Being second in traffic was the place to be late in the feature at Fremont Speedway July 26.
Byron Reed used traffic to pass Craig Mintz on the white flag lap to get his third win off the season in the 410 Sprints at "The Track That Action Built."

Bradner's Nate Dussel passed D.J. Foos on the 22nd lap and went on to score his first career sprint car win in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints.

Sandusky's Cory Ward drove into the lead on the 13th lap of the 20-lap feature for the Dirt Trucks and took his fourth win of the season at Fremont. It was his ninth win of the year overall, as he has five victories at Attica Raceway Park.

Reed stayed on Mintz' bumper from lap seven on and when Mintz hit lapped traffic by lap 28, Reed made his move. Reed drove to the outside of Mintz who was having difficulties with lapped traffic as they came to the white flag.

"I've said it many times....I'm not good out front on those situations. Craig had to make a decision in traffic and I was there to capitalize on it," said Reed.

"This win is really satisfying because the other two were on a heavier track and this one was on a slick track. We haven't been good here on a slick surface but we changed a bunch of stuff on the car and it worked," said Reed of his 16th career Fremont victory.

Foos seemed to have the field covered in the 305 sprint feature. But, Dussel, who moved into second on the sixth lap, stayed close and with four laps to go started to pressure Foos. Foos slipped up the track in turns 1 and 2 on the 21st lap, and Dussel took advantage to dive under for the lead and the win.

"I knew my car was better on long runs and I just had to be patient," said Dussel.

"This is a dream come true...I grew up here and saw so many great drivers stand on this front stretch...I can't believe I'm actually here," added the 18-year-old Dussel in victory lane.

For Ward, just finishing the feature in one piece was the goal after being involved in a first lap crash that involved six trucks. Ward passed early leader Andy Maynard and Danny Roepke on lap 13 and went on to his 12th career victory at Fremont.

"I lost my brakes on that first lap crash. I just had to drive around the outside and hope no one got crossed up. Andy Maynard and Dan Roepke raced me clean and hard and that's all I could ask for," said Ward.

In the 30-lap 410 sprint feature, Mintz grabbed the early lead with Geoff Dodge, Jeremy Campbell, Reed and fast qualifier Cole Duncan in tow. Reed would move into third on lap three before the yellow would fly on lap 6. When racing resumed, Reed would drive around Dodge for second and would battle with Mintz for the lead until action came to a halt on lap 19 for a Bruce White flip.

With a clear track ahead of him, Mintz would pull away slightly from Reed while third place Campbell began to close. When Mintz hit traffic again on lap 28, Reed closed in on his rear bumper. Mintz began feeling the pressure of trying to negotiate through traffic, and when he dove low, Reed drove around as they exited turn four for the white flag.

Reed would go on for the win with Mintz, Campbell, Phil Gressman and Lee Jacobs rounding out the top five.

In the 25-lap 305 sprint feature, rookie D.J. Foos bolted into the lead at the drop of the green, with Josh Muntz, Dussel, Matt Merrill and Duane Zablocki in tow.

While Foos was blasting around the outside of the track, Dussel would drive into second on lap six while Muntz, Zablocki, Merrill and Kevin Lee staged a torrid battle for third. Just as Dussel began catching Foos the yellow would fly on lap 10. Foos would set sail on the restart, with Dussel hanging back while Muntz, Lee, Merrill and Zablocki continuing their great race for third.

Foos would slip up the track in turns one and two on lap 21, allowing Dussel to close. Dussel would dive under Foos and into the lead a lap later.

At the checkered flag it was Dussel, Foos, Muntz, Lee and Merrill rounding out the top five.

Andy Maynard would grab the early lead of the 20-lap truck feature with a tremendous battle behind him for second involving Brian Sorg, Danny Roepke, Dave Gibbs and Cory Ward. Roepke would move into second on lap 4 and began to pressure Maynard before grabbing the top spot by a bumper on lap 9 only to watch Maynard drive back by a lap later.

With 11 laps in the books, Maynard now had pressure from not only Roepke but Ward. Ward would drive around Roepke into second on lap 12 and then slip by Maynard on the next circuit for the lead.

Roepke would drive into second on lap 17 while Steve Endictott was coming on strong to move around Maynard into third by lap 18. Ward would take the checkered flag over Roepke, Endicott, Maynard and Jim McGrath, who started on the tail in his son's truck after a heat race mishap in his own machine.

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