All Stars to help Fremont Speedway open 2002 season

By Brian Liskai

FREMONT, Ohio (April 16, 2002) - The All Star Circuit of Champions will help Fremont Speedway open its 51st season on Saturday, April 27.

Since 1980, "The Track That Action Built" has hosted the travelling All Star tour 66 times, with 30 different drivers picking up feature wins. Jack Hewitt has recorded the most All Star wins at Fremont, racking up 10 in his storied career. Four-time All Star Champion Frankie Kerr, and former World of Outlaws champion and current Winston Cup driver Dave Blaney rank second in career All Star wins at Fremont, each with 7. Rick Ferkel and Kevin Huntley follow with 4 All Star wins each, followed by Lee Osborne and Fred Linder, each with three victories and Mark Keegan, Doug Wolfgang, Steve Kinser, Ricky Hood, and Rocky Hodges with two All Star wins each.

Others recording All Star feature wins at Fremont since 1980 are Johnny Beaber, Kelly Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Butch Schroeder, Mike Wagner, Ron Semelka, Jac Haudenschild, Randy Kinser, Mike Lutz, Tom Basinger, Joey Saldana, Danny Smith, Joe Gaerte, Keith Kaufman, Tod Kane, John Ivy, Chad Kemenah and Rodney Duncan.

Last year, the All Stars made five visits to the historical Fremont Speedway, with five different drivers visiting victory lane. Chad Kemenah scored his first career feature win on opening night, April 28. Rodney Duncan followed with a win on June 9, with Mark Keegan picking up the Ohio Sprint Speedweek victory on July 3. Two new faces graced victory lane during the two-day All Star events on Sept, 7 and 8, with Mike Wagner and Butch Schroeder picking up the wins.

The All Stars will visit Fremont Speedway six times in 2002, including the season opener. Look for defending All Star champion Kenny Jacobs to try and score his second career feature win at Fremont Speedway this season. Others expected to compete are Dean Jacobs, Rodney Duncan, Danny Smith, Greg Wilson, Byron Reed, Chad Kemenah, Mark Keegan, Mike Wagner, Butch Schroeder, Bill Rose, Paul McMahan, Barry Ruble, Bruce Robenalt, Alvin Roepke, 2001 track champion John Ivy, David Harrison, Phil Gressman, Todd Kane, Fremont's 2001 rookie of the year Troy Vacarro, Jody Keegan, Jim Linder, Bob Lime, Todd Heller, Shawn Chaney, Bobby Distel and a whole list of Fremont regulars who always race the All Stars tough.

Also competing on opening night will be the highly competitive 305 sprints and the exciting dirt trucks. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. with racing scheduled to begin around 7:15 p.m.