By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – Fremont Speedway is one of the oldest and most historical
dirt oval tracks in the United States. The best drivers in the world have
competed at “The Track That Action Built” over its 59 year history. To pay
tribute to that rich tradition, Fremont Speedway instituted a Hall of Fame
in 2009, inducting 17 individuals during a special ceremony in June.
As the second class of the Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame gets set for
induction on June 5, “The Track That Action Built” is unveiling a special
section on its website – www.fremontohspeedway.com – devoted to all the
inductees. Website administrator Doug Ford, with the help of Hall of Fame
trustee Randy Mapus, has created 18 pages of tribute to those already in the
Hall of Fame – Al Franks, Art Ball, Darl Harrison, Dorothy Shilling, Gene
Notestine, George Fosco, Gug Keegan, Harold Billow, Harold McGilton, Herb
Robison, Jim Ford, Jim Linder, Jim McCune, John Auxter, Paul Strasser,
Rollie Beale and Wendell Smith.
Go to www.fremontohspeedway.com and click on the Hall of Fame link to view
photos, a brief list of accomplishments of each inductee and more when you
click on the photo of each person.
The 10 individuals who will be enshrined in the Fremont Speedway Hall of
Fame in 2010 will be added to the site at a future date.
“Doug and Randy have done a wonderful job of sorting through thousands of
photographs to put a very special section together. I hope current drivers
and fans visit it to see who built Fremont Speedway to what it is today,”
said Brian Liskai, Hall of Fame Trustee and track announcer.
Also coming soon to the Fremont Speedway website will be more historical
photos from the collections of former track promoters Frank Jenssen and Dot
Szakovits-Shilling.