Bell warms up for dirt battle with Lou Blaney Memorial win

Bell, who is currently second in the Camping World Truck Series standings, started second in his Sharon Speedway debut and led all 30 laps in the No. 11N 410 winged-sprint car en route to his second Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions win.

But to win the event honoring the Hall of Fame sprint car and modified driver is something Bell will never forget.

“Winning the Lou Blaney was a special win,” Bell said. “Winning Sprint Car races is something I cherish, but to win an event with the Blaney name on it makes it extra special.

“I'm thankful to Ed Neumeister for the opportunity to drive his car and have to also thank the Linders for crewing the car.”

Bell was one 45 drivers entered into the event named for the late patriarch of the Blaney clan. Lou Blaney, the father of Dave and Dale and grandfather of Ryan, won more than 600 features in a 47-year span. Blaney, who operated Sharon Speedway, also amassed more than 120 modified wins and 11 sprint car victories on three-eights-mile dirt track which opened in 1929 outside of Sharon, Pennsylvania. Blaney passed away in 2009. He was 69.

Bell finished third in his qualifying round, then won the first heat race. He won the second Dash race and lined up second alongside Caleb Armstrong in the 26-car A-Main. Despite three cautions in the event, Bell lapped 17 cars before beating Joey Saldana to the line by 1.03-seconds.

“The track was really technical up there on the wall,” Bell said. “It made it pretty easy to screw up and crash, so I’m thankful that didn’t happen. Some of the lapped cars would get going on the top, but when I got to them they would drop down.

“I was glad to build up a lead because I did screw up a couple of times, but nobody was able to show me a nose.”  

Series points leader Chad Kemenah finished third. Tim Shaffer and Lee Jacobs rounded out the top-five finishers. Dave Blaney finished ninth. 

The last time Bell battled a Blaney, he finished fourth behind third-generation Ryan, who won the Xfinity race at Charlotte in May. The outing was Bell’s series debut.  

On July 19, Bell returns truck competition at Eldora Speedway. He will compete in the 34th annual Kings Royal in the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series at the Big E this weekend. Bell won his first truck race in just his third career start. He led 106 of 154 laps at the half-mile dirt track. Last year Bell finished second in his JBL-sponsored truck.