Chad Kemenah Gets All Star Sprint Win #33 At 34 Raceway

Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / ALL STAR CIRCUIT OF CHAMPIONS – BURLINGTON, IA – Wrapping up a Midwest road trip that resulted in three consecutive podium finishes with the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions, Alvada, Ohio’s Chad Kemenah is now a three-time Series winner in 2017, this time holding off charges by the “North Pole Nightmare” Bill Balog and the “Madman” Kerry Madsen to claim $5,000 in Burlington, Iowa.

Raising his career win total to 33 with “America’s Series,” Kemenah led all but four circuits during the 30-lap main event on Sunday evening at 34 Raceway, surrendering the top spot to only Bill Balog before regaining command less than five laps later. Balog held on to finish second, followed by Kerry Madsen, Brian Brown and Paul Nienhiser.

“I have to keep winning if I want to keep my son from catching me,” Chad Kemenah said in victory lane regarding his son’s go-kart career. “He’s going to be coming for my job here pretty soon. But really – I can’t say enough about this team. Things are going really well right now and we are all having fun. I have so many people to thank, my brother included. He does a phenomenal job with this car. It’s just him and I out here this weekend, so we’ll definitely be celebrating the entire way home.”

Despite an opening lap caution that halted the Arctic Cat All Star main event, the result of a multiple car incident in turns one and two, as well as a car getting upside-down in turns three and four, Chad Kemenah would go on to lead the feature field to green from the pole position, wasting no time opening his command to nearly a half-straightaway by lap three. Utilizing the very bottom of the 3/8-mile oval, Kemenah reached the back of the running order by lap six, which in turn allowed Ryan Smith and Kerry Madsen to keep the Hunter Racing/DKW Transport/Bonnell’s Rod Shop/No. 10H in reach.

By lap 15, traffic started to intensify for Kemenah, with most of the field that was racing directly in front of him also working the bottom edge of the speedway. Meanwhile, Bill Balog, who restarted sixth on the feature grid after the opening lap tangle, was beginning to make moves all alone on the topside of the speedway; capturing third on lap 14, second on lap 15, and eventually taking command from Kemenah on lap 20, ending a two-lap, side-by-side battle on laps 18 and 19.

Despite Balog’s impressive march forward on the cushion, his command was short-lived, surrendering the lead back to Chad Kemenah on lap 24. The defending Arctic Cat All Star champion went the remaining distance undisturbed, crossing under the final checkers nearly three seconds ahead of Balog and Kerry Madsen.

“I tried not to screw up, but the bottom was just so good tonight,” Bill Balog explained. “We can’t be disappointed with this one. We’ve been running pretty well. We’ll take this and move forward.”

Kemenah’s weekend podium sweep ignited with a third place performance on Friday evening, June 9, at Lincoln (IL) Speedway, followed by a second consecutive third place performance at Macon (IL) Speedway on June 10. The current Series point leader will enter Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Cometic Gasket with a 180-point cushion.

“This is a perfect momentum boost for us heading into Ohio Sprint Speedweek,” Chad Kemenah stated. “When you head into Speedweek on a good note, you’re bound to have good things happen to you. We’re all pretty excited to get started.”

Celebrating 35 years in 2017, Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Cometic Gasket is next to take center stage on the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions campaign trail, complete with eight events over a nine day stretch beginning with competition at Attica Raceway Park on Friday, June 16. “America’s Series” will visit eight different facilities throughout all four corners of The Buckeye State during the eight-race stretch, each awarding $5,000 top prizes, as well as full points toward the 2017 Arctic Cat All Star championship. A $3,000 point fund will also be distributed amongst the top-ten finishers in the Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Cometic Gasket standings.

As an added bonus to race fans who can not attend Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Cometic Gasket, six of the eight events will be broadcast live via www.onthecushion.com beginning Friday night at Attica Raceway Park.

Those seeking additional news and notes regarding Ohio Sprint Speedweek should stay tuned online at www.allstarsprint.com. A full preview will be posted in the coming days.

Contingency Awards/Results: 34 Raceway – Sunday, June 11, 2017:
EMi Driver’s Meeting: 35 entries
State Water Heaters Warm-Ups: Kerry Madsen – 12.922 seconds
Lincoln Electric Fast Qualifier: Caleb Armstrong – 12.792 seconds
Ford Performance Heat #1: Chad Kemenah
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2: Tony Stewart
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3: Danny Lasoski
Daido Engine Bearings Heat #4: Bill Balog
JE Pistons Dash #1: Chad Kemenah
Kistler Racing Products Dash #2: Ian Madsen
Classic Ink USA B-Main: Tayler Malsam
Daido Engine Bearings Main Event Winner: Chad Kemenah
MSD Performance Hard Charger Award: Dominic Scelzi (+5)
Outback Steakhouse A-Main 5th Place Finisher: Paul Nienhiser
Outback Steakhouse A-Main 10th Place Finisher: Caleb Armstrong (13th)
Outback Steakhouse A-Main 15th Place Finisher: Max Stambaugh
(Lincoln Electric, Daido Engine Bearings, MSD Performance, Outback Steakhouse: Need decal to qualify for contingency award)

Qualifying
Group (A)
1. 7C-Caleb Armstrong, 12.792; 2. 22-Brandon Spithaler, 12.912; 3. 10H-Chad Kemenah, 12.996; 4. 59-Ryan Smith, 13.145; 5. 8M-TJ Michael, 13.208; 6. 17-Caleb Helms, 13.253; 7. 9C-Roger Campbell, 13.352; 8. 33-Brent Matus, 14.237; 9. 50P-Harold Pohren, NT

Group (B)
1. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 12.84; 2. 21-Brian Brown, 12.878; 3. 35-Tyler Esh, 12.96; 4. 14-Tony Stewart, 12.978; 5. 26-Tayler Malsam, 13.021; 6. 82-Cap Henry, 13.071; 7. 65-Jordan Goldesberry, 13.228; 8. 12-Daniel Harding, 13.388; 9. 9-Ryan Linder, 13.835

Group ( C )
1. 41X-Dominic Scelzi, 12.966; 2. 18-Ian Madsen, 12.999; 3. 1M-Danny Lasoski, 13.009; 4. 13-Brandon Matus, 13.294; 5. 15-Bobby Mincer, 13.298; 6. 25-Jake Blackhurst, 13.435; 7. 95-Hunter Mackison, 13.573; 8. 44-Chris Martin, 13.662; 9. 51-John Garvin, 22.513

Group (D)
1. 33M-Max Stambaugh, 13.061; 2. 55-Brooke Tatnell, 13.184; 3. 9X-Paul Nienhiser, 13.186; 4. 17B-Bill Balog, 13.206; 5. 2KS-Austin McCarl, 13.275; 6. 3-Tim Kaeding, 13.359; 7. 49-Josh Schneiderman, 13.433; 8. 1080-Jordan Mackison, 14.12

Heat #1 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 10H-Chad Kemenah [2]; 2. 59-Ryan Smith [1]; 3. 22-Brandon Spithaler [3]; 4. 7C-Caleb Armstrong [4]; 5. 17-Caleb Helms [6]; 6. 8M-TJ Michael [5]; 7. 9C-Roger Campbell [7]; 8. 33-Brent Matus [8]

Heat #2 – Group (B) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 14-Tony Stewart [1]; 2. 21-Brian Brown [3]; 3. 2M-Kerry Madsen [4]; 4. 82-Cap Henry [6]; 5. 35-Tyler Esh [2]; 6. 12-Daniel Harding [8]; 7. 26-Tayler Malsam [5]; 8. 65-Jordan Goldesberry [7]; 9. 9-Ryan Linder [9]

Heat #3 – Group (C) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 1M-Danny Lasoski [2]; 2. 18-Ian Madsen [3]; 3. 41X-Dominic Scelzi [4]; 4. 13-Brandon Matus [1]; 5. 25-Jake Blackhurst [6]; 6. 15-Bobby Mincer [5]; 7. 95-Hunter Mackison [7]; 8. 44-Chris Martin [8]; 9. 51-John Garvin [9]

Heat #4 – Group (D) (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer
1. 17B-Bill Balog [1]; 2. 9X-Paul Nienhiser [2]; 3. 55-Brooke Tatnell [3]; 4. 33M-Max Stambaugh [4]; 5. 3-Tim Kaeding [6]; 6. 2KS-Austin McCarl [5]; 7. 49-Josh Schneiderman [7]; 8. 1080-Jordan Mackison [8]

Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 10H-Chad Kemenah [2]; 2. 21-Brian Brown [1]; 3. 14-Tony Stewart [4]; 4. 17B-Bill Balog [3]; 5. 7C-Caleb Armstrong [5]

Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 18-Ian Madsen [2]; 2. 59-Ryan Smith [3]; 3. 9X-Paul Nienhiser [4]; 4. 2M-Kerry Madsen [5]; 5. 1M-Danny Lasoski [1]

B-Main (12 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer
1. 26-Tayler Malsam [1]; 2. 2KS-Austin McCarl [4]; 3. 49-Josh Schneiderman [8]; 4. 8M-TJ Michael [2]; 5. 65-Jordan Goldesberry [3]; 6. 95-Hunter Mackison [9]; 7. 9-Ryan Linder [11]; 8. 1080-Jordan Mackison [12]; 9. 44-Chris Martin [10]; 10. 33-Brent Matus [13]; 11. 51-John Garvin [14]; 12. 15-Bobby Mincer [5]; 13. 12-Daniel Harding [7]; 14. 9C-Roger Campbell [6]

A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 10H-Chad Kemenah [1]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog [7]; 3. 2M-Kerry Madsen [8]; 4. 21-Brian Brown [3]; 5. 9X-Paul Nienhiser [6]; 6. 1M-Danny Lasoski [10]; 7. 41X-Dominic Scelzi [12]; 8. 59-Ryan Smith [4]; 9. 14-Tony Stewart [5]; 10. 55-Brooke Tatnell [13]; 11. 82-Cap Henry [15]; 12. 3-Tim Kaeding [19]; 13. 7C-Caleb Armstrong [9]; 14. 22-Brandon Spithaler [11]; 15. 33M-Max Stambaugh [14]; 16. 2KS-Austin McCarl [22]; 17. 18-Ian Madsen [2]; 18. 17-Caleb Helms [18]; 19. 8M-TJ Michael [24]; 20. 26-Tayler Malsam [21]; 21. 25-Jake Blackhurst [20]; 22. 35-Tyler Esh [17]; 23. 49-Josh Schneiderman [23]; 24. 13-Brandon Matus [16] Lap Leaders: Chad Kemenah [1-19, 24-30], Bill Balog [20-23]

Current Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions Standings (June 11, 2017):
1. Chad Kemenah – 2302
2. Caleb Armstrong – 2122
3. Ryan Smith – 2092
4. Caleb Helms – 2072
5. Max Stambaugh – 1900
6. T.J. Michael – 1810
7. Brandon Spithaler – 1687
8. Brandon Matus – 1676
9. John Garvin – 1602
10. Tyler Esh – 1595