Portsmouth (Ohio Speedweek) race report

By Scott Hall

PORTSMOUTH, OH - Byron Reed recorded his third win of the season Saturday night at Portsmouth Raceway Park in the All Star sprint 40-lap Ohio Speedweek finale. Reed's second win of Ohio Speedweek was worth $10,000 for the conclusion of the 19th annual weeklong series and his win came over Travis Rilat. Dean Jacobs was crowned the 2001 Ohio Speedweek champion by three points over Kelly Kinser and Chad Kemenah.

Tyler Walker started on the ButlerBuilt Hot Seat pole with Reed alongside and row two saw Travis Rilat and Chad Kemenah gridded ahead of Dean Jacobs and Jason Johnson. The initial start was aborted when 14th starting Kraig Kinser broke his steering and brushed the wall, ending his race. On the next green, Walker and Reed played bumper tag, aborting that start and the front row was moved back a row for the start, putting Rilat and Kemenah on the front row when the green flew to start the race. Rilat rocketed out to the lead over Walker and Johnson, with Kemenah fourth. As the leaders entered lapped traffic on lap five, Jim Nier flipped in turn two, collecting an unlucky Rodney Duncan.

For the restart, Johnson went low under Walker down the backstretch to take over second seconds before Walker's left rear went flat, sending him to the pits for a tire change. Rilat had the point for the restart with Johnson second and Reed third. Reed applied heavy pressure to Johnson, with the pair side by side for two laps before Reed dove under Johnson to secure second on lap 10. As the leaders entered lapped traffic, Nick Naber clipped an infield tire on lap 12 and flipped, bringing out the red.

Rilat was still on top following the restart, with Reed in second over Johnson, Dean Jacobs and Kemenah. The leaders were in lapped traffic at the halfway point with the order Rilat, Reed, Johnson, Jacobs, Kemenah, Mike Wagner, Kenny Jacobs, Mark Keegan and Jerrod Hull up from 18th starting spot.

Reed was applying heavy pressure to Rilat in traffic, but the duel ended on lap 24 when Lee Jacobs blew a tire for another yellow. Rilat pulled away from Reed on the restart and two laps were completed before Tyler Walker rode extra high in turn three, jumped the cushion and tipped over, bringing out the red. Walker had worked his way from the tail back up to 13th spot.

Following refueling of all the sprint cars, Rilat led again and pulled away from Reed slightly, but Reed utilized the low groove to pulled even with the leader on lap 28. Lap 29 saw Reed surge ahead, diving under Rilat, but Rilat pulled ahead at the flagstand. They were again alongside each other the next lap, and Reed dove low into the lead on lap 31 and he led the rest of the race. Johnson then challenged Rilat on lap 34 as Reed pulled away, but Rilat held off Johnson. K. Jacobs was up to fourth on lap 37, and got Johnson for third on lap 39 to finish third.

Johnson held on for fourth ahead of D. Jacobs and Chad Kemenah. Mike Wagner finished seventh, winning the Team Simpson Racing Lucky Seven award and the $100 TW Metals nightly cash bonus. Completing the top ten were Danny Smith, Kelly Kinser and Rob Chaney.

"This is one of the best tracks we've run on all week," Reed said from victory lane, standing beside the B&S Racing Kistler powered Maxim aboard Hoosier Tires. "We've had our car really good this year. I've really got to thank my mom and dad, they've stuck by me all these years. I have to thank my father-in-law Jan and my helper Curt Brewer. I thought I was faster than Travis and things weren't working out. I think he slipped up a bit in turn two and once we got by him we were okay."

"Byron was able to hold her off on the bottom better than we were and he would up with the win," Rilat said of second, standing beside his overheating United Specialties race car. "

K. Jacobs said of third, "With about five laps to go that race car just locked to the race track, I was running wide open around the bottom," was how he described his late race charge.