Dussel, Brubaker fall short

By: 
Brian Liskai

The pressure of owning your own sprint car team, doing most of the mechanical work, driving the tow rig and then the race car can take its toll. Greg Wilson was beginning to wonder if he could still win. Teaming up with the Seeling Motorsports team and long-time crew chief Andy Potter late this summer has rejuvenated the Benton Ridge, Ohio driver and this weekend the results proved Greg Wilson can still drive and win in a sprint car.

Wilson took the lead on the white flag lap of the Ti22 Performance FAST on Dirt 410 A-main at Fremont Speedway and drove to his 13th career win at “The Track That Action Built” on Root’s Poultry Night. 

For Wilson it was a weekend sweep of the FAST series as he won Friday as well. He had to get past Gibsonburg’s Stuart Brubaker and Bradner’s Nate Dussell to get it done.

“This is choking me up. Fremont’s like home. We’ve had a lot of support from the fans not only here but when we’ve been out on the road…this is just awesome. I can’t thank Hercules Tire, Ohio Logistics, DNC Hydraulics enough for sticking with me and Joe and Diane Seeling giving an old washed up guy a chance to drive a race car and take some pressure off,” Wilson said. 

Andy Potter is making me look good…we got good communications. I know I’m rambling but I haven’t gotten to do this in a damn long time. I feel like I wasted five years in my career. I learned a lot…we built a great race team and we’re intertwining a little bit to help Joe’s deal. I felt like if I could get with somebody like Andy…we raced a short bit in ‘05 and we were fast  but we haven’t been able to do that again. It’s just unbelievable. 

“When that thing came to life part way through there and I changed my line and got the wing back that thing was a rocket ship. We needed this as a family and team. My dad, mom and step-mom busted their butts so I could drive a race car and get me started. Between my dad and mom and Hamp teaching me work ethic and not to give up…I’m trying to teach my kids that. I wanted to get them some trophies…they didn’t get to see me win races. A lot prayer, lot of belief, a lot of faith…damn it anything in life if you don’t quit on it…you can still win races,” said Wilson.

In the FAST 30-lap feature, Brubaker grabbed the early lead but defending track champion Dussel took the top spot on lap 15. Meanwhile 11th starter Greg Wilson steadily moved his way through the pack  and with nine laps to go was up to second and closing on Dussel who had built a 2.3 second lead.

With two laps to go Wilson had cut Dussel’s lead to .3 seconds and drove under him into the lead coming to the white flag. Wilson took the win over Dussel, current track point leader DJ Foos, up from 10th, current FAST point leader Cale Conley and 12th starter Cole Macedo.

Indianapolis, Indiana’s Thomas Meseraull survived early race cautions and drove away, leading all 25 laps of the MPD Racing Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) for his third career Fremont win.

“This was right in my wheel-house…rip the lip with a big nasty cushion in turn four. It got a little rough and the track was super technical and I love that. I can’t thank the Simons enough for bringing me back to race in Ohio and win. I got my little girls another trophy,” said Meseraull beside his Full Spectrum Construction, Simon Racing, USI Cable backed #23s.

It’s been nearly two years since Fremont’s Jamie Miller has won a Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint race at Fremont Speedway. That ended Saturday. Miller was able to capitalize when leader Steve Rando’s wing collapsed on lap four and drove to the victory. Not to be outside, Miller claimed his fifth Burmeister Trophy Dirt Truck feature win of the year, edging Jeff Babcock by just half a truck length. Miller now has 29 career wins at Fremont Speedway and sits 17th on the track’s all-time win list.

“We changed cars…got the new car back out last week and I like it. I have to thank Ryan French for allow me to do this,” Miller said beside his Smitty’s Pizza, JLH General Contractor, Queen of Clean, Rohr Total Lawn Care, Sonic Hauling, Phil Rister, Sloopy’s Pizza, Reedtown Tavern, Crown Battery, Schreiner Farms, Roberts & Sons Contracting, Fostoria Mod Shop, Kenny Kalb Farms backed #26 sprint car.

“We screwed up and didn’t make enough adjustments to the truck and it got very loose. Jeff gave me a hell of a run,” said Miller of his Fostoria Mod Shop backed dirt truck.

Meseraull grabbed the lead at the drop of the green for the 25-lap BOSS non-wing sprint car feature but the action behind him was fantastic involving Trey Jacobs, Luke Hall, Tyler Gunn, Steve Little and Matt Westfall. Hall moved into second on lap three and thanks to a few early race cautions stayed close to Meseraull. The final caution flew with 10 laps to go and Meseraull drove away to the win over Hall, Westfall, Steve Irwin and Gunn.

Rando grabbed the lead to start the 25 lap 305 sprint A with Miller, Logan Riehl, Mike Keegan, Shawn Valenti and Matt Foos giving chase. Following three early race stoppages on a restart with three laps in, Rando’s top wing collapsed, handing the lad to Miller. Miller pulled away to a two second lead over Riehl, Keegan, Foos and Valenti when the final caution flew on lap 13. The restart saw Miller drive away to the win over Riehl, Keegan, Foos and Valenti.

 

 Miller jumped into the lead of the dirt truck 20-lap A-main with a tremendous battle taking place behind him involving Kevin Phillips, Keith Sorg, Kyle Lagrou, Shawn Valenti and Dustin Keegan with 10th starter Jeff Babcock moving into fifth by lap two. The only caution flew on lap five putting Valenti right on Miller’s bumper but Miller was able to drive away when the green flew. Babcock was on a mission, driving into second by lap 10 and closing quickly on Miller. With five laps to go Miller and Babcock were nose to tail driving in lapped traffic. Babcock drove under Miller with two laps to go and was side-by-side with the leader coming to the white flag. The drag race to the checkers saw Miller win by half a truck length over Babcock, Valenti, Dan Hennig and Cory McCaughey.

 

 

 

 

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