From Scott Porter – FAST Public Relations, Mike Campbell Photo
Maumee, OH — The final chapter on the 2010 Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series presented by SRP Pistons & Engine Pro season will be written on Saturday, September 11th at Fremont Speedway on Season Championship Night. The top-9 have all clinched their share of the $60,000 point fund and surprisingly the top-3 spots are comprised of the same three drivers (Byron Reed, Mark Keegan and 2009 FAST Champion Craig Mintz) that competed for the inaugural title just one year ago. Battles brew throughout the top-10 as driver’s look to settle it out at over 100-mph at the historic 1/3-mile clay oval located inside the Sandusky County Fair Grounds.
Last weekend Byron Reed clinched his 6th track championship at Attica Raceway Park and will add 2010 FAST Kistler Cup to his racing resume once the familiar black #5R Pro Shocks, JEI Chassis fires his Kistler Engines power plant. Since claiming seconds in all three point championships (Attica, Fremont & FAST) in 2009, it has been obvious that the team prepared over the off-season and has remained driven in accomplishing it’s goals set this year. Out of the gate, Reed dominated the first half of the Northern Ohio sprint car scene where he claimed 4 (of his 5) FAST wins, finished inside of the top-5 in all 9 events contested (two events lost to rain) and had an astonishing average finish of 2nd on FAST nights. The B&S Racing team had a bit of a stumble after Ohio Sprint Speedweek, but still claims an average finish of 7th heading into the finale on Saturday. The team may have some pressure off its back once the FAST title is clinched, but still eyes the goal of a clean sweep in 2010 with the Fremont Speedway Track Championship just 33-points from their grasp.
Mark Keegan will clinch 2nd place in the FAST Kistler Cup Points by qualifying his Midwest Transportation backed #X JEI sprint car for Saturday night’s feature. The season can easily be marked as an success for the reinvigorated 52-year old driver who returned to victory lane at Attica Raceway Park this season to earn his 56-career win there. Craig Mintz finds himself locked into 3rd place between Keegan and may be handing his FAST title reign over to Reed come Saturday, but looks to play spoiler by picking up the 2010 Fremont Track Championship. The Bobby’s Car & Truck Repair, Real-Geese backed #20X TGE team will just have to qualify for the 30-lap feature event to clinch their first career track championship in Northern Ohio. Mintz would become just the sixth different driver to claim the title at “The Track That Action Built” since the track’s rebirth by Jim Ford in 2000.
With a finish of 13th or higher on Saturday night in the main event, “The Ohio Gas Man” Phil Gressman can clinch 4th place in FAST Kistler Cup Points. The Genzman Racing Enterprises #53 entry found victory lane back in April at Attica Raceway Park and was once as high as 2nd in points before a roller coaster of a ride through out the remainder of the 2010 season. The team has persevered and claimed back into the Top-5 after finishing in 18th place in 2009.
The season for Dean Jacobs started with hopes of chasing the entire All Star tour, but financial decisions forced the team to stay closer to home and battle the stiff competition at Attica and Fremont on the weekends. However, the Wooster, Ohio native still has a chance at finishing inside the Top-10 in both FAST and All Star competition. With the help of two wins, Jacobs is 33-points ahead of Bryan Sebetto for 5th place and could clinch the position with a finish of 10th or better. Sebetto can’t look too far ahead though as Kevin Lee sits just 16-points back in 7th place. The 3J Motorsports team looks to rebound after failing to transfer out of the B-Main for just the second time in FAST competition.
Todd Heller will clinch 8th place by qualifying for the feature on Saturday night. It seems almost quietly the Whitehouse, Ohio native has climbed into the Top-10 in FAST Kistler Cup Points after being outside the top-10 as late as July. But with the help of some top-5 runs and some top-10 finishes thanks to some KSE Steering Hard Charger performances by the GL Heller Company backed #14H. Sitting in 9th place is Shawn Valenti who has clinched the 2010 Cub Cadet FAST Rookie of the Year Award presented by KS Sales & Service and will clinch ninth place by qualifying for the feature on Saturday. The season can be marked as a success for the rookie 410 sprint car driver has he has shown steady improvement aboard his #28 mount and has earned the respect of his competitors along the way. Fremont, Ohio’s Mike Linder will be the first to tell you of how disappointing the 2010 season has been to the #312 Linder Racing family. Linder though broke back into the top-10 after Night #21 of the FAST season at Attica and looks to gain some momentum going into the off-season as the season closes out at Fremont.
Gates on Saturday at Fremont Speedway open at 4 pm with racing slated to start at 7 pm. For more information on admission prices, start times and directions to Fremont visit www.fremontohspeedway.com.
After the dust has settled on the sophomore season for the Fremont/Attica Sprint Title series attention will turn to the 2nd Annual Fremont/Attica Sprint Title Party & Awards Banquet that will be held on Saturday, October 23rd at the American Legion in Fremont, Ohio (200 Buckland Ave). This casual outing is intended to bring fans, drivers and sponsors under one roof to recount the season that was and to crown the 2010 Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series & FAST 305 Championship Series champions. For just $10.00 at the door, guests will be able to enjoy a meal and the entertainment of acoustic guitarist/ vocalist Mel Burns. Doors will open at 6 pm with a meal served at 7pm before the awards ceremony. Mark your calendars today as drivers inside the top-10 must attend in order to claim their share of the point fund. The event will be FREE to car owners and drivers finishing in the Top-10 in both the Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series and the FAST 305 Championship Series. All of the sponsors contributing to the FAST point fund will also receive free admission to this event. This awards ceremony is mandatory for drivers to collect their prizes and earnings from FAST on Dirt, Inc.
Visit www.fastondirt.com to find out more about the Fremont/Attica Sprint Title, the drivers, the rules, the schedule, the sponsors, and more.
While Supplies Last: 2010 Fremont/Attica Sprint Title merchandise has been slashed for the final time and all of our t-shirts are just $10 with limited quantities and sizes available. Shirts can be purchased at both race tracks at the Action Photos booth on race day or visit www.fastondirt.com and order yours today. Currently youth medium and adults sizes S-4XL are available for the white Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series shirts, while 3XL-5XL only remain for the black FAST 305 Championship Series logo shirt. 2009 Season-In-Review DVDs and decals are also available.
FAST on Dirt, Inc. would like to thank the following contributors to the 2010 FAST Championship Series point fund:
Kistler Racing Products, Engine Pro, JE/SRP Pistons, Design Graphics Group, Inc, KS Sales & Service, Engler Machine & Tool, Oliver Rods, Henry MotorSports Inc., J&F Construction, Black Swamp Media Group, MyHeroCards.com, Kears Speed Shop, Computer Man, Inc., SCS Gearbox, RockAuto.com, Hoserville Ohio, Hoseheads.com, Level Performance, R&R Auto Wrecking, Reebar Die Casting, The King’s Den, FSR Radiator, Real Geese, Buckeye IT Services, High Vista Video, Racers Racing for a Cure, Gressman Powersports, NAPA (Bryan, OH), Gaerte Engines, Action Photos, PostNet (Fremont, OH), New York Life (Jeremy Shambaugh), Young’s RV Center, October Hills Farms, and OC Shocks
Also, a very special thanks to all of our contingency award sponsors:
R2C Filters, Hepfner Racing Products, TQ Fiberglass, Fuel Safe, Racing Optics, Rocket Headers, Wings Unlimited, VRP Shocks, Kinsler Injections, RAM Engineering Midwest, PRO Shocks, ButlerBuilt, Zemco Headers, Kinser Filters, Outerwears, Inc, DMI Race Components, Keizer Wheels, Linders Speed Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, XXX Race Components, Randy’s Racing Filters, Hinchman Indy Uniforms, King Racing Products, Golden Graphics, OC Shocks, Weld Wheels, KSE Steering, Competition Suspension, Inc, Ti22 Performance, All Pro Heads, FSR Radiator, Speed Meets Art, Productive Tools & Equipment, Arizona Sport Shirts, and Fisher Performance