By Brian Liskai
FREMONT, Ohio – The top 10 in points for the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints, Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints and the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks will receive their awards and point fund money at an informal gathering Sunday, Nov. 27 from noon to 3 p.m. in the Flower Building at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds.
Drivers in the top 10 in points and the rookies of the year are encouraged to attend between noon and 3 p.m. to receive their trophy and point fund check. A photographer will be present. Light snacks will be provided.
Following is a look at the season for the top 10 in points for each division:
Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints
Champion – Craig Mintz, Gibsonburg, Ohio – Fremont’s 2010, 2012 and 2018 track champion added his fourth title in dramatic fashion, charging through the field on championship night. The 2022 title was something Mintz and his family aimed for as it was the 50th anniversary of friend Johnny Auxter’s track title (1972). After celebrating the pair’s titles at the Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame, Auxter passed away two weeks later. Mintz competed in 17 of the 18 features in 2022, missing only the Oct. 7 All Star Circuit of Champions event. He scored three wins (July 30, Aug. 6 and Sept. 17) to run his career total to 17 at the track. Mintz posted 15 top 10 finishes and 12 top five runs. His average A-main finishing position was a remarkable fifth.
2. – DJ Foos, Fremont, Ohio. Foos, Fremont’s 2021 410 sprint and 2012 305 sprint track champion and 2013 410 rookie of the year competed in all 18 features in 2022. The 2017 FAST and 2019 and 2021 Attica Fremont Championship Series titlist racked up 14 top 10 runs and nine top five finishes including six podium runs (four runner-up runs). His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
3. – John Ivy, Fremont, Ohio. Fremont Speedway’s three time 410 track champion (2001, 2002 and 2004), four time 305 champion (1994, 2013, 2018 and 2019) and 2013 dirt truck champion, competed in 14 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. Ivy, who sits fourth on the track’s all-time win list with 60 feature wins, recorded four top 10 finishes including a season best third on Sept. 17. His average A-main finishing position was 13th.
4. – Cole Macedo, Lemmore, Calif. The 2022 Attica Fremont Championship Series champion put together a remarkable 2022 at the track, winning four 410 features and a pair of 360 victories to raise his career total at Fremont to 10. Macedo competed in 15 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. He racked up 10 top 10 finishes and eight top five runs including five podium finishes. Macedo’s average A-main finishing position was seventh.
5. – Troy Vaccaro, Castalia, Ohio. Fremont’s 1997 305 sprint champion competed in 12 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. He recorded a pair of top 10 finishes including a season-best 7th on Sept. 24. His average A-main finishing position was 15th.
6. – Stuart Brubaker, Fremont, Ohio. Fremont’s 2008, 2010 and 2011 305 track champion and 2012 410 rookie of the year competed in 12 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. He posted six top 10 finishes including a season best pair of sixth place runs. Brubaker’s average A-main finishing position was 12th.
7. – Travis Philo, Bowling Green, Ohio. Philo battled in 13 of the 18 A-mains in 2022, posting 10 top 10 finishes and six podium finishes including his first ever Fremont win on Aug. 13. His average A-main finishing position was ninth.
8. – Chris Andrews, Huron, Ohio. Andrews competed in 14 of the 18 A-mains in 2022, racking up seven top 10 finishes and four top five runs including a pair of season best runner-up finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
9. – Darin Naida, Adrian, Mich. Fremont Speedway’s 2022 rookie of the year competed in 10 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. He recorded a pair of top finishes including a season best seventh on Aug. 6. His average A-main finishing position was 14th.
10. – Kyle Capodice, Sandusky, Oho. Fremont Speedway’s 2021 rookie of the year competed in eight of the 18 A-mains in 2022, posting a season best 7th place finish on May 14. His average A-main finishing position was 14th.
Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints
Champion – Paul Weaver, Fremont, Ohio. Weaver added his fourth 305 sprint track championship at Fremont Speedway (2005, 2006, 2021, 2022) and his third straight Attica Fremont Championship Series title (2020, 2021 and 2022). Weaver competed in all 15 A-mains in 2022, never finishing out of the top nine. He posted seven wins in 2022 at Fremont (June 12, June 25, July 9, Aug. 6, Sept. 10, Sept. 24 and Oct. 8) to run his career total to 71 at the track, putting him third on the all-time win list. His average A-main finishing position was a remarkable fourth.
2. – Steve Rando, Lindsey, Ohio. Rando competed in all 15 A-mains in 2022, recording nine top 10 finishes and six top five finishes including three podium runs with a pair of season best runner-up finishes. His average A-main finishing position was ninth.
3. – Kasey Jedrzejek, LaGrange, Ohio. Jedrzejek, competing in his second year of 305 racing, battled in all 15 A-mains in 2022. He recorded 11 top 10 finishes and seven top five runs including three podium finishes. He scored his first Fremont Speedway win on the fair race on Aug. 22. Jedrzejek’s average A-main finishing position was ninth.
4. – Jamie Miller, Fremont, Ohio. Miller, Fremont’s 2022 dirt truck track champion, competed in 14 of the 15 A-mains in 2022, missing only the July 23 event. He posted 11 top 10 finishes and six top five runs including a win on opening night, April 23. His average A-main finishing position was eighth.
5. – Mike Keegan, Fremont, Ohio. Keegan battled in all 15 A-mains in 2022. He recorded nine top 10 finishes and four top five runs including a season best pair of fourth place finishes. Keegan’s average A-main finishing position was ninth.
6. – Brandon Moore, Clyde, Ohio. Moore competed in 14 of the 15 A-mains in 2022, missing only the final event of the year. He recorded seven top 10 finishes and a pair of podium runs including a season best runner-up finish on May 28. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.
7. – Kelsey Ivy, Fremont, Ohio. Ivy competed in all 15 A-mains in 2022, racking up four top 10 finishes including a season best pair of fourth place runs. Her average A-main finishing position was 12th.
8. – Jim McGrath Jr., Clyde, Ohio. McGrath battled in 13 of the 15 A-mains, missing only the May 28 and July 23 events. He scored seven top 10 finishes including a season best third on Sept. 24. His average A-main finishing position was 10th.
9. – Dustin Stroup, Fremont, Ohio. Stroup competed in 13 of the 15 A-mains in 2022, missing only the June 25 and July 9 events. He recorded 11 top 10 finishes and seven podium finishes including his eighth win at Fremont on the season finale. Stroup’s average A-main finishing position was sixth.
10. – Shawn Valenti, Risingsun, Ohio. Fremont’s four time dirt truck track champion competed in 13 of the 15 A-mains in 2022, missing only the April 30 and June 25 events. He recorded six top 10 finishes including wins on May 14 and July 23. Coupled with his four truck wins in 2022, Valenti now has 73 career feature wins at Fremont, placing him second on the all-time win list, just three away from hall-of-famer Art Ball. His average A-main finishing position was ninth.
Rookie of the year – Haldon Miller, Clyde, Ohio. Miller competed in eight of the 15 A-mains in 2022 and finished 14th in the 305 points. He recorded a season best fifth place finish on the season finale. His average A-main finishing position was 17th.
Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks
Champion – Jamie Miller, Fremont, Ohio. Miller battled in 15 of the 16 A-mains, missing only opening night. Other than a 14th place finish on Aug. 6, Miller never finished out of the top seven. He scored seven wins in 2022 (April 30, May 28, June 11, Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 7 and Oct. 14) and coupled with a 305 sprint win in 2022, now has 38 career feature wins at Fremont, placing him 12th on the all-time victory list. Miller’s average A-main finishing position was a remarkable third.
2. – Jeff Babcock, Cygnet, Ohio. Babcock competed in 14 of the 16 A-mains, missing only the May 14 and Oct. 14 events. He posted 12 top 10 finishes and 10 podium finishes including wins on July 30, Aug. 6, Sept. 10 and Oct. 7 to run his career total at the track to five. His average A-main finishing position was fifth.
3. – Ben Clapp, Republic, Ohio. Clapp battled in all 16 A-mains in 2022, racking up 14 top 10 finishes and five top five runs including a pair of season best runner-up finishes. Take out a 12th place finish on opening night and an 11th place run on the season finale and Clapp never finished out of the top eight. His average A-main finishing position was 6th.
4. – Dustin Keegan, Fremont, Ohio. Fremont’s 2017 dirt truck and 2018 limited late model track champion competed in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2022, missing only the season finale. He scored 13 top 10 finishes and seven top five finishes including a season best pair of runner-up finishes. Take out the season opening 13th and an 18th on July 23, Keegan never finished out of the top nine. His average A-main finishing position was 7th.
5. – Jim Holcomb, Tiffin, Ohio. Holcomb, Fremont’s 2016 truck rookie of the year, competed in 14 of the 16 A-mains, missing only the July 23 and season finale. He battled to 11 top 10 finishes and five top five runs including a season best runner-up on July 30. Holcomb’s average A-main finishing position as 7th.
6. – Dave Gumby Jr., Ottawa Lake, Mich. Fremont’s dirt truck rookie of the year competed in 14 of the 16 A-mains in 2022, missing only May 14 and Sept. 10. He recorded 12 top 10 finishes and 10 top five runs. Take out a 19th place finish on Sept. 14 and a 12th place run on Oct. 7 and Gumby did not finish out of the top seven. He scored his first ever Fremont wins on July 9 and Oct. 1. His average A-main finishing position was sixth.
7. – Shawn Valenti, Risingsun, Ohio. Fremont’s 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021 dirt truck track champion battled in 15 of the 16 A-mains, missing only the April 30 event. Other than a 20th place finish on July 30, he never finished out of the top eight, posting 10 podium finishes. Valenti recorded wins on April 23, May 14, July 23 and Aug. 13. Valenti’s average A-main finishing position was fourth.
8. – Keith Sorg, Fremont, Ohio. Fremont’s 2016 and 2018 dirt truck track champion competed in all 16 A-mains in 2022. He scored seven top 10 finishes including a season best runner-up on May 14. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.
9. – Kent Brewer, Fremont, Ohio. Fremont’s 2015 dirt truck track champion battled in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2022, missing only the Sept. 24 event. He posted nine top 10 finishes including a season-best pair of fourth place runs. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.
10. – Cody Laird, Fremont, Ohio. Laird competed in 13 of the 16 A-mains in 2022. He recorded six top 10 finishes including a season best sixth on Oct. 7. Laird’s average A-main finishing position was 11th.
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