By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – The 305 sprint teams compete at Fremont Speedway every week. While the division is considered a “support” class, many fans feel the drivers put on some of the best racing. Now, the 305 sprint teams will be the “headliner” when “The Track That Action Built” reopens after the Sandusky County Fair with the 13th Annual 305 Sprint Invitational Presented by Gressman Powersports and Level Performance on Sunday, Sept. 2.
The 305 Sprint Invitational will pay the feature winner $2,500 – one of the richest prizes for the division in the country.
While the event was rained out last season, past winners of the 305 invite are: 2000 – Bobby Foster; 2001- Bryan Scott; 2002 – Roger Shammo; 2003 – Scott Miller; 2004 – Paul Weaver; 2006 – Paul Weaver; 2007 – Andy Shammo; 2008 – Todd Heuerman; 2009 – John Ivy; and 2010, Bryan Sebetto.
Also in competition will be the Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks, who will be competing in double features as they make up a rained out event from Aug. 4 in addition to their regular night of racing.
Also, the ladies will get behind the wheel of dirt trucks for the Powder Puff race.
Fremont Speedway – thanks to the Tackle Box II – has been handing out free bicycles to youngsters every week for over a decade. Now, kids will have the opportunity to race their bikes on the famous track for cash. The kids will be divided into two age categories, with the younger kids racing down the track’s front stretch and the older kids riding all the way around the one-third mile oval.
In the 13 events the 305 sprints have competed in this season, there have been nine different winners. Current track point leader D.J. Foos has four victories at Fremont in 2012, while Paige Polyak has two wins. Also scoring victories are Zack Kramer, who defeated the 360 sprints in the annual challenge, John Ivy, Nate Dussel, Bobby Clark, Dustin Dinan, Jamie Miller and Caleb Griffith. Throw in challengers Alvin Roepke, Jimmy Colvin, Jason Keckler, Dustin Stroup, Jordan Ryan and young guns Jess Stiger, Tyler Gunn, Steve Rando and more and the Invitational has the recipe for excitement.
To add to the fun, the 305 sprints will qualify – one lap – and then the top eight qualifiers who transfer to the feature through their heats will compete in the King of the Hill – two cars, two laps. The winners of each of the four preliminary events will then square off – two cars, two laps – until there are just two cars left. The winner of the King of the Hill will have his or her choice to start on the pole or outside the front row in the feature.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 2 with racing at 7 p.m. Tickets are $13 for adults; $10 for senior citizens; $6 for teens ages 11-16; with kids 10 and under getting in free.
For more information go to www.fremontohspeedway.com