By Brian Liskai
 FREMONT, Ohio (Monday, Nov. 5, 2007) - It was a very emotional night Saturday, Nov. 3, when Fremont Speedway put the wraps on the 2007 season with its traditional awards banquet. Besides honoring the top 12 in the point standings for the 410 sprints, 305 sprints and dirt trucks, it was also the last function the Jim and Joanne Ford family would preside over as promoters of "The Track That Action Built."

Jim Ford, who took over the failing speedway in the Sandusky County Fairgrounds in 2000, revitalized the facility with the help of his family, friends and the racing community, returning the speedplant to its rightful place among the historic race venues in the country. Ford announced late in 2007 that he would be stepping down as track promoter, turning the reins over to Andy James and Rich Farmer.

"Everyone thought I was nuts when I decided to reopen Fremont Speedway. To be honest, I probably was...it was a lot more work than we realized, but in the end, it was well worth it. We are now a part of a very large, supportive family," said an emotional Ford in front of the standing-room-only crowd at Ole Zim's Wagonshed. 

Ford stunned the crowd when he announced he was fighting cancer, but with the prayers and support of his family and the racing community, he would beat the disease.

"I would like to personally thank the Ford family – Jim and Joanne, Doug, Vicki, Randy and Deb and Becky and Bob Kayden. Like many of you in this room, I grew up at Fremont Speedway…I thought going to the fairgrounds every Saturday was just a way of life. That would have come to an end if it weren’t for the Fords stepping in and breathing new life into this historic race track," said Brian Liskai, track announcer and banquet emcee. "Over the past eight years I have become a member of the Ford family and I am truly honored. Yes, Jim can be – for lack of a better term – hard-headed – most of us in this room have been 'invited' to take a golf-kart ride with him at one time or another. But his criticisms were always to make sure we were running the best show we could for everyone. Besides what you saw of the Ford family at the track, there was the side only a few got the opportunity to experience – visits to racers and fans in hospitals, funeral homes, nursing homes…cards and letters of encouragement and support. This family TRULY cares about the people in racing. On behalf of everyone in this room and from my heart, I say thank you and job welldone."
 

During the awards, the top 12 in the final point standings for the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints, Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints and the Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks, shared in over $32,000 in point-fund money. The track champions were Monclova, Ohio's Byron Reed in the 410 sprints, Millbury, Ohio's Andy Shammo in the 305 sprints, and Sandusky, Ohio's Cory Ward in the dirt trucks.

Also, Ross Paulson handed out over $5,000 in funds from the Computer Man Championship Dash. Throughout the year, the winners of each of the heat races in the 305 sprints competed in a dash where they accumulated points based on where they finished and how many cars they passed. In the four years of the Computer Man Dash, over $20,000 has been handed out. Shammo became the fourth different driver to win the Computer Man Championship Dash.

Representatives of Engine Pro - the official sponsor of the Engine Pro Victory Lane at Fremont Speedway in 2007 - presented Scott Gressman of Gressman Powersports, with the Engine Pro Engine Builder of the Year Award.

Following are brief recaps of the season for each of the top 12 in points and the rookies of the year for each division:

410 SPRINTS
Rookies of the year: Greg Dalman and Chris Andrews.
Andrews, from Sandusky, Ohio, competed in 14 of the 16 A-mains in 2007 scoring five top 10 finishes and three top five runs, his best eing a pair of fifth place finishes.

12th – Greg Dalman – rookie of the year – The driver from Grand Ledge, Mich. competed in 14 of the 16 feature events in 2007 with an average feature finishing position of 15th. He scored a pair of top 10 finishes, his best a sixth on July 28.

11th – Todd Heller – The Whitehouse, Ohio driver competed in 14 of the 16 features in 2007, missing only the All Star Speedweek show and the last one. His average feature finishing position was 11th. He recorded 6 top 10 finishes and a pair of top fives including a season-best second on May 19

10th – Mark Keegan – The 9-time Fremont Speedway track champion competed in 14 of the 16 A-mains in 2007, missing only the June 9 and June 23 shows. His average feature finishing position was 10th. He recorded 7 top 10 finishes and 3 top fives including his 59th career victory on June 23, moving him into third spot on the track’s all-time win list.

9th- Brian Smith – The 2004 305 track champion competed in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2007, missing only the All Star Speedweek show. His average feature finishing position was 11th. He scored 8 top 10 finishes and had a season-best 4th on Aug. 4.

8th – Mike Linder – The 2005 and 2006 track champion competed in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2007, missing only the July 21 feature. His average A-main finishing position was 9th. He recorded 10 top 10 finishes and 6 top fives, including three thirds in a row in June.

7th – Troy Vaccaro – The 1997 305 track champion competed in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2007, missing only the All Star Speedweek feature. He recorded 7 top 10 finishes and a pair of top fives including his first career 410 feature win on July 21. His average feature finishing position was 11th.

6th – Caleb Griffith – The 2003  305 track champion competed in 13 of the 16 A-mains in 2007. His average feature finishing position was eighth. He scored 8 top 10 finishes and 4 top fives including a season best second on June 2 and July 28.

5th – David Harrison – The Burgoon, Ohio driver competed in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2007, missing only the May 19 show. His average feature finishing position was 10th. He recorded 8 top 10s and 5 top fives including a season-best second on May 12.

4th – John Ivy – The 2001, 2002, 2004 410 track champion and 1994 305 champion, competed in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2007, missing only the All Star Speedweek show. His average A-main finishing position was 7th. He recorded 11 top 10s and 8 top fiives including a pair of wins on May 19 and June 16 and three runner-up finishes. He now has 26 career Fremont victories.

3rd – Paul Weaver – The 2005 and 2006 305 track champion competed in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2007, missing only the All Star Speedweek main. His average feature finish was eighth. He scored 10 top tens and 5 top fives including a pair of wins on July 7 and Aug. 4. He now has 22 career Fremont victories.

2nd – Lee Jacobs – The Holmesville, Ohio driver was one of two drivers to compete in all 16 A-mains in 2007, posting an average finishing position of 7th. He racked up 13 top 10 finishes and 5 top fives including a season-best second on July 21. He closed out the season – July through September, finishing no worse than eighth.

CHAMPION – Byron Reed – The 2003 Fremont champion competed in all 16 A-mains in 2007 and posted an average finishing position of fourth. He finished out of the top 10 only twice in 2007, and posted 12 top five finishes. Reed scored three wins in 2007 – May 19, June 9 and July 28 – to bring his total to 13 at Fremont.

305 Sprints

Rookies of the year: Cap Henry and Travis Hoffbauer.

Hoffbauer, from McCutchenville, Ohio, competed in 7 feature events in 2007 with his best finish coming on the last night with a fifth

12th – Craig Kays – The Bettsville, Ohio driver competed in 11 of the 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average feature finishing position of 10th. He recorded 5 top tens and 3 top fives and picked up his first career victory on May 12.

11th – Duane Zablocki – The Tiffin, Ohio driver competed in 13 of the 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average feature finishing position of 10th. He racked up 6 top tens and 4 top fives including a pair of back-to-back second place runs June 23 and 28.

10th – Matt Lucius – The Tiffin, Ohio driver competed in 12 of the 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average feature finishing position of 10th. He had 6 top tens and 3 top fives including a pair of runner-up finishes on June 16 and Sept. 15.

9th – Dustin Keegan – The Fremont driver made 14 of the 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average finishing position of 10th. He scored 8 top tens and a pair of top fives including a season-best second on Aug. 4.

8th – Cap Henry – rookie of the year – The Bellevue, Ohio driver competed in 16 of the 17 A-mains in 2007, missing only the Aug. 11 feature. His average feature finishing position was 11th. He recorded 7 top tens and 3 top fives including a season-best pair of third place showings.

7th – Coty Runion – The Tiffin, Ohio driver competed in 14 of the 17 features in 2007 with an average finishing position of 9th. He recorded 10 top 10 finishes and 4 top fives including a victory on June 23.

6th – Bill Kraylek – The Fostoria, Ohio veteran competed in 15 of the 17 A-mains in 2007, posting an average A-main finishing position of eighth. He racked up 12 top 10 finishes and 4 top fives including a season-best third on June 23.

5th – Dustin Dinan – One of only three drivers to compete in all 17 A-mains in 2007, his average feature finishing position was 11th. He scored 6 top tens and 5 top fives including wins on July 7 and Sept. 15th.

4th – Stuart Brubaker – The Helena, Ohio driver competed in 15 of the 17 A-mains, posting an average feature finishing position of eighth. He recorded 11 top tens and 4 top fives including his first career victory on July 21.

3rd – Chad Gullett – The Clyde, Ohio driver – in only his second year of racing – competed in all 17 A-mains in 2007. His average feature finishing position was 10th and he recorded 12 top tens and a pair of top fives including a season-best second on July 28.

2nd – Kevin Lee – The Green Springs, Ohio driver competed in 16 of the 17 features in 2007, missing only the June 2 show. His average A-main finishing position was eighth. He racked up 13 top ten finishes and 6 top fives including his first career win on July 14.

CHAMPION – Andy Shammo – The Millbury, Ohio driver was dominant in 2007. Competing in all 17 A-mains, he never finished out of the top 10 – in fact, his worse finish was an eighth on July 21. He recorded 15 top fives on route to an average A-main finishing positon of third. Shammo recorded 6 wins including the prestigious Burns Iron & Metal 305 Invitational. He now has 14 career victories at Fremont Speedway.

Dirt Trucks

Rookies of the year Zack Kramer and Alex Wiechman.

Kramer, from Fremont, finished 15th in the point standings. He competed in 10 of the 17 A-mains and had an average finishing position of 13th. His best finish was a 6th on July 21

Wiechman, from Oak Harbor, Ohio, finished 16th in the point standings. He competed in 12 of the 17 feature events and had an average finishing position of 12th. His best showing was a fifth on July 14.

12th – Eric DeVanna – The Kansas, Ohio driver competed in 15 of the 17 features in 2007. His average A-main finishing position was 11th and he racked up 8 top ten finishes and a pair of top fives, including a season-best third on June 2.

11th – Brad Mitten – The Fremont, Ohio driver competed in 14 of the 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average finishing position of 11th. He recorded 7 top 10 finishes with a season best sixth coming on the last night.

10th- Chuck Roelle – The Fostoria, Ohio driver competed in 14 of the 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average finishing position of 10th. He recorded 9 top 10 finishes including a season-best fifth on Aug. 11.

9th – Andy Maynard – The Woodville, Ohio driver competed in 16 of the 17 A-mains in 2007, missing only the June 2 show. His average feature finishing position was 11th and he recorded 8 top tens and a pair of top fives including a season-best fourth on the last night.

8th – Art Howey Jr. – The Fremont, Ohio driver competed in all 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average finishing position of 10th. He recorded 11 top ten finishes and 4 top fives including a season-best second on July 7.

7th – Dwight Waltermeier – The Wayne, Ohio driver competed in 16 of the 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average finishing position of eighth. He racked up 12 top ten runs and 7 top fives. He posted a win on June 16.

6th – Steve Endicott – The Risingson, Ohio driver competed in all 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average finishing position of  eighth. He recorded 12 top tens and 9 top fives. He posted a victory on May 5 and had a runner-up finish on June 23.

5th – Steve Sabo – The 2001, 2002 and 2004 track champion competed in all 17 feature events in 2007 with an average finishing position of seventh. He recorded 13 top tens and 7 top fives. After struggling through July, he came back to finish no worse than 6th the last four shows.

4th – Shawn Valenti – The Risingson, Ohio driver ran all 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average finishing position of eighth. He posted 11 top ten runs and 7 top fives. He racked up four wins on May 12, June 2, July 28, and Aug. 4 and a runner-up finish on Aug. 11.

3rd – Jim McGrath – The Clyde, Ohio driver competed in all 17 A-mains in 2007 with an average finishing position of sixth He raced to 14 top ten finishes and 11 top fives. He scored a win on July 7 and  ran second five times.

2nd – Bob Dible – The Fostoria, Ohio veteran also competed in all 17-Amains in 2007 with an average finishing position of sixth. He scored 14 top 10 finishes and 10 top fives. He picked up a win on April 21, and had a pair of runner-up finishes. Through July 7, Bob’s worse finish was an 11th. A 15th place finish on July 14 and a 19th showing on July 21 hurt his championship chances as he roared back to finish no worse than fifth the last five shows.

CHAMPION – Cory Ward – The Sandusky, Ohio driver put together a dominating season. In the 17 A-mains he competed in his average finishing position was a remarkable second! He never finished out of the top 10 and only finished out of the top five once – a 9th place showing on May 9. Ward recorded 7 wins and 4 runner-up finishes.