Saturday, June 25, 2011
By BRIAN LISKAI

FREMONT, Ohio – It was about this time last year with Tim Shaffer really got on a hot streak. Well, the competition had better look out because “The Steel City Outlaw” has found his stride.

Shaffer, a two-time and defending O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions titlist, never finished out of the top three during the 29th Annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek’s five nights of racing and put an exclamation point on the speedweek championship by dominating the 50-lap, $10,000-to-win finale at Fremont Speedway on Saturday, June 25.

For Shaffer, who will turn 45 years of age on Sunday, June 26, it was his 39th career victory with the All Stars and second of the season at Fremont Speedway which hosted the travelling series for the 97th time in the track’s 60 year history. It was Shaffer’s 10th career win at “The Track That Action Built,” which fell on Fort Ball Pizza Palace Night.

What made the night even more interesting was the fact Shaffer, who set quick time in qualifying, was in danger of having to run the B-main in order to make the finale feature as he was out of a transfer spot in his heat race. But, a late race caution and Shaffer muscled his way into fourth place to earn a spot in the dash which he won to earn the pole-starting spot in the 50-lap affair.

“This is just an amazing night. It’s so much fun to drive when Brian (Kemenah, crew chief) and the guys get the car that good,” said Shaffer, who won by over half a track and lapped up to the sixth place finisher. 

“It’s a long season yet. We’ll continue to work hard…tonight was just our night,” added Shaffer beside his Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook owned machine sponsored by Kistler Engines, Kistler Racing Products and VRP Shocks. “I was a bit nervous starting up front like that…you can seal a tire up and go all the way to the back.

“I was a little too easy at the start,” continued Shaffer who has flipped twice at Fremont this season after starting on the front row. “Cole (Duncan) got a good start and showed me the top side of turns three and four and I was able to run him down and the car just kept getting better and better.”

While Shaffer dominated, the capacity crowed were treated to a back to front charge by two-time All Star champion Greg Wilson who stormed from 21st starting spot to finish second.

“This freakin’ race track was perfect…I hope everybody got it figured out. The racing was freakin’ awesome all night long. That’s how you put on a show coming from the back to the front,” said Wilson as the crowd roared their approval.

“I have to thank Daniel Smith, Jason, my dad, all my family and Veryl Warnimont (owner) of course,” added Wilson beside his All Star Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, DNC Hydraulics, Ohio Logistics backed W20. “We’ve been working hard…we haven’t been qualifying worth a damn but we will put on a hell of a show for the crowd.”

For Dale Blaney a third place run to go with two wins during speedweek was a great way to cap off the week as he continues to lead the All Stars’ Ohio Region and National point standings.

“We’ve been really good all week. We struggled in our heat race tonight…couldn’t get nothing done. Got going better in the feature…got to second after starting 12th and felt really good. Not sure if I used my stuff up getting there but overall a good run,” said Blaney, a four time Ohio Sprint Speedweek champion, beside his Ti22 Performance backed #2. 

In the 25 lap feature for the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints, Stuart Brubaker battled with Bobby Clark for the first half of the race before using lapped traffic as a pick to take the lead for good on 16 and survived a late race restart for his fifth career victory at Fremont.

“This thing was awesome…we finally got a track I could race on… I mean the racing was great. Bobby would get around me and I’d battle back,” said Brubaker, the defending Fremont Speedway track champion beside his J. Lynne Abstracting, Advanced Industrial Services, KS Sales and Service backed #35. “I want to thank the fans for sticking around and to Craig Mintz for getting this thing stickered up this week. I want to thank Donny and John Miller who have been working so hard in the shop and Scott Gressman for giving us an awesome motor.”

Defending champion Steve Sabo and former champion Cory Ward battled throughout the 20 laps of the Fremont Fence & Guardrail Dirt Truck feature before Ward was able to pull away the last five laps for his 18th career Fremont Speedway victory.

The win moves Cory into 29th on the track’s all-time win list, just ahead of his father, Jim, and legendary Jack Hewitt.

“Glad to be back out here…if it weren’t for my dad, my grandpa, my uncle and Troy Vacarro…they made a bunch of changes on this thing tonight. In the heat race it was terrible,” said Ward in the Engine Pro Victory Lane beside his Budweiser, Precision Body & Frame, Ward’s Mini Warehousing, Jim’s Auto Salvage, Blue Chip Machine & Tool backed #18w. 

Shaffer and Dean Jacobs would lead the All Star feature field to the green, with Shaffer taking the lead and fourth place starter Cole Duncan rocketing around the high side to take second. Duncan would drive around Shaffer a lap later in turn three to take the lead as the caution flew for David Gravel. Duncan would pull away on the restart with Shaffer changing his line to the high as Jacobs had his hands full with Mike Linder, Brandon Martin and Danny Holtgraver for third.

With eight laps in the books, Shaffer was quickly closing on Duncan with Jacobs, Linder and Holtgraver in pursuit. Shaffer would dive to the bottom of turns one and two a lap later and take the lead back. The leaders would encounter lapped traffic by the 12th lap and Shaffer was beginning to pull away, putting several lapped cars between himself and Duncan. When the caution came out on lap 20 for a stalled Jared Ridge, Shaffer had seven lapped machines separating him and Duncan with Jacobs, Holtgraver, Linder and Jessica Zemken in tow.

At the half-way point, Shaffer held an eight second lead – over half a track advantage – over Duncan as Jacobs, Holtgraver and Linder continued their great battle for third. Shaffer would again catch the back of the field just six laps after the restart and had stretched his lead to nearly 10 seconds over Duncan. 

By lap 36 as Shaffer continued to dominate, the battle was on for second between Duncan, Jacobs, Holtgraver and Dale Blaney. Blaney would drive into the second spot by lap 39 moving Duncan to third with Jacobs, Holtgraver and a closing Greg Wilson giving chase. When Shaffer exited turn four to come down to complete the 43rd lap, second place Blaney was just pulling out of turn two. 

With Shaffer storming around the track, the crowd was keeping a close eye on Wilson who drove into third with five laps to go. Wilson would drive around Blaney into the runner-up spot on lap 48, but Shaffer was busy lapping the seventh place car.

Shaffer would take the checkered 9.6 seconds ahead of Wilson with Blaney, Holtgraver and Dean Jacobs rounding out the top five.

In the dirt truck main, Steve Sabo would lead the first lap as Bob Dible, Ward, Art Ball and Dan Hennig gave chase. Ward would take second a lap later and quickly closed on Sabo as there was a tremendous battle for second between Ball, Hennig, Dible, Steve Endicott, Jimmy McGrath Jr. and Brian Sorg. 

Sabo and Ward would race side-by-side until the caution flew on lap six when Sorg and John Ivy got together. On the restart it didn’t take long for Ward to again race to Sabo’s inside to battle for the lead. Behind them the race for third continued to heat up between Ball, Dible, McGrath Jr., Hennig and Jim McGrath Sr.

Ward would drive into the lead on lap 9 but Sabo would not give up, continuing to race to his outside as that battle for third continued between, ball, Dible, McGrath Jr. and Hennig. The final caution would fly on lap 14 with the running order Ward, Sabo, Ball, Dible, McGrath Jr., Hennig and McGrath Sr.

Ward was able to pull away on the restart as Sabo now had his hands full from Ball and McGrath Jr. With three laps remaining Ward ran comfortably out front with Sabo and McGrath Jr. racing side-by-side for second. McGrath would take the runner-up spot on lap 18 but ran out of time to catch Ward who took the checkered. Sabo, Ball and Dible would round out the top five.

Outside front row starter Bobby Clark would drive into the lead in the 25-lap 305 sprint feature with Paige Polyak, Brubaker, Dean Jacobs, Dustin Dinan and Jason Keckler in pursuit. A caution for Jimmy Colvin and Paul Weaver would fly on lap two, with the running order now Clark, Jacobs, Brubaker, Polyak and Dinan. As Clark rim-road around in the lead, Jacobs and Brubaker waged a tremendous battle for second. Brubaker took the runner-up spot on lap five and quickly closed on Clark. 

With 10 laps scored, Brubaker used lapped traffic to take the lead from Clark as Jacobs, Caleb Griffith and Polyak gave chase. Clark would use the lapped cars to regain the lead on lap 14 as he drove to Brubaker’s outside in turn three. However, two laps later Brubaker would return the favor and regain the lead as the caution flew for Colvin on lap 16.

With a clear track Brubaker was able to pull away with Clark comfortably in second with the battle for third a good one between Jacobs, Griffith, Keckler and Polyak. The final caution would fly on lap 22 for a stalled Dave Saxer with the running order Brubaker, Clark, Griffith, Keckler, Dinan, Jacobs and from the tail – without a front wing – Weaver. 

Brubaker would drive away the final three laps for the win with Clark taking second and a hard-charging Weaver third followed by Keckler and Griffith.

Fremont Speedway will be back in action Saturday, July 2 for Beck Oil’s Mid-Season Championship Night for the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints, Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints and Fremont Fence & Guardrail Dirt Trucks in action. It will also be a Kistler Racing Products Fremont Attica Sprint Title (FAST) Championship Series points race for the 410 sprints.

For more information go to www.fremontohspeedway.com

Fremont Speedway - 6/25/2011
Fort Ball Pizza Palace Night
O'Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints (39 Cars)

[#]-Starting Position
Qualifying - Kistler Engines
1. 83-Tim Shaffer, 12.777; 2. 22-Cole Duncan, 12.873; 3. O4-Cap Henry, 12.976; 4. 2-Dale Blaney, 13.003; 5. 9X-Brandon Martin, 13.010; 6. 12-Jarred Ridge, 13.022; 7. 57X-Andrew Palker, 13.028; 8. 7K-Kyle Sauder, 13.049; 9. 9Z-Duane Zablocki, 13.093; 10. O-Chris Andrews, 13.114; 11. 97-Dean Jacobs, 13.133; 12. 312-Mike Linder, 13.139; 13. 1Z-Jessica Zemken, 13.144; 14. 71-Paul May, 13.162; 15. D4-Danny Holtgraver, 13.172; 16. 40-Caleb Helms, 13.201; 17. 1-Stevie Smith, 13.204; 18. 6-Jac Haudenschild, 13.209; 19. O9-Craig Mintz, 13.225; 20. 5R-Byron Reed, 13.241; 21. 51-Brad Bowman, 13.260; 22. 4-Danny Smith, 13.270; 23. 89G-David Gravel, 13.308; 24. 16-Bryan Sebetto, 13.312; 25. 53-Phil Gressman, 13.328; 26. 91-Aaron Middaugh, 13.370; 27. 3-Pete Miller, 13.407; 28. 41-Jason Johnson, 13.413; 29. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.492; 30. 96AU-Bruce White, 13.497; 31. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.547; 32. 27-Scott Euler, 13.549; 33. 45-Rob Chaney, 13.567; 34. 60-Jody Keegan, 13.571; 35. 3J-Kevin Lee, 13.608; 36. 22H-Randy Hannagan, 13.615; 37. 10-Brad Haudenschild, 13.659; 38. 2+-Brian Smith, 13.740; 39. 3T-Tony Beaber, 13.913

Heat 1 - Heat 1 (10 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 51-Brad Bowman[1] ; 2. 1Z-Jessica Zemken[3] ; 3. 9X-Brandon Martin[5] ; 4. 83-Tim Shaffer[6] ; 5. W20-Greg Wilson[8] ; 6. 1-Stevie Smith[2] ; 7. 53-Phil Gressman[7] ; 8. 45-Rob Chaney[9] ; 9. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[4] ; 10. 10-Brad Haudenschild[10] 

Heat 2 - Heat 2 (10 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 4-Danny Smith[1] ; 2. 6-Jac Haudenschild[2] ; 3. 22-Cole Duncan[6] ; 4. 2+-Brian Smith[10] ; 5. 12-Jarred Ridge[5] ; 6. 91-Aaron Middaugh[7] ; 7. 60-Jody Keegan[9] ; 8. 96AU-Bruce White[8] ; 9. O-Chris Andrews[4] ; 10. 71-Paul May[3] 

Heat 3 - Heat 3 (10 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 89G-David Gravel[1] ; 2. D4-Danny Holtgraver[3] ; 3. O9-Craig Mintz[2] ; 4. 97-Dean Jacobs[4] ; 5. 3J-Kevin Lee[9] ; 6. O4-Cap Henry[6] ; 7. 57X-Andrew Palker[5] ; 8. 3-Pete Miller[7] ; 9. 3T-Tony Beaber[10] ; 10. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[8] 

Heat 4 - Heat 4 (10 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 16-Bryan Sebetto[1] ; 2. 312-Mike Linder[4] ; 3. 5R-Byron Reed[2] ; 4. 22H-Randy Hannagan[9] ; 5. 41-Jason Johnson[7] ; 6. 40-Caleb Helms[3] ; 7. 2-Dale Blaney[6] ; 8. 27-Scott Euler[8] ; 9. 7K-Kyle Sauder[5] 

Dash - R & R (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 6 starting positions of A-feature
1. 83-Tim Shaffer[1] ; 2. 97-Dean Jacobs[5] ; 3. 9X-Brandon Martin[2] ; 4. 22-Cole Duncan[3] ; 5. 312-Mike Linder[4] ; 6. 12-Jarred Ridge[6] 

B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps - Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. O4-Cap Henry[1] ; 2. 2-Dale Blaney[2] ; 3. 7K-Kyle Sauder[4] ; 4. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[5] ; 5. 53-Phil Gressman[9] ; 6. 57X-Andrew Palker[3] ; 7. 3-Pete Miller[11] ; 8. O-Chris Andrews[6] ; 9. 40-Caleb Helms[7] ; 10. 91-Aaron Middaugh[10] ; 11. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild[13] ; 12. 3T-Tony Beaber[18] ; 13. 96AU-Bruce White[12] ; 14. 60-Jody Keegan[16] ; 15. 27-Scott Euler[14] ; 16. 1-Stevie Smith[8] ; 17. 45-Rob Chaney[15] ; 18. 10-Brad Haudenschild[17] 

A-Main -  (50 Laps)
1. 83-Tim Shaffer[1]; 2. W20-Greg Wilson[21]; 3. 2-Dale Blaney[12]; 4. D4-Danny Holtgraver[8]; 5. 97-Dean Jacobs[2]; 6. 22-Cole Duncan[4]; 7. 1Z-Jessica Zemken[7]; 8. 5R-Byron Reed[15]; 9. 4-Danny Smith[17]; 10. 51-Brad Bowman[16]; 11. O9-Craig Mintz[10]; 12. 312-Mike Linder[5]; 13. O4-Cap Henry[11]; 14. 22H-Randy Hannagan[23]; 15. 16-Bryan Sebetto[19]; 16. 41-Jason Johnson[20]; 17. 6-Jac Haudenschild[9]; 18. 9X-Brandon Martin[3]; 19. 89G-David Gravel[18]; 20. 3J-Kevin Lee[22]; 21. 2+-Brian Smith[24]; 22. 7K-Kyle Sauder[13]; 23. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[14]; 24. 12-Jarred Ridge[6]

Hard Charger: W20-Greg Wilson[+19]

Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints (29 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 - Heat 1 (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 35-Stuart Brubaker[2] ; 2. 717-Dean Jacobs[1] ; 3. 8K-Bobby Clark[5] ; 4. 5-Dustin Dinan[7] ; 5. 1-Nate Dussel[4] ; 6. 36X-Dustin Keegan[9] ; 7. 22D-Dan Hammond[6] ; 8. 19R-Steve Rando[10] ; 9. 48-Mike Burkin[8] ; 10. 5R-Jordan Ryan[3] 

Heat 2 - Heat 2 (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 1W-Paul Weaver[1] ; 2. 9-Jimmy Colvin[3] ; 3. 4M-Jamie Miller[2] ; 4. 40-Caleb Griffith[4] ; 5. 39-Matt Merrill[5] ; 6. 10X-Dustin Stroup[10] ; 7. 55-Jim Cushing[7] ; 8. 8J-Jess Stiger[9] ; 9. 83X-Nate Reeser[8] ; 10. 77S-Jim Sipe[6] 

Heat 3 - Heat 3 (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. M28-Josh Muntz[2] ; 2. 25-Jason Keckler[4] ; 3. 36-Seth Schneider[1] ; 4. 27-Paige Polyak[6] ; 5. 51-Dave Saxter[9] ; 6. 10S-Roger Shammo[8] ; 7. 94-John Ivy[3] ; 8. 1M-Mike Moore[7] ; 9. 11F-D.J. Foos[5] 

B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 94-John Ivy[6] ; 2. 36X-Dustin Keegan[1] ; 3. 10X-Dustin Stroup[2] ; 4. 55-Jim Cushing[5] ; 5. 5R-Jordan Ryan[13] ; 6. 19R-Steve Rando[7] ; 7. 8J-Jess Stiger[8] ; 8. 48-Mike Burkin[10] ; 9. 83X-Nate Reeser[11] ; 10. 77S-Jim Sipe[14] ; 11. 22D-Dan Hammond[4] ; 12. 10S-Roger Shammo[3] ; 13. 11F-D.J. Foos[12] 

A-Main -  (25 Laps)
1. 35-Stuart Brubaker[4]; 2. 8K-Bobby Clark[2]; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver[7]; 4. 25-Jason Keckler[8]; 5. 40-Caleb Griffith[9]; 6. 5-Dustin Dinan[3]; 7. 717-Dean Jacobs[6]; 8. 1-Nate Dussel[13]; 9. 39-Matt Merrill[14]; 10. 94-John Ivy[16]; 11. 27-Paige Polyak[1]; 12. M28-Josh Muntz[11]; 13. 10X-Dustin Stroup[18]; 14. 36-Seth Schneider[12]; 15. 51-Dave Saxter[15]; 16. 36X-Dustin Keegan[17]; 17. 5R-Jordan Ryan[20]; 18. 55-Jim Cushing[19]; 19. 4M-Jamie Miller[10]; 20. 9-Jimmy Colvin[5]

Hard Charger: 94-John Ivy[+6]

Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks (27 Trucks)
[#]-Starting Position

Heat 1 - Heat 1 (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 8-Steve Endicott[4] ; 2. OO-John Ivy[5] ; 3. 32H-Dan Hennig[3] ; 4. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[6] ; 5. O-Jim Keegan[1] ; 6. 5-Jim McGrath[2] ; 7. 8KB-Kent Brewer[7] ; 8. 23M-Brad Mitten[9] ; 9. 115-Ben Good[8] 

Heat 2 - Heat 2 (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 18W-Cory Ward[1] ; 2. 17-Bob Dible[6] ; 3. 4X-Brian Sorg[4] ; 4. 9-Curt Inks[5] ; 5. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[3] ; 6. 6-Linda Sabo[7] ; 7. 92-Loren Schwochow[8] ; 8. O9-Jeff Wank[9] ; 9. 84-Tony Siferd[2] 

Heat 3 - Heat 3 (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 16-Steve Sabo[3] ; 2. O1-Art Ball[4] ; 3. 99-Art Howey Jr.[8] ; 4. 36X-Dustin Keegan[7] ; 5. 71-Craig Holland[5] ; 6. 30-Dave Gibbs[1] ; 7. 14-Scott Beard[9] ; 8. 4S-Keith Sorg[2] ; 9. 1S-James Saam[6] 

B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (10 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 5-Jim McGrath[1] ; 2. 92-Loren Schwochow[5] ; 3. 8KB-Kent Brewer[4] ; 4. 23M-Brad Mitten[7] ; 5. O9-Jeff Wank[8] ; 6. 30-Dave Gibbs[3] ; 7. 4S-Keith Sorg[9] ; 8. 6-Linda Sabo[2] ; 9. 14-Scott Beard[6] ; 10. 115-Ben Good[10] ; 11. 84-Tony Siferd[11] 

A-Main -  (20 Laps)
1. 18W-Cory Ward[3]; 2. 5JR-Jimmy McGrath Jr.[7]; 3. 16-Steve Sabo[2]; 4. O1-Art Ball[4]; 5. 17-Bob Dible[1]; 6. 32H-Dan Hennig[6]; 7. 5-Jim McGrath[16]; 8. 8KB-Kent Brewer[18]; 9. 9-Curt Inks[12]; 10. 99-Art Howey Jr.[10]; 11. 8-Steve Endicott[5]; 12. 36X-Dustin Keegan[11]; 13. O-Jim Keegan[13]; 14. 23M-Brad Mitten[19]; 15. 92-Loren Schwochow[17]; 16. O9-Jeff Wank[20]; 17. 71-Craig Holland[15]; 18. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[14]; 19. 4X-Brian Sorg[8]; 20. OO-John Ivy[9]

Hard Charger: 8KB-Kent Brewer[+10]

©2011 - Results Provided by: Computer Man Inc. Fremont, OH