By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – The 69th anniversary season at Fremont Speedway will be filled with not only exciting sprint car and dirt truck racing nearly every Saturday but a lot of fun activities for the fans. “The Track That Action Built,” located in the historic Sandusky County Fairgrounds in the heart of Fremont, Ohio, will kick off the season on Saturday, April 18.
The 2020 racing season marks the second year for the new Sandusky County Agricultural Society appointed speedway promotional board and member Ryan Schiets is excited about the schedule which will feature the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints, Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints and Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks.
“Last year was a huge learning curve for all of us. We made some mistakes but I think we made steady improvement. We received a lot of constructive comments and support and we really appreciate the patience and help. We are leaps and bounds ahead of where we were this time last year and we are excited about the 2020 schedule. We can’t thank all the fans, race teams and our fantastic marketing partners enough for their support and encouragement,” Schiets said.
Fremont Speedway will utilize a different race format for the 410 sprints in 2020. Cars will qualify one car at a time but you qualify within your heat (Example the first eight pill draws will be in heat 1 next eight in heat 2 etc). Following is the procedure:
– Pill draw for hot lap and qualifying order. Qualifying determines only heat race line ups. Groups will be split up equally into heat races (depending on number of cars). Qualify against only the cars in your heat race group.
Example: 24 cars divided into 3 heat races (8 cars in each heat), first (8) on draw sheet in 1st heat, etc. If you miss your heat race group or you miss your qualifying position by two or more spots you can come out at the end when the entire division is done qualifying and get one lap. The best you can start in your original heat race is 5th. If you do not draw a pill you will be placed on tail of heat race.
3 Heat Race Format
Invert 4, top 5 transfer, top 3 finishers in each heat plus the fastest overall qualifier that transfers but did not finish in the top 3 redraw (10 cars) for first 10 starting positions in A Main. 4 th and 5 th place finishers would line up starting 11 th – 15th in the A Main.
16-20 (Top 5 transfers from B Main the way they finish in B Main). If a B Main is not run the fastest overall qualifier must finish at announced position to be eligible for redraw.
4 Heat Race Format
Invert 4, top 4 transfer, top 2 finishers in each heat plus the 2 fastest overall qualifiers that transfer but did not finish in the top 2 redraw (10 cars) for the first 10 starting positions in the A Main. 17-20 (Top 4 transfers from B Main the way they finish in B Main).
“We wanted to simplify the format for the race teams and fans to be able to understand it better. It’s the same as Attica’s with the exception of single car qualifying,” Schiets noted.
The 305 sprints will continue to group qualify to set their heat line-ups and the dirt trucks will pill draw for their heat race line-ups.
The 2020 season includes a pair of events featuring Tony Stewart’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions Presented by Mobil 1. Fremont Speedway – one of the original stops of the Ohio Sprint Speedweek – is back on the traditional event, hosting leg #7 of Speedweek on Thursday, June 18. The All Stars will return to The Track That Action Built on Saturday, July 4.
The second season of the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series (AFCS) presented by the Baumann Auto Group for the 410 sprints and the AFCS Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales for the 305 sprints will hit feature several higher paying events. The 410 AFCS will visit Fremont Speedway 10 times in 2020 (April 18, May 2, May 16, May 30, June 6, June 27, July 11, July 25, Aug. 1, championship Sept. 12). There will be 3 $4,000 to win AFCS 410 races and the championship night will pay the feature winner $5,000.
The AFCS 305 sprints will compete at Fremont for eight events (May 16, May 30, June 6, June 27, July 11, July 25, Aug. 1 and championship night, Sept. 12). There will be $1,000 to win AFCS events on May 16, June 27, Aug. 1 and Sept. 12.
The FAST 410 winged sprints will make three trips to Fremont Speedway (May 23) and the must-see Jim and Joanne Ford Classic on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18 and 19 with the season finale paying the FAST feature winner $10,000.
Besides the AFCS 305 events, the 305 sprints have several big events at Fremont Speedway in 2010. The Open Wheel Shootout on May 2 will feature the AFCS 410 sprints and the 305 sprints will take on the NRA Sprint Invader 360 sprints with the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) also on the racing card. Another all sprint car night will be June 27 featuring the AFCS 410 and 305 sprints and NRA 360 sprints. The 305 sprints take center stage during the Sandusky County Fair, competing in front of the historic grandstands on Tuesday, Aug. 25. The 305 sprints will also battle for $1,000 to win events both nights of the Jim and Joanne Ford Classic.
The traditional non-wing sprints from BOSS will battle at Fremont Speedway on May 2, June 13 and Aug. 8.
The dirt trucks will battle in 16 events at Fremont Speedway in 2020.
“We are working with some marketing partners and others to add some special paying events for the trucks this season,” Schiets noted.
The annual Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame inductions will take place prior to the night’s racing on June 6.
For the fans, they will have many opportunities to get involved in the fun in 2020 at Fremont Speedway. On April 25 fans can vote on their favorite driver with the driver gaining the most votes taking home great prizes. All students in schools in Sandusky County will get free admission on May 23 and fans are encouraged to bring canned food items for local charities on Fan with a Can Night, May 30. Fans are encouraged to wear their oldest racing t-shirts/sweatshirts on Throwback night, July 25 and Family Fun Night with lots of activities will be held Aug. 1. And as always, there will be an after race party following each night of the Jim and Joanne Ford Classic, Sept. 18 and 19.
For more information go to www.fremontohspeedway.com or on Facebook at www.facebook/FremontSpeedway or on Twitter https://twitter.com/FremontSpeedway
Fremont Speedway 2020 Race Schedule – Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing underway at 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 18 – Union Trades Night – 410 AFCS, 305s, trucks (410 fast qualifier earns $500).
Saturday, April 25 – Level Performance/Gressman Powersports Fan Favorite Night – 410s, 305s, trucks
Saturday, May 2 – Custom Metal Works Dauch Concrete Night – Open Wheel Shootout – AFCS 410 sprints, 305/NRA 360 Challenge, BOSS non-wing sprints
Saturday, May 16 – Kistler Engines Armed Forces Night – AFCS 410s ($4,000 to win), AFCS 305s ($1,000 to win), trucks
Saturday, May 23 – American Power Sports Student Night – FAST 410 sprints, 305s and trucks
Saturday, May 30 – Ohio Laborers Local 480 and 574 Fan with a Can Night – 410 and 305 AFCS, trucks
Saturday, June 6 – Vision Quest Hall of Fame Night (free camping) – AFCS 410 sprints ($4,000 to win), AFCS 305 sprints, trucks, vintage cars
Saturday, June 13 – Fort Ball Pizza Palace Night – BOSS non-wing, 305s, trucks
Thursday, June 18 – Kistler Racing Products Presents Ohio Sprint Speedweek – All Star Circuit of Champions, trucks
Saturday, June 27 – Willies Sales and Service Night – AFCS 410s, AFCS 305s ($1,000 to win), NRA 360 sprints
Saturday, July 4 – Baumann Auto Group Presents the All Star Circuit of Champion sprints and trucks
Saturday, July 11 – Crown Battery Sponsor Challenge Night – AFCS 410 and 305 sprints, trucks
Saturday, July 25 – Operational Support Services Throwback Night – AFCS 410 sprints ($4,000 to win), AFCS 305 sprints, trucks
Saturday, Aug. 1 – Pub 400 Family Fun Night – AFCS 410 sprints, AFCS 305 sprints ($1,000 to win), trucks
Saturday, Aug. 8 – Custom Metal Works/Dauch Concrete Night – 410s, 305s, BOSS non-wing, trucks
Tuesday, Aug. 25 – Fremont Fence Night – 305 fair race
Saturday, Sept. 12 – Fremont Federal Credit Union Track Championship Night – AFCS 410 championship ($5,000 to win), AFCS 305 championship ($1,000 to win), trucks
Sunday, Sept. 13 – Johnny Auxter Day – Vintage car racing
Friday, Sept. 18 – All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Jim & Joanne Ford Classic – FAST 410s ($3,000 to win), 305s ($1,000 to win), trucks
Saturday, Sept. 19 – Kear’s Speed Shop Jim & Joanne Ford Classic – FAST 410s ($10,000 to win), 305s ($1,000 to win), trucks