By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – It’s been an up and down season for Greg Wilson. But the Benton Ridge, Ohio driver has hung in there and it paid off Saturday as he won his second 410 sprint feature of the season on Kistler Racing Products Night at Fremont Speedway.
However, the real story of the night was Bryan Sebetto. The Fremont, Ohio driver nursed his ill-handling machine home in 13th position…good enough to wrap up the track’s 2011 championship for the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints to go along with his Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title championship.
Fremont’s D.J. Foos took the lead in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint feature on lap six and never looked back as he collected his third win of the year at “The Track That Action Built.”
Stuart Brubaker’s third place finish was good enough to reward him with his second consecutive track championship in the 305 sprint division and third title overall.
Rookie Daniel Roepke Jr. proved his win last month in the Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks was no fluke, as the Woodville, Ohio driver not only scored the feature win in the make-up feature from an August rain-out, but also took the win in the night’s regular feature event.
Art Ball celebrated his 50th year of racing in style, as his eighth place finish earned him the dirt truck track championship. Ball, who holds more wins than any other driver in the 60-year history of Fremont Speedway, recently turned 73 years of age, and the 2011 track championship is his third – the previous two came in the late model division in 1973 and 1975.
Wilson would lead all 30 laps of the 410 sprint feature, but it wasn’t an easy win. He would get held up in traffic on a couple of occasions, allowing Brad Haudenschild and Dale Blaney to close. But caution flags would give him a clear track as he went on to score his ninth career Fremont victory.
“My wife had pointed out to me I usually race pretty well if we get wound up the night before. So we had a little fire at the house and some friends over and I got in bed at like four this morning. The good lord was looking out for us tonight,” said Wilson in the Engine Pro Victory Lane beside his All Star Plumbing and Heating/DNC Hydraulics backed machine. “I have to thank my wife and family…my dad left for Florida this morning so he missed out on this. Daniel Smith gave me an awesome race car. I have to thank Doug and Nick from OC Shocks, Maxim chassis, and Veryl Warnimont for giving me this chance.”
Sebetto came into the championship night with a slim five point lead over Byron Reed with Dean Jacobs also in the hunt. Reed was involved in a crash in the B-main, ending his championship hunt, and Jacobs would start on the tail of the feature. All Sebetto had to do was keep Jacobs in his sights and he did just that.
“This Burmeister team just works their butts off. They’ve been racing here for so long and they deserve this championship and I’m glad I could give it to them,” said Sebetto. “I’m really lucky Byron (Reed) got in that wreck in the B-main because we were absolutely pathetic tonight…that was embarrassing. You have your bad nights here and there but we really haven’t had that many bad nights…we’ve had more good than bad. To win a championship here…I grew up coming here…this means a lot.”
Foos took the lead from rookie Seth Schneider on the sixth lap and set a blistering pace in the 305 sprint feature. He was never challenged the rest of the way as he scored his third career win.
“This is awesome. We had a pretty good car and finally starting to put something together here. But, that 35 team (Brubaker) does a very good job every weekend,” said Foos beside his Buckshot Farm/Burger King/Level Performance backed machine.
For Brubaker it was his third track championship in the last four years.
“We had a pretty good night…just too tight on the right rear. I have to take my hat off to Donny (Lyons)…we wrecked every race in August and he had to put these things back together. I have to thank Luke and Tory and Gressman Powersports, Aunt Dru, mom and dad and my wife and daughter,” said Brubaker. “I would have never thought we would have three track championships…especially the way I first started out.”
In the make-up dirt truck feature from Aug. 6, Daniel Roepke Jr. would hold off Ball to score the win. And in the night’s regular feature, Roepke would hold off Art Howey Jr. and Andy Keegan to take the victory.
“It’s a lot easier to win when you start out front. This is incredible…I never would have expected this,” said Roepke in the Engine Pro Victory Lane. “I have to thank Chuck Roelle and Kent Brewer for giving us some parts. I have to thank my dad for all the hard work…we tore this up pretty good last time we were here.
Art Ball’s last track championship at Fremont came in the late model division in 1975. A second place run in the make-up feature and eighth place finish in the regular feature wrapped up the dirt truck title.
“I’m glad this happened in my 50th season. You’re not supposed to be doing this at my age, but I’m having fun. I said if I won this I’d probably be back next year…so we will be racing next year,” said Ball.
In the 30 lap 410 sprint feature, Duane Zablocki and Wilson would bring the field to the green, with Wilson grabbing the lead while fourth starter Brad Haudenschild slid into second. The first caution would fly on lap six for an Eric Williams spin. On the restart Wilson and Haudenschild would pull away while Dale Blaney would get around Zablocki into third.
Wilson would hit lapped traffic by the 13th circuit, allowing Haudenschild and Blaney to close. The caution would fly on lap 15 for a Dean Jacobs’ spin. Now with a clear track, Wilson would maintain his lead over Haudenschild who had his hands full with Blaney while Todd Heller and Lee Jacobs battled for fourth. Blaney would get by Haudenschild on lap 17, but the rookie would drive back into second on the next lap.
Wilson would drive into lapped traffic again on lap 21, but the caution would fly for a multi-car incident on the front stretch involving Zablocki, Phil Gressman, Tony Beaber and Tommy Sexton. Again, with a clear track, Wilson would pull away from Haudenschild and Blaney while Jacobs, Heller and Brandon Martin battled for fourth.
Wilson would take the checkered over Haudenschild, Blaney, Martin and Lee Jacobs.
In the 305 sprint feature, Seth Schneider and Bobby Clark would bring the field to the green, but a crash involving Caleb Griffith, Matt Merrill, Paul Weaver and Jordan Ryan would bring the action to a halt. On the second attempt at a green, Schneider would grab the lead over third starting Foos, Clark, Jamie Miller and Jimmy Colvin.
Dennis Wagner would bring out the caution on lap four with the running order Schneider, Foos, Miller, Clark and Colvin. Foos would drive under Schneider to take the lead on lap six just before the caution flew when John Ivy and Roger Shammo got together in turn two. On the restart, Miller would drive around Schneider into second as sixth starting Brubaker would grab third a lap later.
At the half-way mark, Foos had built a sizeable lead over Miller, Brubaker, Colvin, Schneider and 18th place starter Alvin Roepke. Foos would encounter lapped traffic with just six laps to go, but Miller could not close. Brubaker would use the traffic to grab second on lap 20 with Colvin taking third from Miller a lap later.
Foos would drive to the checkers, as Colvin went from fourth to second in the last give laps. Brubaker, Miller and Roepke would round out the top five.
In the make-up dirt truck feature, Dan Roepke Jr. and Chuck Roelle would bring the field to the green with Roepke taking the lead over Roelle, Art Ball and John Ivy. Ball would grab second on lap two with Ivy moving into third on lap three. After a caution, Roepke and Ball would continue to ball for the lead while Dan Hennig took third on lap six.
Roepke would hit lapped traffic by lap 10 and used it to put a little distance between himself and Ball while Hennig battled with Ivy and Kent Brewer for third. With five laps to go, Roepke had a slim lead over Ball who was battling with Hennig and Ivy.
The caution would fly for the second and last time on lap 17 for Andy Keegan with the running order Roepke, Ball, Ivy, Hennig and Brewer. Roepke would pull away for the win over Ball, Ivy, Hennig and Cory Ward.
In the night’s regular feature, Andy Keegan and Art Howey Jr. would lead the field to the green with Howey taking the early lead as Roepke shot into second. Howey and Roepke ran side-by-side over the first five laps before Roepke dove under Howey for the lead on lap five. The caution would fly on lap six for a Brian Arnold and Alex Wiechman dust-up.
Roepke could not shake Howey as Andy Keegan, Cory Ward and Willie Keegan battled for third. The caution would come out again on lap seven, giving Roepke a clear track. He would continue to lead Howey, Andy Keegan, Willie Keegan and Cory Ward until the final caution flew on lap 16 involving Wiechman and Brian Sorg.
Roepke would pull away the final four laps for the win with Howey, Andy Keegan, Ward and Willie Keegan rounding out the top five.
Fremont Speedway will wrap up the 2011 season on Oct. 15 as the World of Outlaws pay a visit.
For more information go to www.fremontohspeedway.com
Fremont Speedway – 10/8/2011
Kistler Racing Products Night
Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints (29 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Qualifying – Kistler Engines
1. 2-Dale Blaney, 12.61; 2. 14H-Todd Heller, 12.87; 3. 10-Brad Haudenschild, 12.97; 4. 51-Brad Bowman, 13.01; 5. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.05; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.06; 7. 3T-Tony Beaber, 13.13; 8. O9-Craig Mintz, 13.15; 9. O-Lee Jacobs, 13.23; 10. 7-Eric Williams, 13.24; 11. 5R-Byron Reed, 13.26; 12. 40H-Caleb Helms, 13.27; 13. 60-Jody Keegan, 13.32; 14. 312-Mike Linder, 13.33; 15. 16-Bryan Sebetto, 13.34; 16. 9X-Brandon Martin, 13.41; 17. 57X-Andrew Palker, 13.42; 18. 83-Tommy Sexton, 13.45; 19. 2+-Brian Smith, 13.46; 20. 53-Phil Gressman, 13.60; 21. 91X-Bob Lime, 13.68; 22. 51C-Roger Campbell, 13.73; 23. 98-Robert Robenalt, 13.86; 24. 97-Dean Jacobs, 13.90; 25. 27L-Brad Lamberson, 14.03; 26. 5T-Travis Philo, 14.11; 27. 27K-Ryan Kirkendall, 14.16; 28. 11N-Ed Neumeister, 14.21; 29. O4-Cap Henry, 99.00
Heat 1 – Heat 1 (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 9X-Brandon Martin[1] ; 2. 60-Jody Keegan[2] ; 3. 3T-Tony Beaber[4] ; 4. 51-Brad Bowman[5] ; 5. 2-Dale Blaney[6] ; 6. 2+-Brian Smith[7] ; 7. 51C-Roger Campbell[8] ; 8. 7-Eric Williams[3] ; 9. 27L-Brad Lamberson[9] ; 10. 11N-Ed Neumeister[10]
Heat 2 – Heat 2 (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 57X-Andrew Palker[1] ; 2. 312-Mike Linder[2] ; 3. O9-Craig Mintz[4] ; 4. W20-Greg Wilson[5] ; 5. 14H-Todd Heller[6] ; 6. 5R-Byron Reed[3] ; 7. 53-Phil Gressman[7] ; 8. O4-Cap Henry[10] ; 9. 5T-Travis Philo[9] ; 10. 98-Robert Robenalt[8]
Heat 3 – Heat 3 (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 83-Tommy Sexton[1] ; 2. 10-Brad Haudenschild[6] ; 3. O-Lee Jacobs[4] ; 4. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[5] ; 5. 97-Dean Jacobs[8] ; 6. 27K-Ryan Kirkendall[7] ; 7. 91X-Bob Lime[9] ; 8. 16-Bryan Sebetto[2] ; 9. 40H-Caleb Helms[3]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 53-Phil Gressman[6] ; 2. 7-Eric Williams[1] ; 3. 16-Bryan Sebetto[4] ; 4. 2+-Brian Smith[3] ; 5. 51C-Roger Campbell[8] ; 6. O4-Cap Henry[13] ; 7. 11N-Ed Neumeister[11] ; 8. 27K-Ryan Kirkendall[12] ; 9. 27L-Brad Lamberson[10] ; 10. 91X-Bob Lime[5] ; 11. 98-Robert Robenalt[7] ; 12. 5R-Byron Reed[2] ; 13. 5T-Travis Philo[9]
A-Main – (30 Laps)
1. W20-Greg Wilson[2]; 2. 10-Brad Haudenschild[4]; 3. 2-Dale Blaney[6]; 4. 9X-Brandon Martin[14]; 5. O-Lee Jacobs[9]; 6. 14H-Todd Heller[5]; 7. 2+-Brian Smith[17]; 8. O9-Craig Mintz[8]; 9. 97-Dean Jacobs[20]; 10. 51-Brad Bowman[3]; 11. 83-Tommy Sexton[16]; 12. 3T-Tony Beaber[7]; 13. 16-Bryan Sebetto[13]; 14. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[1]; 15. 53-Phil Gressman[18]; 16. 60-Jody Keegan[11]; 17. 7-Eric Williams[10]; 18. 57X-Andrew Palker[15]; 19. 312-Mike Linder[12]; 20. 51C-Roger Campbell[19]
Hard Charger: 97-Dean Jacobs[+11]
Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints (31 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Heat 1 (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 8K-Bobby Clark[2] ; 2. 1-Nate Dussel[4] ; 3. 9-Jimmy Colvin[6] ; 4. 10S-Roger Shammo[7] ; 5. 94-John Ivy[8] ; 6. 72C-Ross Moore[1] ; 7. 30-Adam Ollom[3]
Heat 2 – Heat 2 (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 38-Dennis Wagner[1] ; 2. 36-Seth Schneider[2] ; 3. 39-Matt Merrill[4] ; 4. 8B-Zack Kramer[7] ; 5. 5-Dustin Dinan[5] ; 6. 5R-Jordan Ryan[3] ; 7. 60-Devin Kelley[8] ; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger[6]
Heat 3 – Heat 3 (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 4M-Jamie Miller[1] ; 2. 35-Stuart Brubaker[5] ; 3. 10X-Dustin Stroup[3] ; 4. 25-Jason Keckler[4] ; 5. 27-Paige Polyak[7] ; 6. 94K-Kurt Huber[6] ; 7. 5M-Bob McMillin[2] ; 8. O7X-Dan McCarron[8]
Heat 4 – Heat 4 (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 67M-Matt Ferrell[2] ; 2. 11F-D.J. Foos[3] ; 3. 40-Caleb Griffith[5] ; 4. 1W-Paul Weaver[6] ; 5. 36X-Dustin Keegan[1] ; 6. OO-Alvin Roepke[4] ; 7. 16-Jim Morris[7]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 94-John Ivy[1] ; 2. OO-Alvin Roepke[8] ; 3. 36X-Dustin Keegan[4] ; 4. 5R-Jordan Ryan[6] ; 5. 72C-Ross Moore[5] ; 6. 8J-Jess Stiger[13] ; 7. 94K-Kurt Huber[7] ; 8. O7X-Dan McCarron[14] ; 9. 30-Adam Ollom[9] ; 10. 5M-Bob McMillin[11] ; 11. 60-Devin Kelley[10] ; 12. 5-Dustin Dinan[2] ; 13. 27-Paige Polyak[3]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 11F-D.J. Foos[3]; 2. 9-Jimmy Colvin[4]; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker[6]; 4. 4M-Jamie Miller[7]; 5. OO-Alvin Roepke[18]; 6. 36-Seth Schneider[1]; 7. 10X-Dustin Stroup[9]; 8. 1W-Paul Weaver[16]; 9. 1-Nate Dussel[5]; 10. 94-John Ivy[17]; 11. 8B-Zack Kramer[14]; 12. 67M-Matt Ferrell[11]; 13. 36X-Dustin Keegan[19]; 14. 25-Jason Keckler[15]; 15. 8K-Bobby Clark[2]; 16. 38-Dennis Wagner[12]; 17. 10S-Roger Shammo[13]; 18. 39-Matt Merrill[8]; 19. 40-Caleb Griffith[10]; 20. 5R-Jordan Ryan[20]
Hard Charger: OO-Alvin Roepke[+13]
Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks (33 Trucks)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Heat 1 (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 99-Art Howey Jr.[6] ; 2. 5-Brian Melnek[1] ; 3. O-Andy Keegan[4] ; 4. 4X-Brian Sorg[5] ; 5. 99X-Gene Potridge[2] ; 6. 22J-Josh Kiser[3]
Heat 2 – Heat 2 (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 18W-Cory Ward[7] ; 2. 16-Steve Sabo[6] ; 3. P51-Willie Keegan[3] ; 4. 23M-Brad Mitten[4] ; 5. 115-Ben Good[2] ; 6. 30-Dave Gibbs[8] ; 7. 14-Scott Beard[1] ; 8. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[5]
Heat 3 – Heat 3 (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. O1-Art Ball[1] ; 2. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[2] ; 3. O1X-Gary Ball[3] ; 4. OO-John Ivy[4] ; 5. 32H-Dan Hennig[6] ; 6. 8KB-Kent Brewer[8] ; 7. 92-Loren Schwochow[7] ; 8. 21-Scott Fowler[5]
Heat 4 – Heat 4 (8 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 17-Bob Dible[2] ; 2. 3R-Chuck Roelle[6] ; 3. 33-Brian Arnold[3] ; 4. 18-Alex Wiechman[8] ; 5. 6-Linda Sabo[1] ; 6. 4S-Keith Sorg[7] ; 7. 41C-Chad Stahl[5]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 32H-Dan Hennig[3] ; 2. 8KB-Kent Brewer[7] ; 3. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[12] ; 4. 92-Loren Schwochow[10] ; 5. 115-Ben Good[2] ; 6. 4S-Keith Sorg[8] ; 7. 30-Dave Gibbs[6] ; 8. 22J-Josh Kiser[5] ; 9. 21-Scott Fowler[13] ; 10. 41C-Chad Stahl[11] ; 11. 6-Linda Sabo[4] ; 12. 14-Scott Beard[9] ; 13. 99X-Gene Potridge[1] ; 14. 36X-Dustin Keegan[14]
A-Main – (20 Laps)
1. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[4]; 2. 99-Art Howey Jr.[2]; 3. O-Andy Keegan[1]; 4. 18W-Cory Ward[6]; 5. P51-Willie Keegan[3]; 6. OO-John Ivy[15]; 7. 17-Bob Dible[5]; 8. O1-Art Ball[8]; 9. 3R-Chuck Roelle[9]; 10. O1X-Gary Ball[10]; 11. 32H-Dan Hennig[17]; 12. 8KB-Kent Brewer[18]; 13. 92-Loren Schwochow[20]; 14. 33-Brian Arnold[11]; 15. 16-Steve Sabo[7]; 16. 18-Alex Wiechman[16]; 17. 5-Brian Melnek[12]; 18. 4X-Brian Sorg[13]; 19. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[19]; 20. 23M-Brad Mitten[14]
Hard Charger: OO-John Ivy[+9]
Make-up Feature from August 6th, 2011
A-Main – (20 Laps)
1. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[1]; 2. O1-Art Ball[6]; 3. OO-John Ivy[3]; 4. 32H-Dan Hennig[5]; 5. 18W-Cory Ward[12]; 6. 8KB-Kent Brewer[9]; 7. P51-Willie Keegan[7]; 8. 16-Steve Sabo[10]; 9. 17-Bob Dible[4]; 10. 99-Art Howey Jr.[13]; 11. 92-Loren Schwochow[18]; 12. 4X-Brian Sorg[16]; 13. 30-Dave Gibbs[11]; 14. 23M-Brad Mitten[20]; 15. 6-Linda Sabo[17]; 16. O-Andy Keegan[22]; 17. 4S-Keith Sorg[8]; 18. 115-Ben Good[14]; 19. 3R-Chuck Roelle[2]; 20. 36X-Dustin Keegan[19]; 21. 99X-Gene Potridge[15]
Hard Charger: 18W-Cory Ward[+7]