PEEBLES, Ohio – official release — Dale Blaney held off a furious charge by Tim Kaeding over the last six laps on Saturday to earn his 16th University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions victory of the season at Brushcreek Motorsports Complex.
In the UNOH All Stars’ first appearance at “The Creek” since 2005, Blaney charged around Derek Hagar on lap 19 and then survived several attempts by Kaeding following a late race caution, to earn his 20th overall win of 2014.
“This is the most wins I’ve ever had in a season. It’s been unbelievable. Tony (Kennedy) has put together such an awesome team. I’ve said it a bunch this year, but George (Fisher, crew chief) is more focused than I’ve ever seen him,” said Blaney.
The victory was Blaney’s 115th career UNOH All Star win and is the second most in a season with the series – he earned 17 All Star wins in 1996. Blaney has essentially wrapped up his fifth UNOH All Star championship – a feat no other driver has accomplished in the history of the series.
“I heard Tim a lot there the last few laps. I was getting tighter and was using all the track to keep him behind me. This was a fun track,” added Blaney.
For Kaeding, it was another second-place finish.
“Just like out west, I finished behind him again. I’m going to have to pull a Tonya Harding on him and break his knees or something,” joked Kaeding.
“He was just better than me in one and two. I could get a great run on him in three and four, but Dale’s just on top of his game right now. I can’t thank the Leidigs and Bonzi and everyone who works hard on this thing enough and believing in me.”
Like Blaney, Lee Jacobs is having the best season of his career, and powered to another podium finish, coming home third.
Paul May and Derek Hagar brought the field to green for the 30-lap feature with Hagar powering into the lead.
With five laps in Kirk Jeffries stopped on the track for another caution. On the restart Hagar pulled away as May and Blaney battled for second with Skaggs, Jacobs, Kaeding and Haudenschild racing hard for fourth. The caution would fly again on lap eight when Smith and Ryan Broughton stopping on the track.
When the green flew Hagar led Blaney, Skaggs, May, Jacobs, Kaeding, Cory Crabtree and Aaron Higgins.
Blaney would methodically real in Hagar and just after completing lap 18, Blaney would duck under Hagar exiting turn two and grab the lead.
The final six laps had the crowd on their feet as lap after lap Kaeding would pull under Blaney exiting turn four. Blaney would hold a narrow lead into turn one but pulled away exiting off the bottom of turn two.
Jacobs, Hagar and Skaggs rounded out the top five at the finish.