From Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – After a fantastic 2019 season that saw him claim a pair of championships, DJ Foos was struggling in 2020. But about a month ago he and the Burmeister Racing team started to gain momentum and it came to a head Saturday, Sept. 19 at Fremont Speedway as the Fremont, Ohio driver led all 30 laps to score his first win of the season on Pub 400 Night.
“Wrecks kept happening right in front of us and a million yellow flags and Cole (Macedo) is a gasser and I kept expecting a slider in one and two. I kept driving it in there harder and harder…I made so many mistakes there towards the end. There’s one thing I’ve learned this year…you can never take a win for granted. It feels so good to win,” said Foos in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
“These guys on this team don’t give up. The Burmeisters have been doing this for 60 years and there’s a reason for it. I’m so grateful to be sitting in this car and race every weekend. Mikey, LJ, Rollie, Sharon, Justin….everyone does so much for us like Paul Kistler, Doug Berryman and all our great sponsors,” added Foos beside his Crown Battery,Vantage Branding, Kistler Engines, CR Juices, Berryman Shocks, Burmeister Trophy, The Jet Express, Minor Customs, Napa of Bryan, KS Sales & Service, Keizer Wheels, Dave Story Equipment #35.
Fremont, Ohio’s Paul Weaver is having one of the greatest seasons in his long history of racing and he added to his accomplishments Saturday in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints. Weaver jumped into the lead at the drop of the green of the 25-lap feature from his outside front row starting spot and never looked back, claiming his sixth win of the season at “The Track That Action Built.” Weaver now has 13 total victories in 2020 including seven wins at Attica Raceway Park. Saturday’s triumph was the 57th of his career at Fremont and puts him seventh on the track’s all-time win list.
“Things are just going our way when it comes to pill draws. You keep putting me on the front row and it makes it hard to lose. I want to thank Pam and Steve Brown, Russ Adkins, definitely Bob Hampshire and Dave Rice,” said Weaver of his B&B Drain Service, Hampshire Racing Engines, M&L Excavating, Seagate Sandblasting, Weaver Performance backed #1W.
In a caution filled – 10 yellow flags in 20 laps – Burmeister Trophy Dirt Truck feature, Fostoria, Ohio’s Shawn Valenti took charge on lap seven, survived numerous restarts and drove to his fourth win of the season. It was Valenti’s 59th career win at Fremont putting him fifth on the track’s all-time win list, only one win away from tying John Ivy and Mark Keegan for third.
“To be up there in wins with those guys is pretty amazing. I have to thank the Babocks. When we unloaded this thing we weren’t that good and actually had to have some parts brought in and change a leaf spring that went bad. A pretty amazing group of guys with John Brooks and Chris…they bust their butts on this thing too,” said Valenti of his Best Performance Motorsports; A Plus Auto Center; Craig Miller Trucking; KS Sales & Service; Gressman Powersports; Dave Story Equipment, Speedways Bar and Grill backed #7B.
Foos and Trey Jacobs brought the field to green for the 30-lap Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint A-main with Foos gaining the advantage over Cole Macedo, Jacobs, Stuart Brubaker, RJ Jacobs, Dean Jacobs and TJ Michael. A caution on lap five kept the field close as Brubaker had moved into third.
Following back-to-back cautions on lap eight and nine, Foos got tremendous restarts and pulled away from Macedo who had his hands full with ninth starter Nate Dussel with Brubaker and Dean Jacobs battling for fourth.
Foos entered heavy lapped traffic at the half-way point and Macedo and Dussel closed with Dean Jacobs taking fourth. With 10 laps to go Foos made a fantastic move in lapped traffic and began to pull away until Josh Turner tipped over right in front of the entertaining battle for second involving Macedo, Dussel and Dean Jacobs.
After another caution on the ensuing restart, Foos pulled away again when the green reappeared but a caution with six laps remaining gave Macedo and Dussel another shot. Foos was too good when the green fell and he drove away to his 16th career victory at Fremont with Dussel taking second on the white flag lap. Macedo, Dean Jacobs and Brian Smith rounded out the top five.
Brandon Moore and Weaver paced the field for the 25 lap 305 A-main with Weaver taking the initial lead over Moore, Jamie Miller, Alvin Roepke, Kyle Capodice and Mike Keegan. A caution after two laps were scored slowed Weaver’s march to the checkers and when the green reappeared he drove away while Miller took second with Roepke taking third on lap five.
Weaver encountered heavy lapped traffic by lap eight but Miller could not close. A caution with 12 laps in put Miller and Roepke right on Weaver’s tail but the veteran again pulled away until another caution on lap 14.
When the green came back out Weaver built his lead once again as Miller and Roepke exchanged the runner-up spot lap after lap with Seth Schneider moving into fourth.
No one was going to catch Weaver as he drove to the win over Roepke, Miller, Schneider and Moore.
In the crash-filled dirt truck A-main, Cory McCaughey grabbed the lead at the drop of the green and maintained the top spot the first six circuits. Valenti used a restart to take the lead on lap seven and despite numerous cautions, would build big leads. A caution with three laps to go wiped out a nearly six second lead for Valenti.
Valenti would not be denied driving to the victory over McCaughey, Jamie Miller, Dana Fry and Kent Brewer.
It will be all sprint cars Saturday, Sept. 26 at Fremont Speedway as the FAST winged 410 sprints come to down along with the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) non-wing sprint cars and the 305 sprints.
Fremont Speedway
Fremont, Ohio
Saturday September 19, 2020
410 Sprints – Fort Ball Pizza Palace
Qualifying
1.1-Nate Dussel, 12.696
2.27z-Zane DeVault, 12.798
3.16-DJ Foos, 12.983
4.23-Cole Macedo, 13.004
5.77I-John Ivy, 13.016
6.35-Stuart Brubaker, 13.110
7.2+-Brian Smith, 13.136
8.83M-Broc Martin, 13.189
9.9J-Dean Jacobs, 13.222
10.2L-Landon LaLonde, 13.260
11.8M-TJ Michael, 13.295
12.18J-RJ Jacobs, 13.309
13.3J-Trey Jacobs, 13.310
14.22B-Ryan Broughton, 13.340
15.14-Chad Wilson, 13.568
16.7T-Troy Vaccaro, 13.598
17.20-Danial Burkhart, 13.824
18.4T-Josh Turner, 13.919
19.88N-Frank Neil, 13.974
20.21J-Jeffrey Neubert, 14.465
21.23S-Russ Sansosti, 14.487;
Heat Race #1, Group A (8 Laps):
1. 2+-Brian Smith[2]
2. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3]
3. 77I-John Ivy[4]
4. 2L-Landon LaLonde[1]
5. 14-Chad Wilson[5]
6. 88N-Frank Neil[7]
7. 20-Danial Burkhart[6]
8. 21J-Jeffrey Neubert[8]
Heat Race #2, Group B (8 Laps):
1. 9J-Dean Jacobs[1]
2. 16-DJ Foos[3]
3. 3J-Trey Jacobs[5]
4. 83M-Broc Martin[2]
5. 7T-Troy Vaccaro[6]
6. 27z-Zane DeVault[4]
Heat Race #3, Group C (8 Laps):
1. 18J-RJ Jacobs[1]
2. 8M-TJ Michael[2]
3. 23-Cole Macedo[3]
4. 1-Nate Dussel[4]
5. 22B-Ryan Broughton[5]
6. 4T-Josh Turner[6]
7. 23S-Russ Sansosti[7]
A-Main (30 Laps):
1. 16-DJ Foos[1]
2. 1-Nate Dussel[9]
3. 23-Cole Macedo[4]
4. 9J-Dean Jacobs[7]
5. 2+-Brian Smith[5]
6. 35-Stuart Brubaker[3]
7. 18J-RJ Jacobs[6]
8. 8M-TJ Michael[8]
9. 3J-Trey Jacobs[2]
10. 27z-Zane DeVault[17]
11. 77I-John Ivy[10]
12. 7T-Troy Vaccaro[14]
13. 14-Chad Wilson[13]
14. 23S-Russ Sansosti[20]
15. 20-Danial Burkhart[19]
16. 22B-Ryan Broughton[15]
17. 2L-Landon LaLonde[11]
18. 83M-Broc Martin[12]
19. 4T-Josh Turner[18]
20. 88N-Frank Neil[16]
21. 21J-Jeffrey Neubert[21]
Hard Charger: 1-Nate Dussel +7
305 Sprints – Fremont Federal Credit Union
Qualifying
1.12-Kyle Capodice, 13.811
2.1H-Zeth Sabo, 13.902
3.26-Jamie Miller, 13.909
4.Z10-Brandon Moore, 13.932
5.19R-Steve Rando, 13.945
6.36-Seth Schneider, 13.947
7.1W-Paul Weaver, 13.975
8.X-Mike Keegan, 13.984
9.21-Larry Kingseed JR, 13.999
10.12F-Matt Foos, 14.043
11.61-Tyler Shullick, 14.047
12.47-Matt Lucius, 14.065
13.21x-Dustin Stroup, 14.143
14.99-Alvin Roepke, 14.166
15.9-Logan Riehl, 14.185
16.X15-Kasey Ziebold, 14.277
17.3X-Brandon Riehl, 14.294
18.5-Kody Brewer, 14.302
19.3V-Chris Verda, 14.312
20.51-Garrett Craine, 14.372
21.3F-Wade Fraley, 14.634
22.28-Tad Peck, 14.813
23.75-Jerry Dahms, 14.852
24.6-Jimmie Ward, 15.078
25.77X-Jamin Kindred, 15.943
26.11W-Shawn Wolford, 99.999;
Heat Race #1, Group A (8 Laps):
1. X-Mike Keegan[1]
2. 36-Seth Schneider[2]
3. Z10-Brandon Moore[3]
4. 1H-Zeth Sabo[4]
5. 9-Logan Riehl[7]
6. 47-Matt Lucius[6]
7. 3V-Chris Verda[8]
8. 51-Garrett Craine[9]
9. 61-Tyler Shullick[5]
Heat Race #2, Group B (8 Laps):
1. 12F-Matt Foos[1]
2. 19R-Steve Rando[3]
3. 21-Larry Kingseed JR[2]
4. 21x-Dustin Stroup[5]
5. 12-Kyle Capodice[4]
6. X15-Kasey Ziebold[6]
7. 75-Jerry Dahms[8]
8. 5-Kody Brewer[7]
9. 6-Jimmie Ward[9]
Heat Race #3, Group C (8 Laps):
1. 26-Jamie Miller[4]
2. 1W-Paul Weaver[3]
3. 99-Alvin Roepke[2]
4. 3X-Brandon Riehl[1]
5. 28-Tad Peck[6]
6. 11W-Shawn Wolford[8]
7. 3F-Wade Fraley[5]
8. 77X-Jamin Kindred[7]
B-Main (10 Laps):
1. X15-Kasey Ziebold[2]
2. 3V-Chris Verda[4]
3. 61-Tyler Shullick[10]
4. 5-Kody Brewer[8]
5. 75-Jerry Dahms[5]
6. 47-Matt Lucius[1]
7. 51-Garrett Craine[7]
8. 6-Jimmie Ward[11]
9. 3F-Wade Fraley[6]
10. 11W-Shawn Wolford[3]
A-Main (25 Laps):
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[2]
2. 99-Alvin Roepke[3]
3. 26-Jamie Miller[4]
4. 36-Seth Schneider[8]
5. Z10-Brandon Moore[1]
6. 12-Kyle Capodice[5]
7. 1H-Zeth Sabo[11]
8. 19R-Steve Rando[10]
9. 12F-Matt Foos[9]
10. X-Mike Keegan[6]
11. 21x-Dustin Stroup[12]
12. 61-Tyler Shullick[18]
13. 3X-Brandon Riehl[13]
14. 9-Logan Riehl[14]
15. 75-Jerry Dahms[20]
16. X15-Kasey Ziebold[16]
17. 5-Kody Brewer[19]
18. 21-Larry Kingseed JR[7]
19. 28-Tad Peck[15]
20. 3V-Chris Verda[17]
Hard Charger: 61-Tyler Shullick +6
Dirt Trucks – Burmeister Trophy
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps):
1. 16-Jim Holcomb[1]
2. 1-John Brooks[3]
3. 4s-Keith Sorg[4]
4. 911-Cory McCaughey[7]
5. 14T-Cody Truman[6]
6. 26-Kyle Lagrou[9]
7. 67-Ben Clapp[2]
8. 55-DJ Mestrey[5]
9. 27-Calob Crispen[8]
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps):
1. 7B-Shawn Valenti[8]
2. 4M-Jamie Miller[9]
3. 5s-Bradley Stuckey[2]
4. 23m-Brad Mitten[4]
5. 1x-Patrick Pinkston[6]
6. 93B-Bryce Black[7]
7. 7H-JT Horn[3]
8. 54-Alex Stoudinger[1]
9. 6-George Dorsey[5]
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps):
1. 8KB-Kent Brewer[1]
2. 17x-Dustin Keegan[5]
3. 7X-Dana Frey[4]
4. 8S-Brandon Stuckey[7]
5. 78-Austin Black [8]
6. 51W-Thomas Anderson[6]
7. 77-Steven Pocock[2]
8. 20-Caleb Shearn[3]
B-Main (8 Laps):
1. 26-Kyle Lagrou[1]
2. 6-George Dorsey[11]
3. 27-Calob Crispen[10]
4. 77-Steven Pocock[6]
5. 20-Caleb Shearn[9]
6. 93B-Bryce Black[2]
7. 51W-Thomas Anderson[3]
8. 67-Ben Clapp[4]
9. 55-DJ Mestrey[7]
10. 54-Alex Stoudinger[8]
11. 7H-JT Horn[5]
A-Main (20 Laps):
1. 7B-Shawn Valenti[6]
2. 911-Cory McCaughey[2]
3. 4M-Jamie Miller[9]
4. 7X-Dana Frey[8]
5. 8KB-Kent Brewer[4]
6. 16-Jim Holcomb[10]
7. 4s-Keith Sorg[5]
8. 8S-Brandon Stuckey[1]
9. 23m-Brad Mitten[12]
10. 51W-Thomas Anderson[21]
11. 1-John Brooks[3]
12. 20-Caleb Shearn[20]
13. 1x-Patrick Pinkston[14]
14. 93B-Bryce Black[19]
15. 5s-Bradley Stuckey[11]
16. 14T-Cody Truman[13]
17. 26-Kyle Lagrou[16]
18. 77-Steven Pocock[22]
19. 78-Austin Black [15]
20. 27-Calob Crispen[18]
21. 17x-Dustin Keegan[7]
22. 6-George Dorsey[17]
Hard Charger: 51W-Thomas Anderson +11