From Brian Liskai
Fremont, OH – (September 13, 2013) –It’s hard to believe after all the wins he has accumulated at Fremont Speedway over the years that Byron Reed hadn’t won a University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions feature at “The Track That Action Built.”
The 109th appearance of the series at Fremont Speedway kicked off the Sixth Annual Jim Ford Classic with a $10,000 to win finale Saturday.
Reed, who secured his fourth track championship at Fremont last week, took the lead from Dean Jacobs on lap 17 of the 30-lap main on All Pro Cylinder Heads Night and went on to record his first ever UNOH All Star win at the track. It is Reed’s 10th career series victory. It is Reed’s third win of the season at Fremont and the 25th of his driving career at track, moving him into a tie for 17th on the track’s all-time win list.
“When you look back we really had a good year here. This means a lot. If this was tomorrow night I’d say it was my biggest win ever but it’s among the top five. I definitely wanted an All Star win here for a lot of years. Come real close a couple of times but this is the first,” said Reed beside his Crown Battery backed #5.
“This is a pretty historic track and it feels good to be a part of that history. I’m getting older now…I’m 40-years-old so I’m starting to pull out the scrap book and showing the kids ‘see what I did when I was young.’ I have to thank my crew…they had it really dialed in tonight. I have to thank Paul Kistler…this motor is my favorite motor,” added Reed.
After a fantastic battle with Caleb Griffith for the lead early in the race, Jacobs would bring the Joe and Diane Seeling machine home in second.
“This race track was pretty good tonight, I can’t complain about anything. We just didn’t tighten our car up enough and later on in the race I wasn’t as good as I was early. Obviously Byron was good. He just flat drove by me and beat me. I could stay a couple of car lengths behind I just needed some lapped cars and before you know it I saw the white flag,” said Jacobs beside his Northwest Ohio Towing and Recover/Napa Truck and Auto Center, Sugar Street Bar and Grill backed #97.
“Caleb and I had a really good race going. Generally when you get under a lapped car that’s what spooks them because you can’t see the guys off to your right too much and obviously he didn’t see Caleb and he got the bad end of the deal. This car is a good car and it’s getting better each time. We need to do a little work on it for tomorrow,” added Jacobs.
Rob Chaney would come home third after a great battle with Andrew Palker throughout the feature.
“How about Andrew Palker this year? I mean a guy who just ran Wayne County and coming out and showing what he’s got. Hat’s off to him…we had a pretty good race there and I look for him to be pretty good next year,” said Chaney beside his Stan Cortad owned #9x. “I’m ready for tomorrow and I hope we can get our car ready for it. It will be a whole new ball game tomorrow. We stayed pretty loose through this race and it just about bit us in the end. We’ll make some adjustments and we’ll be ready for it tomorrow.”
In the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints, Bradner, Ohio’s Nate Dussel would lead all 25 laps but it was easy as Jason Keckler and Alvin Roepke hounded him most of the event. A restart with just four laps to go gave Dussel a clear track and he pulled away for his sixth win of the season at Fremont. Coupled with 6 wins at Attica Raceway Park, Dussel is among the nation’s leaders in sprint car feature wins this season. The victory was the 13th of Dussel’s career at Fremont.
“I figured someone had to be there. I ran behind the 47 car the same line for about five straight laps and I thought ‘man someone’s got to be faster than the lapped car because I’m apparently not.’ Jason is one of the best race car drivers when it gets slick and I knew he was going to be tough. I seen him rolling the bottom and I went down there to try and shut him off and there was no way I could run down there. I got up on the wheel and I want to tell Rich Farmer he did a hell of a job on the track tonight. You could race on it and you had to man up if you wanted to run the top,” said Dussel beside his Berrier Fabrication/Kylynn Manufacturing/Kistler Racing Products/Gressman Powersports backed machine.
Matt Foos, who is wrapping up his rookie season in the AAA Ohio Auto Club Dirt Trucks, drove around Daniel Roepke with seven laps to go and went on to score his second feature win of the year.
“Danny is very good on the starts and he would catch me sleeping there about every time. Once I took the lead I knew I couldn’t mess up with Danny Roepke right behind me. That was a hell of a race and a lot of fun,” said Foos beside his M&L Excavating/Fremont Fence/Advanced Auto Parts/Automatic Fire Protection backed #2.
“I saw my brother win in his first year out so I figured I could do it. I have to thank Brian and Sherry Sorg, Cowboy, Keith and Dennis Level builds a hell of a motor, CA Kustoms and Michael L. Butler,” added Foos.
In the Computer Man Sports Compacts when Amanda Shammo popped a tire with a handful of laps remaining Brandon Myers was there to take advantage. The Grand Rapids, Ohio teen would run away to his fifth win of the year and seventh of his career.
“The car is handling real good now and it would have been nice to have been a little more consistent earlier this season,” said Myers.
Jacobs and Griffith would bring the field to the green for the 30-lap feature with Jacobs gaining the advantage. Griffith would immediately apply pressure as Chaney, Reed, Palker, Paige Polyak, Craig Mintz and Sheldon Haudenschild gave chase. The leaders moved into heavy lapped traffic by the fifth circuit and when Jacobs slipped up in turn two Griffith was there to pounce and take the lead.
Jacobs would fight back and would drive low in turn two on lap eight to regain the top spot with Chaney locked in a tremendous battle with Reed and Palker for third. Griffith would drive back into the lead on lap 10 with Jacobs glued to his bumper. As they hit the lapped car of Jordan Mackison entering turn three, Jacobs went low and Griffith high. Griffith and Mackison made contact, sending Griffith tumbling. He was uninjured but done for the night.
On the restart Jacobs would lead Reed, Chaney, Palker, Mintz, Polyak, Haudenschild and Dale Blaney. Palker would take third on lap 12 as Jacobs and Reed pulled away. Reed would drive under Jacobs exiting turn two on lay 17 to take the lead.
Mackison would slow and the front stretch and stop after 17 circuits were complete, necessitating a caution. Reed now led Jacobs, Chaney, Palker, Mintz, Polyak, Sheldon Haudenschild and Blaney. When the green flew Reed pulled away slightly. It wasn’t until there were four laps to go when Reed caught the back of the field that Jacobs had a shot.
But, Reed maneuvered through the traffic and went on to take the win over Jacobs, Chaney, Palker, Blaney, Mintz, Polyak, Sheldon Haudenschild, D.J. Foos (up from 18th) and Jac Haudenschild (up from 20th).
Blaney’s run coupled with Shaffer’s 13th place finish increased “The Low Rider’s” lead in the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champion’s national point standings to 27 with only two races remaining in 2013. Shaffer leads the Ohio Region of the series by just 13 over Blaney.
In the 305 sprint main, for the first time this year passing points in the heats along with finishing position determined how the feature would be lined up. Keckler and Dussel would bring the field to the green with Dussel gaining the advantage over Keckler, Roepke, Bobby Clark and Jamie Miller.
With five laps in Keckler was putting pressure on Dussel for the lead with Roepke and Clark right there to pounce. Brett Lane and Kyle Capodice would tangle in turn four with Capodice ending up on his side. On the restart Clark would drive around Roepke into third and a lap later around Keckler. With 10 laps in the running order was Dussel, Clark, Keckler, Roepke, Tony Beaber, Steve Rando and Paul Weaver.
Clark would bobble a bit on lap 11 allowing Keckler and Roepke to get by. Roepke would take second on lap 12 and close don Dussel as they raced into traffic. By lap 14 it was a three car battle for the lead with Dussel, Roepke and Keckler. Keckler would regain second on lap 15 with Roepke falling back to Clark while Beaber, Weaver and Rando gave chase.
With five laps to go Keckler was racing right on Dussel’s rear bumper. Ricky Peterson would get upside down in turn two on lap 21, giving Dussel a clear track for the restart. Dussel would drive way as Keckler now had to deal with a closing Weaver. Weaver would take second on lap 23 but ran out of time to catch Dussel. Keckler would come home third with Roepke and Beaber rounding out the top five.
The same point system was used to line of the 20-lap truck feature with Roepke and Foos bringing the field to the green. Roepke would take charge with Foos staying close while Andy Keegan, Dustin Keegan, Cory Ward, Jeff Ward and Shawn Valenti in tow.
The caution would fly with two laps in for a pile-up involving Jeff Ward, Dan Hennig and Brad Mitten. On the restart Roepke and Foos pulled away from the Keegans and Valenti. On lap six the caution flew for a crash involving Dana Fry and Kent Brewer. The restart order was Roepke, Foos, Dustin Keegan, Valenti, Andy Keegan and Cory Ward.
With nine laps in the caution flew for debris just as Foos was racing to Roepke’s outside. Roepke couldn’t shake Foos when the green reappeared and on lap 13 Foos drove to Roepke’s outside to take the top spot. The caution would fly for Steve Sabo who lost a tire on lap 14. The restart order was Foos, Roepke, Dustin Keegan, Valenti, Cory McCaughey (up from 16th starting spot) and Andy Keegan. Valenti would take third on lap 17 and drove into second a circuit later.
But, no one was going to catch Foos as he drove away for the win over Valenti, Roepke, Dustin Keegan and McCaughey.
In the 12 lap sports compacts feature, Chevy Farmer and McKenzie Biddle would bring the field to the green but it was fourth starter Amanda Shammo who shot into the lead. Myers would move into second on lap three and began to pressure Shammo. She would drive hard into turn three on lap eight and pull the tire off the rim of her left front, ending her run. Myers would lead to the checkers over Evan Patynko, Brandon Leighton, Farmer and Nathan Shammo.
All Star Circuit of Champions (41 Cars)
All Pro Cylinder Heads Night
[#]-Starting Position
Qualifying – Kistler Engines
1. 57X-Andrew Palker, 12.262; 2. 97-Dean Jacobs, 12.461; 3. 81-Paige Polyak, 12.494; 4. 9X-Rob Chaney, 12.501; 5. 2-Dale Blaney, 12.535; 6. 40DD-Caleb Griffith, 12.544; 7. 22S-Brandon Spithaler, 12.578; 8. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.585; 9. 33M-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.592; 10. 5R-Byron Reed, 12.603; 11. 80-Trey Gustin, 12.609; 12. 16-Chris Andrews, 12.631; 13. O9-Craig Mintz, 12.639; 14. 55-Brad Bowman, 12.660; 15. 16M-Danny Mumaw, 12.662; 16. 40-Caleb Helms, 12.691; 17. 45L-Brian Lay, 12.727; 18. 83-Tim Shaffer, 12.751; 19. 53-D.J. Foos, 12.774; 20. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 12.796; 21. 5K-Adam Kekich, 12.863; 22. 9-Jac Haudenschild, 12.870; 23. 54-Cap Henry, 12.896; 24. 1080-Jordan MacKison, 12.905; 25. O-Sam Hafertepe Jr., 12.941; 26. 94-Jack Sodeman Jr., 12.944; 27. 22-Cole Duncan, 12.948; 28. 95-Hunter MacKison, 12.964; 29. 60K-Jody Keegan, 12.966; 30. 45-Danny Holtgraver, 12.969; 31. 87-Alan Krimes, 12.996; 32. 24H-Bryan Sebetto, 13.026; 33. 39M-Matt Merrill, 13.044; 34. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.077; 35. 70-Jeff Swindell, 13.149; 36. 35-Stuart Brubaker, 13.263; 37. 787-Jimmy Pooler, 13.639; 38. 33-Brent Matus, 14.014; 39. 13-Brandon Matus, 14.068; 40. 17-Scott Euler, 14.088; 41. 41J-Jeremy Pawley, 14.190
Heat 1 – Kears Speed Shop (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 45L-Brian Lay[2] ; 2. 33M-Sheldon Haudenschild[4] ; 3. 57X-Andrew Palker[6] ; 4. O9-Craig Mintz[3] ; 5. 60K-Jody Keegan[8] ; 6. O-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[7] ; 7. 5K-Adam Kekich[1] ; 8. 2-Dale Blaney[5] ; 9. 39M-Matt Merrill[9] ; 10. 787-Jimmy Pooler[10] ; 11. 41J-Jeremy Pawley[11]
Heat 2 – All Pro Aluminum Heads (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 5R-Byron Reed[4] ; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer[2] ; 3. 9-Jac Haudenschild[1] ; 4. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[5] ; 5. 97-Dean Jacobs[6] ; 6. 55-Brad Bowman[3] ; 7. 45-Danny Holtgraver[8] ; 8. 94-Jack Sodeman Jr.[7] ; 9. 5T-Travis Philo[9] ; 10. 33-Brent Matus[10]
Heat 3 – Dragon Race Fuel (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 53-D.J. Foos[2] ; 2. 54-Cap Henry[1] ; 3. 87-Alan Krimes[8] ; 4. 16M-Danny Mumaw[3] ; 5. 81-Paige Polyak[6] ; 6. 80-Trey Gustin[4] ; 7. 22S-Brandon Spithaler[5] ; 8. 13-Brandon Matus[10] ; 9. 80-Trey Gustin[4] ; 10. 22-Cole Duncan[7]
Heat 4 – Kinsler Fuel Injection (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[2] ; 2. 16-Chris Andrews[4] ; 3. 9X-Rob Chaney[6] ; 4. W20-Greg Wilson[5] ; 5. 1080-Jordan MacKison[1] ; 6. 35-Stuart Brubaker[9] ; 7. 40-Caleb Helms[3] ; 8. 95-Hunter MacKison[7] ; 9. 17-Scott Euler[10] ; 10. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[8]
Dash – Outerwears Performance Products (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 6 starting positions of A-feature
1. 97-Dean Jacobs[2] ; 2. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[5] ; 3. 57X-Andrew Palker[1] ; 4. 9X-Rob Chaney[4] ; 5. 81-Paige Polyak[3] ; 6. W20-Greg Wilson[6]
B-Main – MSD Ignition (12 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 2-Dale Blaney[1] ; 2. 55-Brad Bowman[4] ; 3. 80-Trey Gustin[3] ; 4. 22S-Brandon Spithaler[2] ; 5. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[12] ; 6. O-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[7] ; 7. 40-Caleb Helms[5] ; 8. 45-Danny Holtgraver[11] ; 9. 35-Stuart Brubaker[16] ; 10. 5T-Travis Philo[14] ; 11. 39M-Matt Merrill[13] ; 12. 70-Jeff Swindell[15] ; 13. 13-Brandon Matus[19] ; 14. 787-Jimmy Pooler[17] ; 15. 41J-Jeremy Pawley[21] ; 16. 17-Scott Euler[20] ; 17. 5K-Adam Kekich[6] ; 18. 33-Brent Matus[18] ; 19. 94-Jack Sodeman Jr.[8] ; 20. 95-Hunter MacKison[10]
A-Main – University of Northwestern Ohio (30 Laps)
1. 5R-Byron Reed[8]; 2. 97-Dean Jacobs[1]; 3. 9X-Rob Chaney[4]; 4. 57X-Andrew Palker[3]; 5. 2-Dale Blaney[11]; 6. O9-Craig Mintz[10]; 7. 81-Paige Polyak[5]; 8. 33M-Sheldon Haudenschild[7]; 9. 53-D.J. Foos[18]; 10. 9-Jac Haudenschild[20]; 11. 54-Cap Henry[21]; 12. 45L-Brian Lay[16]; 13. 83-Tim Shaffer[17]; 14. 80-Trey Gustin[13]; 15. 22S-Brandon Spithaler[12]; 16. 87-Alan Krimes[24]; 17. 16M-Danny Mumaw[15]; 18. 16-Chris Andrews[9]; 19. 60K-Jody Keegan[23]; 20. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[19]; 21. 1080-Jordan MacKison[22]; 22. 55-Brad Bowman[14]; 23. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[2]; 24. W20-Greg Wilson[6]
Hard Charger: 9-Jac Haudenschild[+10]
Fremont Federal Credit Untion 305 Sprints (21 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. OO-Alvin Roepke[1] ; 2. 4M-Jamie Miller[5] ; 3. 10S-Roger Shammo[2] ; 4. 9-Jimmy Colvin[4] ; 5. 1W-Paul Weaver[7] ; 6. 36-Seth Schneider[3] ; 7. 47-Brett Lane[6]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 19R-Steve Rando[2] ; 2. 4K-Bobby Clark[4] ; 3. 2-Ricky Peterson[1] ; 4. 8I-John Ivy[3] ; 5. 8M-T.J Michael[6] ; 6. 68G-Tyler Gunn[5] ; 7. 1M-Mike Moore[7]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 1-Nate Dussel[1] ; 2. 25-Jason Keckler[2] ; 3. 39M-Tony Beaber[4] ; 4. 22D-Dan Hammond[3] ; 5. 12-Kyle Capodice[5] ; 6. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[6]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
1. 1-Nate Dussel[2]; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[10]; 3. 25-Jason Keckler[1]; 4. OO-Alvin Roepke[3]; 5. 39M-Tony Beaber[7]; 6. 19R-Steve Rando[5]; 7. 36-Seth Schneider[18]; 8. 68G-Tyler Gunn[17]; 9. 4K-Bobby Clark[4]; 10. 8M-T.J Michael[14]; 11. 4M-Jamie Miller[6]; 12. 22D-Dan Hammond[13]; 13. 10S-Roger Shammo[8]; 14. 13D-Jeremy Duposki[16]; 15. 47-Brett Lane[20]; 16. 1M-Mike Moore[19]; 17. 12-Kyle Capodice[15]; 18. 8I-John Ivy[12]; 19. 2-Ricky Peterson[9]; 20. 9-Jimmy Colvin[11]
Hard Charger: 36-Seth Schneider[+11]
AAA Auto Club Dirt Trucks (24 Trucks)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 2-Matt Foos[2] ; 2. D1-Dustin Keegan[4] ; 3. P51-Willie Keegan[3] ; 4. 9-Curt Inks[1] ; 5. 17-Bob Dible[7] ; 6. 16-Steve Sabo[5] ; 7. 3X-Brad Keckler[6]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. OK-Andy Keegan[3] ; 2. 18W-Cory Ward[7] ; 3. 18-Jeff Ward[6] ; 4. 7-Dana Frey[2] ; 5. 37-Eric Devanna[5] ; 6. 115-Ben Good[1] ; 7. O-Dan Hennig[4] ; 8. 10-Roger Inks[8]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[2] ; 2. 45-Brian Melnek[3] ; 3. 7B-Shawn Valenti[5] ; 4. 8KB-Kent Brewer[8] ; 5. 23M-Brad Mitten[1] ; 6. 4S-Keith Sorg[4] ; 7. 36M-Cory McCaughey[7] ; 8. 6-Linda Sabo[6]
A-Main – (20 Laps)
1. 2-Matt Foos[2]; 2. 7B-Shawn Valenti[9]; 3. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[1]; 4. D1-Dustin Keegan[5]; 5. 36M-Cory McCaughey[16]; 6. 37-Eric Devanna[12]; 7. OK-Andy Keegan[3]; 8. 9-Curt Inks[13]; 9. 18W-Cory Ward[4]; 10. 7-Dana Frey[10]; 11. O-Dan Hennig[20]; 12. 3X-Brad Keckler[18]; 13. 115-Ben Good[19]; 14. 4S-Keith Sorg[17]; 15. P51-Willie Keegan[8]; 16. 16-Steve Sabo[14]; 17. 17-Bob Dible[11]; 18. 6-Linda Sabo[21]; 19. 8KB-Kent Brewer[7]; 20. 18-Jeff Ward[6]; 21. 23M-Brad Mitten[15]
Hard Charger: 36M-Cory McCaughey[+11]
Computer Man Compacts (9 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
A-Main – (12 Laps)
1. 32-Brandon Myers[5]; 2. 7P-Evan Patynko[7]; 3. 22-Brandon Leighton[3]; 4. 29-Chevy Farmer[1]; 5. 4-Nathan Shammo[8]; 6. 34S-McKenzie Biddle[2]; 7. 23-Andrew Schroeder[6]; 8. 14-Amanda Shammo[4]; 9. 3-Andy Earnhardt[9]
Hard Charger: 7P-Evan Patynko[+5]