Aaron Reutzel gets All Stars back on track with $5,000 victory at Attica Raceway Park

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Aaron Reutzel gets All Stars back on track with $5,000 victory at Attica Raceway Park

Story By: Tyler Altmeyer/ASCOC

ATTICA, Ohio (May 24, 2019) – It has been nearly six weeks since the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 last made a competitive lap, but despite the frustrating stretch of poor weather resulting in a long gap in the schedule, Clute, Texas’ Aaron Reutzel never missed a beat, quickly resuming his role as defending All Star champion and current point leader by earning a first-ever Attica Raceway Park victory on Friday night for a $5,000 payday.

Although dominate during the second half of the 40-lap program, eventually crossing under the final checkers by a margin of victory pushing three seconds, the pilot of the Baughman-Reutzel Motorsports entry was forced to chase fellow All Star full-timer, Brock Zearfoss, for the first 21 circuits. It was not until lap 22 when Zearfoss, who was attempting to navigate heavy lapped traffic, hooked a rut and spun all alone at the front of the field.

Zearfoss’ mistake was an obvious lucky break for Reutzel, but the reigning Series champion was in close proximity of the top spot up until that point, actually earning command for a brief stint after a caution on lap 13. Reutzel’s slide job attempt during the ensuing restart failed, but the Texan never lost track of the Premier Motorsports entry.

When the 40-lap main event’s dust finally settled, it was Penngrove, California’s Buddy Kofoid who chased Reutzel to the final checkers, followed by Cap Henry, Shawn Dancer, and the ‘Wild Child’ Jac Haudenschild. The victory, his first of the 2019 season during All Star competition, bumps Reutzel’s All Star win total to ten all-time.

“We had a really great race car here tonight. Grant and the guys have been busting their butts in trying to make me better at these tracks in Ohio, Attica included,” Aaron Reutzel explained, driver of the Baughman-Reutzel Motorsports/Folkens Brothers Trucking/Fisher Body Shop/No. 87 sprint car. “I felt like we could make good laps here. Luckily, we started up front and didn’t get caught up with Brock’s [Zearfoss] spin. I’m happy that we were able to capitalize on our starting position this time.”

After inheriting the top spot on lap 22, Reutzel’s next challenge was in the form of lapped traffic, eventually coming into play for the first time for the new leader on lap 28. Buddy Kofoid, who started second on the grid, but faded to third after the initial start, was starting to make up ground on Reutzel as the traffic started to intensify. The California phenom chased Reutzel down to a car length by lap 33, soon pulling even with the familiar No. 87 at the entrance of turn one on the following circuit. Despite the effort, Reutzel’s championship-earning experience with traffic proved to be too strong, as a bold, three-wide move to split a pair of slower cars sealed his winning fate.

Although Reutzel was able to stretch his late-race advantage to nearly a straightaway, utilizing the very topside of the speedway, an uncooperative lapped car nearly caused a similar fate that Zearfoss faced. Luckily for Reutzel, his outcome was different.

“That last lap, I had a lap car change lanes on me and that had me all mixed up. It wasn’t his fault, he didn’t know I was there. Luckily, I was able to maintain control and not spit out, because that’s what I thought was going to happen,” Aaron Reutzel continued. “You gotta go whenever you’re leading like that. Racing with Brock early in the race and watching him in traffic allowed me to know where to go when I was leading.”

“He’s always fast wherever he goes,” Buddy Kofoid said, driver of the Gill Construction/CK Plumbing/No. 11N. “I gave it everything we got, but we came up one short. So far, this is four podiums in a row for this team at Attica. We’ve been in every finishing position except the one Aaron is in right now, but we’ll keep working and try again soon.”

Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions will continue their Memorial Day weekend trek through the Buckeye State with a stop at ‘Orrville’s Historic Oval’ – Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio – on Saturday evening, May 25. Like Attica Raceway Park, the visit to Wayne County will award a $5,000 payday.

Certainly not the first and only visit to Orrville this season, the traveling All Stars will return to Wayne County Speedway on three more occasions, twice during the 2019 installment of Ohio Sprint Speedweek.

Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio, will open pit gates at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 25. A mandatory All Star Circuit of Champions drivers meeting will be conducted at 5 p.m., with hot laps to follow at 5:45 p.m. Additional news and notes can be found online at www.waynecountyspeedway.com.

For those who can not make the journey to Ohio for the Memorial Day weekend triple-header, Speed Shift TV, the official online broadcast home of the All Star Circuit of Champions in 2019, will be on hand to capture all of the action. Those seeking information regarding broadcast subscription options and availability should visit Speed Shift TV live on the Web at www.speedshifttv.com.

Contingency Awards/Results: Attica Raceway Park – Friday, May 24:
Event: All Stars at Attica Raceway Park
Entries: 40
C&R Racing All Star Warm-Ups: Tim Shaffer – 12.627
Lincoln Electric Fast Qualifier: Aaron Reutzel – 12.307
Ford Performance Heat #1: Cap Henry
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2: Broc Martin
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3: Max Stambaugh
Mobil 1 Heat #4: Buddy Kofoid
JE Pistons Dash #1: Brock Zearfoss
Fatheadz Eyewear Dash #2: Buddy Kofoid
Classic Ink USA B-Main Winner: Andrew Palker
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet A-Main Winner: Aaron Reutzel
MSD Performance Hard Charger Award: Spencer Bayston [+11}
Rayce Rudeen Foundation First Non-Transfer: Trey Jacobs
(Lincoln Electric, MSD Performance, Fatheadz Eyewear, Rayce Rudeen Foundation: Need decal to qualify for contingency award)

A-Main (40 Laps)

87-Aaron Reutzel [3]; 2. 11N-Buddy Kofoid [2]; 3. 4-Cap Henry [7]; 4. 49-Shawn Dancer [8]; 5. 3-Jac Haudenschild [5]; 6. 25M-Chris Andrews [6]; 7. 11-Dale Blaney [4]; 8. 13-Paul McMahan [13]; 9. 16-DJ Foos [19]; 10. 49X-Tim Shaffer [17]; 11. 70X-Spencer Bayston [22]; 12. 99-Skylar Gee [16]; 13. 70-Brock Zearfoss [1]; 14. W20-Greg Wilson [24]; 15. 23-Max Stambaugh [9]; 16. 33W-Caleb Griffith [14]; 17. O7-Gerard McIntyre [25]; 18. 35B-Stuart Brubaker [18]; 19. 26-Cory Eliason [20]; 20. 40-George Hobaugh [26]; 21. 5T-Travis Philo [11]; 22. 57X-Andrew Palker [21]; 23. 83M-Broc Martin [10]; 24. 8M-TJ Michael [12]; 25. 1-Nate Dussel [23]; 26. 8-Jordan Ryan [15] Lap Leaders: Brock Zearfoss (1-21), Aaron Reutzel (22-40)

2019 All Star Circuit of Champions Driver Standings (after 5/24/2019):