Fans rub elbows, go-karts with sprint drivers

By Brian Liskai

FREMONT, Ohio (Dec. 28) - Race fans got the rare opportunity to race with their heroes Thursday night at the Race Place in Fremont. David and Terri Harrison played host to the annual Brad Doty Night at the sprint-kart racing facility, with several sprint drivers, fans and others associated with the racing scene on hand.

Besides signing autographs, drivers, Dean Jacobs, Rob Chaney, Greg "The Kid" Wilson, Mark Keegan and Mike Linder strapped into the go-karts with sprint car bodies to race on the indoor paved oval with the fans. Rusty McClure, who is making a miraculous recovery from a sprint car crash that nearly claimed his life two years ago, also strapped in a kart to race with fans.

Doty, a former sprint car racer and television race analyst, was on hand to sign autographs and race with the fans.

Besides the sprint racers, also on hand were engine builder Paul Kistler, Fremont Speedway promoter Jim Ford and his son Randy Ford, a former sprint driver, who will handle track maintenance duties in 2002. Also attending were former late model drivers De Genzman and Dale Hasselbach, as well as dirt truck driver L.J. Connors. Scott and Andrew Barman and Brian Liskai, hosts of the radio show "The Last Lap" were on hand as well. Aaron Hammer, crew chief of All Star Champion Kenny Jacobs was also in attendance with his dad, All Star official Randy Hammer. Former sprint champion Daryl Harrison also was on hand to trade stories with fellow former sprint driver John Auxter.

In the feature event, Wilson looked to have the field covered, but spun in lapped traffic, putting him to the tail with just a handful of laps remaining. That put Jacobs, who used the caution to get rid of added weights on his kart when no one was looking, on the point, with Doty right on his rub rail. The two diced between lapped karts, with Wilson moving back through the pack. Doty soon took the lead, with Wilson right on his bumper. As the laps ticked off, Wilson regained the lead and seemed to have the race in hand. However, on the white flag lap, Jacobs, who was being lapped, pinched Wilson into the guardrail and Doty snuck by for the win.

Everyone had a great time during the evening. Last Lap host Brian Liskai also recorded several interviews with some of the race drivers, which will be aired on Monday, Jan. 7 betwen 5:30-6:30 p.m. on WFRO AM 900-FM 99.1.

Some of the interesting news to come out of the Brad Doty Night included:

Dean Jacobs will drive the John Baker Excavating #4 sprinter, driven last year by Danny Smith. Smith will be driving Guy Webb's #51 in 2002, replacing Jerrod Hull. Jacobs' 2001 ride, the Peterbuilt of Northwest Ohio #7 owned by Rick Daughterty will be campaigned in 2002 in the 360 sprint ranks by Rick's son, Nick.

Rusty McClure is through with rehabilitation work and has returned to work. He is making plans on getting back behind the wheel of a sprint car sometime in 2002.

Rob Chaney, who started 2001 in Stan Cortaid's #9x and then moved to Jack Elden's #22, is searching for a ride in 2002, as Elden has gotten out of racing, and Butch Schroeder has taken over the duties in the #9x. Chaney said he would go to Florida in February as a crew member of Kenny Jacobs #6 while searching for a ride. It was also learned that Jacobs has lost team partner Honnecker for 2002.

Greg WIlson will again pilot his uncle Bob Hampshire's #63 in 2002. Wilson said the team has purchased a new trailer and is building a new hauler to replace the motorcoach Hamp has used for many, many years.

Fremont Speedway promoter Jim Ford hinted that besides the Non-Win World Championship show for the SCRA sprints in August, "The Track That Action Built" could host another non-wing, mid-week show in 2002. Plans have yet to be finalized though.

L.J. Connors, driver of the #X dirt truck, and his wife Deb, were recently featured in their hometown newspaper, The Clyde Enterprise, for portraying Santa and Mrs. Claus for 29 years.

Sprint driver Alvin Roepke was unable to attend the Brad Doty Night fun, as he is busy moving his specialty apparellel business, Vision Quest, into a new building he recently purchased in Elmore, Ohio. It was learned the #99 Mt. Dew team has switched chassis for 2002, moving from a J&J to a Maxim.

Paul Kistler revealed his dyno machine at his engine shop had been down for repairs. He said he has 28 engines to test over the next few weeks.