From Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio (September 13, 2020) – Nate Dussel was feeling upset about his racing fortunes as of late. Then a phone call with long time sponsor and family friend Bill Berrier Saturday morning put things into perspective. The Bradner, Ohio driver used lapped traffic to take the lead in the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature on lap five and sliced through lapped traffic on a heavy Fremont Speedway Saturday, Sept. 12 to earn his second feature win of the season and the $5,000 payday on Kistler Engines/Kistler Racing Products Night.
“I had a pretty tough conversation with Bill Berrier this morning…you know his wife is going through hell right now. I was pretty pissy about how we’ve been running and last night and I thought grow up dude there’s people fighting way bigger fights than we’re fighting. This is for Bill and Cathy…hope it lifts their spirits a little bit,” said Dussel in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
Republic, Ohio’s Cap Henry, who earned the 2020 Attica Raceway Park track championship, wrapped up the 2020 All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series Presented by the Baumann Auto Group with his third place finish.
“Things kind of went our way there that last little bit at the end. We got lucky and started on the front row of the heat race and got through the heat race. It was hard to pass but we knew we were okay starting there in the feature and just had to run our race. I can’t say enough about Zack, Brett, Jim, Conner and all the girls behind this deal. Everyone puts in so much time and effort and this is really special,” said Henry of his Lane Racing machine.
Fremont’s Paul Weaver inherited the lead in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint feature with just three laps to go when Shawn Valenti pulled off the track. Weaver went on to score his fifth win of the season at Fremont – it’s his 12th overall in 2020 with seven wins at Attica – and it was his 56th career win at “The Track That Action Built” putting him seventh on the all-time win list. The victory also gave weaver the NAPA of Bryan AFCS Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales championship.
“I closed on him (Valenti)….I don’t know if there was something wrong…maybe he ran out of tear-offs. I was using a tear-off every other lap. This whole weekend everything went perfect…starting out front and getting heat race points…just everything went my way. Hate to see what’s going to happen tomorrow,” said Weaver beside his B&B Drain Services, Hampshire Racing Engines, Seagate Sandblasting, M&W Excavating backed #1W.
Austin Black, 18, from Clyde started racing go-karts when he was four-years-old. This year he decided to strap in a dirt truck and compete. The youngster looked like a seasoned veteran, leading all 20 laps and holding off former track champion Kent Brewer and Jim Holcomb for his first ever win in the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks. After an opening lap yellow, the feature went non-stop and Black not only was battling to maintain the lead but had to do so in heavy lapped traffic the last half of the race.
“I have to thank Tony Myers, my mom and dad and everyone that helps me out. When I saw Jim Holcomb coming I thought I’d better get going and next thing you know lapped traffic came and that’s all she wrote and I had to figure out what to do. This feels like a dream right now,” said Black beside his Ala Carte Café, Fireside U Pull It Auto, Quality Welding, Norman Family Collision, ABC Used Cars, Southridge Market, Big D’s Pizza, Lee’s Famous Recipe, The Mane Station, Jones Manufacturing, Redline Racing, Auxter Funeral Home backed #78.
Dussel and Duane Zablocki brought the field to green for the 30-lap 410 sprint feature with Zablocki grabbing the early lead over Dussel, Stuart Brubaker, DJ Foos, Caleb Griffith, Cap Henry and Trey Jacobs. The leaders raced into heavy lapped traffic by the fifth circuit and Dussel used it to grab the lead.
Dussel began to pull away, slicing through lapped traffic like a surgeon with Brubaker taking second on lap 12 with Zablocki, Henry, TJ Michael, Dean Jacobs and Tim Shaffer in pursuit. The first race stoppage came on lap 20 when Caleb Griffith tumbled in turn two; he was okay. After allowing drivers to put on more helmet tear-offs, the race resumed with but only for a lap when something broke on Trey Jacobs’ mount. On the restart Dussel pulled away again with Henry, Michael, Foos and Dean Jacobs giving chase.
Dussel hit his marks perfectly the remaining eight laps and drove to the win over Brubaker, Henry, Michael and Foos.
“First half of that race I was probably one of the few who could maneuver. That last nine laps I couldn’t stop plowing and I thought man I’m going to give Stewie (Stuart Brubaker) this win. I would go through two tear-offs in one corner and I thought man that doesn’t add up for 30 laps…I’m going to be out of tear-offs. I fell in line here and there but took my chances when I had to,” said Dussel beside his Northwest Installation/Industrial Movers, Fausey Farms, Berrier Custom Fabrication, JRC Transportation, NuFarm, Al Davis Carpet and Laminate, Real Geese Decoys, Gressman Powersports, A Plus Auto Center, Box 7, Speedways Bar & Grille, DGGI, Wurtec, Swindell Speedlab backed #1.
Mike Keegan and Shawn Valenti brought the field to green for the 25 lap 305 sprint A-main with Valenti bolting into the lead over Keegan, Jamie Miller, Kasey Ziebold and Paul Weaver. After a lap was scored two cars got hooked together bringing out the caution. On the restart Valenti pulled away from Keegan, Miller, Ziebold and Weaver.
Keegan great run came to an end when he slipped over the cushion in turn two and made contact with the wall. On the restart Valenti again pulled away from Miller, Weaver, Ziebold, Zeth Sabo and Kyle Peters. Heavy lapped traffic came into play with seven laps to go with Valenti leading Miller and a closing Weaver. Weaver took second on lap 20 and three laps later Valenti slowed and pulled into the infield.
Out front, Weaver drove to the win over an impressive run for Sabo, Miller, Seth Schneider and Ziebold.
After an opening lap crash, the dirt truck feature went non-stop for 20 laps and was very entertaining. Pole-sitter Black grabbed the lead over Dustin Keegan, John Brooks, Jim Holcomb and Kent Brewer. Brooks took second on lap two with Holcomb taking the spot a lap later. From there it was a tremendous three truck battle the remaining 17 laps.
Black sliced his way through traffic while Holcomb and Brewer traded the runner-up spot just feet behind him every lap. Holcomb made several moves to Black’s inside while in lapped traffic but couldn’t get the pass.
As they raced to the white flag, Holcomb tried to get under Black and hit one of the infield tractor tires, putting Brewer into second. Coming to the checkers Brewer tried to race under Black but couldn’t get by as Black took the win by just feet over Brewer, Holcomb, Shawn Valenti and Jamie Miller.
Fremont Speedway will be back in action Saturday, Sept. 19 with the 410, 305 sprints and dirt trucks in action. Then on Saturday, Sept. 26 it’s all sprint cars as the FAST series 410s come to town along with the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series non-wing sprints with the 305 sprints on the racing card as well.
Attica Fremont Challenge Series
Fremont Speedway
Fremont, Ohio
Saturday September 12, 2020
410 Sprints – Fort Ball Pizza Palace
Frickers’ Qualifying
1.23-Cole Macedo, 12.874; 2.33W-Caleb Griffith, 12.910; 3.3J-Trey Jacobs, 12.934; 4.35-Stuart Brubaker, 13.043; 5.97-Max Stambaugh, 13.068; 6.22B-Ryan Broughton, 13.080; 7.16-DJ Foos, 13.089; 8.4*-Tyler Street, 13.100; 9.1-Nate Dussel, 13.104; 10.3C-Cale Conley, 13.217; 11.8M-TJ Michael, 13.245; 12.77I-John Ivy, 13.247; 13.59-Bryan Nuckles, 13.320; 14.2L-Landon LaLonde, 13.347; 15.9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.355; 16.9J-Dean Jacobs, 13.357; 17.4-Cap Henry, 13.377; 18.28-Tim Shaffer, 13.389; 19.A79-Brandon Wimmer, 13.457; 20.14-Chad Wilson, 13.489; 21.71H-Ryan Ruhl, 13.509; 22.2+-Brian Smith, 13.523; 23.5-Byron Reed, 13.572; 24.15K-Chad Kemenah, 13.596; 25.5T-Travis Philo, 13.627; 26.7-Dylan Kingan, 13.685; 27.28m-Conner Morrell, 13.707; 28.0-Steve Irwin, 13.727; 29.7T-Troy Vaccaro, 13.938; 30.5J-Jake Hesson, 14.142; 31.12-Corbin Gurley, 14.239;
Heat 1, Group A – (8 Laps)
1. 8M-TJ Michael[2] ; 2. 1-Nate Dussel[3] ; 3. 16-DJ Foos[4] ; 4. 5-Byron Reed[6] ; 5. 2L-Landon LaLonde[1] ; 6. 14-Chad Wilson[5] ; 7. 0-Steve Irwin[7] ; 8. 21J-Jeffrey Neubert[8]
Heat 2, Group B – (8 Laps)
1. 35-Stuart Brubaker[2] ; 2. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[1] ; 3. 28-Tim Shaffer[4] ; 4. 3J-Trey Jacobs[3] ; 5. 71H-Ryan Ruhl[5] ; 6. 28m-Conner Morrell[6] ; 7. 7T-Troy Vaccaro[7]
Heat 3, Group C – (8 Laps)
1. 4-Cap Henry[1] ; 2. 9J-Dean Jacobs[2] ; 3. 3C-Cale Conley[4] ; 4. 5T-Travis Philo[6] ; 5. A79-Brandon Wimmer[5] ; 6. 7-Dylan Kingan[7] ; 7. 77I-John Ivy[3] ; 8. 12-Corbin Gurley[8]
Heat 4, Group D – (8 Laps)
1. 33W-Caleb Griffith[2] ; 2. 22B-Ryan Broughton[1] ; 3. 4*-Tyler Street[4] ; 4. 2+Brian Smith [5]; 5. 23-Cole Macedo [3]; 6. 15K-Chad Kemenah[6]; 7. 5J-Jake Hesson[7]
B-Main 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 14-Chad Wilson[3] ; 2. 7-Dylan Kingan[4] ; 3. 77I-John Ivy[6] ; 4. 12-Corbin Gurley[8] ; 5. 0-Steve Irwin[5] ; 6. 2L-Landon LaLonde[1] ; 7. A79-Brandon Wimmer[2] ; 8. 21J-Jeffrey Neubert[7]
B-Main 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 23-Cole Macedo[2] ; 2. 71H-Ryan Ruhl[1] ; 3. 15K-Chad Kemenah[4] ; 4. 28m-Conner Morrell[3] ; 5. 5J-Jake Hesson[6] ; 6. 7T-Troy Vaccaro[5]
A-Main 1 – (30 Laps)
1. 1-Nate Dussel[1] ; 2. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3] ; 3. 4-Cap Henry[8] ; 4. 8M-TJ Michael[4] ; 5. 16-DJ Foos[6] ; 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[2] ; 7. 4*-Tyler Street[13] ; 8. 5T-Travis Philo[15] ; 9. 28-Tim Shaffer[11] ; 10. 9J-Dean Jacobs[9] ; 11. 3C-Cale Conley[12] ; 12. 71H-Ryan Ruhl[20] ; 13. 77I-John Ivy[21] ; 14. 23-Cole Macedo[18] ; 15. 14-Chad Wilson[17] ; 16. 7-Dylan Kingan[19] ; 17. 5-Byron Reed[14] ; 18. 3J-Trey Jacobs[7] ; 19. 33W-Caleb Griffith[5] ; 20. 22B-Ryan Broughton[10] ; 21. 15K-Chad Kemenah[22] ; 22. 2+-Brian Smith[16]
Hard Charger: 71H-Ryan Ruhl +8
305 Sprints – Fremont Federal Credit Union
Qualifying
1.26-Jamie Miller, 13.521; 2.X-Mike Keegan, 13.675; 3.21-Larry Kingseed JR, 13.743; 4.85-Shawn Valenti, 13.783; 5.1W-Paul Weaver, 13.789; 6.1H-Zeth Sabo, 13.793; 7.97-Kyle Peters, 13.812; 8.47-Matt Lucius, 13.874; 9.36-Seth Schneider, 13.922; 10.5Jr-Jimmy McGrath Jr, 13.924; 11.12-Kyle Capodice, 13.935; 12.X15-Kasey Ziebold, 14.008; 13.Z10-Brandon Moore, 14.009; 14.12F-Matt Foos, 14.075; 15.19R-Steve Rando, 14.081; 16.11G-Luke Griffith, 14.086; 17.99-Alvin Roepke, 14.088; 18.29-Rich Farmer, 14.104; 19.9-Logan Riehl, 14.144; 20.51-Garrett Craine, 14.241; 21.75-Jerry Dahms, 14.266; 22.3X-Brandon Riehl, 14.288; 23.3V-Chris Verda, 14.335; 24.5-Kody Brewer, 14.336; 25.6-Jimmie Ward, 15.179;
Heat 1, Group A – (8 Laps)
1. Z10-Brandon Moore[1] ; 2. X15-Kasey Ziebold[2] ; 3. 1H-Zeth Sabo[4] ; 4. 5Jr-Jimmy McGrath Jr[3] ; 5. 19R-Steve Rando[6] ; 6. 12F-Matt Foos[5] ; 7. 99-Alvin Roepke[7] ; 8. 51-Garrett Craine[9] ; 9. 29-Rich Farmer[8]
Heat 2, Group B – (8 Laps)
1. 36-Seth Schneider[1] ; 2. 97-Kyle Peters[3] ; 3. 85-Shawn Valenti[4] ; 4. 12-Kyle Capodice[5] ; 5. 47-Matt Lucius[2] ; 6. 5-Kody Brewer[8] ; 7. 9-Logan Riehl[6] ; 8. 75-Jerry Dahms[7]
Heat 3, Group C – (8 Laps)
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[1] ; 2. 21-Larry Kingseed JR[2] ; 3. 26-Jamie Miller[4] ; 4. X-Mike Keegan[3] ; 5. 11G-Luke Griffith[5] ; 6. 3V-Chris Verda[7] ; 7. 3X-Brandon Riehl[6] ; 8. 6-Jimmie Ward[8]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps)
1. 12F-Matt Foos[1] ; 2. 5-Kody Brewer[2] ; 3. 99-Alvin Roepke[4] ; 4. 3V-Chris Verda[3] ; 5. 9-Logan Riehl[5] ; 6. 3X-Brandon Riehl[6] ; 7. 29-Rich Farmer[10] ; 8. 75-Jerry Dahms[8] ; 9. 51-Garrett Craine[7] ; 10. 6-Jimmie Ward[9]
A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[6] ; 2. 1H-Zeth Sabo[5] ; 3. 26-Jamie Miller[4] ; 4. 36-Seth Schneider[7] ; 5. X15-Kasey Ziebold[3] ; 6. 21-Larry Kingseed JR[9] ; 7. 97-Kyle Peters[10] ; 8. 11G-Luke Griffith[15] ; 9. 5Jr-Jimmy McGrath Jr[11] ; 10. Z10-Brandon Moore[8] ; 11. 12-Kyle Capodice[12] ; 12. 99-Alvin Roepke[18] ; 13. 12F-Matt Foos[16] ; 14. 19R-Steve Rando[13] ; 15. 9-Logan Riehl[20] ; 16. 85-Shawn Valenti[2] ; 17. 3V-Chris Verda[19] ; 18. X-Mike Keegan[1] ; 19. 5-Kody Brewer[17] ; 20. 47-Matt Lucius[14]
Hard Charger: 11G-Luke Griffith +7
Dirt Trucks – Burmeister Trophy
Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 78-Austin Black [1] ; 2. 67-Ben Clapp[4] ; 3. 4M-Jamie Miller[5] ; 4. 26-Kyle Lagrou[6] ; 5. 1x-Patrick Pinkston[2] ; 6. 7X-Dana Frey[3] ; 7. 7H-JT Horn[9] ; 8. 77-Steven Pocock[7] ; 9. 8S-Brandon Stuckey[8]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 7B-Shawn Valenti[8] ; 2. 16-Jim Holcomb[7] ; 3. 1-John Brooks[2] ; 4. 4s-Keith Sorg[1] ; 5. 5s-Bradley Stuckey[3] ; 6. 6-Steve Sabo[9] ; 7. 20-Caleb Shearn[5] ; 8. 93B-Bryce Black[4] ; 9. 55-DJ Mestrey[6]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps)
1. 8KB-Kent Brewer[2] ; 2. 17x-Dustin Keegan[3] ; 3. P51-Paul Brown JR[5] ; 4. 23m-Brad Mitten[6] ; 5. 911-Cory McCaughey[9] ; 6. 14T-Cody Truman[8] ; 7. 32H-Dan Hennig[7] ; 8. 27-Calob Crispen[1] ; 9. 54-Alex Stoudinger[4]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps)
1. 6-Steve Sabo[2] ; 2. 14T-Cody Truman[3] ; 3. 7X-Dana Frey[1] ; 4. 32H-Dan Hennig[6] ; 5. 7H-JT Horn[4] ; 6. 27-Calob Crispen[9] ; 7. 20-Caleb Shearn[5] ; 8. 77-Steven Pocock[7] ; 9. 93B-Bryce Black[8] ; 10. 8S-Brandon Stuckey[10] ; 11. 55-DJ Mestrey[11] ; 12. 54-Alex Stoudinger[12]
A-Main 1 – (20 Laps)
1. 78-Austin Black [1] ; 2. 8KB-Kent Brewer[8] ; 3. 16-Jim Holcomb[6] ; 4. 7B-Shawn Valenti[11] ; 5. 4M-Jamie Miller[12] ; 6. 1-John Brooks[5] ; 7. 911-Cory McCaughey[15] ; 8. 5s-Bradley Stuckey[14] ; 9. 23m-Brad Mitten[10] ; 10. 6-Steve Sabo[16] ; 11. 67-Ben Clapp[9] ; 12. 32H-Dan Hennig[19] ; 13. 14T-Cody Truman[17] ; 14. 4s-Keith Sorg[7] ; 15. 7X-Dana Frey[18] ; 16. 1x-Patrick Pinkston[13] ; 17. 7H-JT Horn[20] ; 18. 17x-Dustin Keegan[4] ; 19. P51-Paul Brown JR[2] ; 20. 26-Kyle Lagrou[3]
Hard Charger: 911-Cory McCaughey +8