FREMONT, Ohio — Darin Naida earned his first 410 sprint car victory Saturday at Fremont Speedway.
Naida, who picked up a win the previous week at a track in Michigan, took the lead from Craig Mintz on a restart with just 10 laps to go and drove to the win over Mintz who led the first 19 laps of the race, Cap Henry, Kasey Jedrzejek and Bryce Lucius.
For Naida, Fremont Speedway’s 2022 410 sprint rookie of the year, it was a very emotional win considering his grandfather, John, was Fremont’s 1978 sprint car track champion and is inducted into the Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame.
“This means a ton. I’ve probably raced here more than anywhere else in the country and to come on top is crazy. I came here in 2022 never drove a sprint car before and man I hated this place for like two years. I have to thank so many people for getting me here. L and M Properties, and Deddy Bears and Poor Racing and Ackland Insurance and Level Utilities and STP Motorsports. I have to thank Tyson…he’s here tonight. My dad and my mom stuck with me through this all and all my crew guys and Harley for her support. I have to thank Evan and my little brother and Patrick and Greg. This means a ton,” said Naida.
While the stats will show Blayne Keckler led the first 14 laps of the 25-lap Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint A-main and Dustin Stroup led lap 15. But when Jamie Miller, Fremont’s defending 305 sprint track champion, drove from third to the lead at the half-way point he put on a dominating performance, lapping up to eighth place in the non-stop feature. Miller’s 53rd career Fremont Speedway victory came over Stroup, Keckler, Shawn Valenti and Matt Foos rounding out the top five.
It was a weekend sweep for Miller in the 305 sprints as he won the previous night at Attica Raceway Park.
Once it got going the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Truck A-main was entertaining with just a pair of cautions flying late. Craig Dippman lead the first five laps but it wasn’t easy as Dustin Keegan, Keith Sorg and Shawn Valenti applying pressure.
Valenti drove into the lead on lap six and built an over three second lead before a caution flew with just three laps to go. Sorg applied tremendous pressure for the lead the final three laps but Valenti hung on for the win with Sorg, Keegan, Brad Stuckey and Jamie Miller rounding out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 7N-Darin Naida[4]; 2. 09-Craig Mintz[1]; 3. 33W-Cap Henry[7]; 4. 11N-Kasey Jedrzejek[5]; 5. 32-Bryce Lucius[6]; 6. 1-Nate Dussel[3]; 7. 16-DJ Foos[12]; 8. 19-TJ Michael[15]; 9. 29-Zeth Sabo[9]; 10. 97-Justin Clark[18]; 11. 15C-Chris Andrews[10]; 12. 22M-Dan McCarron[16]; 13. 01-Bryan Sebetto[8]; 14. 5-Kody Brewer[13]; 15. 75-Jerry Dahms[20]; 16. 101-Kalib Henry[14]; 17. 35-Stuart Brubaker[11]; 18. 16E-Caleb Erwin[22]; 19. 20B-Cody Bova[21]; 20. X-Mike Keegan[2]; 21. 1B-Keith Baxter[19]; 22. 21-Larry Kingseed Jr[17]
