ORRVILLE, Ohio — The 41st Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Cometic Gasket got off to a ruckus start with last-lap passes for the lead in the first two events of the series that opened Friday at Attica Raceway Park and concludes June 17 at Portsmouth Raceway Park.
On Friday night, Zeb Wise ran down Tyler Courtney on the final lap and drove his Rudeen Racing No. 26 past Courtney’s Clauson-Marshall Racing entry to steal the $6,000 triumph.
“That last lap was definitely win it or wear it. I’m not sure I ran three and four that hard all race until the last lap,” Wise concluded.
The following night $10,000 was on the line in the Rick Ferkel Classic at Fremont Speedway, and Pennsylvania traveler Danny Dietrich passed Cap Henry, who led the first 39 laps to claim victory and end Henry’s three-race winning streak at the third-mile track.
• Sunday night’s scheduled round three of the series was rained out at Wayne County Speedway, but the All Star Circuit of Champions racers will race for $10,000 to win in tonight’s (June 12) Duffy Smith Memorial in what was scheduled as the second night of a two-day stop at the three eighths-mile oval.
• Friday night’s race at Attica Raceway Park was the 139th All Star Circuit of Champions event at the third-mile track.
• Jordan Ryan, a former 305 sprint car champion at Attica, scored his first podium finish with the All Stars on Friday, chasing Zeb Wise and Tyler Courtney to the checkered flag.
“I just tried to stay patient but it’s unsettling when you have guys like Tyler and Zeb behind you and Craig (Mintz) pressuring you the last part of the race,” said Ryan.
• Zeb Wise leads the Ohio Speedweek standings by two points over Tyler Courtney after winning at Attica and finishing fourth at Fremont.
• Thirty-six cars were on hand at Attica, with 41 taking time at Fremont.
• Speedweek visits Sharon Speedway Tuesday night before a scheduled off day on Wednesday.
The tour concludes on consecutive nights at Atomic Speedway, Eldora Speedway and Portsmouth Raceway Park.
Friday’s race at Eldora Speedway pays $12,000 to win and will also be the final opportunity for winged sprint car teams to tune up for the Eldora Million on July 12-13.
The series concludes with the Dean Knittel Memorial at Portsmouth, paying $22,554 to the winner of the sixth annual event.
• Stuart Brubaker was the fast qualifier Saturday night at Fremont, but took a wild ride during the main event, significantly damaging his No. 35 sprint car.
• Jake Swanson, who ranks third in the USAC national sprint car standings with three victories this season, raced Alex Bowman’s No. 55 in the first two rounds of Ohio Speedweek. Swanson is transitioning to winged sprint cars under the watchful eye of Alex Bowman Racing crew chief Joe Gaerte.
• Buddy Kofoid finished sixth at Attica and fifth at Fremont in his first two races aboard the Vermeer Motorsports No. 55.
• Dale Blaney, who is expected to be in action at Sharon on Tuesday, is the winngest driver in the history of Ohio Speedweek, with 32 triumphs.