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Nice guys really do win
Story by:
By Brian Liskai:
08/04/2001:
FREMONT, Ohio (Aug. 4, 2001) - Nice guys really do win. Alvin Roepke proved that Saturday at Fremont Speedway, as the popular Elmore, Ohio driver scored his first win of the season in the 410 sprint feature on Beck Oil Night.
Roepke, one of the most liked drivers among fans and drivers, took the lead from his fourth starting position three laps into the 30 lap feature, threaded his way through lapped traffic and held off challenges by All Star regular Rodney Duncan and Byron Reed to score the win.
"The crew gave me a great race car tonight...all I had to do was keep it straight and stand on the gas," said Roepke of his Mt. Dew/Darmofal Racing J & J chassis. "Rodney showed me his nose once when we got into lapped traffic and I knew I had to stand up in the seat and drive'r hard."
Behind Roepke at the finish were Duncan, Reed, Todd Heller and Bettsville, Ohio's David Harrison.
Reed set fast time of the 26-car field, with heat race wins going to Tiffin, Ohio's Bobby Distel; Phil Gressman of Clyde, Ohio, and Duncan. Harrison scored the B-Main win.
Fremont, Ohio's Bobby Foster got a big boost from one of his closest competitors Saturday, as Bryan Scott lent him one of his spare motors, which propelled Foster into victory lane. Foster and Scott are also locked in very close battle in the 305 sprint point standings.
Foster and Scott Kraylek raced side-by-side for several laps in the feature, with Foster taking his third victory of the season over Kraylek, Scott, Dustin Keegan and Bill Kraylek.
"It was fun racing Scott...you know he'll race you clean. What can I say about Bryan Scott, after we had motor problems the night before, he said we could use his back up motor and it was awesome. I really have to thank Scott Gressman for building a fast motor," Foster said.
Heat wins went to Gibsonburg's Craig Mintz, Dustin Keegan and Brock Mayes. Jamie Miller won the B-Main.
The dirt truck feature was a dandy, with Fremont's Jeff "Doughnut" Dougherty and Fremont's John Rhoads racing side by side for several laps. Dougherty, who probably has more second place finishes at Fremont in the dirt trucks this year than anyone, held on for the win over Steve Sabo, Rhoads, Bobby Davis and Jeff Hites.
Scoring truck heat wins were Rhoads, Davis< Sabot and Jim McGrath. Bob Dible won the B-Main.
Fremont Speedway has a big weekend of racing on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 10 and 11 with all three divisions in action both nights.
410 sprints:
Qualifying: 1. Byron Reed, 14. 83; 2. Mark Keegan, 15.05; 3. Rodney Duncan, 15.22; 4. Mike Linder, 15.13; 5. Alvin Roepke, 15.18; 6. David Harrison, 15.21; 7. Bob Lime, 15.22; 8. Todd Heller, 15.41; 9. John Wisbon, 15.42; 10. Jody Keegan, 15.53; 11. Troy Vaccaro, 15.70; 12. Ricky Ferkel, 15.71; 13. Mike Lutz, 15.71; 14. John Ivy, 15.76; 15. Jon Finsel, 15.87; 16. Bobby Distel, 15.88; 17. Phil Gressman, 16.06; 18. Bruce Robenalt, 16.07; 19. Jim Dues, 16.32; 20. John Toth III, 16.48; 21. Rodney Morgan, 16.52; 22. Josh Keegan, 16.68; 23. Bill Shaw, 21.27; 24. Rick Byerly, 23.27; 25. Joe Laugherty, DNQ; 26. Tony Beaber, DNQ.
1st Heat (top 5 to A): 1. Bobby Distel; 2. Byron Reed; 3. Mike Lutz; 4. Bob Lime; 5. Mike Linder
2nd Heat (top 5 to A): 1. Phil Gressman; 2. Alvin Roepke; 3. John Ivy; 4. Troy Vaccaro; 5. Mark Keegan.
3rd Heat (top 5 to A): 1. Rodney Duncan; 2. Rickey Ferkel; 3. John Wisbon; 4. Rodney Morgan; 5. Jon Finsel.
B-Main (top 5 to A): 1. David Harrison; 2. Jody Keegan; 3. Todd Heller; 4. Jim Dues; 5. John Toth III; 6. Bill Shaw; 7. Rick Byerly; 8. Bruce Robenalt; 9. Josh Keegan.
A-Main (30 laps): 1. Alvin Roepke; 2. Rodney Duncan; 3. Byron Reed; 4. Todd Heller; 5. David Harrison; 6. Mark Keegan; 7. John Wisbon; 8. John Ivy; 9. Mike Linder; 10. Bob Lime; 11. Mike Lutz; 12. Troy Vaccaro; 13. Jody Keegan; 14. Phil Gressman; 15. Rickey Ferkel; 16. Bobby Distel; 17. John Toth III; 18. Rodney Morgan; 19. Jim Dues; 20. Jon Finsel.
305 SPRINTS:
1st heat (top five to A): 1. Craig Mintz; 2. Brandon Martin; 3. Jerrid Potter; 4. Bobby Foster; 5. Roger Shammo.
2nd heat (top five to A): 1. Dustin Keegan; 2. Bryan Scott; 3. Scott Kraylek; 4. Bill Kraylek; 5. Matt Merrill.
3rd heat (top five to A): 1. Brock Mayes; 2. Lee Potter; 3. Keith Whaley; 4. Mark Lang; 5. Ryan Lowe.
B-Main (top five to A): 1. Jamie Miller; 2. A.J. Sleek; 3. Andy Stout; 4. Ron Bordner; 5. Josh Hill; 6. Jim Moore; 7. Jeremy Keegan; 8. Clint Laux; 9. Terry King.
A-Main (25 laps): 1. Bobby Foster; 2. Scott Kraylek; 3. Bryan Scott; 4. Dustin Keegan; 5. Bill Kraylek; 6. Jerrid Potter; 7. Roger Shammo; 8. Brock Mayes; 9. Jamie Miller; 10. Keith Whaley; 11. Ryan Lowe; 12. Mark Lang; 13. Andy Stout; 14. Jim Moore; 15. Josh Hill; 16. A.J. Sleek; 17. Ron Bordner; 18. Brandon Martin; 19. Craig Mintz; 20. Matt Merrill.
Dirt Trucks:
1st Heat (top four to A): 1. John Rhoads; 2. Jay Boyd; 3. Jeff Dougherty; 4. Paul Diamond; 5. Dave Gibbs.
2nd Heat (top four to A): 1. Bobby Davis; 2. Rob Boutwell; 3. Rex Haubert; 4. Danny Keegan; 5. L.J. Connors.
3rd Heat (top four to A): 1. Steve Sabo; 2. Danny Roepke; 3. Brian Arnold; 4. Jeff Hites; 5. Greg Harmon.
4th Heat (top four to A): 1. Jim McGrath; 2. Bruce Beard; 3. Billy Fleming; 4. Linda Sabo; 5. Jeremy Cogar.
B-Main (top four to A): 1. Bob Dible; 2. Brian Sebetto; 3. Rich Farmer; 4. Jeremy Cogar; 5. Jason Crispen; 6. Joe Hartlaub; 7. Greg Harmon; 8. Dave Gibbs; 9. Matt Lucius; 10. Kevin Steyer; 11. Todd Keegan; 12. Darrin Dukeshire; 13. L.J. Connors; 14. Andy Maynard.
A-Main (15 laps): 1. Jeff Dougherty; 2. Steve Sabo; 3. John Rhoads; 4. Bobby Davis; 5. Jeff Hites; 6. Rob Boutwell; 7. Bob Dible; 8. Brian Sebetto; 9. Brian Arnold; 10. Bruce Beard; 11. Danny Keegan; 12. Paul Diamond; 13. Billy Fleming; 14. Linda Sabo; 15. Danny Roepke; 16. Jim McGrath; 17. Jay Boyd; 18. Rich Farmer; 19. Rex Haubert; 20. Jeremy Cogar.
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