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Reed gets late race pass for Fremont win; Merrill scores last lap 305 victory; Ward nabs third straight truck win
FREMONT, Ohio - Byron Reed took the lead with just four laps to go to
capture his second straight 410 sprint feature win at Fremont Speedway
Saturday, June 14 on Crown Battery Night.
The Monclova, Ohio driver capped off a great night, having come from the
tail to win the Alex Burkett Australian Pursuit for an extra $1,000 payday.
Crown Battery and Fremont Speedway made a $2,500 purse for the Pursuit in
honor of Burkett, who worked at Crown Battery for over 30 years, and who
passed away Tuesday.
In the 30-lap feature for the Fortball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints, Reed moved
from third to the lead in just two laps, driving around Rob Chaney and Mike
Linder. His victory was the 15th in his career at "The Track That Action
Built."
"Got stuck there in the middle part of the race and then I found I could
move around in turns three and four and that helped a lot. I was pretty much
stuck on the bottom of one and two...that was the key," said Reed in the
Engine Pro Victory Lane beside his Reebar Diecasting, JEI Chassis, ProShocks
sponsored #5.
Fremont's Matt Merrill only led once...the final five feet, but it was
enough to give him his second career Fremont win - by five feet over Brad
Haudenschild in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints.
"The car was just awesome on the bottom and I knew on that restart (on lap
22 of the 25-lap feature) if I stayed there I could get under Brad. We
really needed this...this is a huge confidence booster," said Merrill in the
Engine Pro Victory Lane beside his Kash Kow, Wetzel's Sewer Cleaning backed
#39. "On that last turn I just held it to the bottom and mashed on the
gas...it didn't do bad considering this is the 50th race on that engine."
Not to be outdone, the Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks put on a whale of a race
with four trucks swapping the top four spots lap after lap before Sandusky's
Cory Ward drove under Steve Endicott coming to the checkers for his third
straight win.Ward never led a lap in the feature, grabbing the lead the last
20 yards to the flag stand.
"During the yellow (on the 19th lap of the 20-lap feature) I saw someone
point for Steve (Endicott) to go high and I knew what to do...go to the
bottom. That was one heck of a race. People don't realize how good these
drivers are in this division. We ran side by side with three other trucks
the entire race and we all raced each other clean," said Ward in the Engine
Pro Victory Lane beside his Lakeshore Drywall, Eastside Cafe, Blue Chip
Machine and Tool, T.J. Hosang Construction backed truck.
Phil Gressman grabbed the early lead in the 410 sprint feature with Mike
Linder battling him hard. It was short lived though as Paul Weaver, Caleb
Griffith, Mark Keegan and John Ivy got together with Griffith ending up on
his side. On the ensuing restart, John Ivy took a nasty tumble in turn two,
ending his night.
When the green flew again, Gressman and Linder battled each other hard for
the top spot with Rob Chaney holding off Mike Dussel and Reed. The yellow
would fly on lap 8 for a Jody Keegan spin and on the restart, Linder would
drive high around Gressman for the lead. Linder's advantage would disappear
on lap 11 when Lee Jacobs took a bad flip on the front stretch.
Linder would power away on the restart with Gressman, Chaney and Reed
putting on a heck of a show for second. Chaney would move into the runner-up
spot on lap 15 and would close on Linder who struck lapped traffic by the
18th circuit.With five laps remaining, it was a three-car battle for the
lead with Linder holding the high line, Chaney in his tire tracks, and Reed
on the bottom. Reed would drive under Linder for the lead exiting turn four
on lap 25 and would hold on for the win. Linder would take second with Brock
Mayes grabbing third on the last lap, Chaney and Gressman rounding out the
top five.
At the drop of the green for the 25-lap 305 sprint feature, Bill Kraylek and
Haudenschild would race side by side for the lead with Merrill, Todd
Heuerman and Willie Keegan battling hard for third. Haudenschild would power
to the outside and take the lead on lap two and built a bit of an advantage.
However, Kraylek began closing and moved under Haudenschild on lap 10 when
the yellow flew. On the restart, Haudenschild would pull away with Kraylek,
Merrill and Heuerman putting on a great battle behind.
By lap 14, Kraylek was again catchin Haudenschild, bringing Merrill along on
the bottom of the racey surface. By lap 17, Haudenschild's lead was
beginning to vanish as Kraylek now had his hands full with Merrill's charge
while Dustin Dinan, Heuerman and a fast-closing Bobby Clark were waging a
torrid battle for fourth. Merrill would drive around Kraylek into second on
lap 18 and was slowly reeling in Haudenschild while Kraylek was left to
battle Dinan and Clark for third. The yellow would fly on lap 22 with the
running order Haudenschild, Merrill, Clark, Kraylek, Dinan and Heuerman.
When the green came back out, Haudenschild went right back to his high line,
with Merrill utilizing the bottom groove and now Clark trying to get by both
in the middle. As the white flag was displayed, Haudenschild and Merrill
were side by side with Clark right on their rear bumper. In the final two
turns, Haudenschild ran the cushion with Clark in the middle and Merrill on
the bottom. It was a drag race to the checkers with Merrill edging
Haudenschild, Clark, Kraylek and Dinan.
Dan Henning grabbed the initial lead in the 20-lap truck feature, but he
spun, moving him to the tail. Art Ball led the restart over Dave Brewer,
Steve Endicott Ward and Andy Maynard. Brewer would drive around Ball intot
he lead on lap three, but Ball would continue to race him side by side with
Ward right on their rear deck lid and Endicott racing to his outside. Those
four would race side by side the next 15 laps until Ball got sideways in
turn two and made contact with Endicott and spinning after having regained
the lead.
Endicott was now the leader with Brewer, Ward, a closing Bob Dible and Steve
Sabo in tow. Ward would move into second on lap 17 and raced under Endicott
as they battled door to door while Brewer ran in their tire tracks. A
caution just after Endicott took the white flag, setting up a one-lap dash
to the checkers.
On the restart, Endicott slipped up the race track allowing Ward to close on
the bottom and Brewer within striking distance as they raced down the
backstretch. In the final two turns, Endicott again chose the high line,
allowing Ward to drive under. The two banged doors coming to the checkers
with Ward getting the narrow win. Endicott, Brewer, Dible and Jim McGrath
would round out the top five.
Fremont Speedway will be back in action Saturday, June 21 on Burger King
Night featuring the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints, Fremont Federal
Credit Union 305 Sprints and Fremont Fence Dirt Trucks. Gates open at 4 p.m.
with the racing action getting underway at 7 p.m.
The O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions invade "The Track That Action
Built" for leg #5 of the Ohio Sprint Speedweek on Thursday, June 26 on
Budweiser Night. Speedweek - featuring seven straight nights of racing
across the Buckeye State - kicks off Sunday, June 22 at Attica Raceway Park.
For more information log onto www.fremontohspeedway.com
The Fremont Speedway (06-14-08)
CROWN BATTERY NIGHT
Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Super Sprints
Qualifying
1. 11B-Brock Mayes, 12.65; 2. 12-Caleb Griffith, 12.74; 3. 24H-Rob Chaney,
12.75; 4. 6-Mike Dussell (R), 12.82; 5. 83-Phil Gressman, 12.85; 6. 16-Lee
Jacobs, 12.88; 7. 312-Mike Linder, 12.89; 8. 1W-Paul Weaver, 12.90; 9.
15C-Chris Andrews, 12.93; 10. 20X-Brian Smith, 12.93; 11. 5R-Byron Reed,
12.94; 12. 8S-Craig Mintz, 12.96; 13. 60-Jody Keegan, 12.99; 14. 20AU-Troy
Little, 13.01; 15. 48S-Andy Shammo, 13.03; 16. X-Mark Keegan, 13.04; 17.
55-John Ivy, 13.07; 18. 10-David Harrison, 13.10; 19. 14H-Todd Heller,
13.11; 20. 27-Scott Euler, 13.13; 21. 45-Brian Lay (R), 13.13; 22. 10S-Roger
Shammo, 13.16; 23. 4M-Jamie Miller, 13.19; 24. 7T-Troy Vaccaro, 13.28; 25.
63AU-Roddy Bellbowen, 13.40; 26. 21-Rodney Morgan, 13.40; 27. D7-Tony
Beaber, 13.42; 28. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.45; 29. 1-Doug Berryman, 13.69; 30.
51M-Roger Campbell Jr., 13.79; 31. 9-Chad Goeff, 14.06; 32. 11-Josh
Harrison, 14.96; 33. 27J-Cody Jacobs, 15.07
Heat 1 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 55-John Ivy; 2. 11B-Brock Mayes; 3. 83-Phil Gressman; 4. 60-Jody Keegan;
5. 45-Brian Lay (R); 6. 63AU-Roddy Bellbowen; 7. 27J-Cody Jacobs; 8. 1-Doug
Berryman; 9. 15C-Chris Andrews
Heat 2 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 10-David Harrison; 2. 10S-Roger Shammo; 3. 12-Caleb Griffith; 4.
20AU-Troy Little; 5. 16-Lee Jacobs; 6. 51M-Roger Campbell Jr.; 7. 21-Rodney
Morgan; 8. 20X-Brian Smith
Heat 3 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 312-Mike Linder; 2. 5R-Byron Reed; 3. 24H-Rob Chaney; 4. 14H-Todd Heller;
5. 48S-Andy Shammo; 6. 9-Chad Goeff; 7. 4M-Jamie Miller; 8. D7-Tony Beaber
Heat 4 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. X-Mark Keegan; 2. 27-Scott Euler; 3. 6-Mike Dussell (R); 4. 8S-Craig
Mintz; 5. 1W-Paul Weaver; 6. 11-Josh Harrison; 7. 7T-Troy Vaccaro
B-main (10 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 16-Lee Jacobs; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver; 3. 15C-Chris Andrews; 4. 48S-Andy
Shammo; 5. 20X-Brian Smith; 6. 4M-Jamie Miller; 7. 63AU-Roddy Bellbowen; 8.
51M-Roger Campbell Jr.; 9. 45-Brian Lay (R); 10. D7-Tony Beaber; 11.
21-Rodney Morgan; 12. 27J-Cody Jacobs; 13. 1-Doug Berryman; 14. 9-Chad
Goeff; 15. 11-Josh Harrison
A-main (30 laps) Starting Position [#]
1. 5R-Byron Reed[10]; 2. 312-Mike Linder[1]; 3. 11B-Brock Mayes[6]; 4.
24H-Rob Chaney[4]; 5. 83-Phil Gressman[2]; 6. X-Mark Keegan[15]; 7. 8S-Craig
Mintz[11]; 8. 48S-Andy Shammo[14]; 9. 12-Caleb Griffith[5]; 10. 10-David
Harrison[17]; 11. 6-Mike Dussell (R)[3]; 12. 15C-Chris Andrews[9]; 13.
20AU-Troy Little[13]; 14. 14H-Todd Heller[18]; 15. 1W-Paul Weaver[8]; 16.
10S-Roger Shammo[20]; 17. 27-Scott Euler[19]; 18. 16-Lee Jacobs[7]; 19.
60-Jody Keegan[12]; 20. 55-John Ivy[16]
Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints
Heat 1 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 5-Dustin Dinan; 2. 18-Todd Heuerman; 3. 11F-D.J. Foos (R); 4. 28-Shaun
Valenti (R); 5. 24-Josh Mcafee; 6. 26-Zack Moore; 7. 61L-Adam Thacker (R);
8. 8K-Zack Kramer (R)
Heat 2 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 1-Nate Dussel; 2. 3J-Kevin Lee; 3. 23-Willie Keegan; 4. 3X-Brad Keckler;
5. 80-Jake Trevino (R); 6. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 7. 25P-Mark Pridemore; 8.
9-Jimmy Colvin (R); 9. 29-Chris Lang
Heat 3 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 40-Bobby Clark; 2. 39-Matt Merrill; 3. O4-Cap Henry; 4. 82-Travis
Hoffbauer; 5. 19R-Steve Rando; 6. 13-Junior Felver; 7. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 8.
83X-Nate Reeser; 9. 24X-Tom Nichols
Heat 4 (8 laps, top 4 transfer to A-Main)
1. 10-Brad Haudenschild; 2. 71-Bill Kraylek; 3. 49-Coty Runion; 4. 35-Stuart
Brubaker; 5. 14-Chad Wilson; 6. 65-Mark Lang; 7. X-Dustin Stroup (R); 8.
66L-Brad Bowman
B1 Main (10 laps, top 2 transfer to A-main)
1. 8K-Zack Kramer (R); 2. 9Z-Duane Zablocki; 3. 80-Jake Trevino (R); 4.
29-Chris Lang; 5. 26-Zack Moore; 6. 9-Jimmy Colvin (R); 7. 61L-Adam Thacker
(R); 8. 25P-Mark Pridemore
B2 Main (10 laps, top 2 transfer to A-Main)
1. 14-Chad Wilson; 2. 36X-Dustin Keegan; 3. 66L-Brad Bowman; 4. 19R-Steve
Rando; 5. X-Dustin Stroup (R); 6. 65-Mark Lang; 7. 24X-Tom Nichols; 8.
13-Junior Felver
A-main (25 laps) Starting Position [#]
1. 39-Matt Merrill[3]; 2. 10-Brad Haudenschild[4]; 3. 40-Bobby Clark[7]; 4.
71-Bill Kraylek[1]; 5. 5-Dustin Dinan[9]; 6. 23-Willie Keegan[2]; 7. 18-Todd
Heuerman[5]; 8. O4-Cap Henry[11]; 9. 35-Stuart Brubaker[16]; 10. 1-Nate
Dussel[8]; 11. 3J-Kevin Lee[10]; 12. 49-Coty Runion[6]; 13. 36X-Dustin
Keegan[20]; 14. 3X-Brad Keckler[14]; 15. 82-Travis Hoffbauer[15]; 16.
28-Shaun Valenti (R)[13]; 17. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[19]; 18. 14-Chad Wilson[18];
19. 8K-Zack Kramer (R)[17]; 20. 11F-D.J. Foos (R)[12]
Fremont Fence Co. Dirt Trucks
Heat 1 (7 laps)
1. O1-Art Ball; 2. 88-Dave Brewer; 3. 32H-Dan Hennig; 4. 16-Steve Sabo; 5.
8K-Kent Brewer; 6. 17-Bob Dible; 7. 6-Linda Sabo; 8. 5JR-Jim McGrath Jr.; 9.
91-Roger Inks; 10. 34K-George Miller; 11. 39-Dwight Waltermier
Heat 2 (7 laps)
1. 8-Steve Endicott; 2. 5-Jim McGrath; 3. 18W-Cory Ward; 4. 56-Alex
Wiechman; 5. 20-Andy Maynard; 6. O-Jim Keegan; 7. 92-Loren Schwochow; 8.
4X-Brian Sorg; 9. 23M-Brad Mitten; 10. 25-Jarod Martin
A-main (20 laps) Starting Position [#]
1. 18W-Cory Ward[8]; 2. 8-Steve Endicott[3]; 3. 88-Dave Brewer[6]; 4. 17-Bob
Dible[7]; 5. 5-Jim McGrath[11]; 6. 39-Dwight Waltermier[21]; 7. 16-Steve
Sabo[9]; 8. O-Jim Keegan[10]; 9. 32H-Dan Hennig[2]; 10. 20-Andy Maynard[5];
11. 8K-Kent Brewer[12]; 12. O1-Art Ball[4]; 13. 56-Alex Wiechman[1]; 14.
23M-Brad Mitten[18]; 15. 91-Roger Inks[17]; 16. 6-Linda Sabo[13]; 17.
5JR-Jim McGrath Jr.[15]; 18. 34K-George Miller[19]; 19. 25-Jarod Martin[20];
20. 4X-Brian Sorg[16]
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