FREMONT, Ohio – Shawn Valenti has won a lot of races at Fremont Speedway. In fact, he has won 66 features at Fremont to sit second on the speedway’s all-time win list.
However, he’d never won a 305 sprint car feature. All of his victories have come in dirt trucks, including four this year. That all changed Tuesday as the Fostoria, Ohio, driver led from start to finish in the region’s highest paying 305 sprint car event to help kick off the 169th Sandusky County Fair on Fremont Fence Night.
Thanks to the speedway and great support from area businesses and extra bonuses put together by the NAPA Auto Parts of Bryan 305 Attica Fremont Championship Series presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales, Valenti took home nearly $5,000 for his winning effort. It wasn’t easy for Valenti, as several restarts, including one with just four laps to go, put 410 sprint veteran D.J. Foos right on his bumper. Valenti held off the challenges to take the win.
“I started struggling getting into one and that’s where I was losing most ground and I knew if it was coming it would be on a restart. I just kept trying to inch my way close to the flag stand that way he (Foos) couldn’t get a good enough run to slide me. I knew he was going to make it interesting the last couple of laps. Hats off to him for running me clean. This one’s been a long time coming….I’ve got all these wins but never got one in a sprint car. I’ve have a couple of them get away from me. This one here is special. I have to thank Jeff, Rick, Noah…they bust their butts on this thing good and bad. A Plus Auto Center…Adam Jones told me we weren’t coming here with junk tires and we bolted two fresh ones on and I’m sure that was part of the key to being here in victory lane. Hats off to Duane Hancock and all his group…awesome money and the fairgrounds…pretty cool to win nearly five grand,” said Valenti.
A purse of more than $15,000 was offered up to the 37 Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 sprint teams. Valenti and Seth Schneider brought the field of 24 to green with Valenti taking the point over Schneider, Foos, Larry Kingseed and Paul Weaver. Foos immediately challenged Schneider for second as Valenti pulled away steadily. Foos took the runner-up spot on lap five and began to eat into Valenti’s lead.
Just as Valenti was set to enter heavy lapped traffic the caution flew. It took three more cautions to reach the half way point and Valenti executed perfect restarts each and every time. The car on the move following those cautions was Paul Weaver who waged a various battle with Foos for second until a caution came out on lap 18.
Once again Valenti got a great restart and built a two second lead with just 10 laps to go. That was wiped out with four laps to go when debris brought out another caution. This time Foos was up to the challenge and threw several hay-makers at Valenti the final four laps. Valenti was able to maintain his rhythm and drove to the win over Foos, Weaver, Schneider and Steve Rando.
The finish:
1. 28-Shawn Valenti[1] ; 2. 16-DJ Foos[3] ; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver[5] ; 4. 36-Seth Schneider[2] ; 5. 19R-Steve Rando[6] ; 6. 12F-Matt Foos[7] ; 7. 7M-Brandon Moore[8] ; 8. X-Mike Keegan[10] ; 9. 29-Cap Henry[17] ; 10. 9R-Logan Riehl[12] ; 11. 11G-Luke Griffith[21] ; 12. 5Jr-Jimmy McGrath Jr[15] ; 13. 63-Stuart Brubaker[20] ; 14. z10-Chris Verda[13] ; 15. 20i-Kelsey Ivy[14] ; 16. 6-Jimmie Ward[16] ; 17. 1H-Zeth Sabo[18] ; 18. 26-Jamie Miller[9] ; 19. 21-Larry Kingseed JR[4] ; 20. 3X-Brandon Riehl[23] ; 21. 5-Kody Brewer[22] ; 22. 51-Garrett Craine[24] ; 23. 29X-Cole Macedo[11] ; 24. 32-Bryce Lucius[19]