CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The 40th annual Cometic Gaskets Ohio Speedweek heads for Atomic Speedway for Wednesday night’s round six of the nine-race series sanctioned by the All Star Circuit of Champions.
Heading to the three-eighths-mile track, there have been five different winners in as many nights, with Danny Dietrich, Parker Price-Miller, Zeb Wise, Justin Peck and Christopher Bell claiming checkered flags.
Peck finished second to Bell on Tuesday at Sharon Speedway and grabbed the Ohio Speedweek point lead by a mere six points over Cap Henry, who has finished in the top 10 in all five events.
• Carson Short has a new ride during Ohio Speedweek. Short has landed in the No. 17 Snow Racing sprint car that was driven by Kevin Thomas Jr. during the first third of the All Star campaign.
• Longtime sprint car racing supporter Stephanie Linder, of Fremont, Ohio, was recognized with a plaque by All Star officials on Sunday night at Fremont Speedway for her “Dedication to Ohio Speedweek.”
Linder annually takes up private donations to help traveling teams with supplies during Ohio Speedweek. She also washes uniforms and helps in any way she can. Her husband, Mike, turns the wrenches on the Ray Brooks Racing sprint car wheeled by Cole Macedo.
• What does a NASCAR Cup Series driver do during the only off week in the 36-race season?
He goes to race sprint cars during Ohio Speedweek, of course. Christopher Bell and Alex Bowman each came to Ohio for the final six nights of competition, with Bell driving Kevin Swindell’s No. 39 and Bowman wheeling his own No. 55 sprint car.
Bell won on Tuesday night at Sharon Speedway, his third career victory at the three-eighths-mile track.
• After winning his second straight Indiana Midget Week title last week, Buddy Kofoid also joined Ohio Speedweek with plans to run the midweek events.
• A pair of World of Outlaws champions made their first appearances of this year’s Ohio Speedweek at Sharon.
Swindell won the Ohio Speedweek championship in 1990 and ’91, while Blaney claimed the title in 1989.
Blaney finished 18th and Swindell came home 24th at Sharon.
• Many-time Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series champion Sam Hafertepe Jr. will join the tour for the final four events, starting tonight at Atomic Speedway.
• High car count through five events came Monday at Wayne County Speedway, with 42 cars on hand.
• The 40th Ohio Speedweeks may be one of the hottest on record. Start teams have been adjusted on most nights to account for the extreme conditions.
• After tonight’s race at Atomic Speedway, the series heads to Waynesfield Motorsports Park on Thursday, Limaland Motorsports Park on Friday and wraps up with the $20,554-to-win Dean Knittel Memorial on Saturday at Portsmouth Raceway Park.
• Third-generation Pennsylvania sprint car driver Sye Lynch made his only Speedweek appearance Tuesday at Sharon and finished third.