Dustin Stroup fights for 305 race win at Fremont Speedway
Cap Henry continued his hot streak to open the season with a late-race pass Saturday to take the 410 sprint at Fremont Speedway.
Since joining Jeff Ward Racing in the offseason, Bellevue's Henry won his second race of the year at Fremont. Henry started seventh in the 30-lap $4,000-to-win feature on Great Lakes Truck Center Night and waged a battle with Zeth Sabo, whose team drove from New York after an All Star Circuit of Champions event was rained out.
The pair nearly collided exiting turn four with Sabo making contact with the front stretch wall on Lap 22, putting Henry into the lead. Henry drove away for his 14th career win at Fremont.
It was a great weekend for Henry, who battled the best in sprint car racing Friday at Attica Raceway Park, finishing sixth in the World of Outlaws event. The win Saturday put Henry in the thick of the battle for title of the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series.
He won the crown in 2020.
“Early we weren’t very good," Henry said. "The car was really good but the driver wasn’t. I finished second to Howdy (Sabo) last year when I drove that 29 car and I had to make sure I got one back. This car has been so fast.
"We struggled when we went to Wayne County Tuesday and I know everyone was bumped. Gary (Griffith) the 1985 Wayne County track champion helped us out and we got this thing rolling again. Man this is a lot of fun."
The Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint feature turned into one of the best races at Fremont for that division in a long time. Dustin Stroup and Bryan Sebetto battled the last four laps after a caution.
The duo traded slide jobs every lap with Sebetto actually leading by a nose Lap 22 and 23, before Stroup executed a slider to regain the top spot coming to the white flag. The pair raced side by side in turns one and two and banged wheels down the back stretch, before Stroup was able to secure the win.
It was his ninth career win at Fremont. It makes for a close battle for the title of the Napa of Bryan Attica Fremont Championship Series.
“I looked up there when we had that caution (Lap 21) and saw Sebetto in second," Stroup said. "That was tough. This is me and Sebetto’s type of track. I knew he was going to race me hard and I was going to race him hard back.
"We did bang wheels a couple of times. Nothing is tore up and I’m sure we’ll go have a couple of beers and talk about this later. I have to thank everyone on this thing. We changed up our engine program this year with Frank Myers of Ness City, Kansas.
"He builds one hell of a runner. We went with Brandon Riehl and RCF Chassis and this thing has been great."
Ottawa Lake, Michigan’s Dave Gumby Jr. held off a late race charge from Cory McCaughey to claim his third career win at Fremont in a caution filled Burmeister Trophy Dirt Truck feature.
“I was getting so impatient," Gumby said. "That was a long feature."
Travis Philo led the first 11 laps before Sabo took over in the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature. Once Henry moved into second on Lap 14, he quickly closed on Sabo before taking the lead on a restart on Lap 22.
Henry took the checkers nearly five seconds ahead of Philo with Cole Duncan charging from 12th to finish third. Stuart Brubaker and Byron Reed rounded out the top five.
While Stroup led all 25 laps of the 305 sprint feature, building a four second lead by lap 11, Sebetto closed quickly once the leaders hit lapped traffic. A caution with four laps to go gave Sebetto the chance to throw a slider at Stroup on the restart and the battle was on the final four circuits.
Stroup took the checkers just ahead of Sebetto with Seth Schneider, Paul Weaver and Logan Riehl rounding out the top five.
In the dirt truck feature, Gumby first battled with Jamie Miller and then McCaughey before earning the win. McCaughey, Kent Brewer, Brad Mitten and Dana Fry rounded out the top five.
It’s an all sprint car affair Saturday at Fremont, including 410 and 305 winged and Great Lakes Traditional Sprints (non-wing).
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Dave Gumby wins dirt truck race at Fremont Speedway
