By Brian Liskai
Camargo, IL (5-21-12) – Fremont Speedway has long been known
as “The Home of the All Stars.” The Sandusky County oval has hosted the
University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions 99 times
during its 61 year history and is planning for a big celebration of the
100th and 101st visit Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and
27.
Saturday’s event is sponsored by Kear’s Speed Shop and will not only
feature the UNOH All Stars but the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints
and Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks. Sunday’s racing is sponsored by Bud Light
and will pay the UNOH All Star feature winner $10,000! The 305 sprints and
dirt trucks will also be in competition that night as well.
Fremont Speedway ALWAYS lives up to its moniker “The Track that Action
Built,” especially when the UNOH All Star teams come calling. Who could
forget the series’ last visit to Fremont Speedway for the Jim Ford Classic,
a two-day affair in September 2011. Three time and defending All Star
champion Tim Shaffer held off 2011 Fremont champion Bryan Sebetto on the
first night with Sebetto banging wheels with Shaffer coming down for the
$10,000 finale and edging the “Steel City Outlaw” by just .045 seconds for
the biggest win of his career. Sebetto, who scored a win at Fremont on May
12, scored his first All Star win at the track in 2010.
Shaffer, who won his first UNOH All Star feature of 2012 on May 12 at
Mercer Raceway Park, also took the $10,000 Ohio Sprint Speedweek finale at
Fremont in 2011 and has 11 career wins at Fremont. The other two UNOH All
Star events in 2011 at Fremont went to three time series champion Dale
Blaney, who has 12 career wins at Fremont, and 2011 World of Outlaws
champion Jason Meyers.
Blaney, who has 86 career All Star wins, including two this season, leads
the series’ national and Ohio Region points with Shaffer second and young
chargers David Gravel third in the national and Danny Holtgraver third in
the Ohio region standings. Former Fremont and All Star rookie of the year
Cap Henry sits fourth in both the national and Ohio region points with Paul
McMahan fifth in the national and two time series champion Greg Wilson
fifth in the Ohio Region.
The double header weekend promises to be a barn-burner between the
travelling UNOH All Stars and the tough weekly competitors of Fremont with
some possible surprises dropping in. Fremont has held two 410 sprint events
in 2012 with Oklahoma’s Shane Stewart and Sebetto claiming the victories.
The track’s 2010 champion Craig Mintz has scored a win against the UNOH All
Stars at Attica Raceway Park in 2012 and was passed on the last lap of
another series event at Attica. The Memorial Day weekend event could draw
the likes of Danny “The Dude” Lasoski who has three All Star victories in
2011 and many of the Western Pennsylvania contingent.
Fremont regular Phil “The Ohio Gas Man” Gressman has looked strong at
Fremont so far, leading much of the race on May 12 before settling for
second. Throw in three time track champion Byron Reed, who has 23 career
wins at Fremont, and others like Chris Andrews (third on May 12), Lee
Jacobs, Dean Jacobs, Brian Smith, Travis Philo, Brandon Martin, and others
and it will be an exciting weekend.
Besides Blaney, Shaffer, Gravel, Holtgraver and Henry, the UNOH All Stars
will also bring 2011 rookie of the year Pete Miller. The Pennsylvania
native scored a non-sanctioned win recently at Lernerville Speedway.
Monday, May 28 is a rain date for the finale night only should it be
needed.
Gates will open both nights at 4 p.m. with racing underway at 7 p.m.
For a list of the past UNOH All Star Circuit of Champion winners and more
information on Fremont Speedway go to www.fremonohspeedway.com. For more
information on the UNOH All Stars go to www.allstarsprint.com or follow us
on twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/ascoc