By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Oh. (June 8, 2019) – DJ Foos thought coming into the weekend he needed at least a pair of top three finishes to gain some momentum going into Ohio Sprint Speedweek. He did much better than that.
The Fremont, Ohio driver led all 30 laps of the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature Saturday at Fremont Speedway on Vision Quest Night to sweep the weekend for the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Sprint Championship (AFCS) Presented by the Baumann Auto Group. Like Friday’s win at Attica Raceway Park, Saturday’s victory was worth $4,000 thanks to Spanky’s Pizza of Carey.
“This is pretty awesome. Back in the day in 305s me, my dad and brother were pretty good but we never swept a weekend. To do this with the Burmeister crew is pretty awesome. We want to dedicate the win to John Wisbon and his family. I know John drove for them a long time ago and hopefully I’m making him proud up there,” Foos said of the late driver who was inducted into the Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame earlier in the afternoon.
Foos’ 12th career Fremont victory wasn’t easy though, as a bobble on the cushion in turns three and four with three laps to go nearly allowed Tim Shaffer to get by. “I kind of got off the back side there. The cushion was getting on the back side of the banking and I was trying to cheat it cause there was a nice little rut to follow through. On that last yellow I saw Shaffer was in third…I knew that wasn’t going to last long so I knew I needed to step it up a bit. I had trouble getting around some last cars and I’m sure he made it exciting,” Foos said.
“I love Fremont. This is where I grew up watching every weekend as a little kid. To come here now and win with an amazing crowd, great staff and great team…it doesn’t get any better than this. Also congrats to Rich Farmer (former Fremont promoter) who got inducted into the hall of fame today. If it wasn’t for him I’d have never been in a sprint car,” said Foos beside his Jet Express/CR Juices/Crown Battery/Greer Automotive/Burmeister Trophy/KS Sales & Service/Kistler Engines/Kistler Racing Products/NAPA Auto Parts/Dave Story Equipment/Minor Customs backed machine.
Ivy, who celebrated his 50th birthday earlier in the week, battled with fellow veteran Alvin Roepke throughout the 25 non-stop laps of the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint feature and drove to his 57th career win at “The Track That Action Built.” Ivy, who owns 8 track championships at Fremont combined in the 305 sprints, 410 sprints and dirt trucks, now is one shy of tying Jim Linder for fourth on the track’s all-time win list.
“You forget to breath some times when you get going and I screwed up a couple of times going into turn one there and thought I was going to give it away. I had to settle down. I grew up watching Jim Linder race and he does our shocks for us now. We stunk the place up last night at Attica but we put our heads together today at the shop and the boys worked their butts off today and made my job a whole lot easier,” said Ivy in the Engine Pro Victory Lane of his L&R Farms/C&N Supply/Rohr Lawn care/Sonny’s Welding & Machine/Welty Financial/Atkinson Farms/Story Equipment backed #77i.
Ivy has climbed his way back into contention for the KS Sales & Service AFCS Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales title with the $1,000 victory.
The 20 lap Burmeister Trophy Dirt Truck feature was a barn-burner involving five drivers – Dustin Keegan, Brad Keckler, Jim Holcomb, John Brooks, Kent Brewer – and when the dust settled Keegan, Fremont’s 2017 truck champion and 2018 late model champion, claimed his eighth career victory at the track.
“To race my teammate (Keckler) like that was just unreal. We started seventh and tried a little something and I guessed it worked. I love slick tracks like this. It’s been two years since I won in the trucks. I want to thank my dad, my fiancée, Dabby, Denny, Brad, Noah, Gappy, Uncle Hoppy and everyone who helps out,” said Keegan beside his LST Excavating/Kevin Walby/ Green Creek Lawn Care/MRE of Ohio/York Fabrication backed #17x.
Prior to the night’s racing the 11th Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame induction ceremonies took place. Being enshrined in the hall were John Wisbon, Bruce Berryman, Dave Marko, Jerry “Dude” Creeger, Chuck Kear, Rich Farmer, Floyd Slater and Chuck Keegan.
In the 30-lap 410 A-main Brian Smith and Foos brought the field to green with Foos gaining the upper hand. Foos immediately began to pull away from Smith while a tremendous battle ensued for third involving Travis Philo, fast qualifier Justin Peck, Byron Reed, Shaffer, Stuart Brubaker, Craig Mintz and Nate Dussel.
Foos drove into heavy lapped traffic by the 10th circuit but Smith was unable to close while Philo, Peck and Shaffer continued their torrid battle for third. Shaffer would finally move into third on lap 14. The only caution of the race fell on lap 17 for a Ryan Broughton spin and on the restart Foos drove away from Smith who had his hands full with Shaffer. Shaffer drove into second on lap 19 but Foos held a commanding lead.
With a clear track Foos began to pull away as Shaffer and Smith gave chase. Meanwhile a great battle for fourth was underway involving Peck, Philo, Buddy Kofoid and Mintz. Foos encountered heavy lapped traffic with five laps to go and Shaffer began to close with Smith holding off Kofoid. Foos nearly lost the lead in turns three and four with three laps to go but maintained his composure and kept the lead to the checkers over Shaffer, Smith, Kofoid and Peck.
Paul Weaver and Roepke brought the field to green for the 25 lap 305 sprint feature with Roepke taking the lead as fourth starter Ivy bolted into second. Roepke and Ivy raced nose to tail and side by side over the first nine laps until lapped traffic came into play. That’s when Ivy pounced and drove into the lead but Roepke didn’t give up and raced under Ivy lap after lap.
In a feature that went green to checkers and completed in just over seven minutes, Ivy was never able to complete shake Roepke as they battled in traffic. Ivy didn’t make a mistake though and took the checkers over Roepke, Weaver, Brandon Moore and Kyle Peters.
Keith Sorg and Brad Keckler paced the field for the 20 lap dirt truck feature with Keckler gaining a slight advantage over Sorg, Jim Holcomb, Jimmy McGrath Jr., Steve Endicott and Brad Mitten. Meanwhile Dustin Keegan began his march to the front and was third by lap five. The fist caution flew on lap eight with Keckler leading Holcomb, Keegan, McGrath, Kent Brewer, John Brooks and Endicott. Another caution for debris on lap 11 kept the field close.
On the ensuing restart Keckler held Holcomb at bay while Keegan, Brewer and Brooks battled for third. With six laps to go it was a tremendous three truck battle for the lead with Keckler holding off Holcomb and Keegan. That trio raced each other hard over the next couple of laps before Keegan utilized the bottom lane to take the lead with just four laps to go.
Keegan drove to the close win over Holcomb, brooks, Keckler and Brewer.
Fremont Speedway will be back in action Saturday, June 15 on Fort Ball Pizza Palace Fan with a Can Night (fans are encouraged to bring canned, non-perishable food items for local food pantries. The Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) non-wing sprints, 305 sprints and dirt trucks will be in action. Also the trucks will run their feature events that were cancelled due to weather on May 26.
For more information go to www.fremontohspeedway.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FremontSpeedway or on Twitter at https://twitter.com /FremontSpeedway
About Vision Quest
Located in downtown Elmore, Ohio, Vision Quest provides high quality design and print work for all media including custom screen printing and embroidery work, signs and lettering. Call 419-862-3891.
Fremont Speedway
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Vision Quest Night
[*] Indicates starting position
410 Sprints – Fort Ball Pizza Palace
Qualifying
1.5X-Justin Peck, 13.176; 2.11N-Buddy Kofoid, 13.202; 3.5-Byron Reed, 13.345; 4.16-DJ Foos, 13.352; 5.83M-Broc Martin, 13.353; 6.09-Craig Mintz, 13.353; 7.2+-Brian Smith, 13.354; 8.35-Stuart Brubaker, 13.360; 9.5T-Travis Philo, 13.367; 10.45-Brian Lay, 13.408; 11.1-Nate Dussel, 13.453; 12.49X-Tim Shaffer, 13.492; 13.4-Cap Henry, 13.583; 14.14-Chad Wilson, 13.596; 15.20I-Kelsey Ivy, 13.608; 16.22-Cole Duncan, 13.625; 17.12-Kody Swanson, 13.642; 18.22M-Dan McCarron, 13.663; 19.33W-Caleb Griffith, 13.695; 20.20B-Cody Bova, 13.700; 21.5W-Lee Jacobs, 13.732; 22.40-Mark Imler, 13.749; 23.97-Caleb Helms, 13.781; 24.68G-Tyler Gunn, 13.783; 25.22B-Ryan Broughton, 14.069; 26.96AU-Bruce White, 14.680; 27.25M-Chris Andrews, 16.182;
Heat 1 (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 2+-Brian Smith[2] ; 2. 16-DJ Foos[3] ; 3. 5X-Justin Peck[4] ; 4. 45-Brian Lay[1] ; 5. 4-Cap Henry[5] ; 6. 33W-Caleb Griffith[7] ; 7. 22B-Ryan Broughton[9] ; 8. 40-Mark Imler[8] ; 9. 22-Cole Duncan[6]
Heat 2 (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 35-Stuart Brubaker[2] ; 2. 1-Nate Dussel[1] ; 3. 97-Caleb Helms[8] ; 4. 11N-Buddy Kofoid[4] ; 5. 83M-Broc Martin[3] ; 6. 12-Kody Swanson[6] ; 7. 14-Chad Wilson[5] ; 8. 20B-Cody Bova[7] ; 9. 96AU-Bruce White[9]
Heat 3 (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 5T-Travis Philo[2] ; 2. 49X-Tim Shaffer[1] ; 3. 5-Byron Reed[4] ; 4. 09-Craig Mintz[3] ; 5. 22M-Dan McCarron[6] ; 6. 25M-Chris Andrews[9] ; 7. 5W-Lee Jacobs[7] ; 8. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[5] ; 9. 68G-Tyler Gunn[8]
B-Main 1 (10 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 12-Kody Swanson[2] ; 2. 25M-Chris Andrews[3] ; 3. 33W-Caleb Griffith[1] ; 4. 22B-Ryan Broughton[4] ; 5. 5W-Lee Jacobs[6] ; 6. 14-Chad Wilson[5] ; 7. 68G-Tyler Gunn[12] ; 8. 20B-Cody Bova[8] ; 9. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[9] ; 10. 40-Mark Imler[7] ; 11. 96AU-Bruce White[11] ; 12. 22-Cole Duncan[10]
A-Main 1 (25 Laps)
1. 16-DJ Foos[2] ; 2. 49X-Tim Shaffer[8] ; 3. 2+-Brian Smith[1] ; 4. 11N-Buddy Kofoid[11] ; 5. 5X-Justin Peck[4] ; 6. 5T-Travis Philo[6] ; 7. 09-Craig Mintz[12] ; 8. 4-Cap Henry[13] ; 9. 1-Nate Dussel[7] ; 10. 5W-Lee Jacobs[20] ; 11. 5-Byron Reed[3] ; 12. 97-Caleb Helms[9] ; 13. 83M-Broc Martin[14] ; 14. 35-Stuart Brubaker[5] ; 15. 45-Brian Lay[10] ; 16. 33W-Caleb Griffith[18] ; 17. 12-Kody Swanson[16] ; 18. 22M-Dan McCarron[15] ; 19. 25M-Chris Andrews[17] ; 20. 22B-Ryan Broughton[19]
Hard Charger: 5W-Lee Jacobs +10
305 Sprints – Fremont Federal Credit Union
Qualifying
1.77I-John Ivy, 13.884; 2.97-Kyle Peters, 14.191; 3.4*-Tyler Street, 14.218; 4.1H-Zeth Sabo, 14.231; 5.99-Alvin Roepke, 14.270; 6.1W-Paul Weaver, 14.277; 7.12-Kyle Capodice, 14.364; 8.11G-Luke Griffith, 14.376; 9.8-Bobby Clark, 14.401; 10.7M-Brandon Moore, 14.477; 11.7-Shawn Valenti, 14.483; 12.25-Jason Keckler, 14.495; 13.36-Seth Schneider, 14.504; 14.5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr, 14.510; 15.3X-Brandon Riehl, 14.575; 16.09-Justin Adams, 14.622; 17.26-Jamie Miller, 14.681; 18.9R-Dustin Rall, 14.682; 19.21-Larry Kingseed JR, 14.692; 20.47-Matt Lucius, 14.714; 21.28-Tad Peck, 14.773; 22.29-Rich Farmer, 14.863; 23.3V-Chris Verda, 14.979; 24.75-Jerry Dahms, 15.046; 25.X-Mike Keegan, 15.214; 26.X15-Kasey Ziebold, 15.490;
Heat 1 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 77I-John Ivy[4] ; 2. 12-Kyle Capodice[2] ; 3. 7M-Brandon Moore[1] ; 4. 1H-Zeth Sabo[3] ; 5. 09-Justin Adams[6] ; 6. 29-Rich Farmer[8] ; 7. 36-Seth Schneider[5] ; 8. X-Mike Keegan[9] ; 9. 21-Larry Kingseed JR[7]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 7-Shawn Valenti[1] ; 2. 99-Alvin Roepke[3] ; 3. 97-Kyle Peters[4] ; 4. 11G-Luke Griffith[2] ; 5. 26-Jamie Miller[6] ; 6. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr[5] ; 7. 3V-Chris Verda[8] ; 8. 47-Matt Lucius[7] ; 9. X15-Kasey Ziebold[9]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 8-Bobby Clark[2] ; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver[3] ; 3. 25-Jason Keckler[1] ; 4. 4*-Tyler Street[4] ; 5. 9R-Dustin Rall[6] ; 6. 3X-Brandon Riehl[5] ; 7. 28-Tad Peck[7] ; 8. 75-Jerry Dahms[8]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps, top 5 to A)
1. 36-Seth Schneider[4] ; 2. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr[2] ; 3. 29-Rich Farmer[1] ; 4. 3V-Chris Verda[5] ; 5. 3X-Brandon Riehl[3] ; 6. 21-Larry Kingseed JR[10] ; 7. 47-Matt Lucius[8] ; 8. X15-Kasey Ziebold[11] ; 9. 75-Jerry Dahms[9] ; 10. X-Mike Keegan[7] ; 11. 28-Tad Peck[6]
A-Main 1 – (20 Laps)
1. 77I-John Ivy[4] ; 2. 99-Alvin Roepke[2] ; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver[1] ; 4. 7M-Brandon Moore[8] ; 5. 97-Kyle Peters[3] ; 6. 7-Shawn Valenti[5] ; 7. 12-Kyle Capodice[7] ; 8. 4*-Tyler Street[12] ; 9. 8-Bobby Clark[6] ; 10. 11G-Luke Griffith[11] ; 11. 36-Seth Schneider[16] ; 12. 1H-Zeth Sabo[10] ; 13. 09-Justin Adams[13] ; 14. 25-Jason Keckler[9] ; 15. 26-Jamie Miller[14] ; 16. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr[17] ; 17. 3V-Chris Verda[19] ; 18. 3X-Brandon Riehl[20] ; 19. 29-Rich Farmer[18] ; 20. 9R-Dustin Rall[15]
Hard Charger: 36-Seth Schneider +5
Dirt Trucks – Burmeister Trophy
Heat 1 (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 2-Steve Endicott[3] ; 2. 1-John Brooks[7] ; 3. 32-Kevin Phillips[4] ; 4. 83-Noah Wagner[5] ; 5. 11-Austin Gibson[8] ; 6. 14T-Cody Truman[1] ; 7. 911-Mark Kachenmeister[6] ; 8. 5-Jim Mcgrath[2]
Heat 2 (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 8KB-Kent Brewer[4] ; 2. 5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath Jr[6] ; 3. 0-Andy Keegan[5] ; 4. 5s-Brad Stuckey[7] ; 5. 36M-Cory McCaughey[8] ; 6. P51-Paul Brown JR[2] ; 7. 65R-Jeremy Ernsberger[3] ; 8. 20-Caleb Shearn[1]
Heat 3 (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 1X-Brad Keckler[3] ; 2. 23m-Brad Mitten[4] ; 3. 115-Ben Good[1] ; 4. 7B-Shawn Valenti[6] ; 5. 33-Jeff Ward[5] ; 6. 26-Kyle Lagrou[2] ; 7. 9-Curt Inks[8] ; 8. 33C-Andrew Carpenter[7]
Heat 4 (8 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 4s-Keith Sorg[2] ; 2. 16-Jim Holcomb[1] ; 3. 17x-Dustin Keegan[3] ; 4. 22-Brandon Leighton[5] ; 5. 37-Eric DeVanna[7] ; 6. 7X-Dana Frey[6] ; 7. 75-Adam Dible[4]
B-Main 1 (10 Laps, top 4 to A)
1. 33-Jeff Ward[3] ; 2. 36M-Cory McCaughey[2] ; 3. 37-Eric DeVanna[4] ; 4. 11-Austin Gibson[1] ; 5. 9-Curt Inks[11] ; 6. 75-Adam Dible[12] ; 7. 33C-Andrew Carpenter[15] ; 8. 7X-Dana Frey[8] ; 9. P51-Paul Brown JR[6] ; 10. 14T-Cody Truman[5] ; 11. 26-Kyle Lagrou[7] ; 12. 911-Mark Kachenmeister[9] ; 13. 65R-Jeremy Ernsberger[10] ; 14. 5-Jim Mcgrath[13] ; 15. 20-Caleb Shearn[14]
A-Main 1 (20 Laps)
1. 17x-Dustin Keegan[7] ; 2. 16-Jim Holcomb[4] ; 3. 1-John Brooks[12] ; 4. 1X-Brad Keckler[2] ; 5. 8KB-Kent Brewer[9] ; 6. 5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath Jr[3] ; 7. 23m-Brad Mitten[5] ; 8. 33-Jeff Ward[17] ; 9. 2-Steve Endicott[6] ; 10. 4s-Keith Sorg[1] ; 11. 115-Ben Good[8] ; 12. 0-Andy Keegan[11] ; 13. 22-Brandon Leighton[16] ; 14. 5s-Brad Stuckey[14] ; 15. 7B-Shawn Valenti[15] ; 16. 37-Eric DeVanna[19] ; 17. 32-Kevin Phillips[10] ; 18. 83-Noah Wagner[13] ; 19. 36M-Cory McCaughey[18] ; 20. 11-Austin Gibson[20]
Hard Charger: 1-John Brooks +9