UNOH All-Stars Circuit of Champions - Ohio Sprint Car Speedweek

What the Racers Said

"We just had a really good week," stated Stevie Smith. "We were really consistent, we won one race, but were in the top five the rest of the week. We wish we could have won more, but it's always nice to win Ohio Speedweek. Most of the credit goes to the crew and car owner. I just had a really consistent car to drive. This was our second speedweeks Championship. I am just proud to say I won speedweeks; it's a tough deal. The competition level is great. You will have all the All Stars, along with a lot of cars coming in from Pennsylvania, and Tony Stewart ran a couple, as did Kasey Kahne.

"The week draws a lot of very good cars and drivers. The rainout kind of gave us a little break, but if it would not have rained we could have stuck it out and raced for sure. There are quite a few races in a row with some distance in between. There is definitely some variety of tracks in that state, we were all over it. The tracks are big, small, smooth, and rough. They just had a really good following this year, and every year," finished the 2012 Ohio Speedweek Champion. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma's Smith would finish Fifth in the final race at Fremont and earn his second Ohio Sprint Speedweek championship, having won the title in 2009 as well.

Ohio driver Dale Blaney really enjoys the speedweeks events. "This was a great week for me," stated Blaney. "I enjoy racing at every track in Ohio. I do well at all of them. For me, as a racer, I race to make money, and this is a great week for me to make money. To win the points is great; there is a lot of history involved with this deal. The longer the week goes along, the stronger we get. We did not have too many problems during the week and it is always good to win the one that pays the most. I love doing well at Fremont, as there is a lot of history involved there. I did not win the points this year, but I won the most money," finished Blaney.

The Hartford, Ohio, native chased down race-long leader Bryan Sebetto and passed him with eight laps to go in the 50-lap Ohio Speedweek final. He went on to claim the checkered flag, pocketing the $10,000 as well.

Blaney swept the four UNOH All Star shows at Fremont in 2012 and leads the series' all-time win list at "The Track That Action Built" with 11 wins. It was also Blaney's 16th career win at Fremont. The popular Ohio fan favorite would Finish third in the Ohio Sprint Speedweek points and continued to hold down the lead in the Ohio Region points of the UNOH All Stars, while holding second in the series' national points.

"This is a very tough, unique week," stated Championship driver Tim Shaffer. "It is so hard to be consistent each night; you really have to be on your game. That's what makes it so special. The Ohio week always seems to be so tough. It's hot out, you're traveling, and it's night after night. The Pennsylvania speedweeks are very similar, but the Ohio speedweek seems to be really tough. Not just the outside drivers, Speedweek is tough on the Ohio racers as well. My guys did a great job this year. We were prepared each night," finished Shaffer. Defending Ohio Speedweek champion and three-time UNOH All Star Champion Shaffer raced from his 11th starting spot to edge Sebetto in the Fremont final for second place. Shaffer, who leads the national UNOH All Star points, would come home Second in the speedweek points.

With the UNOH Ohio Speedweek over, the racers continue on to their next stop, another track in another town. Water trucks will once again spray down the clay as hauler tailgates open. The sweet smell of methanol will fill the pit areas as smoke from the concessions' grills rise above the grandstands. 365 days will pass then the drivers, teams and crowds will once again descend on Ohio for th 31st running of the UNOH All Stars Circuit of Champions Ohio Sprint Car Speedweek.