By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – Chris Andrews used to struggle at Fremont Speedway. But once he got behind the wheel of the Burmeister #16 and teamed up with crew chief Mike Sommers, that has all changed.
The Sandusky, Ohio resident took the lead from Mike Linder on lap 9 of the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature Saturday and drove away to his second win of the season. The victory was Andrews’ fifth career at “The Track That Action Built.”
“I never really have performed my greatest here but this year ever since I joined the 16 car, the Burmeister racing it’s actually been the better track for me,” said Andrews beside his Steven Mapus Productive Tools/Lucas Oil/K&N Filters/Schiets Motorsports/Adkins Sanitation/Goofy Golf/DB3 Imaging #16.
“I hated getting teased by all those cautions late especially when you have guys like Bryan Sebetto behind me. We gambled…we put a crazy left rear tire on this thing just to throw something at it and it worked out pretty good. Mikey Sommers usually nails it all the time and when it doesn’t work out it’s usually my fault,” added Andrews from the Engine Pro Victory Lane, also thanking his owners Sonny and Sharon Burmeister.
Gibsonburg, Ohio’s Craig Mintz would drive to a sixth place finish and would wrap up the track championship in the 410 sprints. Mintz, a 2010 Fremont Speedway champion, also claimed Attica Raceway Park’s title in 2012.
“I caught myself points racing at the beginning and got tired of it. I shouldn’t be doing that but it was so hard not to. We had a good car. Paul Kistler builds a heck of a motor. We’ve got a motor that has 27 or 28 races on it and we’re still competitive. And Ti22 puts a pretty good race car under us,” said Mintz beside his Erie Shore Propane/KS Sales and Service/R2C Filters/Real Geese Decoys/Wasserman Construction/Keller Chevrolet backed #09.
In the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints, Paul Weaver would battle with Steve Rando and then Nate Dussel before emerging the victor. It was Weaver’s first win of the season at Fremont and the 31st of his career, moving him into a tie with Rollie Beale for 12th on the track’s all-time win list.
“I just plain screwed up two times and got lucky with the caution,” said Weaver beside his M&L Excavating/Schiets Motorsports/Tender Touch Car Wash/Weaver Performance Center/Buckeye Mobile Coating backed #1w.
Fremont’s D.J. Foos would come home in the eighth spot and it was good enough to earn him his first ever Fremont Speedway championship.
“I tried to give this away when we had those two features a couple of Fridays ago. But everything just panned out and this is just so awesome,” said Foos beside his Automatic Fire Protection/Schiets Motorsports/Buckshot Farms/Pit Stop Carryouts/Crown Battery/Level Performance/Tender Touch Car Wash backed machine.
“It all started right there by the flag stand. I used to come and stand and watch Mike Linder and cheer him on and now here I am on the front stretch winning a championship at my home race track,” added Foos.
The Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks ran two features – the night’s regular event and the make-up feature from the Aug. 4 rain out. In the make-up feature, Tiffin, Ohio’s Art Ball, who was celebrating his 74th birthday, would take the lead from race-long leader Cory Ward as they raced to the white flag. Ball would go on to pick up his third victory of the season and the 74th of his career as he sits atop the track’s all-time win list.
“The restarts weren’t good for me. I’d lose a truck length every time. But once I caught up I could get under him (Ward). I never thought I’d get buy,” said Ball of his Ritzler Accounting/Faber Subcontracting/Lash Family Racing/Pierce Engineering/Warpaint Graphics backed #01.
Ball would finish third in the second feature and would lock up the track championship for the second year in a row. He also has two late model track titles on his resume. Ball, who has been racing now for 51 years, has scored 298 career feature wins and now has 25 championships.
“This is awesome night for me…my birthday, win a feature and win a championship. You can’t get no better than that,” said beside his Kear’s Speed Shop/Chaney Roofing & Maintenance/Distel’s Septic Service/Nye Farms/Harley and Bev Lee backed machine. “We’re going to go to Eldora later to race and I’m excited about that. I have to thank my crew. We wasn’t good in hot laps but we’ve been great since then. They worked their tails off.”
In the night’s regular feature, John Ivy would take the lead when Steve Sabo suffered a flat tire on lap seven and then held off Andy Keegan to score his third truck win of the year. The victory was #36 in Ivy’s career and moves him into 9th on the track’s all-time win list, just four away from tying Harold McGilton.
“I’m glad I got out front as early as I did because I didn’t have time to put tear-offs on after the 305 feature. I was wiping from the beginning when I was behind them guys I was having trouble hanging on with one hand,” said Ivy beside his Diversified Machine & Welding/Perkins Tree Service/Level Performance/Vision Quest backed #94.
“It would be cool to tie Harold McGilton on the win list. He was a big fan of mine. He used to come watch me race go-karts and we drank a lot of beer together over the years. I’m out here having fun and these guys work hard to keep me out here,” added Ivy.
In the Surfin’ Sweepstakes Sports Compacts, Gibsonburg, Ohio’s Amanda Shammo would wrestle the lead away from Chevy Farmer just past the half-way point and would hold off Brandon Myers to score her first career win. Myers would take the track championship.
“I have to tell Chevy I’m so sorry. I didn’t do that on purpose. What ever my dad did to this thing it was really fast,” said Shammo beside her Wetland Auto parts/Design Graphics Group/Braedan’s Bridge to End Duchene Muscular Dystrophy backed #14.
“Those last few laps it kept coming out of gear and I had to hold it in. It’s pretty hard to get around the track with one arm,” said Myers of his BG Radiator/Mark Shultz Signs/R&R Repair backed #32.
Rob Chaney and Mike Linder would bring the field to the green in the 30-lap 410 sprint feature. Chaney would lead the first lap but Linder would drive around him to take the top spot a lap later. With six laps in, Phil Gressman would spin to bring out the caution with Linder leading Chaney, Andrews, Bryan Sebetto and Caleb Helms.
On the restart Linder would pull away while Andrews got around Chaney for second, with Sebetto taking third on the next circuit. Brad Bowman would spin on lap seven for a caution and on the restart, Andrews immediately pressured Linder. Andrews would drive around Linder into the lead on lap nine with Sebetto, Helms and 14th starter Dean Jacobs in tow.
Andrews would stretch his lead to almost a full straight-away advantage as he raced into lapped traffic by the 14th circuit. Linder ran comfortably in second while the battle for third heated up between Sebetto and Jacobs. With six laps to go, something happened to Helms car as he sailed into the turn four wall, bringing out the red. He was uninjured.
On the restart, Andrews would have two lapped cars separating him from Linder with Sebetto in third and Jacobs and Byron Reed rounding out the top five. On the ensuing restart Bowman would stop on the track to bring the caution back out. Again Andrews would pull away and would cruise the win. Linder, a charging Reed, Sebetto and Jacobs would round out the top five.
Weaver and Rando would pace the field in the 25-lap 305 sprint feature, with Rando grabbing the lead. Weaver stayed with Rando and immediately pressured for the lead with Zack Kramer, Nate Dussel, Jamie Miller, Bobby Clark and Dustin Dinan in pursuit. With four laps in, Ross Moore would spin to slow the race paced. A lap and another caution for another Moore spin.
On the restart, a multi-car crash involving Roger Shammo, Jess Stiger and Seth Schneider would bring out the caution again. When the green reappeared, Rando and Weaver continued their fight for the lad with Kramer battling with Dussel for third. Weaver would take the top spot on lap nine as he drove under Rando exiting turn four.
On lap 14, Weaver would slide off the high side of turn two, handing the lead back to Rando with Kramer and Dussel closing. Once again Weaver would drive under Rando exiting turn four on lap 17 to take the lead. With 21 laps in, Nate Dussel drove under Kramer, Rando and Weaver as they raced in lapped traffic to take the lead, but it was for naught, as a Stiger spin would bring out the caution. Reverting back to the last fully scored lap, Weaver was put back at the point.
On the ensuing restart, Tyler Gunn crashed in turn two. When the green came back out, Weaver drove away the final four laps for the win with Rando, Dussel, Clark and Kramer rounding out the top five.
In the 20-lap dirt truck make-up feature Brian Sorg and Cory Ward would bring the field to the green. Ward would take the lead as fourth place starter Ball drove into second with Kent Brewer, Jimmy McGrath Jr. and Dustin Keegan in tow. After a couple laps were in, Ball had reeled in Ward and began racing under him to challenge for the lead. Sorg would stop on the track with five laps in to bring out the caution.
On the restart Ward continued to lead with Ball challenging while Brewer, McGrath, Keegan and John Ivy stayed close. Jeff Ward would spin on lap 7 to bring out the caution. Again Ward and Ball would race side-by-side when the green came back out with Brewer locked in a battle with McGrath and Ivy for third.
Dustin Keegan would experience mechanical problems at the half-way point, bringing out the final caution. On the restart Ward and Ball continued their great battle while Brewer, McGrath and Ivy raced right behind them. With two laps to go, Ward and Ball were neck and neck for the lead with Brewer and Ivy racing side-by-side right behind. Coming to the white flag, Ball got a good run off the bottom of turn four and took the lead with Ivy grabbing third. Coming to the checkered, Ball would hold on for the win with Ivy grabbing second with McGrath, Dan Roepke Jr. and Brewer rounding out the top five as Ward faded to sixth.
In the night’s regular feature, it would be Steve Sabo and Curt Inks bringing the field to the green with Sabo taking the top spot over Inks, Andy Keegan, Ward, Brewer, Ivy and Ball. After one lap was scored, Jeff Ward would bring out the caution as he flew through the infield, between the flag poles and hit a push jeep.
On the restart Sabo would continue to lead Inks, Keegan, with Brewer gabbing fourth away from Cory Ward with Ivy staying close. Keegan would grab second on lap three with Ivy moving into fourth by lap four. Ivy would drive into second on lap six as the caution came out for debris. During the yellow flag, Sabo would duck into the pits with a flat tire, handing the lead to Ivy.
On the restart, Ivy would have his hands full with Keegan with Brewer, Inks, Ward and Ball in pursuit. The caution would fly on lap seven for Keith Sorg who stalled on the track. A lap and another caution for a Brian Melnek spin. When the green came back out, Ivy pulled away slightly from Keegan with Brewer, Inks and Ward in pursuit.
The final caution came on lap 16 for Melnek. On the restart, Ivy had to battle with Keegan as Brewer suffered a flat tire, moving Inks into third with Ball driving into fourth. Ivy was able to hold off Keegan the remaining five laps for the win with Ball taking third with Inks and McGrath Jr. rounding out the top five.
In the 12-lap feature for the Sport Compacts, Chevy Farmer and Erik Paulson would bring the field to the green with Farmer grabbing the lead over Shammo, Tyler Sherman and Paulson. At the half-way point, Farmer led Shammo, Sherman, Brandon Myers and Steve Pocock.
Shammo would drive under Farmer to challenge for the lead and the two made contact in turn three on lap seven, sending Farmer spinning and handing the lead to Shammo. Shammo would hold off a charging Myers the rest of the way for the win with Sherman finishing third followed by Pocock and Farmer.
Fremont Speedway will wrap up its 61st season of racing on Oct. 6 with the Hoy’s Bar Run What Ya Brung event. Go to www.fremontohspeedway.com for more information.
Fremont Speedway – 9/29/2012
Kistler Racing Products Night
Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints (20 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Qualifying – Callie’s Performance
1. 53-Phil Gressman, 12.755; 2. 24H-Bryan Sebetto, 12.897; 3. 7K-Cole Duncan, 12.948; 4. 16-Chris Andrews, 12.986; 5. 40-Caleb Helms, 12.993; 6. 55-Brad Bowman, 13.006; 7. 3-Mike Linder, 13.007; 8. 9X-Rob Chaney, 13.014; 9. O9-Craig Mintz, 13.058; 10. 60-Jody Keegan, 13.085; 11. 5R-Byron Reed, 13.087; 12. 35-Stuart Brubaker, 13.134; 13. 2+-Brian Smith, 13.250; 14. 97-Dean Jacobs, 13.264; 15. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.451; 16. 23-Jimmy Light, 13.488; 17. 73-Joe Armbruster, 13.563; 18. 10J-Jarrod Delong, 13.565; 19. 51-Roger Campbell, 13.782; 20. 5M-Max Stambaugh, 13.929
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 60-Jody Keegan[3] ; 2. 2+-Brian Smith[2] ; 3. 16-Chris Andrews[5] ; 4. 3-Mike Linder[4] ; 5. 53-Phil Gressman[6] ; 6. 51-Roger Campbell[7] ; 7. 23-Jimmy Light[1]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 97-Dean Jacobs[2] ; 2. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[6] ; 3. 5R-Byron Reed[3] ; 4. 9X-Rob Chaney[4] ; 5. 40-Caleb Helms[5] ; 6. 73-Joe Armbruster[1] ; 7. 5M-Max Stambaugh[7]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3] ; 2. O9-Craig Mintz[4] ; 3. 5T-Travis Philo[2] ; 4. 7K-Cole Duncan[6] ; 5. 55-Brad Bowman[5] ; 6. 10J-Jarrod Delong[1]
A-Main – (30 Laps)
1. 16-Chris Andrews[5]; 2. 3-Mike Linder[2]; 3. 5R-Byron Reed[11]; 4. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[7]; 5. 97-Dean Jacobs[14]; 6. O9-Craig Mintz[9]; 7. 2+-Brian Smith[13]; 8. 7K-Cole Duncan[6]; 9. 5T-Travis Philo[15]; 10. 35-Stuart Brubaker[12]; 11. 60-Jody Keegan[10]; 12. 9X-Rob Chaney[1]; 13. 51-Roger Campbell[19]; 14. 5M-Max Stambaugh[20]; 15. 73-Joe Armbruster[17]; 16. 40-Caleb Helms[4]; 17. 55-Brad Bowman[3]; 18. 23-Jimmy Light[16]; 19. 10J-Jarrod Delong[18]; 20. 53-Phil Gressman[8]
Hard Charger: 97-Dean Jacobs[+9]
Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints (23 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[1] ; 2. 10-Josh Harrison[2] ; 3. 4M-Jamie Miller[6] ; 4. 8K-Zack Kramer[5] ; 5. 8J-Jess Stiger[3] ; 6. 27-Paige Polyak[7] ; 7. 68G-Tyler Gunn[8] ; 8. 9-Jimmy Colvin[4]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 19R-Steve Rando[1] ; 2. 25-Jason Keckler[2] ; 3. 1-Nate Dussel[6] ; 4. 10S-Roger Shammo[4] ; 5. 11F-D.J. Foos[7] ; 6. 72C-Ross Moore[3] ; 7. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[5] ; 8. 15-Gary Benjamin[8]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. MD1-Mike Dussel[2] ; 2. 4X-Bobby Clark[4] ; 3. 5-Dustin Dinan[6] ; 4. 5R-Jordan Ryan[1] ; 5. 8I-John Ivy[3] ; 6. 36-Seth Schneider[5] ; 7. 22D-Dan Hammond[7]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[1]; 2. 19R-Steve Rando[2]; 3. 1-Nate Dussel[5]; 4. 4X-Bobby Clark[3]; 5. 8K-Zack Kramer[4]; 6. 27-Paige Polyak[16]; 7. 4M-Jamie Miller[7]; 8. 11F-D.J. Foos[14]; 9. MD1-Mike Dussel[12]; 10. 8I-John Ivy[15]; 11. 5-Dustin Dinan[6]; 12. 25-Jason Keckler[8]; 13. 9-Jimmy Colvin[21]; 14. 10-Josh Harrison[11]; 15. 10S-Roger Shammo[9]; 16. 5R-Jordan Ryan[10]; 17. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[20]; 18. 68G-Tyler Gunn[19]; 19. 8J-Jess Stiger[13]; 20. 36-Seth Schneider[18]; 21. 72C-Ross Moore[17]
Hard Charger: 27-Paige Polyak[+10]
Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks (22 Trucks)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 94-John Ivy[2] ; 2. O1-Art Ball[1] ; 3. 16-Steve Sabo[8] ; 4. 5-Jim McGrath Sr.[5] ; 5. 95-Keith Sorg[7] ; 6. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[3] ; 7. 45-Brian Melnek Jr.[6]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 18W-Cory Ward[2] ; 2. 8KB-Kent Brewer[7] ; 3. 115-Ben Good[1] ; 4. 99X-Gene Potridge[4] ; 5. 18-Jeff Ward[6] ; 6. 3R-Chuck Rolle[3]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. O-Andy Keegan[3] ; 2. X-Dana Frey[7] ; 3. 9-Curt Inks[5] ; 4. 23M-Brad Mitten[6]
A-Main – (20 Laps)
1. 94-John Ivy[5]; 2. O-Andy Keegan[3]; 3. O1-Art Ball[7]; 4. 9-Curt Inks[4]; 5. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[-]; 6. 18W-Cory Ward[6]; 7. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[15]; 8. 16-Steve Sabo[1]; 9. 115-Ben Good[10]; 10. 5-Jim McGrath Sr.[9]; 11. 8KB-Kent Brewer[8]; 12. X-Dana Frey[11]; 13. 99X-Gene Potridge[12]; 14. 45-Brian Melnek Jr.[17]; 15. 95-Keith Sorg[13]; 16. 4X-Brian Sorg[-]; 17. 79-Andrew Lutman[-]; 18. 3R-Chuck Rolle[16]; 19. 18-Jeff Ward[14]
Hard Charger: 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[+8]
Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks (22 Trucks) – Make-Up from 8-4-2012
A-Main – (20 Laps)
1. O1-Art Ball[4]; 2. 94-John Ivy[7]; 3. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[6]; 4. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[13]; 5. 8KB-Kent Brewer[3]; 6. 18W-Cory Ward[2]; 7. 5-Jim McGrath Sr.[15]; 8. O-Andy Keegan[12]; 9. 23M-Brad Mitten[8]; 10. 16-Steve Sabo[20]; 11. 115-Ben Good[9]; 12. 95-Keith Sorg[19]; 13. 99X-Gene Potridge[18]; 14. 18-Jeff Ward[16]; 15. 3R-Chuck Rolle[10]; 16. D1-Dustin Keegan[5]; 17. P51-Willie Keegan[11]; 18. 79-Andrew Lutman[14]; 19. 4X-Brian Sorg[1]
Hard Charger: 16-Steve Sabo[+10]
Surf’n Sweepstakes Sport Compacts (9 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
A-Main – (12 Laps)
1. 14-Amanda Shammo[3]; 2. 32-Brandon Myers[6]; 3. 5-Tyler Sherman[5]; 4. 77-Steve Pocock[7]; 5. 29-Chevy Farmer[1]; 6. PI-Erik Paulson[2]
Hard Charger: 32-Brandon Myers[+4]
©2012 – Results Provided by: Computer Man Inc. Fremont, OH