By Brian Liskai
 
FREMONT, Ohio (May 16, 2004) - It has been 16 years since the Michigan-based Sprints On Dirt (SOD) organization last visited historical Fremont Speedway. At that time, the traveling  group was a 410 sprint car organization. Since then SOD has become a 360 sprint group, and they will make their return to "The Track That Action Built" on Saturday, May 22, to challenge the tough Fremont Speedway 305 sprint division.
 
The night, sponsored by Roots Poultry of Fremont and Cherry Tool Supply of Toledo, will see the 30-lap feature winner take home $1,500. Also, the powerful 410 sprints will be on the racing card, paying $2,500 to win the feature event.
 
The pit area promises to be filled with winged sprint cars. Fremont Speedway has been averaging nearly 45 of the 305 cubic inch sprints. SOD President Jason Fausey said he hopes nearly 20 SOD competitors make the tow, with 360 drivers from other organizations expected to turn up also.
 
"We're really looking forward to coming back to Fremont. The SOD drivers have always gotten a tough battle from the Fremont regulars. Fremont's 305 division is one of the toughest in the country. It should be an exciting night of racing," said Fausey, who is an Old Fort, Ohio native (near Fremont).
 
Fremont Speedway promoter Jim Ford likes the 305 sprint drivers' chances against the 360 cubic inch engine SOD drivers.
 
"We have some very talented drivers in our 305 division. I think the SOD guys are going to be impressed with how fast these drivers are," said Ford.
 
Among those expected to compete at Fremont from the SOD ranks are 2003 SOD champion Dustin Daggett from Portland, Mich. He won a heat race at Fremont two weeks ago competing against the All Star Circuit of Champions.
 
Another SOD driver expected who has competed at Fremont in the past is Dain Naida of Belleville, Mich., the 1999 SOD champion and 2001 and 2003 SOD runner-up. Naida's father, John, formed the SOD organization 25 years ago, and was Fremont Speedway's sprint track champion in 1978.
 
Other SOD drivers expected include John Gall of Bannister, Mich.; Nick Mulheim of Navarre, Oh.; Gregg Dalman of Grand Ledge, Mich.; J.R. Stewart of Bellefontaine, Oh.; Tim Norman of Warsaw, Ind.; Ben Rutan of Madison, Mich.; Brett Mann of Elkhart, Ind.; Matt Alloway of Kenton, Oh.; Daniel Smith of Fremont; and Darren Long of Elida, Oh. 
 
Also expected are some of the drivers of the NRA 360 Sprints including Mike Brecht, who has two feature wins in 2004, Tim Allison, who scored a SOD win on May 14 at Crystal Motor Speedway in Michigan, and Dwain and Steve Leiber.
 
Of course they will have to battle the 305 drivers including Fostoria, Ohio's Jamie Miller who has scored wins at Fremont and Attica Raceway Park in 2004; Fremont's Brian Smith, who notched his first win of the season at Attica this past Friday; Andy Shammo of Millbury, Ohio, who has a win and a couple of runner-up finishes in 2004; Roger Shammo of Gibsonburg, Ohio, who finished second in Fremont's 2003 points; Fremont's Paul Weaver, who has a couple of top 5 finishes this yar; and a host of other tough 305 regulars.
 
All 360 sprints, no matter what organization they run with, must adhere to SOD rules (see www.sprintsondirt.com). 
 
Past SOD feature winners at Fremont are Mark Keegan (May 15 and June 19, 1982 and June 9, 1984), and Todd Vance (June 11, 1988).
 
Tickets for the SOD-305 sprint challenge are $15 for adults; $12 for senior citizens; children 11-16 are $8; and kids 10 and under are free.
 
For more information call the Fremont Speedway office at 419-862-2206 or visit www.fremontohspeedway.com or www.sprintsondirt.com.