Tampa, Fl. (2-11-10) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – At the end of the night it may have been “The Tower City Tornado” Mark Smith standing tall in Victory Lane, but with all the twisted metal in a eventful O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions race at East Bay Raceway Park, some may have thought a real tornado had hit the track. Tonight’s A-Main was chaotic as the event saw six Yellow Flags and two Red Flags unfurled during the 30-laps. At the end of the night though a veteran celebrated in Victory Lane while a newcomer to the All Star series picked up his best finish in a 410 Sprint Car.

The night would begin with Brandon Wimmer and Tim Shaffer on the front row, but tonight’s main event would quickly see the yellow as Wimmer wiggled on the start and Paul McMahan touched wheels with him, sending McMahan into the wall at the Start/Finish Line. There would be two more attempts to get tonight’s A-Main underway, but a single car spin by Spud Gustin and a second incident with Gustin and David Gravel would delay the start of the racing action.

When the Green Flag finally flew, Shaffer quickly sprinted out into the lead leaving Wimmer, Wayne Johnson, Mark Smith, and Dale Blaney to fend for track position. Within five laps the leader would encounter lapped traffic, but he was able to execute passes with perfection as Johnson and Wimmer fought for second. Wimmer favored the low side as Johnson worked up high. The two ran nose-to-tail for several laps before a little bobble in traffic would keep Wimmer ahead. Behind them Blaney was all over Smith for the fourth position.

On Lap 12, the next Caution Flag of the night would fly. This time it was for Zack Zimmer who spun. At the restart it would be Shaffer once again setting sail with Wimmer, Johnson, Smith and Terry McCarl in tow. Once again Johnson was all over Wimmer as the two dueled with an open racetrack in front of them. Behind them McCarl was working on Smith for fourth. Lap 16 would see the next Caution Flag fly when Wimmer, while running second had a part malfunction on his car, sending him into the wall in Turn 2.

On the restart, McCarl was a man on the move as he picked up two spots to take over the third position. With just ten laps to go Johnson had reeled Shaffer in and was catching him in traffic. Johnson would try the inside line, but fall back as McCarl jumped at the opportunity to try to get around Johnson, but he held strong. At this point as the leaders were trying to pass Freddie Rahmer, he slowed on the track. With no-where to go Shaffer would make contact with Rahmer, spinning the 51 car in Turn 4. Johnson would also get into Shaffer spinning and sending his 0s car to the back of the pack.

With just six laps to go Shaffer had the lead with McCarl, Smith, Blaney and rookie Cap Henry in the top-five. On the restart McCarl would go low trying to get around Shaffer in Turn1, but as the two running side-by-side, exited Turn 2 the two would make contact as McCarl attempted to execute a slide job on the 83 car. It ended both of their nights. At this point the Red Flag came out for a fuel stop.

On the restart, Smith would inherit the lead with Blaney, Henry, Greg Hodnett, and Lance Dewease running in the top-five. When the green was shown Dewease would get a jump sliding under Hodnett to pick up third. A lap later another Red Flag would fly as Blaney flipped in Turn 2 after making contact with the wall.

When racing action resumed the battle was for fourth as Hodnett and Stevie Smith battled for the position. Hodnett would get loose exiting Turn 2 allowing Stevie Smith to take the position, but Hodnett would battle back as he put a slide job on Smith in Turn 4 to retake the position. With the Checkered Flag waving in the cold Floridian night air, Mark Smith would pick up the victory with Henry, Dewease, Hodnett and Stevie Smith rounding out the top-five.

Smith would pick up his third career All Star win and would record his first All Star Winter Nationals Victory at East Bay Raceway Park. For Rookie-of-the-Year contender Cap Henry this would be not only his best All Star Circuit of Champions, but his best finish in a 410 Sprint Car.

Tomorrow night, Friday February 12, admission will be $25 and pit passes will be $32. On the final night of race action tickets can be purchased for $30 and the pit passes will be $35. The track is offering a three-day general admission race package, which will run $70.

Those who cannot attend the event can tune in on the internet. RACE CAST LIVE, an online live motorsports video website will be carrying the event online. RACE CAST LIVE uses a Pay-by-the-Hour system through the TodoCast platform and features HD. This isn’t a race with one camera; a play-by-play announcer will be piped in with high quality footage on multiple cameras. Check it out at www.racecastlive.com.

Either at the track or at home the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions allows fans to enjoy the racing action at East Bay Raceway Park. For up to date information as the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions take on two more nights of racing during the 2010 edition of Winter Nationals visit www.allstarsprint.com.
Top Three Quotes
Winner Mark Smith – “To win was going to be a lot easier without Dale (Blaney) behind me. When you have him behind you, you know it is going to be tough. I do not like win races this way, but we will take it. You can move around on the track a lot here. There is a top and a bottom and it is not that bad as long as everyone races smart and keeps their line. We did not have the best car, but we are standing here up front.”
Second Place Cap Henry – “AJ and I, this is less than fifth race together and this is just awesome. I really do not know what to say. It is my best run in a 410 and to do it with the All Stars running for Rookie-of-the-Year just makes it that much better. I wish we could have passed Mark, but I did not want to be greedy. I was really just trying to hold my position and I did not want to blow it trying to pass Mark. He was really quick the whole race and I guess that is experience. I was just trying to hold on to second, because it means a lot to us.”
Third Place Lance Dewease – “We were terrible, but tonight was survival of the fittest. We made the A, and a lot of guys didn’t. We had a good restart the last time, but I guarantee we will be faster tomorrow night. At the beginning when we had all the yellow flags it seemed like every time we got a good start the yellow came out. Then when we had our worst start it stayed green. Our car was not the best, but it will be better tomorrow night.”
Kistler Engines Qualifying
Car-Driver- Time
1. 2 Dale Blaney 12.008
2. 13 Paul McMahan 12.134
3. 51 Fred Rahmer 12.184
4. 39 Doug Esh 12.206
5. 30c Lance Dewease 12.209
6. 0s Wayne Johnson 12.211
7. 83 Tim Shaffer 12.222
8. 0 Brandon Wimmer 12.226
9. 24 Terry McCarl 12.247
10. 7m Mark Smith 12.293
11. 45 Rob Chaney 12.296
12. 04 Cap Henry 12.297
13. 3b Brad Greer 12.345
14. 22 Greg Hodnett 12.352
15. 1 Stevie Smith 12.413
16. 89g David Gravel 12.429
17. 97 Dean Jacobs 12.457
18. 12 Jared Ridge 12.532
19. 17 Daryn Pittman 12.536
20. 9x Gary Wright 12.541
21. 80 Spud Gustin 12.554
22. 6r Bill Rose 12.563
23. 94 Zach Zimmerly 12.581
24. w20 Greg Wilson 12.660
25. 4b Tom Busch 12.718
26. 1j Bronson Maeschen 12.728
27. 39w Alex Shanks 12.773
28. 11t T.J. Winegardner 12.779
29. 1x Kurt Gross 12.984
30. 6w Brad Wickham 13.071
31. 02 Gene Lasker 13.119
32. 66 Shane Wade 13.155
33. 6x Mark Cole 13.492
34. 23 Todd Rittenhouse, Jr. 13.846
35. 18l Shawn Lawler 14.706

Heat Finishes (Started)
MSD Ignition Heat 1 –10 Laps
1. 24 Terry McCarl (4)
2. 2 Dale Blaney (6)
3. 30c Lance Dewease (5)
4. 80 Spud Gustin (2)
5. 3b Brad Greer (3)
6. 1x Kurt Gross (8)
7. 4b Tom Bush (7)
8. 6x Mark Cole (9)
9. 97 Dean Jacobs (2)

Kears Speed Shop Heat 2 – 10 Laps
1. 6r Bill Rose (1)
2. 7m Mark Smith (4)
3. 0s Wayne Johnson (5)
4. 13 Paul McMahan (6)
5. 12 Jared Ridge (2)
6. 22 Greg Hodnett (3)
7. 6w Brad Wickham (8)
8. 1j Bronson Maeschen (7)
9. 23 Todd Rittenhouse Jr. (9)

All Pro Heads Heat 3 – 10 Laps
1. 17 Daryn Pittman (2)
2. 94 Zach Zimmerly (1)
3. 45 Rob Chaney (3)
4. 1 Stevie Smith (3)
5. 83 Tim Shaffer (5)
6. 51 Freddie Rahmer (6)
7. 39w Alex Shanks (7)
8. 02 Gene Lasker (8)
9. 18l Shawn Lawler (9)

Outerwears Performance Products Heat 4 – 10 Laps
1. 9x Gary Wright (2)
2. w20 Greg Wilson (1)
3. 04 Cap Henry (4)
4. 89g David Gravel (3)
5. 0 Brandon Wimmer (5)
6. 39 Doug Esh (6)
7. 11t TJ Winegardner (7)
8. 66 Shane Wade (8)

University of Northwestern Ohio B Main – 12 Laps
1. 51 Freddie Rahmer (1)
2. 22 Greg Hodnett (3)
3. 1j Bronson Maeschen (4)
4. 39 Doug Esh (2)
5. 4b Tom Bush (5)
6. 39w Alex Shanks (7)
7. 23 Todd Rittenhouse Jr. (8)
8. 1x Kurt Gross (9)
9. 6w Brad Wickham(6)
– DNS 97 Dean Jacobs
– DNS 11t TJ Winegardner
– DNS 02 Gene Lasker
– DNS 66 Shane Wade

O’Reilly Auto Parts A Main – 30 Laps
1. 7m Mark Smith
2. 04 Cap Henry
3. 30c Lance Dewease
4. 22 Greg Hodnett
5. 1 Stevie Smith
6. 39 Doug Esh
7. 45 Rob Chaney
8. w20 Greg Wilson
9. 17 Daryn Pittman
10. 51 Freddie Rahmer
11. 0s Wayne Johnson
12. 6r Bill Rose
13. 12 Jared Ridge
14. 89g David Gravel
15. 94 Zach Zimmerly
16. 1j Bronson Maeschen
17. 2 Dale Blaney
18. 83 Tim Shaffer
19. 24 Terry McCarl
20. 0 Brandon Wimmer
21. 80 Spud Gustin
22. 3b Brad Greer
23. 13 Paul McMahan
24. 9x Gary Wright