7/23/2013
All Star Circuit of Champions
Hibbing, Minn. (Tuesday, July 23, 2013) By Brian Liskai
Hibbing, Minn. (Tuesday, July 23, 2013) By Brian Liskai– Dale Blaney will give you the shirt off his back. Not really, but the Hartford, Ohio driver, who had all his personal shirts stolen while racing in Wisconsin this past weekend, did give the fans a memorable race at Hibbing Raceway Tuesday night.
Blaney caught Findlay, Ohio’s Caleb Helms midway through the 30-lap feature and used a lapped car to take the lead and his fifth win of 2013 with the University of Northwest Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions. Blaney has tied hall-of-famer Kenny Jacobs in all-time series wins with 98.
“We had a really good car all night and had an opportunity to start third and jumped right into second and was able to work on Caleb. He ran really well for a long time and I thought I missed my opportunity there in the first four or five laps. I kind of let him get away and kind of caught a lapped car there and took advantage a little bit on that,” said Blaney beside his Ti22/GF1 Chassis #2.
“George Fisher does a great job on this car. It’s just me and him and my daughter out here and we’re having fun,” continued Blaney. “As far as win #98….well I haven’t really given it much thought. Maybe when I get done racing for the year I’ll look back and reflect on this, but right now it’s just another win.
Blaney leads the UNOH All Stars’ Western Region points and looks to claim its $10,000 top prize with just three races left in the Thunder Through the Plains.
Helms, in his first full season following the UNOH All Stars was thrilled with his best career finish as he trailed Blaney to the checkered.
“I honestly think I got too nervous and stopped racing the race track. I saw Trey (Gustin) there, the lapped car and took too long to catch him and once I got to him he kind of bobbled and I waited on him and that’s when Blaney caught me,” said Helms beside his Helms & Sons Excavating/Helms Paving and Site Contracting/Schoenfeld Headers backed #40. “He was fast and I was just making too many mistakes. I have to thank my guys, Andrew (Barman), my Dad and everybody back home that have worked hard to give me this opportunity.”
A few weeks ago Bellevue, Ohio’s Cap Henry wasn’t sure he would even be racing with the UNOH All Stars and their annual Thunder Through the Plains. The team, funded by his family with help from some dedicated sponsors, had blown two engines during the Ohio Sprint Speedweek and were low on funds. But, thanks to selling the team’s truck and trailer and some quick work by Kistler Racing Engines, the former UNOH All Star rookie of the year was able to make the trip west and it paid off with a third place run.
“Our car was just too loose. I kind of lost some spots there when I got stuck behind Trey Gustin going into turn one. We actually backed up to sixth. But we were back up to third by the end of the first lap,” said Henry beside his K&N Filters/FK Rod Ends/Champion Oil backed #54. “At that point out, Dale and Caleb got to racing a little bit and I kind of run them down but I was just too loose and I wasn’t going to be able to pass them. So I just rode around and tried to maintain.”
The event only drew eight cars. UNOH All Star President Guy Webb said the series had commitments from nearly 20 teams earlier but most cancelled Tuesday morning.
“When we left the race in South Dakota we had firm commitments from nearly 20 teams to go to Hibbing. Monday and Tuesday several of these teams – for whatever reason – contacted us and said they would be unable to make it. So, we sat down with the promoters and offered to cancel the show but they want to build something here and decided the race would go on,” said Webb. “The cars that were there put on a good show. Dale and Caleb raced each other hard the entire 30 laps. The All Stars look forward to working with the good folks at Hibbing and building this into a big part of next year’s Thunder Through the Plains.”
Hibbing Raceway – 7/23/2013
Article Credit: Brian Liskai
Submitted By: Ross Paulson