FREMONT, Ohio – D.J. Foos thought coming into the weekend he needed at least a pair of top three finishes to gain some momentum going into Ohio Sprint Speedweek.
He did much better than that.
The Fremont, Ohio, driver led all 30 laps of the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature Saturday at Fremont Speedway on Vision Quest Night to sweep the weekend for the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Sprint Championship (AFCS) Presented by the Baumann Auto Group.
Like Friday’s win at Attica Raceway Park, Saturday’s victory was worth $4,000 thanks to Spanky’s Pizza of Carey.
“This is pretty awesome. Back in the day in 305s me, my dad and brother were pretty good but we never swept a weekend. To do this with the Burmeister crew is pretty awesome. We want to dedicate the win to John Wisbon and his family. I know John drove for them a long time ago and hopefully I’m making him proud up there,” Foos said of the late driver who was inducted into the Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame earlier in the afternoon.
In the 30-lap 410 A-main, Brian Smith and Foos brought the field to green with Foos gaining the upper hand. Foos immediately began to pull away from Smith while a tremendous battle ensued for third involving Travis Philo, fast qualifier Justin Peck, Byron Reed, Shaffer, Stuart Brubaker, Craig Mintz and Nate Dussel.
Foos drove into heavy lapped traffic by the 10th circuit but Smith was unable to close while Philo, Peck and Shaffer continued their torrid battle for third. Shaffer would finally move into third on lap 14. The only caution of the race fell on lap 17 for a Ryan Broughton spin and on the restart Foos drove away from Smith who had his hands full with Shaffer. Shaffer drove into second on lap 19 but Foos held a commanding lead.
With a clear track Foos began to pull away as Shaffer and Smith gave chase. Meanwhile a great battle for fourth was underway involving Peck, Philo, Buddy Kofoid and Mintz. Foos encountered lapped traffic with five laps to go and Shaffer began to close with Smith holding off Kofoid. Foos nearly lost the lead in turns three and four with three laps to go but maintained his composure and kept the lead to the checkers over Shaffer, Smith, Kofoid and Peck.
“I love Fremont. This is where I grew up watching every weekend as a little kid. To come here now and win with an amazing crowd, great staff and great team…it doesn’t get any better than this. Also congrats to Rich Farmer (former Fremont promoter) who got inducted into the hall of fame today. If it wasn’t for him I’d have never been in a sprint car,” said Foos.
John Ivy won the 305 sprint car main event and Dustin Keegan won the dirt truck feature.
Prior to the night’s racing the 11th Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame induction ceremonies took place. Being enshrined in the hall were John Wisbon, Bruce Berryman, Dave Marko, Jerry Creeger, Chuck Kear, Rich Farmer, Floyd Slater and Chuck Keegan.