Fremont Speedway
| The Track That Action Built | |
|---|---|
| Location | Fremont, Ohio |
| Owner | Sandusky County Agricultural Society |
| Operator | Rich & Shelly Farmer |
| Opened | 1951 |
| Former names | Fremont Raceway |
| Major events | Jim Ford Classic (2 nights), HOF induction |
| Oval | |
| Surface | Clay |
| Length | 1/3 miles (0.536 km) |
| Banking | Semi-banked |
| Race lap record | 11.732 sec. (Lee Jacobs, Jacobs #2, 2003, 410 Sprints) |
Fremont Speedway, also known as "The Track That Action Built" and "Home of the All Stars", is a semi-banked 1/3 mile clay oval speedway located at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds in Fremont, Ohio, United States. Races are typically held on Saturday nights. Regular events include 410 cubic inch sprint cars, 305 cubic inch sprint cars, and dirt trucks. In 2024, the World of Outlaws sprint car series returns to the speedway for the first time since 2016. The speedway has previously hosted the All Star Circuit of Champions, National Sprint Tour, and United States Auto Club.
Track records
[edit]| Division | Time | Driver | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 410 Sprint Cars | 11.732 seconds | Lee Jacobs | May 3, 2003 |
| 305 Sprint Cars | 13.286 seconds | John Ivy | May 17, 2014 |
| Dirt Trucks | 17.672 seconds | Dan Roepke, Jr. | April 26, 2014 |
History
[edit]
The first automobile race was held at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds on Sunday, June 7, 1936 when the International Speedway Association leased the half-mile horse track for a Big Cars race. Big Cars, as they were known, were the forerunners to today's sprint cars. An estimated 7,000 people attended the first race as Clay Corbitt picked up the feature win. Despite the success of the first race, it would be 12 years before Fremont hosted another auto race. On September 19, 1948, the Tri-State Racing Association leased the fairgrounds for a racing program billed as the Tri-State Racing Association's Championship. Over 4,000 fans were in attendance to watch Red Bales win the feature event.
In the fall of 1951, Joe and Dorothy Stelter and Harry Maynor of Toledo, Ohio founded Fremont Speedway. Their original track was just over 1/10 of a mile in length and nearly flat. On September 30, 1951, a crowd of 1,500 attended Fremont Speedway’s first official race. 38 drivers took part in the 20 lap feature event, which was won by Leo Caldwell of Perrysburg.
In 1952, Maynor sold his interest in the speedway to Frank Jensen of Toledo, and Wayne Wall of Toledo purchased an interest in 1953. Wall sold out in 1954 and the Stelters and Jensen operated the track until 1957 when a local Fremont businessman, Don Emick, purchased Jensen's stock. This operation continued until 1960 when Emick sold out, leaving Joe and Dot as the sole owners. After Joe's sudden death in 1962, Dot decided to continue and became one of the first female promoters in the country. Dot later married Paul Szakovits and he helped to operate the track. Dot promoted the speedway until 1976 when longtime announcer Gary Kern purchased the facility.
During the 1990s, the facility changed hands many times. In 1994 Joseph Darr became a partner with Kern. Delphos, Ohio resident Ken Langhals operated the speedway in 1995. In 1996 Kelly Applegate purchased the speedway, followed by Ken Meggitt in 1997. The track then sat idle for two years until Jim Ford, a former driver and sprint car owner from Elmore, Ohio, leased the track from the Sandusky County Fair Board.[2] Ford reopened the track in 2000 with many improvements. In 2007, Ford stepped down as promoter due to health issues. The fair board elected Rich Farmer and Andy James as co-promoters of the speedway in 2008. In 2010, Emods competed at the speedway for the first time ever.[3]
The speedway has become a pioneer in dirt track racing over the years. It was one of the first tracks in the nation to run the now popular 305 sprint car division. In 2000, Jim Ford created the dirt truck division as an affordable entry level into dirt track racing.[4] Similar divisions have since spread across the nation. The speedway was also the first dirt track in the nation to incorporate soft wall technology.[5]
The speedway has hosted many nationally renowned race car drivers including Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Jeff Gordon, Dave Blaney, Kasey Kahne, Brad Doty, and Doug Wolfgang. "The Ohio Traveler" Rick Ferkel began his storied career with a victory at the speedway. The speedway has also hosted over 100 All Star Circuit of Champions events, earning it the nickname "Home of the All Stars."[6]
Hall of Fame
[edit]The following people have been inducted in Fremont Speedway's Hall of Fame.
| Inductee | Category | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Auxter, Johnny "Gentleman" | Driver | 2009 |
| Ball, Art | Driver | 2009 |
| Beale, Rollie | Driver | 2009 |
| Billow, Harold | Owner/Builder | 2009 |
| Ford, Jim | Driver/Promoter | 2009 |
| Fosco, George | Driver | 2009 |
| Franks, Alvin | Driver | 2009 |
| Harrison, Darl | Driver | 2009 |
| Keegan, Gug | Driver | 2009 |
| Linder, Jim | Driver | 2009 |
| McCune, "Irish" Jim | Driver | 2009 |
| McGilton, Harold "Mac" | Driver | 2009 |
| Notestine, Gene | Driver/Official | 2009 |
| Robison, Herbie | Driver | 2009 |
| Shilling, Dorthy "Dot" | Promoter | 2009 |
| Smith, Wendell | Driver | 2009 |
| Strasser, Paul | Driver | 2009 |
| Beaber, Johnny | Driver | 2010 |
| Burmeister, Sonny | Owner/Builder | 2010 |
| Genzman, De | Driver | 2010 |
| Hemminger, Wally | Driver | 2010 |
| Keegan, Mark | Driver | 2010 |
| Kern, Gary | Official/Promoter | 2010 |
| Lowe, Earl | Owner | 2010 |
| Roepke, Jim | Driver | 2010 |
| Sabo, Joe | Owner/Builder | 2010 |
| Sheets, Roy | Driver | 2010 |
| Caldwell, Leo | Driver | 2011 |
| Fleming, Jim | Driver | 2011 |
| Gill, Bud | Owner | 2011 |
| Hasselbach, Dale | Driver | 2011 |
| Kear, Shirley | Life Contributor | 2011 |
| Kresser, Harry | Driver | 2011 |
| Leaser, Tom | Owner | 2011 |
| Maffett Sr, Wayne | Driver | 2011 |
| Miller, George | Driver | 2011 |
| Youster, Leroy | Driver | 2011 |
| Boos, Ron | Owner | 2012 |
| Clark, Ken | Driver | 2012 |
| Cook, John | Owner | 2012 |
| Emick, Bert/Brigiette | Promoter | 2012 |
| Ferkel, Rick | Driver | 2012 |
| Forsythe, John | Sponsor | 2012 |
| Griffith, Earl | Engine Builder | 2012 |
| Hewitt, Jack | Driver | 2012 |
| Keegan, Jim | Driver | 2012 |
| Linder, Fred | Driver | 2012 |
| Linton, Don | Owner | 2012 |
| Ritter, Grover | Owner | 2012 |
| Sabo, Tim | Driver | 2012 |
| Schemmer. Tom | Engine Builder | 2012 |
| Smith, Ed | Engine Builder | 2012 |
| Stelter, Joe | Promoter | 2012 |
| Conger, Sonny | Owner, Builder, Mechanic | 2013 |
| Dewald, Paul | Driver | 2013 |
| Eckhardt, Don | Owner | 2013 |
| Ford, Randy | Driver | 2013 |
| Hahn, Bill | Driver | 2013 |
| Holbrook, Gordon | Driver | 2013 |
| Huss, Phil "Smokey" | Ambassador | 2013 |
| Keegan, Larry | Owner/Crew Chief | 2013 |
| Keegan, Mervin | Builder | 2013 |
| Liskai, Alex | Driver | 2013 |
| Liskai, Dick | Driver | 2013 |
| Liskai, Steve | Driver | 2013 |
| Connors, L J | Driver | 2014 |
| Griffith, Gary | Driver/Engine Builder | 2014 |
| Keim, Clay | Driver | 2014 |
| Kemenah, Harold | Owner | 2014 |
| Kiser, Ken | Communications Provider | 2014 |
| Leaser, Bob | Owner | 2014 |
| Rankine, Eric | Driver | 2014 |
| Vance, Todd | Driver | 2014 |
| VanNess Family | Owner/Builder | 2014 |
| Ward, Jim | Driver | 2014 |
| Wright, Joe | Owner | 2014 |
| Berkley, Robert | Owner/Mechanic | 2015 |
| Cicanese, Bill | Driver/Builder | 2015 |
| Drusback, Tom | Owner | 2015 |
| Gordon, Jack | Driver | 2015 |
| Holman, Mike | Official | 2015 |
| Kiser, Chris | Driver | 2015 |
| Meyer, Fritz | Wrecker Service | 2015 |
| Naida, John | Driver | 2015 |
| Potter, Lee | Driver | 2015 |
| Steinmetz, Fran | Driver | 2015 |
| Thompson, Howard (Moe) | Employee | 2015 |
| Blaney, Dale | Driver | 2016 |
| Fisher, Vince | Owner | 2016 |
| Keegan, Joe | Driver | 2016 |
| Kistler, Paul | Engine Builder | 2016 |
| Leaser, Ron | Driver | 2016 |
| Malloy, Len | Owner | 2016 |
| Nuber, Larry | Life Contributor | 2016 |
| Pierce, Keith | Owner | 2016 |
| Pierce, Roy | Owner | 2016 |
| Sears Jr, Bobby | Driver | 2016 |
| Willey, Dick | Builder/Mechanic | 2016 |
| Beechler, Mike | Builder | 2017 |
| Burkin, Lamar | Owner | 2017 |
| Ford, Doug | Mechanic/Official | 2017 |
| Hoffman, Jeff | Driver | 2017 |
| Knoll, Bobby | Driver | 2017 |
| Kraylek, Jack | Driver | 2017 |
| McComas, Ron | Owner/Builder/Mechanic | 2017 |
| Nemire Sr, Ken | Driver | 2017 |
| Neimire, Jerry | Driver | 2017 |
| Phillips, Eric | Owner/Engine Builder | 2017 |
| Root, Ken "Red" | Mechanic | 2017 |
| Smith, Ken | Official/Photographer | 2017 |
| Willey, Gary | Driver | 2017 |
| Engler, Jay | Owner | 2018 |
| Gill, Buddy | Mechanic | 2018 |
| Gill, Larry | Mechanic | 2018 |
| Hazzard, Richard | Owner | 2018 |
| Keegan, Don | Owner | 2018 |
| Keegan, Ron | Owner | 2018 |
| Leaser, Jimmy | Driver | 2018 |
| Miller, Skip | Driver | 2018 |
| Potter, Lin | Driver | 2018 |
| Thompson, Joe | Driver/Official | 2018 |
| Thompson, Shirley | Official | 2018 |
| Wisbon, John | Driver | 2019 |
| Berryman, Bruce | Driver | 2019 |
| Marko, Dave | Driver | 2019 |
| Creeger, Jerry “Dude” | Driver | 2019 |
| Farmer, Rich | Driver/Owner/Promoter | 2019 |
| Kear, Chuck | Special Contributor | 2019 |
| Slatter, Floyd | Builder, Mechanic | 2019 |
| Keegan, Chuck | Owner | 2019 |
All-time win list
[edit]The following drivers sit at the top ten of Fremont Speedway's all-time feature win list as of the completion of the 2023 racing season.
| Rank | Name | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Weaver | 77 |
| 2 | Art Ball | 76 |
| 3 | Shawn Valenti | 74 |
| 4 | Gug Keegan | 62 |
| 5 | John Ivy | 61 |
| 6 | Mark Keegan | 59 |
| 7 | Jim Linder | 58 |
| 8 | Herbie Robinson | 54 |
| 9 | Jim McCune | 45 |
| 10 | Wayne Maffett, Sr. | 44 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Fremont Speedway Track Info". Archived from the original on 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
- ^ "The History of Fremont Speedway". Archived from the original on 2010-10-15. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
- ^ "Fremont Speedway ready to kick off 59th season of racing" TJSlideways
- ^ "Ex-Fremont Promotor Jim Ford Takes His Last Lap" The Last Lap
- ^ "Indy: Soft Landing, Foam blocks on walls scale down injuries" The Blade
- ^ "Fremont Ohio - Visitor's Guide". Archived from the original on 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
- ^ "Fremont Speedway HOF Inductees". Retrieved 2024-03-05.
- ^ "Fremont Speedway All Time Win List". Retrieved 2024-03-05.