Dale Blaney Holds off Scelzi and Larson for Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Indy Metal Finishing victory at Muskingum County Speedway
DRESDEN, Ohio (June 16, 2019) – Although it took nearly three years for Hartford, Ohio’s Dale Blaney to find Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 victory lane before his triumph at Stateline Speedway on June 8, it took only eight days to do it again, this time earning night three of Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Indy Metal Finishing at Muskingum County Speedway in Dresden, Ohio.
Forced to withstand heavy offense from a pair of California hotshots, Gio Scelzi and Kyle Larson, Blaney’s Speedweek triumph ultimately bumped his career win total to 136 with Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions, now with two victories in 2019. Impressive enough, Blaney nearly swept the Speedweek program at Muskingum County, winning his respective heat race and dash before leading all 30 circuits of main event competition.
“We just needed to get racing a little bit. We changed some stuff around on the car last week and it made it better, then we changed some more stuff around on the car after the dash [at Attica Raceway Park] and that it better, as well,” Dale Blaney said, driver of the Sam McGhee Motorsports/Mike McGhee & Associates/No. 11 sprint car. “I’m starting to feel like my old self again and the car is making me feel like my old self. We’ll head to the next round and try and do this again.”
Although a clean first half for Blaney, getting the opportunity to avoid traffic as a trio of cautions paved the way for clean air on lap two, eight and 11, it was the second 15 laps of the 30-lap program that brought people to their feet.
Traffic, appearing for the first time, officially, on lap 17, eventually slowed Blaney’s pace, and although the National Sprint Car Hall of Famer worked hard to maintain his distance over second place with one or two lap cars separating the two, the gap between the frontrunners eventually tightened. By lap 19, the top five were nearly nose to tail with Blaney still setting the pace, followed closely by Gio Scelzi, Brock Zearfoss, Kyle Larson and Aaron Reutzel. Despite heavy pressure beginning to build, a caution on lap 25 gave Blaney a breather, once again eradicating slower traffic and giving the six-time All Star champion clean air to utilize.
Seemingly in control the final six circuits, it was the final two laps that created a scare for Blaney as Scelzi closed the lead margin in a hurry, nearly capitalizing on a slip by the race leader. Despite the issue, Blaney held on, chased to the final checkers by Scelzi, Kyle Larson, Brock Zearfoss and Cap Henry.
“I’m not sure what happened there at the end. I thought maybe I had a right-rear tire going low,” Dale Blaney said about the last two laps. “I was really glad I saw the white flag because I thought we were in some serious trouble. I knew the guys behind me were close. They are young, hungry kids who want to win races. I was running as hard as I could without killing my stuff.”
Fans will have the opportunity to relive Dale Blaney’s Muskingum County Speedway/Ohio Sprint Speedweek victory this fall on network television, as MAVTV Motorsports Network cameras were on hand Sunday evening to capture all of the action.
The 37th edition of Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Indy Metal Finishing will continue Monday evening, June 17, at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville; the first of two Speedweek programs at ‘Orrville’s Historic Oval.’ Tony Stewart’s All Stars will return to Wayne County Speedway on Saturday, June 22, for the $10,000-to-win Speedweek finale.
Speed Shift TV, the official online broadcast partner of the All Star Circuit of Champions in 2019, will be conducting live video broadcasts during the next six Ohio Sprint Speedweek programs: Wayne County Speedway – 6/17, Sharon Speedway – 6/18, Atomic Speedway – 6/19, Mansfield Motor Speedway – 6/20, Limaland Motorsports Park – 6/21, Wayne County Speedway – 6/22.
Contingency Awards/Results: Muskingum County Speedway – Sunday, June 16, 2019:
Event: 37th Annual Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Indy Metal Finishing
Entries: 34
C&R Racing All Star Warm-Ups: Kyle Larson – 13.576
Lincoln Electric Fast Qualifier: Aaron Reutzel – 13.381
Ford Performance Heat #1: Tony Stewart
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2: Dale Blaney
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3: Kyle Larson
Mobil 1 Heat #4: Max Stambaugh
JE Pistons Dash #1: Dale Blaney
Fatheadz Eyewear Dash #2: Gio Scelzi
Classic Ink USA B-Main Winner: DJ Foos
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet A-Main Winner: Dale Blaney
MSD Performance Hard Charger Award: Cale Conley
Rayce Rudeen Foundation First Non-Transfer: Gerard McIntyre
(Lincoln Electric, MSD Performance, Fatheadz Eyewear, Rayce Rudeen Foundation: Need decal to qualify for contingency award)
Qualifying
Group (A)
1. 4-Cap Henry, 13.792; 2. 26-Cory Eliason, 13.799; 3. 40-George Hobaugh, 13.947; 4. 14-Tony Stewart, 14.018; 5. 24-Rico Abreu, 14.024; 6. A79-Brandon Wimmer, 14.121; 7. 8M-TJ Michael, 14.122; 8. 3C-Cale Conley, 14.129; 9. 52AU-Darren Mollenoyux, 14.248
Group (B)
1. 17-Josh Baughman, 13.402; 2. 70X-Spencer Bayston, 13.478; 3. 11-Dale Blaney, 13.613; 4. K4-Chad Kemenah, 13.896; 5. 19-Mitch Harble, 13.977; 6. 13-Paul McMahan, 13.979; 7. 3-Jac Haudenschild, 14.084; 8. 99-Skylar Gee, 14.275; 9. W20-Greg Wilson, 14.388
Group (C)
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 13.381; 2. 70-Brock Zearfoss, 13.615; 3. 16-DJ Foos, 13.732; 4. 57-Kyle Larson, 13.773; 5. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.847; 6. 11N-Buddy Kofoid, 13.848; 7. 35-Tyler Esh, 14.321; 8. 5H-Jordan Harble, 14.366
Group (D)
1. 71-Gio Scelzi, 13.489; 2. 49x-Tim Shaffer, 13.794; 3. 71p-Parker Price-Miller, 13.822; 4. 97-Max Stambaugh, 13.823; 5. 48-Danny Dietrich, 13.848; 6. 71X-Ayrton Olsen, 14.013; 7. O7-Gerard McIntyre, 14.043; 8. 81-Lee Jacobs, 14.213
Heat #1 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 14-Tony Stewart [1]; 2. 4-Cap Henry [4]; 3. 26-Cory Eliason [3]; 4. A79-Brandon Wimmer [6]; 5. 40-George Hobaugh [2]; 6. 3C-Cale Conley [8]; 7. 8M-TJ Michael [7]; 8. 24-Rico Abreu [5]; 9. 52AU-Darren Mollenoyux [9]
Heat #2 – Group (B) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 11-Dale Blaney [2]; 2. K4-Chad Kemenah [1]; 3. 70X-Spencer Bayston [3]; 4. 17-Josh Baughman [4]; 5. 13-Paul McMahan [6]; 6. 3-Jac Haudenschild [7]; 7. 99-Skylar Gee [8]; 8. W20-Greg Wilson [9]; 9. 19-Mitch Harble [5]
Heat #3 – Group (C) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 57-Kyle Larson [1]; 2. 70-Brock Zearfoss [3]; 3. 5T-Travis Philo [5]; 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel [4]; 5. 35-Tyler Esh [7]; 6. 5H-Jordan Harble [8]; 7. 11N-Buddy Kofoid [6]; 8. 16-DJ Foos [2]
Heat #4 – Group (D) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 97-Max Stambaugh [1]; 2. 71-Gio Scelzi [4]; 3. 71P-Parker Price-Miller [2]; 4. 48-Danny Dietrich [5]; 5. 49X-Tim Shaffer [3]; 6. 81-Lee Jacobs [8]; 7. O7-Gerard McIntyre [7]; 8. 71X-Ayrton Olsen [6]
Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 11-Dale Blaney [1]; 2. 57-Kyle Larson [2]; 3. 14-Tony Stewart [4]; 4. 17-Josh Baughman [3]; 5. K4-Chad Kemenah [5]
Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 71-Gio Scelzi [1]; 2. 97-Max Stambaugh [2]; 3. 70-Brock Zearfoss [3]; 4. 4-Cap Henry [4]; 5. 87-Aaron Reutzel [5]
B-Main (12 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 3-Jac Haudenschild [3]; 2. 16-DJ Foos [1]; 3. 99-Skylar Gee [9]; 4. 3C-Cale Conley [4]; 5. O7-Gerard McIntyre [7]; 6. 24-Rico Abreu [11]; 7. 8M-TJ Michael [8]; 8. 71X-Ayrton Olsen [10]; 9. W20-Greg Wilson [12]; 10. 81-Lee Jacobs [5]; 11. 19-Mitch Harble [13]; 12. 5H-Jordan Harble [6]; 13. 11N-Buddy Kofoid [2]
A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 11-Dale Blaney [1]; 2. 71-Gio Scelzi [2]; 3. 57-Kyle Larson [3]; 4. 70-Brock Zearfoss [6]; 5. 4-Cap Henry [8]; 6. 70X-Spencer Bayston [11]; 7. 87-Aaron Reutzel [10]; 8. 26-Cory Eliason [12]; 9. 17-Josh Baughman [7]; 10. 49X-Tim Shaffer [17]; 11. 48-Danny Dietrich [15]; 12. 97-Max Stambaugh [4]; 13. A79-Brandon Wimmer [16]; 14. 13-Paul McMahan [19]; 15. 71P-Parker Price-Miller [13]; 16. 3C-Cale Conley [24]; 17. 99-Skylar Gee [23]; 18. 35-Tyler Esh [20]; 19. 16-DJ Foos [22]; 20. O7-Gerard McIntyre [26]; 21. W20-Greg Wilson [25]; 22. 3-Jac Haudenschild [21]; 23. 5T-Travis Philo [14]; 24. 14-Tony Stewart [5]; 25. 40-George Hobaugh [18]; 26. K4-Chad Kemenah [9] Lap Leaders: Dale Blaney (1-30)
2019 Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Indy Metal Finishing Standings (After 6/16/2019):
1. Dale Blaney – 296
2. Kyle Larson – 294
3. Spencer Bayston 276
4. Tim Shaffer – 270
5. Brock Zearfoss – 264
6. Cory Eliason – 260
7. Parker Price-Miller – 256
8. DJ Foos – 254
9. Aaron Reuztel – 240
10. Buddy Kofoid – 234
2019 All Star Circuit of Champions Driver Standings (After 6/16/2019):
1. Aaron Reutzel – 1322
1. Dale Blaney – 1322
3. Spencer Bayston – 1306
4. Cory Eliason – 1270
5. Paul McMahan – 1250
6. Brock Zearfoss – 1246
7. Greg Wilson – 1194
8. Skylar Gee – 1186
9. Gerard McIntyre – 1146
10. Tyler Esh – 1046
2019 All Star Circuit of Champions Winners:
Bubba Raceway Park (1/31/2019): Tim Shaffer
Bubba Raceway Park (2/1/2019): Tim Shaffer (2)
Bubba Raceway Park (2/2/2019): Tony Stewart
Volusia Speedway Park (2/6/2019): Shane Stewart
Volusia Speedway Park (2/7/2019): Brad Sweet
Virginia Motor Speedway (4/11/2019): Cory Eliason
Port Royal Speedway (4/13/2019): Lance Dewease
Attica Raceway Park (5/24/2019): Aaron Reutzel
Fremont Speedway (5/26/2019): Aaron Reutzel (2)
Outlaw Speedway (6/7/2019): Brock Zearfoss
Stateline Speedway (6/8/2019): Dale Blaney
Weedsport Speedway (6/9/2019): Danny Dietrich
Attica Raceway Park (6/14/2019): Kyle Larson
Muskingum County Speedway (6/16/2019): Dale Blaney (2)
About Cometic Gasket:
Cometic Gasket is the Official Gasket of the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1. Cometic is a leading worldwide supplier of gaskets and engine sealing solutions for the Automotive Performance, Powersports, Original Equipment and Remanufactured Engine Industries. Cometic gaskets are must-haves for championship-winning teams across the globe. Cometic Gaskets are proudly made in the USA. For more information, log on to www.cometic.com.
About Indy Metal Finishing:
Based in Brownsburg, IN, Indy Metal finishing, Inc. provides high-quality metal finishing services and is dedicated to customer satisfaction through strict process control and excellent communication during and after job completion. Our mission is to support our customers with an exceptional level of quality and service that sets the bar for the metal finishing industry. To meet our customer’s delivery expectations with unsurpassed customer service and technical support while developing new and innovative ways to meet today’s business dynamics.
About MAVTV Motorsports Network:
MAVTV Motorsports Network is a television network with its roots deep in the automotive world. MAVTV offers an unparalleled line-up of exclusive motorsports that includes prestigious events such as the Chili Bowl, the AMA Pro Motocross series, and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). But MAVTV also covers a multitude of grassroot racing from the US and across the globe including drag boats, sprint boats, drag racing, pro pulling, rally racing, drifting, dirt racing, ice racing and everything in between plus a package of automotive reality and custom build shows. If it has a motor, it’s on MAVTV. For more information, visit www.mavtv.com
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. In 2019, MAVTV Motorsports Network will continue to be the official television home of the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 and will broadcast ten high-profile events.
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 327 “semi-lovely” stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. 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.
Sources: Tyler Altmeyer/Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 PR
Photo Credit: Riegle Racing Photography