Fremont Speedway honors champions

By Brian Liskai

FREMONT, Ohio (Nov. 10) - Fremont Speedway concluded its 51st season on Saturday, Nov. 9, by crowning the 2002 track champions in the 410 sprints, 305 sprints and dirt trucks at PK Banquet Hall in front of a huge crowd.

Fremont's John Ivy claimed his second straight track title in 410 sprints, while Castalia, Ohio's Bryan Scott captured his third straight championship in the 305 sprints, and Steve Sabo scored his second consecutive title in the dirt trucks.

Ivy is the first back-to-back sprint car track champion at Fremont since Mark Keegan won three in a row from 1992-94. He is one of only seven sprint car drivers in Fremont Speedway's history to win back-to-back track titles.

Ivy recorded an incredible six feature wins at Fremont in 2002, including three in a row which took in the July 4 All Star Ohio Sprint Speedway win. He missed only one A-Main during the season at "The Track That Action Built," that being on May 18. Besides his six wins, Ivy also posted three runner-up finishes and was in the top 10 in all but two feature events. His average A-Main finish was 4.7. Ivy is now tied for 25th on the all-time career feature win list at Fremont with 16 victories.

"I really have to thank Sid and Beth Eickelberry (car owners) for everything they've done for us. I also have to thank Jim Ford...before he re-opened Fremont three years ago, we had to travel around to race. There's nothing like driving five minutes from home and racing in front of all your friends and family," said Ivy. "I also have to thank Consolite and Sonny for all his help and my crew and especially Guy Meyers...we've been racing together since were were kids."

The good news for the rest of the 305 sprint competition is Bryan Scott sold his race car. What an incredible couple of seasons this young man put together. In the last three seasons, he has won 36 features, including five in 2002 at Fremont. Scott has now claimed 19 checkered flags during his career at Fremont, putting him 19th on the all-time feature win list.

Scott is only one of 10 drivers in the history of Fremont Speedway to win three or more track championships. He is only one of four drivers in the track's history to win three straight track titles.

Besides his five wins in 2002, Scott scored four second place finishes on way to securing 15 top 10s in 17 features. The only time he didn't finish in the top 10 all season was on opening night and on June 22. In fact, from June 22 to the end of the season, his worse finish was sixth. Scott's average A-main finish at Fremont was fourth.

"We're looking for a 410 ride for 2003," said Scott, who thanked all his sponsors, his dad Zane, his wife Terry and all his crew.

Steve Sabo claimed three feature wins on route to claiming his second straight dirt truck track championships. He is now tied for 33rd on the all-time feature win list at Fremont Speedway with 13 victories. Sabo made all 17 dirt truck A-mains in 2002, with his average finish being sixth. He scored 14 top 10 finishes in 2002.

"We're building a new Chevy S-10 for 2003," said Sabo, who also thanked all his sponsors, his dad Joe and his wife Linda.

The top 10 finishes in the point standings for all three divisions received point fund monies.

Finishing second by 33 points in the 410 sprints was 2002 Attica Raceway Park Track Champion Alvin Roepke. The Elmore, Ohio's driver missed only one A-Main at Fremont in 2002, that being the next to last show of the season. Roepke scored eight top 10 finishes, including three thirds and three fourth place showings. His average A-main finishing position was 9.6.

Nine-time Fremont Speedway track champion Mark Keegan had an uncharacteristic tough time in 2002. Still, the Fremont driver who has dominated sprint car racing in northern Ohio the past 20 years, won a feature at Fremont during the season. Keegan's win moved him to fourth on the all-time feature win list at Fremont with 55 victories...just 10 behind the track's all-time winner, Art Ball. Keegan scored eight top 10 finishes in the 15 A-mains he competed in. The only A-main he failed to qualify for was the last show of the season when he crashed hard into the front stretch wall.

Fourth in the 410 point standings went to Brian Smith. The Fremont driver also took home the "Most Improved Driver" award for 2002. Smith recorded eight top 10 finishes in 15 A-Main events...he missed only one A-main, the July 4 speedweek show. He scored back-to-back runnerup finishes on June 15 and June 22.

Fremont driver Shawn Chaney moved from the 305 sprints to the powerful 410s in 2002 and secured a fifth place point standing. Chaney also took home the "Rookie of the Year" award for 2002. Chaney scored his first career feature win in dramatic style, banging wheels with Mark Keegan in turns three and four on the last lap and going on to victory on June 22. Chaney scored five top 10 finishes in the 13 A-mains he competed in.

David Harrison finished sixth in the 410 point standings. The Fremont driver recorded six top 10 finishes in the 10 A-mains he competed in in 2002. He scored a fourth, fifth and a pair of sixth place finishes.

Bobby Clark returned to 410 sprint racing in 2002 and finished seventh in the point standings. The Fremont native scored five top 10 finishes in the 14 A-mains he competed in. His best showing was a fifth on Aug. 3.

Fremont's Mike Linder racked up 1,089 points to finish eighth in the point standints. He had seven top 10 finishes in the 13 A-mains he competed in with his best result being a second on July 20. He also made the A-main during the SCRA Non-Wing World Champion on Aug. 8.

The 2002 410 Sprint Rookie of the Year, Troy Vaccaro, finished ninth in the 2002 point standingss. He scored four top 10 finishes in the 11 A-mains he competed in.

Whitehouse, Ohio's Todd Heller rounded out the top 10 in the 410 point standings with 1,276 points. He recorded five top 10 finishes in the nine A-mains he qualified for.

Brock Mayes finished just one point behind champion Bryan Scott in the 305 sprints point standings. Mayes, from Bucyrus, Ohio, scored four feature wins in 2002 at Fremont. Even more impressive was the 16 top 10 finishes in the 17 A-mains he competed in. He scored 11 top five finishes, and had a string of 14 top 10 finishes. His average A-main finishing position was fourth.

Gibsonburg's Roger Shammo finished third in the 305 sprint point standings. He scored the biggest 305 sprint win of the season when he took the checkered flag in the Baumann Auto Group 305 Sprint Invitational. Shammo scored 13 top 10 finishes and competed in all 17 A-mains.

In just his second season of racing, Gibsonburg's Craig Mintz finished fourth in the 305 point standings. He scored 12 top 10 finishes of the 15 A-mains he competed in. He scored six top five finishes with a best being a runner-up finish.

Fifth in the points went to Fostoria's Scott Kraylek. He scored a feature win on May 27 and also recorded a second place and two third place finishes. He scored 10 top 10 finishes in the 14 A-mains he competed in.

Green Springs, Ohio's Josh Hill finished sixth in the point standings. Hill also took home the "Most Improved Driver" award in the 305 sprint division for 2002. Hill scored his first career win on July 20. He recorded nine top 10 finishes in the 14 A-mains he competed in in 2002.

Seventh in the points went to Fostoria's Bill Kraylek. Bill recorded a feature win on June 22 and had nine top 10 finishes in the 13 A-mains he competed in. He also scored a pair of seconds and a pair of third place finishes.

Jamie Miller of Fostoria finished eighth in the point standings. He scored his first career feature win on June 8 and had eight top 10 finishes. He also set a new track record for the division with a clocking of 13.87 seconds during qualifying fro the Baumann Auto Group 305 Sprint Invitational.

Clyde, Ohio's Mike Oberdorf finished 9th in the point standings. He scored his first career win on Aug. 3, and had four top 10 finishes.

Castalia's Caleb Griffith won the "Rookie of the Year" title in the 305 sprint division. The 14-year-old scored a feature win in 2002 at Fremont.

Rounding out the top 10 in the point standings was Fremont's Dustin Keegan. He scored seven top 10 finishes in 2002.

Behind champion Steve Sabo in the dirt truck point standings was Woodville's Danny Roepke. Roepke, the 2000 track champion, scored six feature wins in 2002, to move to 25th on the all-time feature win list at Fremont with 16 victories. He missed only one A-main in 2002, that coming on opening night. Roepke posted 14 top 10 finishes out of the 16 A-mains he competed in. His average feature finishing position was 5.6.

Third in the point standings went to Fremont's John Rhoads. Rhoads scored one feature win in 2002, in addition to having 10 top five finishes and 14 top 10s.

Fremont's Jeff Dougherty finished fourth in the dirt truck division point standings. He had nine top five finishes and 13 top 10 finishes. he scored one feature win in 2002.

Fifth in the points went to Findlay's Jay Boyd. Boyd had 13 top 10 finishes and eight top fives. He opened the season with seven straight finishes of no worse than sixth place.

Fremont's Bobby Davis finished sixth in the points. He scored a feature win on route to securing 13 top 10 finishes, including three runner-up performances.

Seventh in the points went to Brian Arnold. Arnold, who also took home the "Most Improved Driver" award for 2002, scored 12 top 10 finishes.

Fostoria's Bob Dible scored seven top 10 finishes in 2002 to rank eighth in the point standings.

Andy Maynard of Gibsonburg finished ninth in the standings. He scored three top 10 finishes.

Rounding out the top 10 in the points was Jim Maglosky of Clyde. He scored a pair of top 10 finishes in 2002.

Taking home the "Rookie of the Year" honors for the dirt trucks were Mike Porter and Steve Rando.

Promoter Jim Ford announced the 410 sprints would have a right rear spec tire for 2003. The Goodyear 1187-25C will be priced at $140 and must be purchased from Kear's Speed Shop. Last year's spec tires may be used during the first three nights of racing in 2003.

Ford also announed new clay has been put on the race track and more "soft" walls have been purchased. Also, opening night will be April 19, 2003.

FREMONT SPEEDWAY POINTS:

410 Sprints:
1. John Ivy, 1,240 pts.
2. Alvin Roepke, 1,207 pts.
3. Mark Keegan, 1,175 pts.
4. Brian Smith, 1,171 pts.
5. Shawn Chaney, 1,159 pts.
6. David Harrison, 1,130 pts.
7. Bobby Clark, 1,106 pts.
8. Mike Linder, 1,089 pts.
9. Troy Vaccaro, 1,027 pts.
10. Todd Heller, 973 pts.

305 Sprints:
1. Bryan Scott, 1,574 pts.
2. Brock Mayes, 1,573 pts.
3. Roger Shammo, 1,435 pts.
4. Craig Mintz, 1,415 pts.
5. Scott Kraylek, 1,371 pts.
6. Josh Hill, 1,338 pts.
7. Bill Kraylek, 1,318 pts.
8. Jamie Miller, 1,299 pts.
9. Mike Oberdorf, 1,287 pts.
10. Dustin Keegan, 1,276 pts.

Dirt Trucks:
1. Steve Sabo, 1,519 pts.
2. Danny Roepke, 1,513 pts.
3. John Rhoads, 1,504 pts.
4. Jeff Dougherty, 1,468 pts.
5. Jay Boyd, 1,445 pts.
6. Bobby Davis, 1,364 pts.
7. Brian Arnold, 1,345 pts.
8. Bob Dible, 1,305 pts.
9. Andy Maynard, 1,235 pts.
10. Jim Maglosky, 1,217 pts.