By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – As with most racing across the country in 2020, Fremont Speedway got a late start to the season due to the COVID-19 virus. Starting nearly two months later than normal, “The Track That Action Built” was able to put on 14 events in 2020 with Nate Dussel being crowned the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint champion; Paul Weaver earning the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint title and Shawn Valenti taking the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Truck championship.
“Despite all the obstacles we are very thankful for the great cooperation from our race teams and fans with tremendous support from our marketing partners and employees and volunteers. We are looking forward to 2021,” said Ryan Schiets from the Sandusky County Agricultural Society Racing Committee.
Following is a look at the top 10 in points for each division in 2020:
Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints
Champion – Nate Dussel, Bradner, Ohio. A two-time Fremont Speedway 305 track champion, Dussel competed in 12 A-mains in 2020 at the track. He scored two wins (July 18 and Aug. 12) on the season to run his career total at the track to 25. In the A-mains he competed in Dussel only finished out of the top 10 once – a 16th place finish on Aug. 26. His average A-main finishing position was fifth.
2nd – DJ Foos, Fremont, Ohio. The 2012 Fremont Speedway 305 champion and 2013 410 rookie of the year, fell short of the track title by just one point. Foos competed in 14 A-mains in 2020, picking up a pair of wins (Sept. 19 and Oct. 3) to run his career total at the track to 17. Foos compiled nine top five finishes and his average A-main finishing position was eighth.
3rd – Start Brubaker, Fremont, Ohio. Brubaker competed in 12 A-mains in 2020, compiling a pair of top five runs including a season-best second Aug. 2. He racked up eight top 10 finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of 10th.
4th – John Ivy, Fremont, Ohio. A three time Fremont 410 champion, 4 time 305 track champion and a former dirt truck track champion, Ivy competed in 11 A-mains in his return to 410 sprint car racing. He posted a pair of top 10 finishes including a season-best fourth on Aug. 15. His average A-main finishing position was 14th.
5th – Trey Jacobs, Shreve, Ohio. Jacobs competed in 14 A-mains in 2020, racking up four top fives including a season-best third on June 20. He recorded eight top 10 finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of 11th.
6th – Brian Smith, Fremont, Ohio. A former 305 Fremont track champion, Smith competed in 10 A-mains in 2020, recording six top 10 finishes including a season-best 5th on Sept. 19. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.
7th – Cole Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. Fremont’s 2020 rookie of the year competed in 9 A-mains in 2020, racking up three top 10 finishes including a season-best third on Sept. 19. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
8th – Chad Wilson, Toledo, Ohio. Wilson competed in six A-mains in 2020, posting a season-best 13th on Sept. 19. His average A-main finishing position was 15th.
9th – Cap Henry, Republic, Ohio. The 2020 All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads-Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series Presented by the Baumann Auto Group competed in 11 A-mains in 2020. In a season that saw Henry record 12 overall victories, Henry scored a pair at Fremont – Aug. 15 and an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions Presented by Mobil 1 victory on the opening night of the Jim and Joanne Ford Classic on Oct. 9. He now has 12 career wins at Fremont. He posted six top five finishes and 9 top 10 finishes. His average A-main finishing position was sixth.
10th – Byron Reed, Monclova, Ohio. A seven time Fremont track champion, Reed competed in 10 A-mains in 2020, posting a pair of top five finishes including a season-best fourth on opening night. His average A-main finishing position was 14th.
Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints
Champion – Paul Weaver, Fremont, Ohio. Weaver, the 2020 Attica Raceway Park and Napa of Bryan Attica Fremont Championship Series Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales champion, scored eight of his 15 total wins at Fremont Speedway. Weaver, a two-time Fremont 305 track champion, now has 59 career wins at Fremont to sit fifth on the track’s all-time win list. Other than a 20th on June 27 and a 14th on July 25th, Weaver never finished out of the top two while competing in 13 A-mains. His average A-main finishing position was a remarkable 4th.
2nd – Alvin Roepke, Elmore, Ohio. Roepke competed in 12 A-mains in 2020, scoring a pair of wins (July 25 and Aug. 15 to run his career total to 9 at the track. He recorded eight top five finishes and 10 top 10 finishes. His average A-main finishing position was sixth.
3rd – Jamie Miller, Fremont, Ohio. The 2019 AFCS champion competed in 13 A-mains in 2020, nine top five finishes including a pair of season-best runner-up runs. In fact Miller never finished out of the top five until Sept. 26. His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
4th – Seth Schneider, Fremont, Ohio. Schneider competed in 13 A-mains in 2020, compiling six top five finishes including a season-best runner-up on opening night. He posted 10 top 10 finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of eighth.
5th – Steve Rando, Lindsey, Ohio. Rando competed in 13 A-mains in 2020, posting his 12th career Fremont victory on Oct. 3. He posted six top five finishes and 10 top 10 runs. His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
6th – Matt Foos, Fremont, Ohio. Foos battled in 13 A-mains in 2020, posting wins on June 27 and Oct. 9 to take his career total at Fremont to 9. He recorded six top five finishes and nine top 10 runs. His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
7th – Brandon Moore, Clyde, Ohio. Moore competed in 14 A-mains in 2020, posting three top fives including a season-best runner-up on June 27. He compiled 10 top 10 finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of 9th.
8th – Mike Keegan, Fremont, Ohio. Keegan competed in 13 A-mains in 2020, recording six top 10 finishes including a season-best third on Sept. 26. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.
9th – Larry Kingseed Jr., Castalia, Ohio. Last season’s AFCS rookie of the year, Kingseed battled in 11 A-mains in 2020, posting four top 10 finishes including a season-best fifth on Sept. 26. His average A-main finishing position was 13th.
10th – Zeth Sabo, Fremont, Ohio. Sabo competed in 12 A-mains in 2020, compiling nine top 10 finishes including a season-best runner-up on Sept. 12. His average A-main finishing position was 9th.
Rookie of the Year – Logan Riehl, Clyde, Ohio. Riehl finished 14th in Fremont points, competing in 10 A-mains in 2020. He posted a season-best pair of eighth place finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of 14th.
Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks
Champion – Shawn Valenti, Fostoria, Ohio. Valenti, truck champion in 2014 and 2019, and a former 410 sprint rookie of the year at the track, competed in all 12 A-mains in 2020 and with the exception of a 20th place finish on Aug. 8, never finished out of the top four all season. He posted six wins (June 20, July 4, July 25, Sept. 19, Oct. 9 and Oct. 10) to run his career total to 61, putting him third on the track’s all-time win list. Besides the six wins, he finished second four times. His average A-main finishing position was an incredible third.
2nd – Cory McCaughey, Toledo, Ohio. McCaughey competed in all 12 A-mains in his break-out season. He posted his first career win at the track on June 27 and added four more (July 18, Aug. 8, Aug. 15, Oct. 3). He posted eight top five finishes and 11 top 10 runs. After an opening night 12th place finish he never finished out of the top nine the rest of the year. His average A-main finishing position was fourth.
3rd – Jim Holcomb, Tiffin, Ohio. Holcomb competed in 10 of the 12 A-mains in 2020, posting six top five finishes including a season-best runner-up on July 4. He recorded eight top 10 finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of 6th.
4th – John Brooks, Wayne, Ohio. Fremont’s 2016 and 17 limited late model track champion competed in 10 A-mains in 2020, posting seven top 10 finishes including a season-best fourth on July 4. His average A-main finishing position was 8th.
5th – Dana Fry, Green Springs, Ohio. Fry battled in 10 A-mains in 2020, posting six top 10 finishes including a season-best third on opening night. His average A-main finishing position was 9th.
6th – Ben Clapp, Republic, Ohio. The division’s 2018 Fremont rookie of the year competed in 9 A-mains in 2020, posting seven top 10 finishes including a season-best runner-up on opening night. His average A-main finishing position was 8th.
7th – Dustin Keegan, Fremont, Ohio. Fremont’s 2017 truck champion and 2018 limited late model champion competed in all 12 A-mains in 2020, posting five top five finishes including a season-best pair of third place runs. He recorded seven top 10 finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of 10th.
8th – Jamie Miller, Fremont, Ohio. The only driver to have ever one three A-mains in three different divisions in one night, Miller competed in 11 A-mains in 2020, missing only opening night. He recorded five top five finishes including a season-best pair of third place finishes. He recorded eight top 10 finishes on route to an average A-main finishing position of 9th.
9th – Keith Sorg, Fremont, Ohio. Fremont’s 2016 and 2018 truck champion competed in 11 A-mains in 2020, missing only the June 27 event. He posted seven top 10 finishes including a season-best runner-up run on the last event of the year. His average A-main finishing position was 9th.
10th – Cody Truman, Sycamore, Ohio. Truman competed in 11 of the 12 A-mains, missing only the Oct. . 9 event. He recorded three top 10 finishes including a season-best pair of seventh place runs. His average A-main finishing position was 13th.
Rookie of the year – Austin Black, Clyde, Ohio. Black, who finished 12th in Fremont points, battled in 10 of the 12 A-mains. He recorded his first career Fremont win on Sept. 12 to go with six top 10 finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 9th.
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