Fremont Speedway, also known as "The Track That Action Built" and "Home of the All Stars", is a semi-banked 1/3 mile clay oval speedway located at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds in Fremont, Ohio, United States. Races are typically held on Saturday nights. Regular events include 410 cubic inch sprint cars, 305 cubic inch sprint cars, and dirt trucks. In 2024, the World of Outlaws sprint car series returns to the speedway for the first time since 2016. The speedway has previously hosted the All Star Circuit of Champions, National Sprint Tour, and United States Auto Club.
Track records
Division Time Driver Date 410 Sprint Cars 11.732 seconds Lee Jacobs May 3, 2003 305 Sprint Cars 12.857 seconds Bryan Sebetto April 25, 2026 Dirt Trucks17.672 seconds Dan Roepke Jr. April 26, 2014
History The first automobile race was held at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds on Sunday, June 7, 1936, when the International Speedway Association leased the half-mile horse track for a Big Cars race. Big Cars, as they were known, were the forerunners to today's sprint cars. An estimated 7,000 people attended the first race as Clay Corbitt picked up the feature win. Despite the success of the first race, it would be 12 years before Fremont hosted another auto race. On September 19, 1948, the Tri-State Racing Association leased the fairgrounds for a racing program billed as the Tri-State Racing Association's Championship. Over 4,000 fans were in attendance to watch Red Bales win the feature event.
In the fall of 1951, Joe and Dorothy Stelter and Harry Maynor of Toledo, Ohio founded Fremont Speedway. Their original track was just over 1/10 of a mile in length and nearly flat. On September 30, 1951, a crowd of 1,500 attended Fremont Speedway's first official race. 38 drivers took part in the 20 lap feature event, which was won by Leo Caldwell of Perrysburg.
In 1952, Maynor sold his interest in the speedway to Frank Jensen of Toledo, and Wayne Wall of Toledo purchased an interest in 1953. Wall sold out in 1954 and the Stelters and Jensen operated the track until 1957 when a local Fremont businessman, Don Emick, purchased Jensen's stock. This operation continued until 1960 when Emick sold out, leaving Joe and Dot as the sole owners. After Joe's sudden death in 1962, Dot decided to continue and became one of the first female promoters in the country. Dot later married Paul Szakovits and he helped to operate the track. Dot promoted the speedway until 1976 when longtime announcer Gary Kern purchased the facility.
During the 1990s, the facility changed hands many times. In 1994 Joseph Darr became a partner with Kern. Delphos, Ohio resident Ken Langhals operated the speedway in 1995. In 1996 Kelly Applegate purchased the speedway, followed by Ken Meggitt in 1997. The track then sat idle for two years until Jim Ford, a former driver and sprint car owner from Elmore, Ohio, leased the track from the Sandusky County Fair Board. Ford reopened the track in 2000 with many improvements. In 2007, Ford stepped down as promoter due to health issues. The fair board elected Rich Farmer and Andy James as co-promoters of the speedway in 2008. In 2010, Emods competed at the speedway for the first time ever."Fremont Speedway ready to kick off 59th season of racing" TJSlideways
The speedway has become a pioneer in dirt track racing over the years. It was one of the first tracks in the nation to run the now popular 305 sprint car division. In 2000, Jim Ford created the dirt truck division as an affordable entry level into dirt track racing. Similar divisions have since spread across the nation. The speedway was also the first dirt track in the nation to incorporate soft wall technology."Indy: Soft Landing, Foam blocks on walls scale down injuries" The Blade
The speedway has hosted many nationally renowned race car drivers including Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Jeff Gordon, Dave Blaney, Kasey Kahne, Brad Doty, and Doug Wolfgang. "The Ohio Traveler" Rick Ferkel began his storied career with a victory at the speedway. The speedway has also hosted over 100 All Star Circuit of Champions events, earning it the nickname "Home of the All Stars."
Hall of Fame The following people have been inducted in Fremont Speedway's Hall of Fame. Inductee Category Year Auxter, Johnny "Gentleman" Driver 2009 Ball, Art Driver 2009 Beale, Rollie Driver 2009 Billow, Harold Owner/Builder 2009 Ford, Jim Driver/Promoter 2009 Fosco, George Driver 2009 Franks, Alvin Driver 2009 Harrison, Darl Driver 2009 Keegan, Gug Driver 2009 Linder, Jim Driver 2009 McCune, "Irish" Jim Driver 2009 McGilton, Harold "Mac" Driver 2009 Notestine, Gene Driver/Official 2009 Robison, Herbie Driver 2009 Shilling, Dorthy "Dot" Promoter 2009 Smith, Wendell Driver 2009 Strasser, Paul Driver 2009 Beaber, Johnny Driver 2010 Burmeister, Sonny Owner/Builder 2010 Genzman, De Driver 2010 Hemminger, Wally Driver 2010 Keegan, Mark Driver 2010 Kern, Gary Official/Promoter 2010 Lowe, Earl Owner 2010 Roepke, Jim Driver 2010 Sabo, Joe Owner/Builder 2010 Sheets, Roy Driver 2010 Caldwell, Leo Driver 2011 Fleming, Jim Driver 2011 Gill, Bud Owner 2011 Hasselbach, Dale Driver 2011 Kear, Shirley Life Contributor 2011 Kresser, Harry Driver 2011 Leaser, Tom Owner 2011 Maffett Sr, Wayne Driver 2011 Miller, George Driver 2011 Youster, Leroy Driver 2011 Boos, Ron Owner 2012 Clark, Ken Driver 2012 Cook, John Owner 2012 Emick, Bert/Brigiette Promoter 2012 Ferkel, Rick Driver 2012 Forsythe, John Sponsor 2012 Griffith, Earl Engine Builder 2012 Hewitt, Jack Driver 2012 Keegan, Jim Driver 2012 Linder, Fred Driver 2012 Linton, Don Owner 2012 Ritter, Grover Owner 2012 Sabo, Tim Driver 2012 Schemmer. Tom Engine Builder 2012 Smith, Ed Engine Builder 2012 Stelter, Joe Promoter 2012 Conger, Sonny Owner, Builder, Mechanic 2013 Dewald, Paul Driver 2013 Eckhardt, Don Owner 2013 Ford, Randy Driver 2013 Hahn, Bill Driver 2013 Holbrook, Gordon Driver 2013 Huss, Phil "Smokey" Ambassador 2013 Keegan, Larry Owner/Crew Chief 2013 Keegan, Mervin Builder 2013 Liskai, Alex Driver 2013 Liskai, Dick Driver 2013 Liskai, Steve Driver 2013 Connors, L J Driver 2014 Griffith, Gary Driver/Engine Builder 2014 Keim, Clay Driver 2014 Kemenah, Harold Owner 2014 Kiser, Ken Communications Provider 2014 Leaser, Bob Owner 2014 Rankine, Eric Driver 2014 Vance, Todd Driver 2014 VanNess Family Owner/Builder 2014 Ward, Jim Driver 2014 Wright, Joe Owner 2014 Berkley, Robert Owner/Mechanic 2015 Cicanese, Bill Driver/Builder 2015 Drusback, Tom Owner 2015 Gordon, Jack Driver 2015 Holman, Mike Official 2015 Kiser, Chris Driver 2015 Meyer, Fritz Wrecker Service 2015 Naida, John Driver 2015 Potter, Lee Driver 2015 Steinmetz, Fran Driver 2015 Thompson, Howard (Moe) Employee 2015 Blaney, Dale Driver 2016 Fisher, Vince Owner 2016 Keegan, Joe Driver 2016 Kistler, Paul Engine Builder 2016 Leaser, Ron Driver 2016 Malloy, Len Owner 2016 Nuber, Larry Life Contributor 2016 Pierce, Keith Owner 2016 Pierce, Roy Owner 2016 Sears Jr, Bobby Driver 2016 Willey, Dick Builder/Mechanic 2016 Beechler, Mike Builder 2017 Burkin, Lamar Owner 2017 Ford, Doug Mechanic/Official 2017 Hoffman, Jeff Driver 2017 Knoll, Bobby Driver 2017 Kraylek, Jack Driver 2017 McComas, Ron Owner/Builder/Mechanic 2017 Nemire Sr, Ken Driver 2017 Neimire, Jerry Driver 2017 Phillips, Eric Owner/Engine Builder 2017 Root, Ken "Red" Mechanic 2017 Smith, Ken Official/Photographer 2017 Willey, Gary Driver 2017 Engler, Jay Owner 2018 Gill, Buddy Mechanic 2018 Gill, Larry Mechanic 2018 Hazzard, Richard Owner 2018 Keegan, Don Owner 2018 Keegan, Ron Owner 2018 Leaser, Jimmy Driver 2018 Miller, Skip Driver 2018 Potter, Lin Driver 2018 Thompson, Joe Driver/Official 2018 Thompson, Shirley Official 2018 Wisbon, John Driver 2019 Berryman, Bruce Driver 2019 Marko, Dave Driver 2019 Creeger, Jerry “Dude” Driver 2019 Farmer, Rich Driver/Owner/Promoter 2019 Kear, Chuck Special Contributor 2019 Slatter, Floyd Builder, Mechanic 2019 Keegan, Chuck Owner 2019
All-time win list
As of November 1, 2024, the top ten drivers in the all-time wins standings are as follows:
Rank Name Wins 1 Shawn Valenti 93 2 Paul Weaver 81 3 Art Ball 76 4 Gug Keegan 62 5 John Ivy 62 6 Mark Keegan 60 7 Jim Linder 58 8 Herbie Robinson 54 9 Jamie Miller 52 10 Jim McCune 45
References
External links