LOCAL

Drivers collect hardware at Fremont Speedway to cap year at track

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Gibsonburg's Craig Mintz

Clyde's Haldon Miller was recognized Sunday for capturing rookie of the year status at Fremont Speeway.

Gibsonburg's Craig Mintz, Fremont's Jamie Miller and Fremont's Paul Weaver each was track champion. The top 10 in points for the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints, Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints and the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks received their awards and point fund money at an informal gathering Sunday.

The 10 drivers for each division follow:

DJ Foos

Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints

Champion – Mintz, who was Fremont’s 2010, 2012 and 2018 track champion, added his fourth title in dramatic fashion, charging through the field on championship night. The 2022 title was something Mintz and his family aimed for as it was the 50th anniversary of friend Johnny Auxter’s track title (1972). After celebrating the pair’s titles at the Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame, Auxter passed away two weeks later. Mintz competed in 17 of the 18 features in 2022. He scored three wins to run his career total to 17 at the track. Mintz posted 15 top 10 finishes and 12 top five runs. His average A-main finishing position was a remarkable fifth.

2. – Fremont's DJ Foos, who was Speedway's 2021 410 sprint and 2012 305 sprint track champion and 2013 410 rookie of the year, competed in all 18 features in 2022. The 2017 FAST and 2019 and 2021 Attica Fremont Championship Series titlist racked up 14 top 10 runs and nine top five finishes including six podium runs (four runner-up runs). His average A-main finishing position was seventh.

3. – Fremont's John Ivy, Speedway’s three time 410 track champion (2001, 2002 and 2004), four time 305 champion (1994, 2013, 2018 and 2019) and 2013 dirt truck champion, competed in 14 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. Ivy, who sits fourth on the track’s all-time win list with 60 feature wins, recorded four top 10 finishes, including a season best third. His average A-main finishing position was 13th.

Cole Macedo earns his second win of the season Saturday at Fremont Speedway.

4. – Cole Macedo, of Lemmore, Calif, was 2022 Attica Fremont Championship Series champion. He put together a remarkable 2022 at the track, winning four 410 features and a pair of 360 races to raise his career total at Fremont to 10. Macedo competed in 15 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. He racked up 10 top 10 finishes and eight top five runs, including five podium finishes. Macedo’s average A-main finishing position was seventh.

5. – Castalia's Troy Vaccaro, Fremont’s 1997 305 sprint champion, competed in 12 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. He recorded a pair of top 10 finishes, including a season-best seventh. His average A-main finishing position was 15th.

6. – Fremont's Stuart Brubaker, Fremont’s 2008, 2010 and 2011 305 track champion and 2012 410 rookie of the year, competed in 12 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. He posted six top 10 finishes, including a season best pair of sixth place runs. Brubaker’s average A-main finishing position was 12th.

7. – Bowling Green's Travis Philo battled in 13 of the 18 A-mains in 2022, posting 10 top 10 finishes and six podium finishes, including his first ever Fremont win. His average A-main finishing position was ninth.

8. – Huron's Chris Andrews competed in 14 of the 18 A-mains in 2022, racking up seven top 10 finishes and four top five runs, including a pair of season best runner-up finishes. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.

9. – Darin Naida, of Adrian, Michigan, was Speedway’s 2022 rookie of the year. He competed in 10 of the 18 A-mains in 2022. He recorded a pair of top finishes, including a season best seventh. His average A-main finishing position was 14th.

10. – Sandusky's Kyle Capodice, Speedway’s 2021 rookie of the year, competed in eight of the 18 A-mains in 2022, posting a season best seventh. His average A-main finishing position was 14th.

Paul Weaver

Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints

Champion – Weaver added his fourth 305 sprint track championship at Speedway (2005, 2006, 2021, 2022) and his third straight Attica Fremont Championship Series title. Weaver competed in all 15 A-mains in 2022, never finishing out of the top nine. He posted seven wins in 2022 at Fremont to run his career total to 71 at the track, third all-time. His average A-main finishing position was a remarkable fourth.

2. – Lindsey's Steve Rando competed in all 15 A-mains in 2022, recording nine top 10 finishes and six top five finishes, including three podium runs with a pair of season best runner-up finishes. His average A-main finishing position was ninth.

3. – LaGrange's Kasey Jedrzejek competed in his second year of 305 racing, in all 15 A-mains in 2022. He recorded 11 top 10 finishes and seven top five runs, including three podium finishes. He scored his first Speedway win in the Fair race. Jedrzejek’s average A-main finishing position was ninth.

4. – Fremont's Jamie Miller, Fremont’s 2022 dirt truck track champion, competed in 14 of the 15 A-mains in 2022. He posted 11 top 10 finishes and six top five runs, including a win on opening night. His average A-main finishing position was eighth.

5. – Fremont's Mike Keegan battled in all 15 A-mains in 2022. He recorded nine top 10 finishes and four top five runs, including a season best pair of fourth place finishes. Keegan’s average A-main finishing position was ninth.

Dustin Stroup

6. – Clyde's Brandon Moore competed in 14 of the 15 A-mains in 2022, missing only the final event of the year. He recorded seven top 10 finishes and a pair of podium runs, including a season best runner-up finish. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.

7. – Fremont's Kelsey Ivy competed in all 15 A-mains in 2022, racking up four top 10 finishes, including a season best pair of fourth place runs. Her average A-main finishing position was 12th.

8. – Clyde's Jim McGrath Jr. battled in 13 of the 15 A-mains. He scored seven top 10 finishes, including a season best third. His average A-main finishing position was 10th.

9. – Fremont's Dustin Stroup competed in 13 of the 15 A-mains in 2022. He recorded 11 top 10 finishes and seven podium finishes, including his eighth win at Fremont in the season finale. Stroup’s average A-main finishing position was sixth.

10. – Risingsun's Shawn Valenti, Fremont’s four time dirt truck track champion, competed in 13 of the 15 A-mains in 2022. He recorded six top 10 finishes, including two wins. Coupled with his four truck wins, Valenti now has 73 career feature wins at Fremont, placing him second all-time, just three away from hall-of-famer Art Ball. His average A-main finishing position was ninth.

Rookie of the year – Haldon Miller competed in eight of the 15 A-mains in 2022 and finished 14th in the 305 points. He recorded a season best fifth place finish in the season finale. His average A-main finishing position was 17th.

Shawn Valenti

Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks

Champion – Jamie Miller battled in 15 of the 16 A-mains, missing only opening night. Other than a 14th place finish, Miller never finished out of the top seven. He scored seven wins in 2022 and coupled with a 305 sprint win, has 38 career feature wins at Fremont, placing him 12th on the all-time victory list. Miller’s average A-main finishing position was a remarkable third.

2. – Cygnet's Jeff Babcock competed in 14 of the 16 A-mains. He posted 12 top 10 finishes and 10 podium finishes, including four wins to run his career total at the track to five. His average A-main finishing position was fifth.

3. – Republic's Ben Clapp battled in all 16 A-mains in 2022, racking up 14 top 10 finishes and five top five runs, including a pair of season best runner-up finishes. Take out a 12th place finish on opening night and an 11th place run in the season finale and Clapp never finished out of the top eight. His average A-main finishing position was sixth.

4. - Fremont's Dustin Keegan, Fremont’s 2017 dirt truck and 2018 limited late model track champion, competed in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2022, missing only the season finale. He scored 13 top 10 finishes and seven top five finishes, including a season best pair of runner-up finishes. Take out the season opening 13th and an 18th, Keegan never finished out of the top nine. His average A-main finishing position was seventh.

5. – Tiffin's Jim Holcomb, Fremont’s 2016 truck rookie of the year, competed in 14 of the 16 A-mains. He battled to 11 top 10 finishes and five top five runs, including a season best runner-up. Holcomb’s average A-main finishing position was seventh.

6. – Dave Gumby Jr., of Ottawa Lake, Michigan, is Fremont’s dirt truck rookie of the year. He competed in 14 of the 16 A-mains in 2022. He recorded 12 top 10 finishes and 10 top five runs. Take out a 19th place finish and a 12th place run and Gumby did not finish out of the top seven. He scored his first two career Fremont wins. His average A-main finishing position was sixth.

7. – Valenti, Fremont’s 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021 dirt truck track champion, battled in 15 of the 16 A-mains. Other than a 20th place finish, he never finished out of the top eight, posting 10 podium finishes. He recorded four wins. His average A-main finishing position was fourth.

8. – Fremont's Keith Sorg, Speedway's 2016 and 2018 dirt truck track champion, competed in all 16 A-mains in 2022. He scored seven top 10 finishes, including a season best runner-up. His average A-main finishing position was 12th.

9. - Fremont's Kent Brewer, Speedway 2015 dirt truck track champion, battled in 15 of the 16 A-mains in 2022. He posted nine top 10 finishes, including a season-best pair of fourth place runs. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.

10. – Fremont's Cody Laird competed in 13 of the 16 A-mains in 2022. He recorded six top 10 finishes, including a season best sixth. His average A-main finishing position was 11th.