FREMONT, Ohio — After a week of intense heat and rain, the fans at Fremont Speedway were treated to fantastic finishes in an all-sprint car night of racing on Saturday night.
In the Great Lakes Super Sprints (360 sprints) feature Max Stambaugh led all 25 laps but coming to the checkered flag, former Fremont track champion Dussel made it exciting. The duo raced side-by-side for the win and Stambaugh got the win by 0.004 seconds for his first career victory at the track.
“This place beats me up,” Stambaugh said. “Every time we come here I just think about going to the casino in Toledo. I might have to do that a little bit tonight. Hats off to my race team. It’s a hot day out and they worked really hard and it paid off. I got a little lackadaisical there…Nate is a really good racer and to hold him off…we’re getting to crunch time with our group and it’s going to be fast.
“I need to thank Smith Motorsports…they give me an opportunity to race. My buddy Tyson, Zac, Ty, Steve…my guys…I have a really good group of people around me.”
Travis Philo banged wheels with Cap Henry coming to the checkered flag of the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature to claim his second career win at “The Track That Action Built.”
Henry’s second place finish increases his point lead in the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series presented by the Baumann Auto Group.
Cale Thomas, Nate Dussel and Stuart Brubaker rounded out the top five in a 30-lap feature that did not see a caution until 10 laps to go. A caution with three laps remaining set up the dramatic finish with Philo winning by 0.123 seconds.
“We didn’t need those yellows. That last lap was definitely my worst lap of the race,” Philo said. “Hats off to my guys. We had a hell of a car. I have to thank my dad first off…I wouldn’t be here without him. A.J. Havens and Kayden…they are doing a hell of a job. We have a really fast car right now.”
In the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint feature, Dustin Stroup jumped into the early lead but eighth place starter Paul Weaver, a four-time and defending Fremont Speedway champion, used lapped traffic to catch and pass Stroup for the lead on lap 15. In the non-stop 25 lap affair, Weaver drove away for his third win of the season at the track with Stroup, John Ivy, Jamie Miller and Logan Riel rounding out the top five.
It was Weaver’s 74th career victory at Fremont, putting him into a tie for second on the all-time win list, just two away from Art Ball atop the standings. The victory also pads Weaver’s lead for a fourth straight NAPA of Bryan Attica Fremont Championship Series presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales title.
“We had all kinds of problems at Attica this year…it’s like going from zero to hero when we come to Fremont,” Weaver said. “It was a real racy track. I’d rather have this than a wide open no passing track. The rear-end in this car came from Jimmy Colvin who hasn’t raced in six or eight years. The chassis is a 2009. The right rear tire I bought from my nephew Jason Keckler who hasn’t raced in four or five years.
“I have to thank Bob Hampshire, Pam and Steve Brown, Mike from M&L Excavating and my great crew.”
Feature Finish (25 Laps)
1. 71H-Max Stambaugh[1]; 2. 1-Nate Dussel[3]; 3. 17-Jared Horstman[5]; 4. 7C-Phil Gressman[7]; 5. 7M-Brandon Moore[9]; 6. X-Mike Keegan[8]; 7. 22M-Dan McCarron[14]; 8. 24-Kobe Allison[4]; 9. 11G-Luke Griffith[2]; 10. 15K-Creed Kemenah[13]; 11. 23-Devon Dobie[16]; 12. 10-Jason Blonde[10]; 13. 86-Keith Sheffer Jr[20]; 14. 20I-Kelsey Ivy[17]; 15. 31-Jac Nickles[19]; 16. G5-Gunnar Setser[12]; 17. 49T-Gregg Dalman[6]; 18. 11H-Caleb Harmon[15]; 19. 73C-Cody Fendley[22]; 20. 17H-Hud Horton[18]; 21. 2-Kyle Sauder[21]; 22. 27-Brad Lamberson[11]