Brad Doty Classic
July 16, 2003
All Photos By Stephen J. Hartzell
A huge crowd once again greeted one of the most revered races in all of sprint car racing. A "scab" race run on the same night did nothing whatsoever to hurt this great event, as the pits were jammed with one of the toughest fields of cars ever to visit Attica Raceway Park.
2002 Brad Doty Classic winner Alvin Roepke is interviewed by RSBN.
One of Brad's dear old friends Kenny Jacobs is interviewed by RSBN.
Brad Doty's specially equiped car on display.
The controls on Doty's sprinter. The thumb lever on the steering wheel is the accellerator and the aluminum lever to the left is the brake.
I just had to take the oportunity to get a copy of Brad Doty's book, "Still Wide Open". In this shot I watch as Brad signs my copy of the book.
(This photo was taken by my daughter-in-law, Angela Hartzell)
Brad Doty runs the movie camera as his son plays the National Anthem on guitar.
The Limited Late Models were the support division. Here the great Art Ball lines up for hotlaps.
Engine of the Week
A rare photo-op gives us a look at Jeff Shepard's Denny Ashworth owned power plant.
The 4 heat winners stand with the Wirtgen rep.
Tim Shaffer, Bobby Clark, Rob Chaney and Terry McCarl.
Attica Thunder! The start of the A-Main.
Tim Shaffer piloted the Beef Packer to a runner-up finish.
One of the coolest logos in all of racing!
The Dave Blaney 2-seater has a fresh new paint job to make it resemble the owner's Winston Cup ride. Dale Blaney gave rides to Wirtgen employees after the race, and the next day.
Dale Blaney finished 2nd in his heat, but settled for a 24th place finish in the 25 car feature.
Bobby Clark won a heat race and finished 15th in the feature.
Busch series driver Kasey Kahne piloted the Durst owned sprinter, but failed to qualify for the field in finishing 6th in the B-Main.
A closer look at Kahne's front wing and it's saw-tooth shaped rear bill.
David Harrison had a rough evening in finishing 13th in the 21 car B-Main.
Jac Haudenschild took his brand new ride on it's maiden voyage. After struggling through the preliminary events with several spins, he was put into the field as a provisional, he being the highest qualifier who failed to transfer through the heat or the B-Main. Haud finished 10th in his heat and 15th in the B-Main before getting it all together for an 8th place finish in the feature.
John Ivy finished 3rd in his heat race, but backed up to a 19th place feature finish.
Kenny Jacobs is interviewed by Todd Tappell after his B-Main win. "The Mouse" has been fast lately, but he could manage only a 21st place finish in the feature.
Mark Keegan also been fast lately but he failed to transfer from the B-Main. Keegan pulled in after about half of the B had been run, realizing he was not going to transfer.
Arnie Kent was one of the few PA drivers to brave the tough field. His car was numbered in honor of Doty, and he had always wanted to run in the Brad Doty Classic. Kent recieved a rude welcome as he finished near the back of his events.
Kelly Kinser ran a respectable 11th in the feature.
410 rookie Scott Kraylek drew a horrible pill for qualifying, and his bad luck continued throughout the evening.
Brandon Martin fought his way up to 10th from near the back of the B-Main but failed to progress any farther.
Brock Mayes sits at the top of an amazing rookie class. The rod ending on his right front shock came loose 2 laps into his heat race. "It scared the hell out of me." said Mayes. "When the car suddenly sat down on the right front, I thought I was going over." His scare was quickly shaken off though, as amazingly he changed his line of racing accordingly, and still came home 4th to transfer. In the feature he was lapped by eventual winner Dean Jacobs just before the final caution. Taking his 11B sprinter up to the rim of the track, he passed Jacobs before the pair reached the flagstand to finish on the lead lap and in the 14th position, leaving him to wish he had taken that high line much earlier.
Terry McCarl made the long tow in for the brad Doty Classic and went home with a heat race win and a good 7th place feature finish.
"Soup" Sabo adjusts a stop on his Craig Mintz piloted sprinter. Mintz thrilled the crowd by holding off Tim Shaffer and Dale Blaney in holding the lead in his heat race most of the way through, before finishing 4th to transfer. The Gibsonburg High School senior came home with a 17th place feature finish.
Daryn Pittman ran well all night in finishing 2nd in his heat race and 3rd in the feature.
Attica's track points leader Byron Reed transferred into the main event with a 2nd place finish in the B-Main. Reed finished the feature with an impressive 4th place effort.
Defending Brad Doty Classic champion Alvin Roepke just barely made the field with a 4th place finish in the B-Main. Roepke couldn't get much done in the feature, and he was forced to settle for a 23rd place finish.
Kyle Sauder ran the Doty as the final race in a 3 race deal with the Miller Rigging car. Sauder finished 2nd in his heat race, but had plenty of trouble in the feature in finishing 22nd. As of this date, the Miller team is still undecided as to who their permanent driver will be.
Jeff Shepard continues to run well at Attica. "The Jet" came home with a 5th place finish.
Dean Jacobs was impressive in earning the $15,000 winners check.
Dean Jacobs is flanked by runner-up Tim Shaffer and 3rd place Daryn Pittman in victory lane.