Attica Raceway Park
July 25, 2014
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Babcock prevails for fourth win of the year at Attica

ATTICA, OH (July 25) - The Summit Racing Equipment UMP Late Models put on a whale of a show with Jeff Babcock and Rusty Schlenk battling side by side the last 14 laps before Babcock prevailed for his fourth win of the year at Attica Raceway Park. It was his eighth career victory and moves him into fourth on the track’s all-time win list for the division.

“That’s normal for the 91 and the 1… we just run into each other,” said Babcock surviving the crumpled up right rear fender of his Best Performance Motorsports/Bulk Material Lift.com/Professional Drywall/Craig Miller Trucking backed #1.

“It was a pretty exciting race from inside the seat…I can imagine what the fans got to see. That’s pretty awesome,” continued Babcock. “I was trying to save my tires because it was slicker than I actually thought it was. So I trying to conserve them and then that old 91 went sailing by and I was like I’d better find something here. We’ve struggled the past two months. We started off good and had a bad spell so it’s good to finally get a win.”

Larry Bellman and Ryan Markham paced the field for the 25-lap late model main. Markham, a three time Attica winner, would take the lead over Bellman, Ky Harper, Ryan Missler, Babcock and Devin Shiels. Babcock would slide into third on lap three and took second a circuit later.

Markham continued to lead as Babock chased him down and raced side by side with him by lap seven with Bellman in third and a closing Rusty Schlenk fourth. Schlenk would move into third on lap eight and immediately closed on Markham and Babcock.

The caution flew for a Tim Sabo spin on lap 9 and on the restart Babock drove under Markham to take the lead with Schlenk ready to pounce while Missler and Shiels stayed within striking distance. Schlenk took second on lap 11 and immediately raced to Babcock’s outside to challenge for the lead just as the caution flew for a Brandon Thirlby spin.

On the ensuing restart Babcock stayed glued to the bottom while Schlenk raced to his outside with Markham, Bellman, Shiels, Matt Irey and Missler in tow. Shiels would take fourth on lap 13 and drove into third a lap later just as Schlenk took the lead. Schlenk would lead the next four laps with Babock racing to his inside while Shiels, Markham, Irey, Missler, Harper, Larry Kingseed and Mike Bores gave chase.

Missler would stop on the high side of turn four on lap 16 to bring out the caution. On the restart Schlenk and Babcock continued their torrid battle for the lead with Shiels, Irey, Markham, Harper, Kingseed and Bores racing hard for third. Babcock was able to squeeze by Schlenk to regain the lead on lap 18 but the pair wasn’t done, battling side by side the remaining seven laps.

Babcock would edge Schlenk by half a car length for the win with Irey nailing down third while Shiels and Kingseed rounded out the top five.

A-Main - (25 Laps)
1. 1-Jeff Babcock; 2. 91-Rusty Schlenk; 3. 36-Matt Irey; 4. 51-Devin Shiels; 5. 21-Larry Kingseed; 6. 34-Ky Harper; 7. 5M-Ryan Markham; 8. 15B-Mike Bores; 9. 92-Cody Scott; 10. 59-Larry Bellman; 11. 27-Ken Hahn; 12. 98-Tim Sabo; 13. 16-Steve Sabo; 14. O1-Justin Chance; 15. 5J-Josh Haynes; 16. O3-Jim Gingery; 17. 24-Jerry Aber; 18. 48-John Bores; 19. 50Y-Ryan Missler; 20. M14-Brandon Thirlby

B-Main
1 27 Ken Hahn
2 01 Justin Chance
3 5J Josh Haynes
4 24 Jerry Aber
5 X Mike Swansiger
6 16 Steve Sabo
7 77 Coby Bartram
8 69R Doug Baird
9 76 Skip McKinney

Heat #1
1 92 Cody Scott
2 34 Ky Harper
3 51 Devin Shiels
4 59 Larry Bellman
5 27 Ken Hahn
6 77 Coby Bartram
7 X Mike Swansiger

Heat #2
1 5M Ryan Markham
2 M14 Brandon Thirlby
3 1 Jeff Babcock
4 36 Matt Irey
5 03 Jim Gingery
6 5J Josh Haynes
7 01 Justin Chance
8 24 Jerry Aber

Heat #3
1 91 Rusty Schlenk
2 21 Larry Kingseed
3 50Y Ryan Missler
4 48 John Bores
5 15B Mike Bores
6 69R Doug Baird
7 76 Skip McKinney