey Saldana, 14.052; 4. 3C-Cale Conley, 14.121; 5. 35-Stuart Brubaker, 14.214; 6. 4S-Tyler Street, 14.301; 7. W20-Greg Wilson, 14.654; 8. 18J-RJ Jacobs, 14.683
Group (D)
1. 24-Rico Abreu, 14.024; 2. 17-Josh Baughman, 14.446; 3. 5h-Jordan Harble, 14.539; 4. 3J-Trey Jacobs, 14.565; 5. 25-Chris Myers, 14.569; 6. 2L-Landon Lalonde, 14.682; 7. 15-Mitch Harble, 15.152
Heat #1 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel [1]; 2. 57-Kyle Larson [3]; 3. 71-Shane Stewart [2]; 4. 11-Zeb Wise [4]; 5. O7-Gerard McIntyre [6]; 6. 22B-Ryan Broughton [7]; 7. 19R-Jordan Ryan [8]; 8. 70M-Henry Malcuit [5]
Heat #2 – Group (B) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 5-Brent Marks [4]; 2. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [2]; 3. 13-Paul McMahan [1]; 4. 99-Skylar Gee [3]; 5. 15K-Chad Kemenah [8]; 6. 70-Sye Lynch [5]; 7. 40I-Mark Imler [6]; 8. 6-Frank Rodgers [7]
Heat #3 – Group (C) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 3C-Cale Conley [1]; 2. 12N-Joey Saldana [2]; 3. 28-Tim Shaffer [3]; 4. 26-Cory Eliason [4]; 5. 4S-Tyler Street [6]; 6. W20-Greg Wilson [7]; 7. 35-Stuart Brubaker [5]; 8. 18J-RJ Jacobs [8]
Heat #4 – Group (D) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 17-Josh Baughman [3]; 2. 24-Rico Abreu [4]; 3. 5H-Jordan Harble [2]; 4. 3J-Trey Jacobs [1]; 5. 15-Mitch Harble [7]; 6. 2L-Landon Lalonde [6]; 7. 25-Chris Myers [5]
Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 24-Rico Abreu [2]; 2. 11-Zeb Wise [1]; 3. 57-Kyle Larson [4]; 4. 17-Josh Baughman [5]; 5. 99-Skylar Gee [3]
Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel [1]; 2. 71-Shane Stewart [2]; 3. 5-Brent Marks [3]; 4. 26-Cory Eliason [5]; 5. 3C-Cale Conley [4]
B-Main (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 70M-Henry Malcuit [1]; 2. W20-Greg Wilson [4]; 3. 22B-Ryan Broughton [2]; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker [6]; 5. 19R-Jordan Ryan [9]; 6. 70-Sye Lynch [3]; 7. 2L-Landon Lalonde [5]; 8. 18J-RJ Jacobs [10]; 9. 40I-Mark Imler [8]
A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 24-Rico Abreu [1]; 2. 71-Shane Stewart [4]; 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel [2]; 4. 57-Kyle Larson [5]; 5. 17-Josh Baughman [7]; 6. 5-Brent Marks [6]; 7. 11-Zeb Wise [3]; 8. 3C-Cale Conley [10]; 9. 26-Cory Eliason [8]; 10. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [11]; 11. 12N-Joey Saldana [12]; 12. 99-Skylar Gee [9]; 13. 28-Tim Shaffer [13]; 14. 15K-Chad Kemenah [20]; 15. 13-Paul McMahan [14]; 16. W20-Greg Wilson [22]; 17. O7-Gerard McIntyre [17]; 18. 4S-Tyler Street [18]; 19. 35-Stuart Brubaker [24]; 20. 3J-Trey Jacobs [16]; 21. 5H-Jordan Harble [15]; 22. 70M-Henry Malcuit [21]; 23. 22B-Ryan Broughton [23]; 24. 15-Mitch Harble [19] Lap Leaders: Rico Abreu (1-30)
2020 Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Hercules Tires Standings: (As of July 9, 2020):
1. Aaron Reutzel – 862
2. Cale Conley – 836
3. Paul McMahan – 798
4. Cory Eliason – 770
5. Zeb Wise – 736
6. Josh Baughman -734
7. Skylar Gee – 730
8. Greg Wilson – 726
9. Tim Shaffer – 722
10. Stuart Brubaker – 656
2020 All Star Circuit of Champions Driver Standings: (As of July 9, 2020)
1. Aaron Reutzel – 2748
2. Cory Eliason – 2604
3. Paul McMahan – 2532
4. Zeb Wise – 2522
5. Greg Wilson – 2390
6. Josh Baughman -2386
7. Skylar Gee – 2362
8. Tony Stewart – 1702
9. Danny Dietrich – 1678
10. Brock Zearfoss – 1632
2020 All Star Circuit of Champions Winners:
Volusia Speedway Park, Fla. (2/5/2020): Brad Sweet
Volusia Speedway Park, Fla. (2/6/2020): Aaron Reutzel
East Bay Raceway Park, Fla. (2/10/2020): Aaron Reutzel (2)
East Bay Raceway Park, Fla. (2/11/2020): Kyle Larson
Park Jefferson International Speedway, S.D. (5/29/2020): Aaron Reutzel (3)
Park Jefferson International Speedway, S.D. (5/30/2020): Austin McCarl
Red Dirt Raceway, Okla. (6/5/2020): Aaron Reutzel (4)
81 Speedway, Kan. (6/7/2020): Kyle Larson (2)
Lawton Speedway, Okla. (6/8/2020): Kyle Larson (3)
Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Texas (6/10/2020): Kyle Larson (4)
Southern Oklahoma Speedway, Okla. (6/11/2020): Brock Zearfoss
Monarch Motor Speedway, Texas (6/12/2020): Danny Dietrich
Lonestar Speedway, Texas (6/13/2020): Aaron Reutzel (5)
Chatham Speedway, Louisiana (6/14/2020): Dominic Scelzi
Port Royal Speedway, Pa. (6/24/2020): Anthony Macri
Volunteer Speedway, Tenn. (6/27/2020): Aaron Reutzel (6)
SW: Attica Raceway Park, Ohio (7/3/2020): Cap Henry
SW: Fremont Speedway, Ohio (7/4/2020): Buddy Kofoid
SW: Fremont Speedway, Ohio (7/5/2020): Aaron Reutzel (7)
SW: Wayne County Speedway, Ohio (7/6/2020): Cap Henry (2)
SW: Brushcreek Motorsports Complex, Ohio (7/8/2020): Kyle Larson (5)
SW: Muskingum Co. Speedway, Ohio (7/9/20): Rico Abreu
About the All Star Circuit of Champions:
All Star Enterprises, LLC, wholly owned by Tony Stewart, d/b/a the All Star Circuit of Champions, is a winged sprint car series. The All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series is one of the oldest traveling 410 sprint car organizations and is a staple of grassroots, open-wheel racing. Formed in 1970 by Bud Miller, the series has largely been considered the first ‘outlaw’ Sprint Car organization of the modern era. Motorsports entrepreneur Tony Stewart agreed to terms with Guy Webb to become the sole owner of the original winged sprint car tour in January of 2015.
About Ollie’s Bargain Outlet:
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Inc., founded in 1982, is one of America’s largest retailers of closeouts and excess inventory, offering real brands at real bargain prices. Famous for its signature catch-phrase Good Stuff Cheap, Ollie’s has a huge variety of famous brand-name merchandise in every department – food, books, housewares, toys, electronics, domestics, clothing, furniture, health and beauty, flooring, seasonal items and so much more – at up to 70 percent off the fancy stores’ prices. You never know what you’ll find at one of Ollie’s 366 “semi-lovely” stores in 25 states. For more information, visit www.ollies.us. Like us on Facebook or find us on Twitter at @OlliesOutlet. Ollie’s is a publicly-traded company on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol OLLI.
About Mobil 1:
The world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, Mobil 1™ features anti-wear technology that provides performance beyond our conventional motor oils. This technology allows Mobil 1 to meet or exceed the toughest standards of car builders and to provide exceptional protection against engine wear, under normal or even some of the most extreme conditions. Mobil 1 flows quickly in extreme temperatures to protect critical engine parts and is designed to maximize engine performance and help extend engine life.
For more information, visit mobiloil.com, on Twitter @Mobil1 and, on Facebook, www.facebook.com/mobil1.
Mobil, Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 Racing are registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.
About FloSports:
Founded in 2006, FloSports is a venture-backed subscription video streaming service dedicated to sports, offering live and on-demand access to hundreds of thousands of competition events across 25+ vertical sport categories in the US and abroad. FloSports’ mission is to give underserved sports the love they deserve. With a growing library of more than 300,000 hours of premium content including news, expert commentary, films, documentaries and more, FloSports has established itself as an innovator and leader in sports streaming. Finally, your sport has a home. For more information, please visit: flosports.tv.
Sources: Tyler Altmeyer/Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 PR
Photo Credit: Insane Wayne Riegle Racing Photography