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CONTACT: BOB MILLER 443 513 4456
THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES

DALE BLANEY FINDS $5,000 PAYOFF AND FIRST CAREER THUNDER ON THE HILL VICTORY THURSDAY NIGHT AT GRANDVIEW

BECHTELSVILLE, PA (August 18, 2016) – Hartford, OH’s Dale Blaney claimed his first Grandview Speedway win when Tony Stewart’s Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprint Car Series returned to the Grandview Speedway for the first time in sixteen years this past Thursday night for the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series. This event was presented by Pioneer Pole Buildings and represented the 123rd Thunder Series event since it started in 1990.

Blaney netted himself a cool $5,000 for his efforts in a thrilling 35 lap A-Main that included plenty of side-by-side racing action.

Lucas Wolfe, aboard the Zemco No. 1z car, bolted from the front row starting position with the pair of black-and-orange No. 1 machines of Dale Blaney and Sammy Swindell following close behind. Wolfe set a rapid pace from the get go – so rapid that the leaders hit lapped traffic at their fifth circuit around the one-third-mile track.

Blaney powered outside Wolfe as the two split lapped cars and swapped the lead just inching passed each other as the laps seven and eight clicked away. Blaney overtook the top spot on the 10th lap.

The first caution of the evening flew on the 11th circuit when Stevie Smith – running in the third position – clipped the lapped car of Kenny Jacobs sending both machines spinning. Smith was able to recover unscathed and unstopped, continuing after doing a complete 360-degree spin with the rest of the field dodging him.

Blaney charged away on the restart followed by Wolfe, Smith, and Swindell.

The action slowed for the second time on the 15th lap for Freddie Rahmer, with a right-rear flat tire while running within the top 10.

On the restart, Blaney raced away as Stevie Smith shot outside Wolfe claiming the second spot.

The red flag flew on lap 17 after the cars of Greg Hodnett, Danny Dietrich, and Kraig Kinser – all running just outside the top five – made contact on the front stretch sending all three machines upside-down. The drivers walked away unscathed.

Blaney dominated the restart with Smith right on his tail. Smith, the 2016 Thunder Cup Champion, took the lead on the 23rd lap, with Blaney claiming the top spot on the next go-around.

The two leaders hit lapped traffic with three laps remaining closing the battle for the top position and allowing a four-car battle for the victory with Stevie Smith, Sammy Swindell, and Ryan Smith all challenging for the $5,000 winner’s share.

Blaney would go on to claim the victory, Swindell moved inside Smith for the second position, The Leffler Energy No. 51s machine of Stevie Smith finished in third, followed by Ryan Smith in the Warko Group No.94 and Sheldon Haudenschild in the fifth position.

This marks Blaney’s seventh All Star Circuit of Champions win of the season, and his first Thunder on the Hill victory.

Blaney also claimed the $100 Quick Time Award. Heat Races were won by Lucas Wolfe, Ryan Smith and Sheldon Haudenschild. Wolfe grabbed the top spot in the Dash, and Tim Shaffer won the B-Main.

John Barnett claimed his first TSRS victory after starting on the front row of the 25-lap feature event. A multi-car incident brought out the red on the initial start retiring four cars – including that of current TSRS point leader, Mike Haggenbottom. Barnett took over on the restart holding off a hard charging Dave Brown and leading all of the 25-laps. Brown – who has won the past three TSRS feature events at Grandview – settled for second place, but certainly didn’t make it easy for Barnett. Tim Tanner Jr. came home in the third position, Tommy Carberry in fourth and Jon Haegele in the fifth spot.

The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Racing Series returns to Grandview Speedway on Saturday, October 15 for the 2nd Annual Mods at the Madhouse event featuring the Big-Block and Small-Block Modifieds, Sportsman and TSRS Sprint Cars.

For more information visit www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com.

Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions

Time Trials – 1. Dale Blaney – 11.899 2. Stevie Smith – 11.958 3. Lucas Wolfe – 11.987 4. Greg Hodnett – 12.052 5. Steve Kinser – 12.083 6. Sammy Swindell -- 12.102 7. Danny Dietrich – 12.172 8. Tim Shaffer – 12.195 9. Freddie Rahmer – 12.140 10. Brent Marks – 12.199 11. Ryan Smith – 12.204 12. Ryan Taylor – 12.424 13. Danny Holtgraver – 12.388 14. Kraig Kinser – 12.298 15. Cap Henry – 12.562 16. Sheldon Haudenschild – 12.287 17. Chad Kemenah – 12.326 18. Andrew Palker – 12. 330 19. TJ Michael – 12.355 20. JJ Grasso – 12.356 21. Davey Sammons – 12.374 22. Cory Krabtree – 12.434 23. Brandon Rahmer – 12.436 24. Kenny Jacobs – 12.503 25. Caleb Helms – 12.461 26. Bradley Howard – 12.771 27. Alan Krimes – 20.236

Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Lucas Wolfe 2. Dale Blaney 3. Steve Kinser 4. Stevie Smith 5. Danny Dietrich 6. Danny Holtgraver

Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Ryan Smith 2. Greg Hodnett 3. Freddie Rahmer 4. Sammy Swindell 5. Cap Henry 6. TJ Michael

Heat 3 (10 Laps) – 1. Sheldon Haudenschild 2. Kraig Kinser 3. Brent Marks 4. Ryan Taylor 5. Chad Kemenah 6. Andrew Palker

B-Main Results (12 Laps) – 1. Tim Shaffer 2. JJ Grasso 3. Davey Sammons 4. Brandon Rahmer 5. Caleb Helms 6. Kenny Jacobs

A-Main Line-Up Dash – 1. Lucas Wolfe 2. Dale Blaney 3. Stevie Smith 4. Sammy Swindell 5. Ryan Smith 6. Greg Hodnett 7. Danny Dietrich 8. Steve Kinser

A-Main (35 Laps) – 1. Dale Blaney 2. Sammy Swindell 3. Stevie Smith 4. Ryan Smith 5. Sheldon Haudenschild 6. Lucas Wolfe 7. Chad Kemenah 8. JJ Grasso 9. Brent Marks 10. Ryan Taylor 11. Davey Sammons 12. TJ Michael 13. Tim Shaffer 14. Danny Holtgraver 15. Andrew Palker 16. Caleb Helms 17. Cap Henry 18. Kraig Kinser 19. Greg Hodnett 20. Danny Dietrich 21. Freddie Rahmer 2. Kenny Jacobs 23. Brandon Rahmer 24. Steve Kinser

TSRS Sprint Car Series

Heat 1 (8 Laps) – 1. Rick Stief 2. Tommy Carberry 3. Dave Bonner 4. Scott Frack 5. Ryan Stillwaggon 6. Zack Burd 7. Keith Anderson

Heat 2 (8 Laps) – 1. Jon Haegele 2. Dave Brown 3. Brandon Poff 4. Logan Diehl 5. Austin Burke 6. Mike Haggenbottom 7. Jeff Taylor

Heat 3 (8 Laps) – 1. Tim Tanner Jr. 2. John Barnett 3. Samantha Leiberman 4. Joe Kay 5. Stefani Palmai 6. Tim Smolemyak 7. Pat U’Selis

Feature (25 Laps) – 1. John Barnett 2. Dave Brown 3. Tim Tanner 4. Tommy Carberry 5. Jon Haegele 6. Samantha Leiberman 7. Ryan Stillwaggon 8. Stefani Palmai 9. Zack Burd 10. Scott Frack 11. Logan Diehl 12. Rick Stief 13. Dave Bonner 14. Brandon Poff 15. Jeff Taylor 16. Joe Kay 17. Austin Burke 18. Mike Haggenbottom 19. Keith Anderson 20. Tim Smoleyak 21. Pat U’Selis