ATTICA, OH (8-29-09) by Bryan Autullo - FAST Public Relations

On the final night of FAST competition at Attica Raceway Park for the 2009 racing season, 27 cars were on hand to put on a show for the large crowd that was in attendance. It was also Attica's Season Championship Night and a lot was riding on the evening's final results. Heat races were intense with some of the best side by side racing and slide jobs of the season setting the stage for the drama that would eventually take center stage.

It was 4th place starting Mark Keegan who would rocket into the lead on lap 1 looking as if he was shot from a cannon exiting turn two. Keegan had the car hooked up and pulled away from the rest of the field with Brock Mayes, Mike Linder, and Chad Kemenah battling for 2nd place. Keegan looked like he was going to dominate the feature event until disaster struck on lap 8. Lee Jacobs and Byron Reed tangled on the front stretch and Keegan tried to split the two, but didn't clear them and ended up with heavy damage to the rear of his car as he stopped just past the flag stand. He would restart on the tail dashing his hopes of a victory.

The incident also cost Byron Reed the Attica track championship. Byron came into the night needing only a 5th place or better finish to clinch the title, but after restarting in the back of the pack he was only able to climb back to 13th giving Chris Andrews the advantage - and eventually the Championship by just 11 points when the checkered flag fell. Andrews is only the 6th driver in the track's history to add his name to the list of Champions as Keegan and Reed have dominated the top spot throughout the track's existence.

When racing resumed, Mayes had inherited the lead with Kemenah and Linder both ready to pounce. Mayes was able to keep them at bay using several cautions to his advantage on the restarts. It wasn't until late in the race that Tim Shaffer moved into 2nd place and began to reel in Mayes. Shaffer would make multiple attempts over the last five laps diving low into turn one and trying to muscle past Mayes, but Mayes was faster coming off the top of turn two and would pull ahead down the back stretch. With the white flag in the air it looked as if Shaffer would be able to complete the pass, but Mayes was able to power down the back stretch again giving him a 2 car length advantage at the checkered flag.

ATTICA, OH (8-7-09) by Bryan Autullo - FAST Public Relations

With only four nights of FAST competition remaining on the 2009 schedule, 27 cars checked in at Attica Raceway Park to try to gain valuable points in the quest for the Kistler Racing Products FAST Kistler Cup.  Coming into the final Friday night event of 2009 just 35 points ahead of Byron Reed, Craig Mintz knew he would have to keep his elbows up to stay ahead of the veteran in the points chase.  Reed was ultra-fast in his heat race with Mintz looking equally as quick after returning from his crash last weekend at Fremont.  The redraw would put them both deep in the pack for the A-main start with Mintz lining up 9th and Reed lining up 12th. 

Brian Lay and Cole Duncan made up the front row of the A-main and Lay jumped out to the early lead and looked to have the car to beat early on.  Unfortunately, Lay jumped the cushion in turn 4 and came to rest against the tractor tires, sending him to the tail for the restart.  Brock Mayes would capitalize on Lay's misfortune as he rocketed into the lead on the restart and began to drive away from the pack, but Chris Andrews and Caleb Griffith didn't let him too far out of their sight.

Mayes used the high line to catch traffic and was beginning to pick off the back markers when the caution came out for Danny Holtgraver who spun in turn 2.  With Andrews on his bumper Mayes dove into turn one on the restart while Andrews kept the hammer down riding the rim and rocketing past Mayes coming out of turn two, pulling away down the backstretch.  This pass for the lead earned Andrews the GME/Nields Cool Move of the Race award.

FREMONT, OH (8-1-09) by Bryan Autullo - FAST Public Relations

With threatening weather all around the Fremont area it was no surprise that the track was lightning fast when the 410 sprints thundered onto the speedway for night #18 of Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series competition.  The night consisted of several bad crashes that will shake up the Championship points with just four more events remaining on the FAST schedule.  Last night's feature winner, Bryan Sebetto, flipped violently going into turn one at the start of his heat race sending him to the hospital with a slight concussion and a broken ankle.  Points leader Craig Mintz tangled with Travis Philo during the A-main ending his night with a check-up by the EMT's. 

David Harrison and Brian Lay started on the front row of the A-main with Brock Mayes and Brian Smith in row two.  Harrison shot out to the initial lead with Mayes on his bumper as Smith battled Lay for third.  Mintz, who started mid-pack came to a stop on lap one sending him to the tail.  Several laps later he and Philo got together dropping Mintz to a 20th place finish as Byron Reed saw this as an opportunity to gain some valuable FAST points on Mintz.

ATTICA, OH (7-31-09) by Bryan Autullo - FAST Public Relations

At 2 pm this afternoon Attica Raceway Park wasn't sure if they would be able to race after 2" of rain fell overnight flooding the facility and leaving turns 3 and 4 under water.  Large industrial pumps were brought in to remove the lake that had formed and the track crew had the racing surface in perfect condition by the time hot laps rolled out.  By 10 pm the only thing pumping was the fists of Bryan Sebetto in victory lane as he held off a hard charging Chad Kemenah to pick up his first victory in a 410 sprint car aboard the Burmeister Racing #16.

There were 27 cars in attendance for night #17 of the Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Season.  Point leader Craig Mintz came into the night 72 points ahead of Byron Reed.  Reed narrowly made the transfer from his heat race as he edged out Duane Zablocki at the line.  Zablocki went on to win the B-main while Reed started 15th in the A-main and made a charge toward the front, passing Mintz at one point, then slipping back to finish 10th.  Mintz would finish the night in 7th place while adding a few more points to his lead.

Sebetto lined up on the front row next to pole sitter Brandon Martin for the A-main event.  Sebetto jumped out to the lead using the high side with Martin and Brock Mayes right on his tail, but it wasn't long before Chad Kemenah took over the third spot and began challenging Martin for 2nd place.  The two battled lap after lap with Martin holding onto 2nd place until disaster struck on lap 13 when they got together in turn 4 sending Martin flipping into the catch fence and ending his night.