Soft Walls At Fremont Speedway

By Brian Liskai: FREMONT, Ohio (May 5) - Fremont Speedway may be the only dirt track in the nation to be using "soft walls" for driver safety

The blocks of styrofoam-type material, were placed in front of the concrete walls in the turns and were purchased through money raised by the Sandusky County Fair Board's 50/50 raffle conducted during the racing season (the winning fan takes home half the pot and the fair board uses the other half for improvements at the race track and fairgrounds).

Jody Keegan, driver of the K-60 410-sprinter, was the first to test the new soft walls during the third heat action. Keegan backed his car hard into the first turn, with the only damage occuring to the softwall block with a portion stuck in Keegan's rear bumper. Prior to the softwalls, Keegan would have came into contact with the concrete, probably damaging his bumper, fuel tank and possibly a wheel and tire and the rearend. With the softwall, Keegan was able to push back off and rejoin the heat race, where he raced to a fifth place finish. The softwalls probably saved Keegan several hundred dollars in damages.

The softwalls were again put to the test in the 305 sprint third heat when driver Eric Lynd flipped his #99 sprinter hard into the third turn wall. The softwall absorbed much of the cars energy, thus lessening the impact and the damage to the car and injury for the driver.

"I'm very, very pleased with how the softwalls performed. They did what they are supposed to do...just ask Jody Keegan and Eric Lynd," said Fremont Speedway promoter Jim Ford. "The drivers and owners really have to thank the Sandusky County Fair Board for doing the 50/50 raffle and for donating proceeds to help make the softwalls possible. Those walls probably saved thousands of dollars in equipment and prevented injuries."

Speaking of the 50/50 raffle.... It was a good night to be from Kentucky Saturday at The Track That Action Built. A fan from the Bluegrass State won $772 from the fair board's raffle. A boy from Kentucky also won the free bicycle donated by the Tackle Box II.

Everett Lilley of Fremont had the big crowd fired up after a great job of singing the National Anthem.

Aaron McClure, a real estate agent for Realty One of Fremont, but a $100 bonus up if 410 sprint driver Bobby Clark could win the feature. Clark ran away with his heat race, but a poor qualifying time put him at the back of the field to start the feature, where he finished 17th.

Jim Linder, a seven-time Fremont Speedway track champion who sits second on the all-time career feature win list, debuted his new 410 sprint creation. Linder, who retired from the sport over a decade ago, has teamed up with former car owner Larry Keegan (brother of eight-time speedway champion Mark Keegan) to field a car with an experimental drive-line assembly. The fans gave Linder a loud ovation when announced for hot laps. Unfortunately, something broke in the driveline assembly during Linder's heat, ending his night. Linder was also lucky he wasn't injured; when the driveline broke, it came up and punctured a hole in his seat.

Another driver to come out of retirement Saturday was Joey Keegan. Keegan, whose career began in the 1970s in a late model, also drove open sprints for several years. However, he is probably best known as "the father" of the 305 sprints, as he was one of the first to field what was known as an "econo sprint." Keegan is back behind the wheel of a 305 sprint. The car, owned by Charlie Dagg, is dubbed the Chuck Wagon III. Keegan raced his way into the the A-main by virtue of a fourth place showing in his heat. Overheating problems religated him to a 15th place finish.

Opening night for Fremont Speedway's 51st season drew 31 of the 410 sprints; 39 of the 305 sprints; and 26 dirt trucks.

Doug Ford, chief mechanic for Alvin Roepke's #99 410 sprint, and son of Fremont Speedway promoters Jim and Joanne Ford, celebrated his 42nd birthday on Friday, May 3.

Jack Hewitt, who holds the most career All Star Circuit of Champions victories at Fremont Speedway, was in competition in the familiar #31. Hewitt will be offering fans rides at Fremont in his two-seat sprint car on June 23 from noon to ? Come to the race track that day for ticket information.

Long-time Fremont sprint car competitor John Wisbon has confirmed he has a new ride for the 2002 season. Wisbon is tentatively scheduled to campaign cars for owner Pete Grove who lives near Buckeye Speedway near Orville. No information yet on where the team will race as yet.

The Fremont News-Messenger carried a special 8-page section on area racing in their April 25 issue. The section featured a full page color photo of 305 sprint drivers Matt Karbler and Terry King racing through turns 1 and 2 at Fremont. Stories in the section profiled engine builder Paul Kistler; the turn-around at Fremont Speedway; the new promoters at Attica Raceway Park, Janet Holbrook and her son Doug; Fremont Speedway's 2001 track champions John Ivy (410 sprints) and Bryan Scott (305 sprints); and the season outlook for Sandusky Speedway and Norwalk Raceway Park.

A few of the up-and-coming 305 sprint drivers were absent from Saturday's racing action. The high school students went to their proms instead Doug Berryman, A.J. Sleek and Brandon Martin.

Speaking of Doug Berryman, our condolences goes out to the Berryman family at the passing of Brian Berryman on May 3. Brian is the uncle of Doug and the brother of Doug's dad, Bruce Berryman who is a former late model driver at Fremont Speedway. Brian and Bruce are nephews of Lamar Berryman who raced sprint cars at Fremont Speedway back int he 1960s for Earl Lowe, who's grandson Ryan is an up-and-coming 305 sprint driver. Fans who wish to make memorial contributions may do to to Brian's children in care of Jake and Mary Berryman (Brian's parents).

You can keep up with the area race scene, along with the World of Outlaws and All Star Circuit of Champions by picking up a free copy of "The Racers Edge" news bulletin at The Tackle Box II, Track Action Collectables or Rainbow Lanes, all in Fremont, on Saturdays and Sundays.

Dirt truck driver Jeff "Donut" Dougherty probably collected more runner-up finishes in 2001 than anyone else. He began the 2002 season the same way Saturday, scoring a second place finish.

2000 dirt truck track champion Danny Roepke suffered through a miserable night, as his #53 experienced engine woes throughout the night. Engine builder Scott Gressman was seen looking under the hood to offer a helping hand.

Speaking of mechanical woes.... Defending Fremont Speedway 305 track champion Bryan Scott, who won 19 features in 2001, looked to be on his way to scoring his second feature win of the season Saturday. However, something broke in the rearend/driveline assembly while he was leading with 10 laps to go in the feature, dropping him to a 16th place finish.