Paul Weaver ties hero Art Ball on Fremont all-time win list
Cale Thomas recently lost his sprint car ride.
Jay Kiser Racing of Fremont gave Thomas a shot two weeks ago. A strong showing in his first two races was followed by Thomas' first victory Saturday at Fremont Speedway in the 410 sprint race on Plaza Lanes/Cameo Pizza/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Night.
Thomas drove the family car for a few races before a crash battling for the lead at Attica Raceway Park and a third-place run at Fremont with Kiser. It earned the Fairland, Indiana, driver another weekend with the team.
Thomas maximized the opportunity as he battled heavy lapped traffic and a determined Cap Henry and last week’s winner Travis Philo for the win the final two laps. The podium finishes for Henry and Philo keeps the battle for the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series close.
Only one caution fell in the 30-lap Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature. Behind Thomas was Henry, Philo, Friday’s winner Stuart Brubaker and Nate Dussel.
“I’m good here I just can’t seem to get it done," Thomas said. "Jay gave me a great race car. We had the same car we did last week when I ran well last night and we weren’t any good. So Jay wanted to try something even after that seventh to second run in the heat and obviously it worked.
"We’ve been fast. A good benchmark for that is Cap. We’ve been competitive with Cap every time."
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Brubaker, runner-up twice, captured his first win Friday at Fremont this season and eighth of his career.
Fremont's Paul Weaver swept the weekend in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints. The four time and defending division track champion took the lead from Jamie Miller on lap nine of the non-stop 25-lap affair and drove to his fifth win of the year at Fremont.
The victory puts Weaver in a tie with Art Ball atop the track’s all-time win list at 76.
“My first time over here was 1975 and I was mad because Ron Leaser won the race but I went home happy because Art Ball won the points and ever since then he was my favorite," Weaver said. "I’ve never spoke to him one time.
"Stood on the Attica banquet stage one year. He won the trucks and I won the 305s but never spoke to him. I always kept that to myself that he was one of my childhood heroes."
The victory pads Weaver’s lead for a fifth straight NAPA of Bryan Attica Fremont Championship Series title as John Ivy, Shawn Valenti, Jamie Miller and Dustin Stroup rounded out the top five in the A-main.
Toledo's Cory McCaughey has contended for wins in the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks all season, recording three runner-up finishes and not finishing out of the top five until Friday, when a mechanical failure sidelined him in the feature. He led all 20 laps Saturday for his first win of the year and eighth of his career at Fremont.
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Friday’s winner Dave Gumby pressured McCaughey the last five laps after Gumby was in a spirited battle with Dustin Keegan. McCaughey held on for the win over Gumby, Keegan, Dana Fry and Miller.
“I heard Dave Gumby down there and I had to pull that rubber band up," McCaughey said. "Get it, let’s go. I have to thank Wagner Improvements, the Big E Crew, Dippman Motorsports, Blast Masters. My guys worked their tails off this weekend."
Ottawa Lake, Michigan’s Gumby took his third win of the year at Speedway and the fifth of his career Friday.
Speedway is host August 21 to 305 sprints, helping to kick off the Sandusky County Fair.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Cory McCaughey leads all 20 laps for Speedway victory
