Dale Blaney - Official Site

	Cold Finish for Blaney at North Florida Speedway

(February 2, 2008 – Lake City, FL) Dale Blaney’s final night at North Florida Speedway was anything but “hot”. The All Star Circuit of Champions checked in 31 winged sprints for the $5000-to-win event, but Blaney’s hopes for the big check were diminished right out of the chute. A loose fuel line caused the engine to falter off turn four of his first qualifying lap, slowing the car as he came to the white flag. That hesitation affected both lap times and he ended up 17th with his fastest turn of 17.874 seconds around the 3/8-mile oval.

Blaney started second and finished second in his heat race, setting him up with a 16th place starting position in the A-main. The story for all contenders was the same – not much passing – and Blaney finished where he started, in 16th.

“It’s disappointing because we did really well last night and to have that happen in qualifying, we knew we didn’t have much of a chance. Nobody really did any passing so it was the same for everyone,” said Blaney. “We’re looking forward to Volusia.”

The All Stars continue the 2008 Icebreaker on February 5, 6 and 7 at Barberville, Florida’s, Volusia Speedway.

	A Pair of “Deuces” for Blaney at Season Opener

(February 1, 2008 – Lake City, FL) Two was the number of the night for Hartford, Ohio’s Dale Blaney at North Florida Speedway. The George Fisher Racing Team #2 finished second in the All Star Circuit of Champions 25-lap feature event as well as their heat race. On the first lap of the series’ “Icebreaker”, Blaney took the lead from his third place starting spot and quickly put a straightaway between him and the second place car. By lap five, he had entered lapped traffic when young Sam Haefertepe seemed to come out of nowhere and passed the savvy veteran. A caution on that lap put Blaney back to the lead with Haefertepe on his tail for the restart. At the drop of the green, Blaney took off like a rocket and again stretched to a sizable lead. But lapped traffic would play in Haefertepe’s favor as Blaney got high off turn four and relinquished the lead on lap 12. Blaney closed the gap during the final 13 circuits, but a sealed right rear tire kept him from being a real threat to the young gun from Texas

“I don’t have any complaints, to come in here the first night and finish second,” said Blaney. “I know some of the guys went to Australia (over the winter), but my guys prepared this car and we ran really good all night.” Blaney added, “I won the first race of the year at Volusia in 2001 in my brother’s car and had the worst (racing) year of my life, so if there’s a silver lining, running second out of the box, we’ll be okay.” In 1996, Blaney drove the #94 Hughes Motorsports car and finished 18th the first night at Volusia which was the first race in Florida that year. He went on to have his most successful season to date with a total of 18 feature wins, 17 of those with the All Stars, and the series championship.

The ASCoC Icebreaker continues Saturday, February 2nd, at Lake City, FL, then the series heads to Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL, on February 5, 6 and 7.

	Blaney and Fisher Set Sights on 2008 Title

(January 31, 2008 – Hartford, OH) Dale Blaney announced at the 2007 All Star Circuit of Champions racing banquet that he and car owner, George Fisher, will be running the entire All Star schedule this year, in pursuit of a third title for Blaney and Fisher’s first. With nearly 50 dates on the tentative schedule, the team will have their work cut out for them.

Over the winter months, Fisher, of Lockbourne, OH, decided to retire from his “day job” and turn his focus toward a championship. Blaney, who clinched back-to-back titles with the nation’s second most prestigious sprint car series in 1995 and 1996, is super-charged about going after his third All Star crown. “I haven’t really been on the road full-time with the All Stars since 1997,” said Blaney. “We raced with the Outlaws until 2001 and finished up the season with them, and then I started working for my brother at the track (Sharon Speedway) and just raced as much as we could over the next five years. I’m looking forward to doing the whole deal again. It’ll be good to see what we can come up with since George and I can both concentrate on racing this time. Last year we just raced whenever we could (with the All Stars) and did some Outlaw shows and local stuff once in a while.”

Fisher is also looking forward to hitting the All Star trail. “I am very excited about the coming season and racing with the All Stars. I feel that we can compete for a championship mainly based on our past performances. We have a very tight team that races well and has a ton of fun together.” Although he has never won a season championship as a car owner, the duo did win the 2006 Ohio Sprint Speedweek title and came very close to capturing the 2007 Speedweek title, finishing second by just a few points. When asked what he is most looking forward to this year, Fisher replied, “I’m really looking forward to racing without having a 9 to 5 job to worry about!!” Fisher and Blaney have been racing together since 2002.

The All Star Circuit of Champions season kicks off in Florida as it has for many years. North Florida Speedway hosts the “Icebreaker” on February 1st and 2nd. From there, the series heads to Volusia Speedway Park on February 5th, 6th and 7th. Says Blaney, “I’m looking forward to racing with these guys every night again. It’ll be good.”

	BLANEY RACES WITH WoO AT ELDORA

(Friday, September 21, 2007) “I always look forward to racing with the Outlaws, especially at Eldora,” said Dale Blaney, referring to Friday night’s event at the famed Eldora Speedway now owned by NASCAR star, Tony Stewart. “I’ve always liked running there and it’s been a couple of months since we raced with those guys (World of Outlaws) so I was glad to get back on the track with them.”

Blaney had a great qualifying run considering he blew a rear-end on his second timed lap. His first lap time was good enough to hold 9th of the 48 cars competing. “Brandon Martin and Ed Lynch, Jr. helped us get the rear-end changed in time for our heat race and we really appreciated that,” said Blaney. He started the heat on the front row alongside pole-sitter, Jimmy Stinson. Blaney’s motor took off well at the start and once he got the lead, it was clear sailing to the heat win.

“We were trying to figure out the track during the dash. It started getting choppy and they watered right before, so we were looking for a smooth part of the track to run on and get the car set up for the feature. We started 7th and finished 7th and really didn’t find a good place to run.”

Blaney started 7th in the A-main and went on to a 6th place finish. “We were tight entering the corner and that made it hard to roll the bottom. If we ran too high, we were headed into the wall. We’re pretty happy with the night overall.”

Blaney is scheduled to run Barry Jackson’s car at the Williams Grove National Open on Friday, September 28th and Saturday, September 29th.

	BLANEY SETS TRACK RECORD AT LAWRENCEBURG

(September 15, 2007 – Lawrenceburg, IN) After a great preliminary night of the 2-day Lawrenceburg Fall Classic, Dale Blaney was looking forward to a run for the $10,000 grand prize. But fate threw a wrench into the mix. Blaney qualified 6th in the 42-car field. He started 5th in his heat and was racing with Keith Baxter for the final transfer spot when he got into Baxter and flipped them both. “We were struggling and I just went after it too hard and got into Keith. I have to take the blame for that one and I felt bad for those guys. That was my fault. I apologize for that.”

The crews worked to get their car repaired and were able to start the B-main in 2nd and finish second. That earned them a 12th place starting position in the feature. “It was tough to pass. The track was heavy but our car was pretty good. A few guys fell out and I got by a few so at the end of the night, we ended up third.”

Blaney and the GFR team will race at Eldora on Friday, September 21st at Eldora Speedway with the World of Outlaws.

(September 14, 2007 – Lawrenceburg, IN) Dale Blaney and the George Fisher Racing team set an all-time track record at the ¼-mile dirt oval on Friday night. Brian Paulus broke the 10 second marker for the first time in track history with a time of 9.947 seconds. But Dale Blaney came out for his qualifying run about 5 cars later, and shaved that time for a new record of 9.942 seconds. “We’ve qualified better this year than we have in the past so I’m not shocked that we set the record, but I knew we had turned a good lap,” said Blaney. “Our motors have been qualifying pretty good this year.”

Blaney drove to a 4th place heat finish. He started 6th in the feature and finished 5th in the 30-lap A-main.

	BLANEY READY FOR CITY OF LAWRENCEBURG FALL CLASSIC

(Hartford, OH - September 11, 2007) Dale Blaney and the George Fisher Racing team will head to the small town of Lawrenceburg, IN, for two very big nights of racing! The quarter-mile banked oval has hosted the "Fall Classic" for several years, previously dubbed the "Hoosier Fall Classic", and has seen many of the country's best sprint car drivers in competition, including Dale Blaney.

"I'm looking forward to going to Lawrenceburg again. We've done real good there in the past - and we've had some bad luck - but it's a nice, little track. Racey, that's for sure." Blaney won the event in 2003 behind the wheel of the Fritz Andrews-owned #72 and finished second in 2002. The events in 2004 and 2005 weren't so kind. Blaney flipped while running 2nd when two lapped cars spun directly in front of him in '04, and in '05, he hit the wall while running 8th with 3 laps to go. In 1996, Blaney won the preliminary feature and finished 5th the second night.

"We're gonna go and see what we've got, said Blaney. George gives me a great car every night and we're just anxious to race after getting rained out at Fremont last week."

For more information on the City of Lawrenceburg Fall Classic, visit http://lawrenceburgspeedway.com/in_the_news.

Friday Sept 14th: All Star Circuit Of Champions Wing Sprints $3000 to win & Pure Stocks. After race party featuring The Mt. Pleasant String Band.
Special Guests and Grand Marshall's Bert & Brigette Emick to be on hand all weekend!!
Night 2 Saturday September 15th: All Star Circuit Of Champions Wing Sprints $10,000 to win plus Budweiser UMP Modifieds.

www.daleblaney.com

	Blaney finishes 17th at Hilltop Speedway

(Millersburg, OH Sunday, September 2, 2007) The last night of the Fall Brawl started out great, but ended up quite disappointing for Dale Blaney and the GFR team. After finishing 2nd on Friday night at Lernerville and 5th Saturday at Attica, the team had high hopes of winning the weekend finale.

Blaney came out mid-pack for his time trial and wheeled the George Fisher #2 to a third-place qualifying run. He started 6th in his heat race and finished 5th. Blaney looked superbly strong in the dash as he took the lead from his 4th place starting position coming out of turn two on the first lap. A few adjustments after the heat race and Blaney was untouchable during the dash, going on to post a victory for that event. We think we have a chance at this and hopefully we'll be there at the end, Blaney said.

Blaney started in the 5th position for the 40-lap feature event. A stellar field of cars was on the grid and dusty track conditions would create their own set of challenges for each of the 24 starters. Shortly into the race, Blaney slid back to 7th place and stayed there for several laps. As the evening went on, track crews were challenged to control the dust that got progressively worse, but watering didn t prove to be helpful for long as a billowing cloud formed and thickened with each lap of the feature. Several cautions for accidents in turns one and two slowed the event, and on lap 29, Blaney's night came to an end as he, too, was collected in a collision with Brock Mayes. Blaney was unable to finish the race due to rear-end damage and ended up 17th.

The GFR team will head to Fremont on Saturday, September 8th, to participate in the 40-lap, $5000 to win, Miller Lite Beer Night event for 410 sprints. Gates open at 4:30, racing at 7:30. Then, the team will head to Lawrenceburg, IN, on Friday, September 14th for the first night of the Hoosier Fall Classic.

	FIFTH PLACE FINISH FOR BLANEY AT ATTICA

(Attica, OH - Saturday, September 1, 2007) Dale Blaney and the GFR team have had two wins at Attica Raceway Park this year (Blaney's 55th and 56th ASCoC career feature wins), one of their favorite tracks to race, but tonight would not add another trophy to the mantle.

Dale qualified 7th of the 40-sprint car field, started fifth in his heat race and finished third. He finished second in the Haulmark dash. He went on to start 7th in the feature and bring home a 5th place finish. "We were just too tight early in the race and didn t have anything at the end. We really like racing here, the track was great. Really fast and it was good. We'll see what we can do tomorrow at Hilltop."

The final leg of the ASCoC "Fall Brawl" is Sunday, September 2nd at the Millersburg, OH track on the hill.

	DALE BLANEY FINISHES 2ND at LERNERVILLE 35-LAPPER

(Sarver, PA - Friday, August 31, 2007) The GFR team had their work cut out for them even before they made it to the racetrack this Friday night. A problem with the trailer kept the car and crew from arriving at the Sarver, PA facility until just before 7:00 pm, which meant Dale Blaney would have no hot laps before the start of qualifying for the Sonia Bullis Memorial event.

Blaney took to the "icy" track and qualified 11th which landed him a 6th place starting spot in his heat race. The track was slick from the get-go and Blaney used finesse to work his way to the front and win his heat race. Starting on the outside pole of the dash, the red #2 earned his second checkered flag of the evening putting Blaney into the 7th starting spot for the feature. Once again, patience and experience were to Blaney s advantage as he worked his way to the lead and held that position thru lapped traffic. About lap 30, Stevie Smith drove far below the track surface and found some bite in the infield off turn two. Local driver, Arnie Kent, had been warned by All Star officials after his B-main that he would be disqualified if he drove thru the infield during the feature, but the warning apparently held no consequences for Smith as he raced thru the infield rather than on the track, allowing him to pass Blaney for the lead on lap 33. Smith went on to the victory and Blaney finished a strong second.

The team heads to Attica on Saturday, September 1, 2007 for the second leg of the ASCoC Fall Brawl, then on to Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, OH, on Sunday, September 2nd.

(Hartford, OH - August 27, 2007) Dale Blaney and the GFR Team will return to Lernerville Speedway on Friday, August 31st, to kick off the Labor Day weekend with the All Star Circuit of Champions . From there, the team will head west for another action-packed event at Attica Raceway park on Saturday, September 1st, and will wrap things up at one of the newer facilities on the circuit, Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, OH, on Sunday, September 2nd.

On Saturday, September 8th, the team will head to Fremont, OH, for the $5000 to win 410 Sprint race there.

For more info on the All Star Circuit of Champions .. http://www.allstarsprint.com/

	DALE BLANEY POSTS SOLID 2006 SEASON LOOKS TO 2007(Stephanie Cooper)

Dale Blaney finished up his 2006 season with an effort at East Bay Raceway in Tampa, Florida that was cut short by mechanical issues. Piloting the #6b, Ron Hammons owned 360 sprint, Blaney had hoped for an exciting weekend at the 1/3 mile clay oval. "I was really looking forward to this race because I haven't been to East Bay since 2003,” Blaney stated.

Coming off a respectable, but ill fated run in the Short Track Nationals and optimistic at their chances, Blaney and Hammons thought that Lady Luck was with them. “We qualified fifth and felt good about how the car was performing” Blaney said, but their engine had other ideas. “The #6b ran third in our heat race. The motor blew up with about three laps to go, but I was still able to finish.” Blaney lamented. “We knew we were done; there just wasn’t anything we could do in time to make the A Main."

When asked about his two races with Hammons and any plans for 2007 runs in the #6b, Blaney said, "I really appreciate Ron Hammons asking me to drive for him. He's a good guy and I enjoy running the 360. Ron had won the race in Arkansas with Greg Wilson last year; he was hoping to make it two in a row. I was also looking forward to a good run at the Short Track Nationals, we had a great start, but the mechanical problem held us back. Ron and I were hoping to go to Florida and salvage something out of the trip after the deal in Arkansas, but things didn’t go our way. As for next year, we hope to hit a few of the bigger 360 races together again, depending on the schedule that George Fisher and I are going to run in 2007.”

Reflecting on what has been a solid 2006 season in the #2 George Fisher 410 sprint car, including two first-place efforts, 17 top five and 22 top ten finishes in 27 outings; Blaney stated, “We're extremely happy with the way things went. We were really competitive everywhere we raced, whether it was the World of Outlaws, the NST or the All-Stars. We won the Ohio Sprint Speedweek Title, it was a great year.”

"George and I have worked together for five years now; he knows how I like to run a car. I really don't ask him a lot of questions about how he sets his car up, I just go out and drive it. I feel like I did when Davey Brown, Jr. wrenched for me on Tim Hughes' car. I know that when I get in it, it's going to be right every night." Blaney said of the dynamics between Fisher and himself.

Dale Blaney and George Fisher are now concentrating on their 2007 schedule and sponsorship arrangements for the #2, the details to be announced when they are finalized. "George and I are definitely planning to race together in 2007. A lot depends on the schedules for the All-Star Circuit of Champions, the World of Outlaws and the National Sprint Tour. We look at all of them and hope to be able to run at least 40 races,” Blaney said. “We have a great feeling that 2007 will be even better than 2006 was for us.”

	East Bay Raceway - Tampa , FL Race Preview (Stephanie Cooper)

DALE BLANEY HEADS TO EAST BAY FOR “FALL BRAWL”

Dale Blaney will be just a stone’s throw from the warm waters of Tampa Bay for his next outing in Ron Hammons' #6b machine. Heading to East Bay Raceway Park for the 5th Annual O’Reilly USCS “Fall Brawl,” the Hartford, Ohio driver and car owner Hammons will be seeking treasure on the dirt as they invade the 1/3 mile clay oval. The event will be held over two nights on Friday, November 3rd and Saturday, November 4th.

Although he is heading to the “Fall Brawl” weekend for the first time, Blaney is no stranger to the track, "I like racing there. It's a neat little place. I've run pretty good there before, but this will be my first time racing a 360 sprint at East Bay."

Blaney, looking to improve on his best finish of 4th at the Tampa, Florida dirt track, knows there will be plenty of competition for the occasion, expected to draw drivers from at least 8 states. "It'll be tough. Their local guys are really good, the USCS guys are tough and you never know who else will show up."

Coming off a weekend of highs and lows, Blaney and Hammons are optimistic they have found the problem that shadowed them in the final flight of the Short Track Nationals. “We know the #6b can run, it showed that in Little Rock last Saturday afternoon. We took the mag out when we got to Florida on Sunday and shipped it back to the manufacturer on Monday morning, so we'll find out if that was the problem. We'll also have a whole new fuel system in the car before Friday, so hopefully that'll take care of it. Ron is going to test it out some time this week." Blaney stated.

Action for both Friday and Saturday nights, the final two at East Bay for the 2006 season, will feature a full racing program including test and tune hot laps, the Lucas Oil Power Dash, qualifying heat races and B and A Mains. CnB Mushroom Farms has added money to the top three spots in Saturday night’s A-Main and it will pay $2500 to win, $1500 for second place and $1000 to the third place finisher.

	East Bay Raceway Park - Monday, October 30, 2006 (Copied from http://www.whowon.com)

O’Reilly USCS Outlaw Sprint Car 5th Annual “Fall Brawl” Headlines the Racing Action at East Bay Raceway Park this Friday and Saturday

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Wild and exciting winged outlaw sprint car racing will headline the racing program at East Bay Raceway Park Friday night November 3rd and Saturday night November 4th in the fifth annual O’Reilly USCS “Fall Brawl” racing event. The O’Reilly Auto Parts sponsored United Sprint Car Series "Outlaw Thunder" Tour (www.uscsracing.com) will roar into the fast 1/3-mile clay oval for events number forty-one and forty-two of its 10th anniversary season for the Nationally touring O’Reilly USCS drivers who also race on paved ovals. The O’Reilly USCS is the only winged outlaw sprint series in the World that races on both dirt and paved surfaces.

This is the only O’Reilly USCS visit scheduled at East Bay Raceway Park this season. The important event will award points in the O’Reilly USCS National point standings, the O’Reilly USCS Dirt Cup standings and in the O’Reilly USCS Southern Thunder regional series point standings. The O’Reilly USCS Southern Thunder Tour regional series consists of races in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. The event is expected to bring top winged outlaw sprint car drivers from at least seven states to the track.. The exotic fire breathing, alcohol burning, 700 horsepower open wheel O’Reilly USCS sprint cars weight just 1,300 pounds and are pound for pound the World’s most powerful short track race cars. The cars will literally fly around the track surface at speeds over 130 M.P.H. It is not uncommon to see O’Reilly USCS sprint cars popping "wheelies" or doing wheel stands because of the brute force of their engines and their huge 18-inch wide rear tires.

Friday night's Outlaw sprint car action will feature a full program of racing in the outlaw sprint cars that includes test and tune hot laps followed by the CnB Mushroom Farms time trial qualifying. The evening's first sprint car race will be the Lucas Oil Power Dash that showcases the top six cars from the previous O’Reilly USCS main event in an edge-of-your-seat six-car shootout. Next up will be the qualifying heat races and Friday evening’s finale will be a 20-lap “Fall Brawl” preliminary main event. On Saturday night, the racing action kicks off with another Lucas Oil Power Dash, then moves into another full program of sprint car racing that features several semi-final qualifying races before the fifth annual 30-lap O’Reilly USCS “fall Brawl ” Championship Finale. Several of the speedway’s weekly racing divisions are on the program both nights as well.

The 5th annual event will pit approximately twenty invading drivers who tour with the O’Reilly United Sprint Car Series against the East Bay sprint car division regulars. The entries include several of the Nation’s top ranked drivers like four-time O’Reilly USCS National Champion, Terry Gray from Bartlett, TN, who currently leads the O’Reilly USCS National and Southern Thunder point standings heads the entry list for the East Bay Raceway Park event. Gray is also among the top twenty-five drivers in the Nation in feature wins over the past 5 years with over 75 feature wins.

Another potent entry is twenty year-old Hoosier Tire Young Guns (for drivers under 25) points leader Danny 'Hammer" Martin, Jr. of Sarasota, FL. Martin is currently one of the hottest sprint car drivers in the country because he is riding a five-race win streak in the O’Reilly USCS. Martin approaches the East Bay Raceway Park event with a bounty of $500 offered to any driver who can win the O’Reilly USCS feature with Martin still on the track racing. Martin is currently in second place in the O’Reilly USCS National point standings. He trails Gray by only six points in the Southern Thunder regional title chase. Martin was the runner-up in 2004 and 2005 National title chases. Martin was also named as the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame’s 2005 “Wild Card Driver of the Year’ an honor for outstanding driving performances throughout the season. Gray and Martin finished last season highly ranked in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame “Driver of the Year” poll. Gray was ranked eighth and Danny Martin, Jr. finished in the ninth spot.

Other potent competitors include two-time and defending O’Reilly USCS National champion Kenny Adams from Malabar, Florida. Adams who is a former East Bay Raceway track champion is the all-time leading O’Reilly USCS career feature winner with ninety-six series feature wins with three of those coming this season. Adams is also a two-time O’Reilly USCS Fall Brawl champion. Adams finished the 2005 season ranked third in the NSCHOF driver of the year rankings. Additional entries include 1999 O’Reilly USCS Dirt Cup Champion Marshall Skinner from West Memphis, Arkansas who has won three National events this season and ranks in second place in the O’Reilly USCS Dirt Cup all dirt track standings.

Danny Martin will be joined by a host of other O’Reilly USCS Young Guns including 21 year-old Tom Winegardner, Jr. from Pierson, Florida who is third place in the current National point standings and ranks fourth in the Southern Thunder standings. Another is talented seventeen-year-old Matt Tiffany of Daytona Beach, Florida who is currently sixth in the O’Reilly USCS National points. Tiffany who is in his second season of sprint car competition was impressive enough to be one of only five first-year sprint car drivers nominated for National Rookie of the Year honors in 2005 by the pollsters of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

Also look for other Young Guns including 20 year-old Bryn Gohn from Malabar, Florida who was the 2005 O’Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year plus 2004 O’Reilly USCS Rookie of the Year, 19-year-old, R.J. Johnson of Decatur, Tennessee. The young contingent also includes 19 year-old Stephen Darvalics from Venice, Florida who is in eighth place in the standings and team-mates 19 year-old Ryan Myers from Eaton, Ohio and 22 year old Doug Berryman from Mansfield, Ohio

Other notable out of state entries include; All Star Circuit of Champions 2006 Speed Week champ Dale Blaney from Ohio. Blaney will be wheeling Ron Hammons potent #6 car . Also entered are O’Reilly USCS veterans Brian Thomas from Auburn, Georgia and Doug Day from Winder, Georgia and second generation sprint car hot-shoe Matt Linder from Atlanta, Georgia who is the son of former All-Star Circuit of Champions titlist, Fred Linder . Another entry is Adam Jackson transplanted from Birmingham, England to Florence, South Carolina. Jackson is a rookie driver with past experience in Formula Ford and super speedway racing.

The O’Reilly USCS Florida contingent will also include Jerry Jones from Clermont and Danny Statter from Deltona as well as team-mates Terry Witherspoon and rookie Darren Orth both from Jacksonville, Florida. Also entered are team-mates Brian Eckley and Brian Maddox from Tampa, Florida who tour with the O’Reilly USCS and frequent the East Bay oval as well.

Entries prepared to defend their East Bay Raceway home turf are 2000 Fall Brawl Champion, Sport Allen from Pinella Park, Florida and 2004 Fall Brawl winner Greg Leonard from Tampa. Leonard will be driving O’Reilly USCS regular Tom Winegardner’s #11 mount he won the 2004 event in. Winegardner who is in fifth place in the National standings had his season end early because of a back injury suffered at Dixie Speedway on September 9th. That group will also include newly crowned East Bay Raceway Park 2006 Champion Daryl Smith from Riverview, Florida.

Other East Bay regulars expected to compete are last week’s feature winner Gene Lasker from Tampa, 2006 title runner-up Paulie Milum from Sarasota, Bob Auld from Tampa, Frank Carlsson from Oxford, Tim Holston from Tampa and a dozen others who race at East Bay monthly are expected to compete.

East Bay Raceway Park is located at 6311 Burt’s Rd. in Tampa. The race track’s phone number is 813-677-7223 and the website is www.eastbayracewaypark.com For O’Reilly USCS info visit the USCS web site at www.uscsracing.com

	I-30 Speedway - Little Rock , AK Post Race Report (Stephanie Cooper)

Roller Coaster Ride for Dale Blaney at Short Track Nationals

Dale Blaney’s first visit to the $15,000 Short Track Nationals had plenty of highs and lows for the driver of the #6b, Ron Hammons 360 sprint car. After the Hartford, Ohio native had a tough draw for his first heat on Friday, Blaney rebounded with a great run in the Saturday afternoon session, finishing 2nd in the first preliminary feature of the day. His strong showing locked him into the finale, only to be plagued by an engine problem, that robbed the #6b of power during the evening’s events, sending them to a 21st place finish in the 98 car field at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Arkansas.

After a deluge of rain hit the Little Rock area, Thursday’s schedule was postponed and moved to Friday night. Friday’s evening session moved to a Saturday afternoon slot, with the final go-round and 40-lap finale to be held Saturday evening.

Conditions for the first night of the event on the ¼ mile clay oval surface were difficult, making for single groove racing, and a slick, rough race track. Blaney drew the 7th starting position in the first heat on a track he hadn’t raced on or even had the opportunity to watch a race on before. “I wish we would have had the chance to watch at least a few heats before we raced, but that’s the way it goes sometimes”, Blaney said. The #6b finished in 6th position, which placed him in the Last Chance bracket.

In the second Last Chance race of the night, Blaney moved to 2nd after a 4th place start. It was good enough to move him into the 2nd qualifier, where he started 12th of 14 cars. In the race, plagued by cautions, Blaney kept out of trouble and wove his way to a 6th place finish. Unfortunately, it was not enough to lock Blaney into the finale, but a disappointed, yet determined, #6b team vowed to come back the next day and make the most of it.

Starting on the outside of the front row for the 2nd of 9 heats in the Saturday afternoon session, Blaney got a great jump on the green flag in the 8 lap heat and soon turned his 2nd place start into the lead. After a caution on lap 6, Blaney held off the rest of the field on the restart to take the checker. The win moved the #6b crew into the 7th position in points for the session and a position in a qualifier without having to race in any of the consolation heats.

Starting 9th in the 3rd 10-lap Qualifier, Blaney set his sites on getting to the front. Picking off car after car and after making a great run at the leader, he ran out of race, finding himself in second place at the checker flag, but locking the #6b into a spot in the “A” Main for the afternoon session.

Blaney’s standout points performance put him on the pole of the 20-car field for the “A” Main. After two attempts at a start were marred by turn one mishaps, Blaney shot his machine into the lead. The #6b pulled away from the rest of the field after another restart, but started to lose power about a quarter of the way into the 20-lap run. Blaney was passed by the eventual winner at about the halfway point of the race, but was able to salvage a 2nd place finish to lock him into the Finale slated for later that evening. "The car ran great for about the first 5 or 6 laps, but it wouldn't run a lick after that. It was a good thing I was able to get out in front because it just wouldn't run. It did that same thing earlier, and we're not sure what's wrong with it", Blaney stated.

Trying to figure out what had malfunctioned, Blaney and Hammons, with some help from friends, worked on the car, looking first at the fuel system, then the ignition system, until it was time for hot laps. As Blaney took the track, he knew that the #6b still was not running correctly, so it was back to the pit area and the group worked on it until it was time to get ready for the finale events.

First up for Blaney was the 6-car, “Dash for Cash” whose finishing order determined the front three rows of the Finale’s starting grid. With the #6b starting in the 5th spot, Blaney quickly knew that they had not found what was ailing the race car. He dropped to the rear and coasted to a 6th place finish.

Taking the track with the unresolved engine problem, Blaney lined up for the Finale in 6th position. As the parade laps started, Blaney, always the classy competitor signaled he was dropping to the tail end of the field. Then after completing 1 lap, he pulled off the track, getting out of the way of the others racing for the $15,000 first place purse. Blaney finished 21st in the Short Track Nationals’ field of 98.

Next up for Dale Blaney and the Ron Hammons #6b is the two-day, 5th Annual, O'Reilly USCS "Fall Brawl" on Friday November 3rd and Saturday November 4th at the East Bay Raceway’s 1/3 mile clay oval located in Tampa, Florida.