By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – Craig Mintz has won track and series championships. This year he decided with a growing family to cut back on his racing. It hasn’t slowed him up much.
The Gibsonburg, Ohio driver blasted into the lead of the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature on a lap 10 restart and drove to his second win of the season and ninth career victory at Fremont Speedway Saturday. The win keeps Mintz, a two time Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title (FAST) Championship Series champion in the hunt for the coveted Kistler Cup.
“I got hung up with them (lapped cars) there at the end and they just kept racing me. I don’t understand why. I showed my nose. You realize there’s only a couple of lines out there and some day that will come back and haunt some of those guys. These guys behind me (motioning to his crew) they’ve worked a ton, even the Linder crew from the 19 car. These guys needed this and I needed this. My wife, my baby girl, my son, my dad…we needed this,” said Mintz beside his Real Geese Decoys, KS Sales and Service, Kistler Racing Engines, Design Graphics Group backed #09.
“This FAST deal is really tough. You know you win tonight and Cap (Henry) probably ran second and Byron (Reed) third so you only gain three or four points and when your 50 points back it’s tough. We’re running a limited schedule to allow me to be a family man and still be out here racing,” added Mintz.
Tiffin’s Chester Fitch spent countless hours in the garage working on his late model. After opening the season with a win, he was in a drought. That hard worked paid off as he dominated the McCullough Industries 602 Late Model feature, leading all 15 non-stop laps for his second victory of the year and third of his career at Fremont.
“It was good to get my head out of someplace where the sun don’t shine. A lot of nights until 2 o’
Clock in the morning and my mom was about to shoot me but it paid off tonight. This division is the way to go. There’s a lot of guys out there that are scared to try it again because they’ve done so well in other divisions and they feel like this is backing up. It’s something that’s going to grow…it’s affordable and fun and you get to keep racing,” said Fitch beside his Tiffin Auto Auction, Westside Auto Sales, Hi-Way 101 Auto Parts, Danner’s Recycling and Towing backed machine.
Paul Weaver readily admits he hates to have to race on the bottom. He proved that Saturday, passing Alvin Roepke on a restart with eight laps to go and cruised to his second win of the season in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints. It was his 36th career win and he sits 10th on the track’s all-time win list.
Good finishes by Roepke (second) and Bobby Clark (third) will keep the JLH General Contractor 305 Sprint FAST Championship Series Presented by Engine Pro close for the final two point races
“I love it when the 410s and late models run before us. They use up the bottom and leave me the top. I did this on a used tire I bought and it’s my fourth night running it. I’m screwed when this tire dies off. For me, when the yellow comes out these tires are good for maybe a lap and half and then you have to watch back peddling. I was able to get in front of him (Roepke) and got clean air,” said Weaver beside his Schiets Motorsports, Weaver Performance, Hampshire Racing Engines, Fostoria Mod Shop, M&L Excavating, Buckeye Mobile Coatings, Tender Touch Car Wash backed #1W.
After an early race duel with Cory McCaughey, Fostoria’s Kent Brewer found his marks and would drive away to a dominating third win of the season in the AAA Ohio Auto Club Dirt Trucks. It was his sixth career win at Fremont and keeps him atop the track’s point standings.
“We had a good starting spot and had a good night tonight. Somebody was looking over us tonight. I want to thank Kenny Clark for always putting this truck together for me and Rich Hummel has been here all the time win or lose. My wife, my brothers and all my family…it’s wouldn’t be fun if we couldn’t come to Fremont and spend Saturday night with our family,” said Brewer beside his Kent’s Transmissions, Fremont Fence backed #8KB.
By virtue of winning the King of the Hill match races, Chris Andrews would start the 30 lap 410 sprint feature from the pole with Dean Jacobs to his outside. Jacobs would build a sizeable lead over Andrews, D.J. Foos, Mintz, Cap Henry, Byron Reed, Stuart Brubaker and T.J. Michael. But after two laps were recorded Nate Dussel would stop on the front stretch to bunch up the field.
On the ensuing restart Jacobs would rocket away while Foos would get around Andrews for second. Jacobs would catch the rear of the field by lap eight with Foos, Andrews and Mintz battling for second with Henry, Reed, Michael and Jody Keegan in tow. Disaster would strike for Jacobs on lap nine as he tangled with a lapped car entering turn one and spun.
On the restart Mintz blasted around Foos for the lead with Henry driving past Andrews for third. Now it was Mintz’s turn to build a lead as Foos, Henry, Andrews, Reed, Michael and Broc Martin (up from 17th) in pursuit. At the halfway point the leaders had found heavy lapped traffic but Mintz had built a two second lead over Foos, Henry, Reed, and Andrews.
Mintz’s lead began to shrink ever so slightly but he finally split the lapped cars of Tony Beaber and Roger Campbell in turn 3 on lap 23 to maintain his advantage. Henry would drive into second on lap 23 but Foos and Reed battled him for the position.
With four laps to go Henry made a daring move to split two lapped cars and quickly closed on Mintz who was hung up on other lapped cars. As Mintz took the white flag Henry was within a car length with Reed battling Foos and a resurgent Andrews.
Mintz hit his marks and drove to the win over Henry, Reed, Foos and Andrews.
Ky Harper and Steve Sabo brought the field to green for the 15-lap late model feature but it was fourth starter Fitch who drove around both for the lead. Fitch was only challenged by Ky Harper the first hand full of laps before he pulled away.
While Fitch and Harper were comfortable running one and two, the race for third was entertaining with Steve Sabo, Dustin Sautter, Brandon Perkins and Tim Sabo. Sautter would eventually take control of the third spot by lap 8.
With just two laps to go Harper began eating away at Fitch’s lead. But, it was too little too late as Fitch drove to the win over Harper, Sautter, Perkins and Steve Sabo.
Trey Jacobs and Thomas Schinderle would pass the field to green for the 25 lap 305 sprint feature with Schinderle gaining the upper hand. It quickly became a three car battle for the lead between Schinderle, Jacobs and Alvin Roepke with John Ivy, Jordan Ryan and Bobby Clark locked in an entertaining race for fourth.
Roepke would drive high around Schinderle for the lead on lap five. The first of only two cautions would fly on lap six when Kyle Farmer made hard contact with the front stretch wall. The restart would see Roepke lead Schinderle as Ivy drove into third with Jacobs, Ryan, Weaver and Clark in pursuit.
Roepke would build a sizeable lead while the battle behind was fun to watch between Schinderle, Ivy and Weaver. Ivy would take second on lap 12 with Weaver moving into third on lap 13. Weaver would move into second a lap later.
With 10 laps to go Roepke’s lead was two seconds over Weaver, Ivy, Schinderle, Jacobs and Clark. Weaver blasted away at the cushion and was within a second of Roepke when the final caution flew for a Dustin Stroup spin with eight laps to go.
On the restart Weaver would use the high line to drive around Roepke with Ivy, Schinderle, Jacobs, Clark and Ryan in pursuit. As Weaver pulled away, Jacobs would drive into third on lap 19, bringing Clark to fourth over Ivy.
Weaver and Roepke would pull away with Jacobs and Clark locked in a tremendous battle for third. Weaver drove to a dominating win with Roepke, Clark, Jacobs and Ivy rounding out the top five.
Brewer and McCaughey brought the field to green for the 20 lap dirt truck feature and the two would battle side by side over the first three laps before a caution flew. Following a lap under green, and the race’s final caution would fly with 16 laps to go.
On the restart Brewer pulled away from McCaughey with the battle for third to be waged the rest of the way between Jimmy McGrath, Dustin Keegan, Brad Mitten and Matt Foos. Brewer would take the checkered with a 3 second lead while McCaughey continued his good season with a runner-up finish. When the dust had settled, it was Mitten taking third followed by McGrath and Keegan.
Fremont Speedway will be back in action Saturday, Aug. 1 on Kistler Engines Night. The first 3,000 ladies to enter the stands will get in free. It is a Kistler Racing Products FAST Championship Series points night for the 410 sprints with the 305 sprints, dirt trucks and 602 late models also in action.
For more information go to www.fremontohspeedway.com
Fremont Speedway – 7/25/2015
Fort Ball Pizza Night
Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints (20 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Qualifying – Fricker’s Restaurant/Callie’s Performance
- 19C-Chris Andrews, 12.704; 2. 97-Dean Jacobs, 12.793; 3. 39M-DJ Foos, 12.882; 4. O9-Craig Mintz, 13.001; 5. 53-Cap Henry, 13.052; 6. 8M-Tj Michael, 13.081; 7. 14H-Todd Heller, 13.147; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.168; 9. 45L-Brian Lay, 13.247; 10. 5-Byron Reed, 13.269; 11. 16-Stuart Brubaker, 13.291; 12. 60-Jody Keegan, 13.305; 13. 2+-Brian Smith, 13.338; 14. 40DD-Nate Dussel, 13.631; 15. 51-Roger Campbell, 13.692; 16. 3T-Tony Beaber, 13.808; 17. 9-Jordan Ryan, 13.930; 18. 96AU-Bruce White, 14.514; 19. 83M-Broc Martin, 14.754; 20. 68G-Tyler Gunn, 17.046
Heat 1 – American Power Sports (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 2+-Brian Smith[2] ; 2. 5-Byron Reed[3] ; 3. O9-Craig Mintz[5] ; 4. 19C-Chris Andrews[6] ; 5. 83M-Broc Martin[7] ; 6. 3T-Tony Beaber[1] ; 7. 14H-Todd Heller[4]
Heat 2 – Kistler Racing Products (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 16-Stuart Brubaker[3] ; 2. 40DD-Nate Dussel[2] ; 3. 53-Cap Henry[5] ; 4. 97-Dean Jacobs[6] ; 5. 68G-Tyler Gunn[7] ; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[4] ; 7. 9-Jordan Ryan[1]
Heat 3 – Hoosier Racing Tires (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 8M-Tj Michael[5] ; 2. 60-Jody Keegan[3] ; 3. 39M-DJ Foos[6] ; 4. 51-Roger Campbell[2] ; 5. 96AU-Bruce White[1] ; 6. 45L-Brian Lay[4]
A-Main – (30 Laps)
- O9-Craig Mintz[3]; 2. 53-Cap Henry[5]; 3. 5-Byron Reed[7]; 4. 39M-DJ Foos[4]; 5. 19C-Chris Andrews[1]; 6. 8M-Tj Michael[6]; 7. 16-Stuart Brubaker[8]; 8. 83M-Broc Martin[19]; 9. 2+-Brian Smith[10]; 10. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[14]; 11. 9-Jordan Ryan[17]; 12. 14H-Todd Heller[13]; 13. 68G-Tyler Gunn[20]; 14. 97-Dean Jacobs[2]; 15. 60-Jody Keegan[9]; 16. 51-Roger Campbell[12]; 17. 3T-Tony Beaber[16]; 18. 96Au-Bruce White[18]; 19. 40DD-Nate Dussel[11]
Hard Charger: 83M-Broc Martin[+11]
Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints (24 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – American Power Sports (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 44-Kyle Farmer[1] ; 2. 12-Kyle Capodice[2] ; 3. 3J-Trey Jacobs[3] ; 4. 5R-Jordan Ryan[7] ; 5. 39-Jamie Miller[5] ; 6. 36-Seth Schneider[4] ; 7. 32H-Dan Hennig[8]
Heat 2 – Kistler Racing Products (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 7-Thomas Schinderle[1] ; 2. 19R-Steve Rando[2] ; 3. 2-Ricky Peterson[5] ; 4. 99-Alvin Roepke[3] ; 5. 1X-Dustin Dinan[7] ; 6. 11G-Luke Griffith[6] ; 7. 25-Jason Keckler[4] ; 8. 10-Josh Harrison[8]
Heat 3 – Hoosier Racing Tires (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 7M-Brandon Moore[2] ; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[4] ; 3. 77I-John Ivy[5] ; 4. 8-Bobby Clark[7] ; 5. 1M-Dustin Stroup[8] ; 6. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[1] ; 7. 22M-Dan McCarron[6] ; 8. 75-Jerry Dahms[3]
B-Main – Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 36-Seth Schneider[1] ; 2. 11G-Luke Griffith[2] ; 3. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[3] ; 4. 22M-Dan McCarron[6] ; 5. 25-Jason Keckler[5] ; 6. 32H-Dan Hennig[4] ; 7. 75-Jerry Dahms[8] ; 8. 10-Josh Harrison[7]
A-Main – (25 Laps)
- 1W-Paul Weaver[9]; 2. 99-Alvin Roepke[4]; 3. 8-Bobby Clark[5]; 4. 3J-Trey Jacobs[1]; 5. 77I-John Ivy[3]; 6. 7-Thomas Schinderle[2]; 7. 2-Ricky Peterson[8]; 8. 19R-Steve Rando[7]; 9. 1X-Dustin Dinan[14]; 10. 5R-Jordan Ryan[6]; 11. 1M-Dustin Stroup[15]; 12. 7M-Brandon Moore[11]; 13. 11G-Luke Griffith[17]; 14. 39-Jamie Miller[13]; 15. 25-Jason Keckler[20]; 16. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[18]; 17. 22M-Dan McCarron[19]; 18. 12-Kyle Capodice[12]; 19. 36-Seth Schneider[16]; 20. 44-Kyle Farmer[10]
Hard Charger: 1W-Paul Weaver[+8]
AAA Auto Club Dirt Trucks (14 Trucks)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – American Power Sports (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 23M-Brad Mitten[6] ; 2. 7F-Dana Frey[1] ; 3. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath [2] ; 4. 2-Matt Foos[7] ; 5. 22-Brandon Leighton[4] ; 6. 4S-Keith Sorg[5] ; 7. 33-Jeff Ward[3]
Heat 2 – Kistler Racing Products (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 17X-Dustin Keegan[2] ; 2. 36M-Cory McCaughey[6] ; 3. 8KB-Kent Brewer[5] ; 4. 18W-Cory Ward[3] ; 5. 99X-Gene Portidge[1] ; 6. 37-Eric Devanna[7] ; 7. 3-Andy Earnhart[4]
A-Main – (20 Laps)
- 8KB-Kent Brewer[1]; 2. 36M-Cory McCaughey[2]; 3. 23M-Brad Mitten[6]; 4. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath [5]; 5. 17X-Dustin Keegan[3]; 6. 33-Jeff Ward[13]; 7. 2-Matt Foos[7]; 8. 99X-Gene Portidge[10]; 9. 4S-Keith Sorg[11]; 10. 7F-Dana Frey[4]; 11. 37-Eric Devanna[12]; 12. 22-Brandon Leighton[9]; 13. 3-Andy Earnhart[14]; 14. 18W-Cory Ward[8]
Hard Charger: 33-Jeff Ward[+7]
McCullough Industries 602 Late Models (11 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – American Power Sports (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 116-Steve Sabo[3] ; 2. 98-Tim Sabo[4] ; 3. 23-Dustin Sautter[5] ; 4. 4M-Jamie Miller[6] ; 5. O4-Jeff Hites[2]
Heat 2 – Kistler Racing Products (8 Laps – Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
- 101-Chester Fitch[2] ; 2. 34-Ky Harper[3] ; 3. 17X-Dustin Keegan[4] ; 4. O1-Brandon Perkins[1] ; 5. 3-Dale Cole[5]
A-Main – (15 Laps)
- 101-Chester Fitch[4]; 2. 34-Ky Harper[1]; 3. 23-Dustin Sautter[3]; 4. O1-Brandon Perkins[8]; 5. 116-Steve Sabo[2]; 6. 3-Dale Cole[10]; 7. 98-Tim Sabo[6]; 8. 17X-Dustin Keegan[5]; 9. 4M-Jamie Miller[7]; 10. O4-Jeff Hites[9]
Hard Charger: O1-Brandon Perkins[+4]
©2015 – Results Provided by: Computer Man Inc. Fremont, OH