By Jacob Hord, @HordRaceWatcher
We’re closer to the end of the season than the beginning of the season, but the action is still bountiful as we get into the end of August and inch closer to a big September.
Thomas Steals One at Attica: It took a minute to get the 410 feature going at Attica Friday night, including a fuel stop on lap nine, but once it got going, man was it good. For the back half of the race, Cale Thomas and Cap Henry– Ohio’s two best drivers statistically, put on a show. Slicing and dicing through traffic, throwing big, clean sliders lap after lap.Thomas would get his momentum built up on the top of one and two, and get a big run going down the backstretch that Cap would either fight off, or cut under Thomas’ slider in three and four. That’s exactly what Thomas did on the final lap, setting up a drag race to the checkered flag. Thomas eked out the win by .078 seconds over Henry for his seventh win of the season, and he should retake the Attica points lead.
DeVault Robs Henry at Waynesfield: In what must’ve felt like a fever dream for Cap Henry, he was again leading on the last lap of the FAST Feature, but would fall victim to another slider and come up just short of the win. Henry seemed to have a manageable gap later on in the 30 lap feature, but lapped traffic was heavy, and tough to navigate. Zane DeVault, pilot of the Lane Racing #4 car, was able to close back in on Henry, and led the most important lap of the Feature, the final lap. It was DeVault’s third 410 win of the season in Ohio, and he should be right in the thick of the FAST Series points battle with Brandon Spithaler.
Helms Tops Wayne County: The third 410 race held in the state over the weekend went to the kind-of retired Caleb Helms. Helms stepped away from racing a few years ago, but has made a couple starts here and there since. Saturday night he was at Wayne County on their season championship night. Helms started on pole of the nonstop feature, but had to battle with third starting Tyler Gunn at the midway point of the race. Gunn would lead laps 9-19, but Helms got back by on lap 20 to lead the last few circuits. Helms plans on being back at Wayne County next Sunday for the Pete Jacobs Memorial.
- Cap Henry now has three second place runs in a row, four in his last six starts, and eight total on the season. It’s good for points, but I’m sure he wants to win.
- Kasey Jedrzejek had another impressive run at Attica on Friday night, finishing on the podium for the second time this season. He’s scored some 360 wins in the Neumeister 11N car, and I don’t think it will be long before he snags a 410 win.
- It was a sluggish start to the season for both DJ Foos and Chris Andrews, but they seem to be hitting their stride as of late. In his last five starts, Foos has four top four finishes, and a 305 win to boot. Andrews scored his first top five of the season Friday at Attica, and has looked a lot more comfortable in the last few weeks since adding AJ Havens as crew chief.
- A big triple-header weekend is in store for the 410s over Labor Day weekend. Things kick off Friday and Saturday night at Attica for the Attica Ambush featuring a pair of $6,000 to win features, then things shift over to Wayne County on Sunday for the $10,000 to win Pete Jacobs Memorial.
- Phil Gressman won the GLSS 360 Feature at Waynesfield Saturday night, the GLSS (and myself) are headed to Millstream Speedway today (Sunday, August 25).
- Paul Weaver scored the 305 win at Attica Friday night, it’s hard to believe that it was his first win of the season at Attica. He even climbed on top of the wing to celebrate.
- Kyle Moore picked up win 17, yes 17, of the season in late model action at Wayne County. Eleven of his seventeen wins have come at Wayne County, five at Attica, and one at Hilltop. He was leading at Attica Friday night, but went pitside with mechanical issues during the feature.