Saturday, July 4, 2009
Contact: Brian Liskai
liskai2x@cros.net

By Brian Liskai

FREMONT, Ohio - Dale Blaney likes slick smooth race tracks. He got just what 
he wanted at Fremont Speedway Saturday night, as he took home the $4,000 on 
Burkett Family Night.

"The Track That Action Built" paid tribute to the military men and women - 
America's heroes - during the Independence Day event, with special pre-race 
festivities. Saturday also marked the halfway mark of the season in the 
inaugural Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title Championship 
Series which has a separate point fund for the 410 sprint drivers totaling 
over $50,000 in cash and contingency prizes. Both Fremont Speedway and 
Attica Raceway Park also have their own separate point funds. With his 
second place run Friday at Attica and a strong third place finish at Fremont 
Saturday, Gibsonburg's Craig Mintz has grabbed the FAST Championship Series 
point lead.

Blaney's victory wasn't easy as he had to work his way through the B-main 
which earned him a 10th starting spot in the A-main for the Fort Ball Pizza 
Palace 410 Sprints. He made a great move exiting turn four on lap 14 to get 
around both Craig Mintz and Chris Andrews to grab lead.

The 30-lap feature went non-stop after an initial caution on the start that 
sent Tim Shaffer to the tail and Rob Chaney and Bob Felmlee to the pits. 
Shaffer would storm his way through the pack to finish second.

"I love seeing the track this way. When my top wing gets back there (all the 
way to the rear of the car) at this place and most places that's when I'm 
usually grinning But, we've actually struggled here this season, usually 
we're pretty good. We had a good night. Had to run the B, but we got some 
more laps and made a few adjustments. That 83 (Shaffer) must have been 
pretty good he ended up second on the board. I don't know if it was good for 
him to go to the tail or not...it was good for us. We'll take it...we've 
been struggling," said Blaney beside his George Fisher Racing, Ti22 
Performance backed sprint car.

"I was trying to run the bottom a little bit. My car was pretty decent 
anywhere, but they were starting to slip around a little bit. I just got a 
good run. If you sit back there you can kind of dictate where you go...you 
go where they don't go. I didn't hear anyone in traffic so I kind of took my 
time...maybe a little too patient. But George gives me a good car, 
especially when we come here," added Blaney in the Engine Pro Victory Lane. 
"I'm awful thankful for the Burkett family for putting on this race. 
Thankful for Fremont...glad everyone came out on the Fourth of July."

After a lap one caution in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints' 
A-main, the 25-lap feature went non-stop as well. Fremont's Paul Weaver held 
off several challenges from D.J. Foos after getting caught up in lapped 
traffic, and went on to score his 23rd career Fremont victory to move him 
into a tie with Jim Fleming for 17th on the all-time win list.

"I came up on Bobby (Clark, to put him a lap down) and I don't know if he 
was just taking it easy because got to the tail there and didn't want to 
over do it, but it seemed like everywhere I went he went. He didn't do 
anything wrong, I just went the wrong way," said Weaver beside his Genzman 
Enterprises, Level Performance, M&L Excavating, Ludwig Propane backed #1W.

Weaver utilized the high line throughout the feature while most of the field 
stuck to the bottom.

"You'd have to pave the bottom for me to go down there," joked Weaver in the 
Engine Pro Victory Lane. "I've got to thank Dee Genzman... if it weren't for 
him I wouldn't be out here. My wife, even though I couldn't run her set-up 
because it was a totally different track from the last time, but I have to 
thank her for supporting me."

After an initial yellow to start the Fremont Fence Dirt Truck feature, only 
one other caution would fly in the 20-lap affair. The main featured 
side-by-side racing throughout the top six spots, and when the dust settled 
2007 track champion Cory Ward of Sandusky, Ohio, would get his third victory 
of the year and his 16th career win, just one behind his dad, Jim's career 
total.

Just like the 305 sprint feature, Ward knew if he was going to win he had to 
move up on the track.

"When Dible (Bob) got by me I just started to follow him and I didn't like 
the bottom at all. I decided on that restart (on lap 12) I was going to run 
outside and hopefully it would work out and it did. Three and four was 
killing me but the middle of one and two I was getting a lot of bite," said 
Ward beside his Budweiser, Eastside Cafe, T.J. Hosang Construction, Jim's 
Auto Salvage, Precision Auto Body backed truck.

"I'm one behind dad now in wins and we've got plenty of time. I've got three 
wins here and my next best finish is 11th so it's been back and forth," 
added Ward in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.

Chris Andrews looked to make it a weekend FAST sweep at the start of the 
feature, coming off his win at Attica, as he grabbed the lead with Phil 
Gressman right on his bumper and Craig Mintz and Brandon Wimmer in tow. 
Gressman would continue to put pressure on Andrews who used the middle of 
the track while Gressman stuck to the bottom. Mintz was starting to make 
some noise using the extreme high line of the track as he raced Gressman 
hard for second. Mintz would take the runner-up spot on lap 12 and would 
pressure Andrews for the lead. All eyes were on 10th starter Blaney who had 
worked his way to fifth in just two laps, grabbed fourth on lap seven and 
third on lap 12.

Blaney would dive under both Mintz and Andrews exiting turn four coming down 
to complete the 14th lap to take the lead. While Blaney pulled away despite 
hitting lapped traffic at the halfway mark, Andrews, Mintz and Gressman put 
on a tremendous battle for second, trading slide-job after slide-job. 
Gressman would wrestle away the second spot on lap 18, only to see Mintz 
slide by on lap 20.

It was hard to take your eyes off that battle for second as Blaney picked 
his way through lapped traffic, but the fans couldn't help but notice the 
charge Tim Shaffer was mounting from the rear after being collected in an 
opening lap crash. The current O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions point 
leader was in fifth place by lap 23, grabbed fourth a lap later and moved 
past Gressman into third on lap 25. Shaffer would drive under Mintz for 
second on lap 27, but ran out of time to catch Blaney who held a half track 
advantage.

Blaney would flash under the checkered ahead of Shaffer, Mintz, Andrews and 
Gressman.

Weaver, utilizing the extreme high line, would bolt into the lead from his 
fourth starting spot at the drop of the green of the 305 sprint main while 
D.J. Foos, Shawn Valenti and Kevin Lee would wage a great battle behind for 
second. Once Foos was able to fend off Valenti, he set his sights on Weaver. 
Weaver was able to pull away slightly until lap 13 when he caught the rear 
of the field. While he struggled with lapped traffic, Foos was able to 
close, and by lap 15 was pulling under Weaver exiting turn four as the pair 
raced side-by-side the next five laps. Behind them Valenti and Todd Heuerman 
waged a torrid battle for third.

Once Weaver was able to get around Bobby Clark, he would pull away slightly 
and go on to the win while Foos, Heuerman, Valenti and Steve Rando would 
round out the top five.

Rookie Cory Tappel would lead the field to the green in the 20-lap dirt 
truck main with Loren Schwochow, Ward and Jimmy McGrath in tow. Ward would 
drive into the lead on lap three, bringing McGrath into second and Schwochow 
to third. Schwochow would grabbed the lead when Ward slipped up on lap four, 
bringing 7th place starter Bob Dible into second while Ward ran third and 
McGrath fourth. Dible would drive under Schwochow for the lead on lap six 
and Ward would take second on lap 8 while Steve Endicott was on the move 
from his 10th starting spot into third. Tappel would bring out the yellow on 
lap 12 with the running order Dible, Ward, McGrath, Endicott, Schwochow and 
Dan Hennig.

Ward would move to the outside on the restart and he and Dible raced door to 
door the next two laps before Ward would grab the lead on lap 14. Ward would 
not give up as he continued to race under Ward lap after lap. At the 
checkered, Ward would win by half a truck length over Dible while Endicott, 
McGrath and Henning would round out the top five.

Fremont Speedway will be back in action Saturday, July 11 on Schiets 
Motorsports Night with the 410 and 305 sprints and dirt trucks in action. 
For more information and ticket prices go to www.fremontohspeedway.com

Fremont Speedway - 7/4/2009
Burkett Family Night

Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints
Qualifying -
1. 5R-Byron Reed, 12.56; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer, 12.65; 3. 2-Dale Blaney, 12.71; 
4. 60-Jody Keegan, 12.72; 5. 7T-Troy Vaccaro, 12.75; 6. O9-Craig Mintz, 
12.76; 7. 11M-Brandon Martin, 12.76; 8. O-Brandon Wimmer, 12.84; 9. 6-Bob 
Felmlee, 12.85; 10. 15C-Chris Andrews, 12.86; 11. 97-Dean Jacobs, 12.86; 12. 
X-Mark Keegan, 12.87; 13. 12-Caleb Griffith, 12.87; 14. 22-Cole Duncan, 
12.89; 15. 7K-Rob Chaney, 12.89; 16. 9X-Phil Gressman, 12.93; 17. 2+-Brian 
Smith, 12.97; 18. 3J-Kevin Lee, 12.97; 19. 53-John Ivy, 12.98; 20. 312-Mike 
Linder, 13.03; 21. 24H-Chad Blonde, 13.05; 22. 11B-Brock Mayes, 13.05; 23. 
O4-Cap Henry, 13.12; 24. 25-Lee Jacobs, 13.12; 25. 89G-David Gravel, 13.13; 
26. 14H-Todd Heller, 13.14; 27. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.19; 28. 93-Sheldon 
Haudenschild, 13.25; 29. 16-Bryan Sebetto, 13.26; 30. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 
13.29; 31. 48S-Andy Shammo, 13.58; 32. 7AU-Roddy Bellbowen, 13.61; 33. 
10-David Harrison, 13.61; 34. 45-Brian Lay, 14.18

Heat 1 -  (8 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 2+-Brian Smith; 2. 24H-Chad Blonde; 3. 6-Bob Felmlee; 4. 5R-Byron Reed; 
5. 12-Caleb Griffith; 6. 10-David Harrison; 7. 16-Bryan Sebetto; 8. 7T-Troy 
Vaccaro; 9. 89G-David Gravel

Heat 2 - Bell Racing Products (8 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 11B-Brock Mayes; 2. 3J-Kevin Lee; 3. O9-Craig Mintz; 4. 15C-Chris 
Andrews; 5. 83-Tim Shaffer; 6. 14H-Todd Heller; 7. 22-Cole Duncan; 8. 
9Z-Duane Zablocki; 9. 45-Brian Lay

Heat 3 -  (8 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 53-John Ivy; 2. 97-Dean Jacobs; 3. O4-Cap Henry; 4. 7K-Rob Chaney; 5. 
11M-Brandon Martin; 6. 2-Dale Blaney; 7. W20-Greg Wilson; 8. 48S-Andy Shammo

Heat 4 -  (8 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 25-Lee Jacobs; 2. 312-Mike Linder; 3. O-Brandon Wimmer; 4. 9X-Phil 
Gressman; 5. 60-Jody Keegan; 6. X-Mark Keegan; 7. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 
8. 7AU-Roddy Bellbowen

B-Main -  (10 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)
1. 83-Tim Shaffer; 2. 2-Dale Blaney; 3. 11M-Brandon Martin; 4. X-Mark 
Keegan; 5. 7T-Troy Vaccaro; 6. W20-Greg Wilson; 7. 60-Jody Keegan; 8. 
22-Cole Duncan; 9. 89G-David Gravel; 10. 12-Caleb Griffith; 11. 45-Brian 
Lay; 12. 7AU-Roddy Bellbowen; 13. 14H-Todd Heller; 14. 48S-Andy Shammo; 15. 
9Z-Duane Zablocki; 16. 10-David Harrison; 17. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild; 18. 
16-Bryan Sebetto

A-Main -  (30 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 2-Dale Blaney[10]; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer[7]; 3. O9-Craig Mintz[5]; 4. 
15C-Chris Andrews[4]; 5. 9X-Phil Gressman[1]; 6. O-Brandon Wimmer[6]; 7. 
5R-Byron Reed[8]; 8. X-Mark Keegan[12]; 9. 2+-Brian Smith[11]; 10. 
11M-Brandon Martin[9]; 11. 25-Lee Jacobs[20]; 12. 11B-Brock Mayes[18]; 13. 
O4-Cap Henry[17]; 14. 3J-Kevin Lee[14]; 15. 24H-Chad Blonde[15]; 16. 97-Dean 
Jacobs[19]; 17. 53-John Ivy[13]; 18. 6-Bob Felmlee[3]; 19. 312-Mike 
Linder[16]; 20. 7K-Rob Chaney[2]
 

Fremont Federal Credit Union - 305 Sprints
Heat 1 -  (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 11F-D.J. Foos; 2. 10X-Dustin Stroup; 3. 18-Todd Heuerman; 4. 71-Bill 
Kraylek; 5. 51-Brad Bowman; 6. 9-Jimmy Colvin; 7. 8K-Zack Kramer; 8. 
2P-Jerrid Potter; 9. 83X-Nate Reeser

Heat 2 - Bell Racing Products (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 19R-Steve Rando; 2. 28-Shawn Valenti; 3. 22D-Dan Hammond; 4. 14-Chad 
Wilson; 5. 2-Tim Kern; 6. M28-Josh Muntz; 7. 1-Nate Dussel; 8. 39-Matt 
Merrill

Heat 3 -  (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 1W-Paul Weaver; 2. 35-Stuart Brubaker; 3. 40-Bobby Clark; 4. 3J-Kevin 
Lee; 5. 82-Travis Hoffbauer; 6. 99X-Tim Buchanan; 7. 3B-Tim Bottles; 8. 
30-Adam Ollom

B-Main -  (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 9-Jimmy Colvin; 2. 8K-Zack Kramer; 3. M28-Josh Muntz; 4. 1-Nate Dussel; 
5. 99X-Tim Buchanan; 6. 2P-Jerrid Potter; 7. 39-Matt Merrill; 8. 83X-Nate 
Reeser; 9. 3B-Tim Bottles; 10. 30-Adam Ollom

A-Main -  (25 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[4]; 2. 11F-D.J. Foos[2]; 3. 18-Todd Heuerman[7]; 4. 
28-Shawn Valenti[1]; 5. 19R-Steve Rando[3]; 6. 3J-Kevin Lee[5]; 7. 51-Brad 
Bowman[13]; 8. 10X-Dustin Stroup[12]; 9. 22D-Dan Hammond[10]; 10. 35-Stuart 
Brubaker[8]; 11. 71-Bill Kraylek[9]; 12. 14-Chad Wilson[11]; 13. 8K-Zack 
Kramer[17]; 14. 1-Nate Dussel[19]; 15. 9-Jimmy Colvin[16]; 16. M28-Josh 
Muntz[18]; 17. 82-Travis Hoffbauer[15]; 18. 40-Bobby Clark[6]; 19. 99X-Tim 
Buchanan[20]; 20. 2-Tim Kern[14]
 

Fremont Fence Co. Dirt Trucks
Heat 1 -  (7 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 8-Steve Endicott; 2. 99-Art Howey Jr.; 3. 4X-Brian Sorg; 4. 20+-Dave 
Brewer; 5. 8K-Kent Brewer; 6. 6-Linda Sabo; 7. 4J-Josh Lozano; 8. 21R-Adam 
Dible; 9. 34K-Kevin Miller

Heat 2 - Bell Racing Products (7 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 32H-Dan Hennig; 2. 5-Jim Mcgrath; 3. 5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath Jr.; 4. 40-Corey 
Tappel; 5. 52-Will Tezak; 6. P51-Paul Brown Jr.; 7. O1-Art Ball; 8. 16-Steve 
Sabo

Heat 3 -  (7 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. 17-Bob Dible; 2. 18W-Cory Ward; 3. 92-Loren Schwochow; 4. 4S-Keith Sorg; 
5. 30-Dave Gibbs; 6. 71-Craig Holland; 7. 9-Roger Inks; 8. 23M-Brad Mitten

B-Main -  (10 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)
1. O1-Art Ball; 2. P51-Paul Brown Jr.; 3. 4J-Josh Lozano; 4. 6-Linda Sabo; 
5. 9-Roger Inks; 6. 21R-Adam Dible; 7. 71-Craig Holland

A-Main -  (20 Laps) [#]-Starting Position
1. 18W-Cory Ward[5]; 2. 17-Bob Dible[7]; 3. 8-Steve Endicott[10]; 4. 
5JR-Jimmy Mcgrath Jr.[6]; 5. 32H-Dan Hennig[8]; 6. 8K-Kent Brewer[13]; 7. 
92-Loren Schwochow[3]; 8. 99-Art Howey Jr.[11]; 9. P51-Paul Brown Jr.[17]; 
10. 30-Dave Gibbs[15]; 11. 9-Roger Inks[20]; 12. 4J-Josh Lozano[18]; 13. 
6-Linda Sabo[19]; 14. 40-Corey Tappel[1]; 15. 4X-Brian Sorg[4]; 16. 4S-Keith 
Sorg[2]; 17. 20+-Dave Brewer[12]; 18. 5-Jim Mcgrath[9]; 19. 52-Will 
Tezak[14]; 20. O1-Art Ball[16]