Grassroots Report: Long sprint

Billed as the longest-running sprint car Speedweeks in auto racing history, the All Star Circuit of Champions' Ohio Speedweeks kicks off on Sunday, June 24, at Attica Raceway Park and runs for seven consecutive nights on some of the most challenging dirt tracks in Ohio. The 2007 season marks its 25th consecutive year of competition.

Dale Blaney – brother of NASCAR driver Dave Blaney – won last year, just as he's done in three of the last four contests. And with another top prize back in 1995, he is tied with Frankie Kerr for the most Speedweeks' championships (four). All of Kerr's championships were taken in the 1990s and it is notable that Blaney's win in 1995 interrupted Kerr's winning streak after that sprint car ace took victories in 1993, 1994 and then again in 1996. In 1995, Kerr finished third behind Blaney and Kenny Jacobs.

This race not only has endured through the last quarter century, it also has been highly competitive. Only Kasey Kahne's current World of Outlaws Sprint car pilot Joey Saldana (with championships in 1997 and 1999) and the legendary Sammy Swindell (1990-1991) join Blaney and Kerr as multiple champs.

For the record, Dave Blaney won the championship in 1989 after finishing no better than fifth in the points in the six years prior, and even Dale found the competition too tough to dominate in 2005 when he finished fifth in the standings.

To win a weeklong contest of speed, a driver has to be strong every night – and that is how Blaney took the honors last year.

Last year, two events were rained out at Wayne County Speedway in Orville and Blaney's home track of Sharon Speedway in Hartford, which left only five races to accumulate points. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. actually won the most races, taking the trophy at Attica on opening night and then two of the final three events at Fremont Speedway and Limaland Motorsports Park, but finishing 19th at Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway on closing night left him third in the standings.

Greg Wilson climbed to second in the standings by finishing second, third or fourth in four of five events, but he bobbled at Fremont and finished 14th in the feature.

Meanwhile, Dale Blaney did his impression of the Energizer Bunny and kept going and going to finish fourth at Attica, first at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, second at Fremont and fourth at Limaland. To add a little drama to the week, he closed Ohio Speedweeks on a high note at Eldora by winning the A-Main and taking the points championship.

Blaney has to be one of the favorites to win again this year. If he does, he will move into sole possession of first in terms of number of championships won with five.

Speedweeks schedule

• Sunday, June 24: Attica Raceway Park, Attica, Ohio
• Monday, June 25: Wayne County Speedway, Orrville, Ohio
• Tuesday, June 26: Waynesfield Motorsports Park, Waynesfield, Ohio
• Wednesday, June 27: Hilltop Speedway, Millersburg, Ohio
• Thursday, June 28: Fremont Speedway, Freemont, Ohio
• Friday, June 29: Limaland Motorsports Park, Lima Ohio
• Saturday, June 30: Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, Ohio

Track and event notes

Waynesfield Motorsports Park replaces Muskingum on the third night this year and Sharon gives way to Hilltop Speedway on the fourth night. Hilltop is a track rich in Ohio racing history that was closed for several decades before coming back to life last year.

Another track that is doing a Phoenix impersonation – literally rising from the ashes – is Wayne County. A fire on April 21 destroyed the concession stand and offices and wiped out the electrical system, but the track persevered and will be back in operation by June 25.

Last year, the Limaland track had the highest car count with 60 winged 410 sprinters to kick off the week. This track also is interesting for another reason – it is owned and operated by the University of Northwestern Ohio as part of its High Performance Motorsports program.

The university also is one of the title sponsors and has kicked in some money to increase the point fund from $10,000 to $15,000. On top of the increased point fund, a $50,000 bonus will be paid to any driver who can win four of the seven races. With an average car count of 46 sprinters in last year's events, this won't be an easy task, but Stenhouse won three feature races last year and might have accomplished the feat if those two nights had not been rained out.

Rest assured, this year's crop of contenders will be praying for clear skies all week to increase their odds of snagging the big prize.

Previous champions

2006: Dale Blaney
2005: Kelly Kinser
2004: Dale Blaney
2003: Dale Blaney
2002: Chad Kemenah
2001: Dean Jacobs
2000: Kenny Jacobs
1999: Joey Saldana
1998: Frankie Kerr
1997: Joey Saldana
1996: Frankie Kerr
1995: Dale Blaney
1994: Frankie Kerr
1993: Frankie Kerr
1992: Kevin Huntley
1991: Sammy Swindell
1990: Sammy Swindell
1989: Dave Blaney
1988: Jimmy Sills
1987: Keith Kauffman
1986: Bobby Allen
1985: Jack Hewitt
1984: Steve Kinser
1983: Bobby Davis Jr.