- WEEKLY POLL
Harrison scores emotional Fremont Speedway win
By Brian Liskai
Special to The Press
liskai2x@cros.net
It's been an emotional, topsy-turvy off-season for David Harrison. However, he kicked off Fremont Speedway's 57th season of racing with a 410 sprint win Saturday on Fort Ball Pizza Palace Night.
Harrison's father-in-law, Alex Burkett has been struggling with health issues all winter. Add to that, Harrison, from Burgoon, became a grandfather this past week as his son, Josh, also a sprint car racer, and his girlfriend Katie welcomed a son.
"I want to dedicate this win to my father-in-law...he supported me so much in my racing career," said Harrison beside his Crown Batter, MCS Trucking, MAR Technology backed #10. "Then to get a healthy grandson...this is just incredible."
"We put this deal together with Dee Genzman about three weeks ago and thanks to my crew, Bill Doughterty, Eric Zelski, and everyone, we've been fast right out of the box," added Harrison from the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
While Harrison was collecting his 7th career Fremont victory in the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprints, Fredericksburg’s Brad Haudenschild made his first career visit to the Engine Pro Victory Lane in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints.
"There were a couple of close calls in traffic...I just put it in there and hoped it would stick or I'd take us all out," said Haudenschild beside his R&B Enterprises, Vision Express sponsored #10. "I have to thank mom and dad (Tammy and Ed) for all their support. We blew our motor last night (at Attica Racewaypark) and got up this morning and put this bullett in and we win…it's unbelieveable."
Clyde’s Jim McGrath scored his third career win in the Fremont Fence & Guardrail Dirt Trucks in convincing fashion.
"The truck was just very good and easy to drive," said McGrath beside his B&K Auto Services backed No. 5. "What a way to start the year...it usually takes me a few weeks to get rolling, but that thing was awesome tonight."
Pole-sitter Mark Keegan looked like he would take career win number 60 at "The Track That Action Built," as he bolted to a big lead at the start of the 30-lap 410 sprint feature. Last year's 305 sprint champion Andy Shammo would battle Craig Mintz for the runner-up spot as they hit lapped traffic on the eighth circuit.
Mintz would get by Shammo for second on lap nine, but could not close in on Keegan. Meanwhile, Harrison, who started fourth, was in a dog-fight with Byron Reed and Lee Jacobs.While Keegan continued to ride the middle of the track, Harrison began closing in on Mintz and would grab the runner-up spot on lap 13. Harrison would reel in Keegan by lap 17. Harrison and Keegan would battle side-by-side on lap 20, with Harrison ducking under Keegan for the exiting turn two on lap 21.
The only caution would fly on lap 23, with Harrison having two lapped machines between himself and Keegan. However, before the race would resume, Keegan would duck into the pits with a flat tire. Harrison would power to the victory over Mintz, Lee Jacobs, Reed and Mike Linder.
Benny Bowman, who took a spectacular flip last week at Fremont, grabbed the lead of the 305 sprint feature with Mark Pridemore and Nate Dussell in tow. The car on the move was sixth starter Todd Heuerman who moved into third on the second lap and grabbed second a lap later. Heuerman pressured Bowman for the lead, but the action would grind to a halt on a hard flip by Coty Runion and Dussell on lap four (both drivers were okay).
Bowman would pull away on the restart with Heuerman comfortably in second and 12th starter Stuart Brubaker moving into third. Following a yellow on lap six, the car on the move was Haudenschild, who started third and had slipped back to fifth at the beginning of the race. The nephew of World of Outlaws star Jac Haudenschild moved into third on lap 9 and powered around Heuerman into second on lap 12.
Haudenschild would execute his winning move to the outside of turn 4 on lap 15 and would slice through lapped traffic for the win. Bobby Clark, who scored the win Friday at Attica, would drive from 16th to second at the checkers, with Bowman, Heuerman and Brubaker rounding out the top five.
Defending Fremont champion Cory Ward would grab the initial lead in the 20 lap dirt truck main, with McGrath settling into second and Brad Mitten in a battle for third with Steve Endicott and Dave Brewer. McGrath would drive his familiar high side line around Ward exiting turn four on the third lap for the lead.
While McGrath pulled away, the action for second on back was exciting, with Ward, Brewer, Mitten, Bob Dible, Dwight Waltermeier, Art Ball and Steve Sabo swapping the positions nearly every lap.
At the finish it was McGrath over Dible, Ward, Brewer and Waltermeier.
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