Danny Smith dominates Speedweek at Limaland

Published:  Tuesday, June 30, 2009 (8 months, 3 weeks ago)
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The Delphos Herald

LIMA — The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions pulled into Limaland Motorsports Park for the next-to-last stop on the 2009 Ohio Sprint Speedweek schedule.
Stevie Smith and Rob Chaney had established themselves as the men to beat for the Speedweek title but the famed high-banks of LMP have a way of creating jaw-dropping excitement and humbling finishes. Friday night’s feature had all the above.
As the stellar field took the green flag for the start of the 40-lap feature, contact forced Phil Gressman to climb the first turn wall. Gressman never lifted and as his car slid along the top rail, he stayed under power and shot back down onto the track dirty-side down without flipping. Gressman was done for the night and Tim Hunter returned to the race after fixing a flat tire.
A complete restart ensued and Danny Smith surged to the lead with Brock Mayes in tow. Mayes briefly wrestled the lead from Smith after five laps but Smith was determined to remain on the point and quickly powered his way around Mayes on the high-side. Mayes continued to test Smith which allowed the third place car if Tim Shaffer to close the gap on the two leaders. Shaffer announced his presence on lap 14 as he slid his car from low to high coming out of turn four and parking himself right in front of the two front-runners.
The next 11 laps will go down in Limaland’s storied history. Smith climbed back around Shaffer only to lose the lead to Mayes. Lapped traffic was becoming an issue. Shaffer, Smith and Mayes were swapping the lead in every corner with some of the gutsiest slide jobs ever seen. It was at that point that Dale Blaney was able to jump into the fray. Blaney eased his way into second and served notice that he was ready to battle for the lead. These four drivers, full of experience and so professional in their respective styles, blistered the ultra-sooth racing surface and literally swapped the lead four times in ONE lap. That’s right: in one lap it was Blaney, then Mayes, then Shaffer and finally Smith leading the race with the crowd roaring their approval.
Finally, Danny Smith eked out a small lead, which grew inch-by-inch, lap-by-lap, as he weaved his way through lapped cars. Passing the lappers was difficult as they were all using different lines on through the corners. This type of racing has become customary at Limaland in the past couple of years and the packed house of Speedweek fans were treated to quarter-mile bullring racing at its finest.
The front four cars settled in for the final 10 laps; the only driver able to advance was Greg Wilson. Wilson steadily picked away at the cars in front of him working his way to Blaney in second. Unfortunately, the race had to come to an end and Danny Smith earned his first 2009 Speedweek victory followed by Dale Blaney, Greg Wilson, Tim Shaffer, and Brock Mayes.
Limaland’s weekly Professional Computer Company UMP Modified division was the final feature of the evening. Terry Hull, Todd Sherman and Jeff Babcock raced each other hard for the first 13 laps but it was Jon Henry, Limaland’s reigning Modified track champion, who had the car to beat as he led the final seven laps taking the win in his first visit to the track he dominated last year. This year, Henry is plying his trade in the Sunoco American Late Model Series where he is the series point leader.
This Friday, LMP will kick off the 4th of July weekend with our Firecracker Friday event featuring the Bud Thunderstocks, Elwer Fence Sprints and Professional Computer Company Modifieds. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps beginning at 6:30 p.m. Racing begins promptly at 7:30 p.m.
Only a few hundred tickets for the 21st Annual Brad Doty Classic, featuring the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, remain for sale. Call the ticket hotline at 419-998-3199 to order your tickets before they are sold out. Seating information, plus all the latest news and information about America’s premier quarter-mile dirt track, can be found at www.limaland.com<http://www.limaland.com/>.

O’Reilly All Star University of Northwestern Ohio B-main: 1. Lee Jacobs; 2. Randy Hannigan; 3. Stevie Smith; 4. Darren Clayton; 5. Neil Shephard; 6. David Gravel; 7. Brad Haudenschild; 8. Ryan Myers; 9. Ryan Button; 10. Jody Keegan; 11. JR Stewart; 12. James Horton; 13. Kent Wolters; 14. Matthew Reed; 15. Todd Kane; 16. Dennis Yoakam; 17. Brandon Martin.
O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions feature: 1. Danny Smith; 2. Dale Blaney; 3. Greg Wilson; 4. Tim Shaffer; 5. Brock Mayes; 6. Robb Chaney; 7. Randy Hannigan; 8. Chad Kemenah; 9. Stevie Smith; 10. Cale Conley; 11. Dean Jacobs; 12. Brandon Wimmer; 13. Craig Mintz; 14. Byron Reed; 15. Mike Linder; 16. Lee Jacobs; 17. Darren Clayton; 18. Steven Lines; 19. Tim Hunter; 20. Cole Dunacan; 21. Ron Blair; 22. Sheldon Haudenschild; 23. Mark Keegan; 24.Phil Gressman.
Professional Computer Company Modifieds Feature: 1. John Henry; 2. Todd Sherman; 3. Terry Hull; 4. Jeff Babcock; 5. Casey Luedeke; 6. Brian Post; 7. Tony Anderson; 8. Schuyler Nohre; 9. Bill Keeler; 10. Steve Schnapt; 11. Nick Katterhenry; 12. Michael Tarlton; 13. Ed Minnich; 14. Zeke McKenzie; 15. Ryan Ordway; 16. Kelly Bowlby; 17. John Brooks; 18. Clint Reagle.