‘Outsider’ Shaffer takes FAST/OSCS loot at Fremont Speedway

Tim Shaffer. (Bill Miller Photo)

By Brian Liskai

Tim Shaffer. (Bill Miller Photo)

FREMONT, Ohio – Aliquippa, Pennsylvania’s Tim Shaffer made the long drive from Charlotte, N.C. to Fremont, Ohio pay off in a big way Saturday. Shaffer took the lead with only three laps to go and drove to the 410 sprint win worth $5,000 on Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating Night at “The Track That Action Built.”

Shaffer had competed with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Friday in North Carolina. The team drove throughout the night to Fremont to compete in the 2nd installment of the “North vs. South” battle in Ohio pitting the “north” teams of the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST Championship 410 Series presented by Ohio Logistics against the “south” teams of the Ohio Sprint Car Series (OSCS). Shaffer steadily worked his way through the field from his 12th starting position and blasted under Parker Price Miller with three laps to go in the 40 lap affair to earn his 16th career victory at Fremont Speedway.

“I’ve always loved this place. I hope everyone can get things straightened out and get some All Star shows or Outlaw shows back here. This place is awesome. It races so great…no matter if it’s rough, heavy, slick, tacky what ever. Hats off to Farmer (Rich Farmer, track promoter) for putting this on. They did a great job despite all the rain in the area. Hats off to Cody Jacobs and the Redzik-Demyan team. Cody’s been working his tail off and he’s given us a great car. We’ve been working together and making it nice and I’m grateful to have him. He makes my job a lot of fun again,” said Shaffer of his Rudzik Excavating; Triple X Chassis; VRP Shocks; FK Rod Ends; Scoville Designs backed #49.

Clyde, Ohio’s Brandon Moore fought off a flu bug and led all 25 laps to score his first career sprint car win in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints. It wasn’t easy as Tyler Street challenged late but Moore held on for the victory.

“This is unbelievable. I worked so hard over the winter to get here. I’ve been sick all week. All I did was wash the car from last night at Attica. I didn’t do maintenance because I’ve been feeling like crap. This is awesome,” said Moore beside his DJ Marco Entertainment; Level Performance; Kistler Racing Products; Bill Berrier; Storage 101; Volunteers of America; C&T Muffler backed #7m.

Fostoria, Ohio’s Shawn Valenti took the lead just past the half-way point in the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks and survived a restart with a lap to go to score his second win of the year. It is his 34th career victory at Fremont and puts him in a tie with Bobby Clark and Al Franks for 11th on the track’s all-time win list.

“To even be mentioned with the guys on that list is pretty amazing. Back in the early 90s I was a little guy sitting in the stands wishing I could do this one day. I’m living the dream. This is the 40th win in this truck and that’s pretty amazing in itself. I have to thank Jeff Babcock for everything he does for me,” said Valenti of his A Plus Auto Center; Best Performance; Craig Miller Trucking; Dave Story Equipment; Real Geese Decoys backed #7B.

Tiffin, Ohio’s Chester Fitch took the lead from John Brooks on lap four and held off several challenges before earning his seventh career win at Fremont in the McCullough Industries 602 Late Models.

“We just had to cut it in half and start all over again. It was a tough night the first night out and tonight wasn’t easy either. We still have a lot of bugs to get out of it. I’d like to thank my mom and dad my brothers and everybody that helps me and of course God above for letting us be here every week,” said Fitch of his Tiffin Auto Auction, Westside Auto Sales, Hi-Way 101 Auto Parts, Danner’s Recycling and Towing, Handy Grafix and Swartz Race Cars backed #101.

In the 40-lap Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature, Jordan Ryan and Broc Martin brought the field to green with Martin gaining the advantage over Cale Thomas, Ryan, Parker Price Miller, D.J. Foos, Lee Jacobs and quick qualifier Adam Kekich. The fast track placed the leaders into heavy lapped traffic by lap eight and that allowed Thomas to take the lead. Martin drove back by to regain the top spot a lap later with Price Miller closing in third. Martin, Thomas and Price Miller put on a clinic in slicing through traffic over the next hand full of laps with Price Miller taking the lead on lap 12.

The first of only two race stoppages came on lap 15 when Ryan Myers took a spill. The restart saw Price Miller continue to lead Martin, Thomas, Ryan, Shaffer and Lee Jacobs. Lapped traffic came back into play at the half way point with Price Miller pulling away slightly over Martin, Thomas, Shaffer and Ryan. Shaffer moved into third on lap 28 as the leaders raced through heavy lapped traffic. Shaffer used the traffic to grab second on lap 33.

The car on the move was 2016 OSCS champion Cole Duncan who had worked his way to fourth from his 16th starting position. However, Duncan’s great run came to a crashing end with three laps to go when he tangled with a lapped car. Shaffer had just executed the winning move exiting on the bottom of turn two to grab the lead. With a clear track on the restart Shaffer pulled away for the victory over Price Miller, Martin, Thomas and Brady Bacon rounding out the top five.

In the 25 lap 305 sprint feature outside front row starter Moore grabbed the lead at the drop of the green over Jimmy McGrath, Tyler Street, Bobby Clark, Nate Dussel and Kevin Mingus. Moore stretched his lead until a caution on lap 12 brought the field to his rear bumper. On the restart Moore was able to drive away from McGrath, Street, Dussel, Kyle Capodice, Clark and Paul Weaver.

Street drove into second on lap 17 and started to chip away at Moore’s lead. With three to go Street was right on Moore’s tail as Dussel took third. Moore was able to hold off Street for the win with Dussel, McGrath and Capodice rounding out the top five.

Pole-sitter Dustin Keegan grabbed the early lead of the dirt truck feature with Matt Foos, Jim Holcomb, Andy Keegan, Valenti and Jeff Ward giving chase. Valenti drove into third on lap three and after a spirited battle with Foos took second on lap six. Following a quick caution on lap eight, Keegan led Valenti, Foos, Holcomb and Keegan. Valenti drove into the top spot on lap 11 before a debris caution with eight laps remaining.

The only thing that slowed Valenti’s march to the win was another caution with one lap remaining. Valenti hit his marks and drove to the win over Keegan, Keith Sorg, Holcomb and Kyle Farmer.

John Brooks took the early lead in the late model feature over Dustin Keegan, Ky Harper and Chester Fitch. Fitch took the lead on lap four and despite a few cautions, was able to continue holding down the top spot. Meanwhile the battle for second was entertaining involving Brooks, Harper and Jamie Miller. Harper would make heavy contact with the turn two wall on lap 13 setting up a two lap shoot-out.

Fitch was up to the task, taking the win over Miller, Brooks, Kyle Dukeshire and Keegan.

Fremont Speedway will be back in action Saturday, June 3 on Vision Quest Night. Prior to the night’s racing, the induction ceremonies for the Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame will take place beginning at 1 p.m. in the historic covered grandstands. The racing following will include the 410 sprints on a All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST Championship 410 Series presented by Ohio Logistics point night and the Race of Legends pitting former drivers against one another in 305 sprints. The dirt trucks and late models are also in action.
For more information about Fremont Speedway go to www.fremontohspeedway.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FremontSpeedway or on Twitter https://twitter.com/FremontSpeedway
Fremont Speedway
May 27, 2017
Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating Night[*] indicates starting position.

410 Sprints – Fort Ball Pizza Palace

Fricker’s Qualifying
1.5K-Adam Kekich, 12.205; 2.45L-Brian Lay, 12.229; 3.4k-Kody Kinser, 12.310; 4.81-Lee Jacobs, 12.338; 5.49-Tim Shaffer, 12.380; 6.16-Chris Andrews, 12.396; 7.2-Parker Price-Miller, 12.420; 8.23-DJ Foos, 12.431; 9.35-Stuart Brubaker, 12.495; 10.91-Cale Thomas, 12.498; 11.83M-Broc Martin, 12.501; 12.9R-Jordan Ryan, 12.520; 13.99-Brady Bacon, 12.527; 14.26-Taylor Malsam, 12.541; 15.4H-Tracy Hines, 12.616; 16.22M-Dan McCarron, 12.677; 17.22-Cole Duncan, 12.680; 18.4S-Brian Smith, 12.693; 19.56R-Ryan Myers, 12.705; 20.8-Dean Jacobs, 12.713; 21.57X-Andrew Palker, 12.736; 22.7-Troy Kingan, 12.752; 23.5-Byron Reed, 12.769; 24.22B-Ryan Broughton, 12.784; 25.60-Jody Keegan, 12.806; 26.7V-Shawn Valenti, 12.808; 27.8M-TJ Michael, 12.814; 28.3G-Carson Macedo, 12.824; 29.8J-Jess Stiger, 12.830; 30.7DK-Dylan Kingan, 12.836; 31.59S-Ryan Smith, 12.837; 32.5X-Justin Peck, 12.888; 33.9Z-Duane Zablocki, 12.903; 34.4-Danny Smith, 12.974; 35.27-Cody Gallogly, 12.978; 36.59-Bryan Nuckles, 12.999; 37.68G-Tyler Gunn, 13.072; 38.27Z-Sean Zemunik, 13.095; 39.17x-Dain Naida, 13.105; 40.9-Ryan Linder, 13.159; 41.83-Nate Reeser, 13.162; 42.22D-Josh Davis, 13.221; 43.2P-Ricky Peterson, 13.413; 44.80-Lance Webb, 13.553; 45.18D-Bobby Distel, 99.280;

Heat 1 (8 Laps, top 3 to A)
1. 83M-Broc Martin[2] ; 2. 5K-Adam Kekich[4] ; 3. 22M-Dan McCarron[1] ; 4. 16-Chris Andrews[3] ; 5. 60-Jody Keegan[6] ; 6. 59S-Ryan Smith[7] ; 7. 57X-Andrew Palker[5] ; 8. 83-Nate Reeser[9] ; 9. 59-Bryan Nuckles[8]

Heat 2 (8 Laps, top 3 to A)
1. 22-Cole Duncan[1] ; 2. 9R-Jordan Ryan[2] ; 3. 2-Parker Price-Miller[3] ; 4. 7V-Shawn Valenti[5] ; 5. 45L-Brian Lay[4] ; 6. 5X-Justin Peck[7] ; 7. 68G-Tyler Gunn[8] ; 8. 22D-Josh Davis[9] ; 9. 8M-TJ Michael[6]

Heat 3 (8 Laps, top 3 to A)
1. 99-Brady Bacon[2] ; 2. 23-DJ Foos[3] ; 3. 4k-Kody Kinser[4] ; 4. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[7] ; 5. 3G-Carson Macedo[6] ; 6. 2P-Ricky Peterson[9] ; 7. 7-Troy Kingan[5] ; 8. 4S-Brian Smith[1] ; 9. 27Z-Sean Zemunik[8]

Heat 4 (8 Laps, top 3 to A)
1. 56R-Ryan Myers[1] ; 2. 81-Lee Jacobs[4] ; 3. 5-Byron Reed[5] ; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3] ; 5. 26-Taylor Malsam[2] ; 6. 4-Danny Smith[7] ; 7. 17x-Dain Naida[8] ; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger[6] ; 9. 80-Lance Webb[9]

Heat 5 (8 Laps, top 3 to A)
1. 8-Dean Jacobs[1] ; 2. 4H-Tracy Hines[2] ; 3. 91-Cale Thomas[3] ; 4. 22B-Ryan Broughton[5] ; 5. 49-Tim Shaffer[4] ; 6. 27-Cody Gallogly[7] ; 7. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[6]

C-Main 1 (10 Laps, top 2 to B)
1. 59S-Ryan Smith[1] ; 2. 68G-Tyler Gunn[7] ; 3. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[3] ; 4. 5X-Justin Peck[2] ; 5. 27-Cody Gallogly[5] ; 6. 17x-Dain Naida[9] ; 7. 80-Lance Webb[14] ; 8. 83-Nate Reeser[11] ; 9. 2P-Ricky Peterson[13] ; 10. 27Z-Sean Zemunik[8] ; 11. 59-Bryan Nuckles[6] ; 12. 22D-Josh Davis[12] ; 13. 4-Danny Smith[4]

B-Main 1 (12 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 45L-Brian Lay[1] ; 2. 49-Tim Shaffer[2] ; 3. 35-Stuart Brubaker[4] ; 4. 4S-Brian Smith[6] ; 5. 16-Chris Andrews[3] ; 6. 7V-Shawn Valenti[11] ; 7. 3G-Carson Macedo[13] ; 8. 26-Taylor Malsam[5] ; 9. 68G-Tyler Gunn[17] ; 10. 59S-Ryan Smith[16] ; 11. 22B-Ryan Broughton[9] ; 12. 57X-Andrew Palker[7] ; 13. 7-Troy Kingan[8] ; 14. 8M-TJ Michael[12] ; 15. 60-Jody Keegan[10] ; 16. 8J-Jess Stiger[14] ; 17. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[15]

A-Main 1 (40 Laps)
1. 49-Tim Shaffer[12] ; 2. 2-Parker Price-Miller[5] ; 3. 83M-Broc Martin[2] ; 4. 91-Cale Thomas[3] ; 5. 99-Brady Bacon[9] ; 6. 9R-Jordan Ryan[1] ; 7. 45L-Brian Lay[11] ; 8. 81-Lee Jacobs[6] ; 9. 4k-Kody Kinser[7] ; 10. 23-DJ Foos[4] ; 11. 5K-Adam Kekich[8] ; 12. 5-Byron Reed[20] ; 13. 35-Stuart Brubaker[14] ; 14. 8-Dean Jacobs[19] ; 15. 16-Chris Andrews[13] ; 16. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[22] ; 17. 22M-Dan McCarron[15] ; 18. 22-Cole Duncan[16] ; 19. 26-Taylor Malsam[21] ; 20. 4S-Brian Smith[17] ; 21. 4H-Tracy Hines[10] ; 22. 59S-Ryan Smith[24] ; 23. 56R-Ryan Myers[18] ; 24. 4-Danny Smith[23]
Hard Charger: 49-Tim Shaffer +11

305 Sprints – Fremont Federal Credit Union

Heat 1 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 1-Nate Dussel[1] ; 2. 12-Kyle Capodice[3] ; 3. 9R-Dustin Rall[2] ; 4. 19R-Steve Rando[7] ; 5. 36-Seth Schneider[4] ; 6. 11X-Jordan Ryan[8] ; 7. 77I-John Ivy[6] ; 8. 10-Josh Harrison[5] ; 9. 23C-Lane Cecil[9]

Heat 2 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[1] ; 2. 66-Jamie Miller[3] ; 3. 94K-Kevin Mingus[4] ; 4. 5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath Jr[6] ; 5. 18R-Tony Beaber[5] ; 6. 09-Justin Adams[7] ; 7. 25-Jason Keckler[8] ; 8. 2L-Landon Lalonde[2]

Heat 3 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 99-Alvin Roepke[1] ; 2. 8-Bobby Clark[5] ; 3. 4*-Tyler Street[4] ; 4. 7M-Brandon Moore[2] ; 5. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[7] ; 6. 47-Matt Lucius[6] ; 7. 1X-Matt Foos[3] ; 8. 66D-Chase Dunham[8]

B-Main 1 – (10 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 11X-Jordan Ryan[1] ; 2. 77I-John Ivy[4] ; 3. 09-Justin Adams[2] ; 4. 47-Matt Lucius[3] ; 5. 25-Jason Keckler[5] ; 6. 23C-Lane Cecil[9] ; 7. 10-Josh Harrison[7] ; 8. 2L-Landon Lalonde[8] ; 9. 1X-Matt Foos[6]

A-Main 1 – (20 Laps)
1. 7M-Brandon Moore[2] ; 2. 4*-Tyler Street[5] ; 3. 1-Nate Dussel[6] ; 4. 5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath Jr[1] ; 5. 12-Kyle Capodice[8] ; 6. 1W-Paul Weaver[9] ; 7. 19R-Steve Rando[7] ; 8. 8-Bobby Clark[3] ; 9. 36-Seth Schneider[13] ; 10. 66-Jamie Miller[12] ; 11. 99-Alvin Roepke[10] ; 12. 77I-John Ivy[17] ; 13. 9R-Dustin Rall[11] ; 14. 18R-Tony Beaber[14] ; 15. 09-Justin Adams[18] ; 16. 47-Matt Lucius[19] ; 17. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[15] ; 18. 25-Jason Keckler[20] ; 19. 11X-Jordan Ryan[16] ; 20. 94K-Kevin Mingus[4]
Hard Charger: 77i-John Ivy +5

Dirt Trucks – Burmeister Trophy

Heat 1 (8 Laps)
1. 4x-Brian Sorg[2] ; 2. 2-Matt Foos[5] ; 3. 4s-Keith Sorg[7] ; 4. 5s-Brad Stuckey[1] ; 5. 911-Mark Kachnmeister[4] ; 6. 99-Gene Potridge[6] ; 7. 51W-Thomas Anderson[3]

Heat 2 (8 Laps)
1. 7B-Shawn Valenti[2] ; 2. 33-Jeff Ward[6] ; 3. 23m-Brad Mitten[1] ; 4. 37-Eric DeVanna[7] ; 5. 49X-Noah Wagner[5] ; 6. 26-Kyle Lagrou[4] ; 7. 36M-Cory Mccaughey[3]

Heat 3 (8 Laps)
1. 17x-Dustin Keegan[1] ; 2. 29-Kyle Farmer[2] ; 3. 0-Andy Keegan[4] ; 4. 16-Jim Holcomb[6] ; 5. 1H-Zeth Sabo[5] ; 6. 32-Dale Aikman[3]

A-Main 1 (15 Laps)
1. 7B-Shawn Valenti[5] ; 2. 17x-Dustin Keegan[1] ; 3. 4s-Keith Sorg[7] ; 4. 16-Jim Holcomb[4] ; 5. 29-Kyle Farmer[9] ; 6. 23m-Brad Mitten[11] ; 7. 5s-Brad Stuckey[12] ; 8. 49X-Noah Wagner[14] ; 9. 99-Gene Potridge[16] ; 10. 0-Andy Keegan[3] ; 11. 911-Mark Kachnmeister[13] ; 12. 26-Kyle Lagrou[17] ; 13. 33-Jeff Ward[6] ; 14. 2-Matt Foos[2] ; 15. 32-Dale Aikman[18] ; 16. 1H-Zeth Sabo[15] ; 17. 51W-Thomas Anderson[19] ; 18. 37-Eric DeVanna[8] ; 19. 4x-Brian Sorg[10] ; 20. 36M-Cory Mccaughey[20]
Hard Charger: 49x-Noah Wagner +6

602 Late Models – McCullough Industries

Heat 1 (8 Laps)
1. 34-Ky Harper[1] ; 2. 101-Chester Fitch[3] ; 3. 12-Kyle Dukeshire[6] ; 4. 16-Steve Sabo[5] ; 5. 5-Chester Fitch III[2] ; 6. 95-Louis Kimberlin[4]

Heat 2 (8 Laps)
1. 00-John Brooks[1] ; 2. 17x-Dustin Keegan[5] ; 3. 4M-Jamie Miller[3] ; 4. 27K-Jay King[4] ; 5. 6-Brad Mitten[2]

A-Main 1 (15 Laps)
1. 101-Chester Fitch[3] ; 2. 4M-Jamie Miller[6] ; 3. 00-John Brooks[1] ; 4. 12-Kyle Dukeshire[5] ; 5. 17x-Dustin Keegan[2] ; 6. 5-Chester Fitch III[9] ; 7. 6-Brad Mitten[10] ; 8. 27K-Jay King[8] ; 9. 34-Ky Harper[4] ; 10. 95-Louis Kimberlin[11] ; 11. 16-Steve Sabo[7]