Fremont Speedway facts for kids

Fremont Speedway is a super exciting dirt race track located in Fremont, Ohio. It's often called "The Track That Action Built" because of all the thrilling races that happen there! People also know it as "Home of the All Stars" because many famous drivers have raced here.

This track is a 1/3-mile (about 0.5 kilometers) oval, which means it's shaped like a big circle. It's made of clay and has slight banking, helping cars go faster around the turns. You can usually catch races on Saturday nights. The main events feature powerful 410 cubic inch sprint cars, smaller 305 cubic inch sprint cars, and cool dirt trucks. Fremont Speedway has also hosted big national races like the World of Outlaws.

Fastest Laps at Fremont Speedway

Race cars at Fremont Speedway go incredibly fast! Here are some of the quickest times ever recorded for different types of cars:

A Quick History of Racing

Auto racing at Sandusky County Fairgrounds in Fremont, OH, circa 1936.

The very first car race at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds happened on June 7, 1936. About 7,000 people came to watch "Big Cars" race. These cars were like the early versions of today's sprint cars. Clay Corbitt won that first big race! After that, it was 12 years before cars raced there again.

Starting Fremont Speedway

In 1951, Joe and Dorothy Stelter, along with Harry Maynor, officially started Fremont Speedway. Their first track was a bit smaller and flatter. On September 30, 1951, about 1,500 fans watched the first official race. Leo Caldwell won the main event.

Over the years, the track had different owners. After Joe Stelter passed away in 1962, his wife Dot became one of the first female race promoters in the country! She kept the track running until 1976.

New Owners and Cool Changes

The track changed hands a few times in the 1990s. Then, in 2000, a former driver named Jim Ford leased the track. He made many improvements, making it even better for racing.

Fremont Speedway has been a leader in dirt track racing. It was one of the first tracks to have the popular 305 sprint car division. In 2000, Jim Ford also created the dirt truck division. This made it easier and more affordable for new drivers to start racing. Fremont Speedway was also the first dirt track to use special "soft wall" technology, which makes racing safer.

Many famous race car drivers have competed at Fremont Speedway. Some big names include Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Jeff Gordon, Dave Blaney, and Kasey Kahne. Rick Ferkel, known as "The Ohio Traveler," even started his amazing career with a win here! The track has hosted nearly 100 All Star Circuit of Champions events, which is why it's called "Home of the All Stars."

Hall of Fame

Fremont Speedway has a special Hall of Fame to honor people who have made a big difference to the track. This includes drivers, owners, and others who have helped make Fremont Speedway what it is today.

Top Champions

Some drivers have won many championships at Fremont Speedway:

• In 410 Sprint Cars, Mark Keegan has won 8 championships, and Jim Linder has won 5.
• For 305 Sprint Cars, Bryan Scott and Stuart Brubaker each have 3 championships.
• In Dirt Trucks, Steve Sabo has won 4 championships.

All-Time Race Winners

Here are the drivers with the most feature wins at Fremont Speedway (as of April 5, 2012):