Bradner’s Dussel, Gibsonburg’s Brubaker battle at Fremont

Nate Dussel was feeling upset about his racing fortunes as of late. Then a phone call with long time sponsor and family friend Bill Berrier Saturday morning put things into perspective.
The Bradner, Ohio driver used lapped traffic to take the lead in the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 Sprint feature on lap five and sliced through lapped traffic on a heavy Fremont Speedway Saturday, Sept. 12 to earn his second feature win of the season and the $5,000 payday. Dussel had to fight off Gibsonburg driver Stuart Brubaker to win the race.
“I had a pretty tough conversation with Bill Berrier this morning…you know his wife is going through hell right now. I was pretty pissy about how we’ve been running and last night and I thought grow up dude there’s people fighting way bigger fights than we’re fighting. This is for Bill and Cathy…hope it lifts their spirits a little bit,” said Dussel in Victory Lane.
Dussel and Duane Zablocki brought the field to green for the 30-lap 410 sprint feature with Zablocki grabbing the early lead over Dussel, Stuart Brubaker, DJ Foos, Caleb Griffith, Cap Henry and Trey Jacobs. The leaders raced into heavy lapped traffic by the fifth circuit and Dussel used it to grab the lead.
Dussel began to pull away, slicing through lapped traffic like a surgeon with Brubaker taking second on lap 12 with Zablocki, Henry, TJ Michael, Dean Jacobs and Tim Shaffer in pursuit.  The first race stoppage came on lap 20 when Caleb Griffith tumbled in turn two; he was okay. After allowing drivers to put on more helmet tear-offs, the race resumed with but only for a lap when something broke on Trey Jacobs’ mount. On the restart Dussel pulled away again with Henry, Michael, Foos and Dean Jacobs giving chase.
Dussel hit his marks perfectly the remaining eight laps and drove to the win over Brubaker, Henry, Michael and Foos.
“First half of that race I was probably one of the few who could maneuver. That last nine laps I couldn’t stop plowing and I thought man I’m going to give Stewie (Stuart Brubaker) this win. I would go through two tear-offs in one corner and I thought man that doesn’t add up for 30 laps…I’m going to be out of tear-offs. I fell in line here and there but took my chances when I had to,” said Dussel beside his No. 1.
Republic, Ohio’s Cap Henry, who earned the 2020 Attica Raceway Park track championship, wrapped up the 2020 All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series Presented by the Baumann Auto Group with his third place finish.
“Things kind of went our way there that last little bit at the end. We got lucky and started on the front row of the heat race and got through the heat race. It was hard to pass but we knew we were okay starting there in the feature and just had to run our race. I can’t say enough about Zack, Brett, Jim, Conner and all the girls behind this deal. Everyone puts in so much time and effort and this is really special,” said Henry of his Lane Racing machine.
Fremont’s Paul Weaver inherited the lead in the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprint feature with just three laps to go when Shawn Valenti pulled off the track. Weaver went on to score his fifth win of the season at Fremont – it’s his 12th overall in 2020 with seven wins at Attica – and it was his 56th career win at  “The Track That Action Built” putting him seventh on the all-time win list. The victory also gave weaver the NAPA of Bryan AFCS Presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales championship.
“I closed on him (Valenti)….I don’t know if there was something wrong…maybe he ran out of tear-offs. I was using a tear-off every other lap. This whole weekend everything went perfect…starting out front and getting heat race points…just everything went my way. Hate to see what’s going to happen tomorrow,” said Weaver beside his No. 1W.
Austin Black, 18, from Clyde started racing go-karts when he was four-years-old. This year he decided to strap in a dirt truck and compete. The youngster looked like a seasoned veteran, leading all 20 laps and holding off former track champion Kent Brewer and Jim Holcomb for his first ever win in the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Trucks. After an opening lap yellow, the feature went non-stop and Black not only was battling to maintain the lead but had to do so in heavy lapped traffic the last half of the race.
“I have to thank Tony Myers, my mom and dad and everyone that helps me out. When I saw Jim Holcomb coming I thought I’d better get going and next thing you know lapped traffic came and that’s all she wrote and I had to figure out what to do. This feels like a dream right now,” said Black beside his No. 78.
Mike Keegan and Shawn Valenti brought the field to green for the 25 lap 305 sprint A-main with Valenti bolting into the lead over Keegan, Jamie Miller, Kasey Ziebold and Paul Weaver. After a lap was scored two cars got hooked together bringing out the caution. On the restart Valenti pulled away from Keegan, Miller, Ziebold and Weaver.
Keegan great run came to an end when he slipped over the cushion in turn two and made contact with the wall. On the restart Valenti again pulled away from Miller, Weaver, Ziebold, Zeth Sabo and Kyle Peters. Heavy lapped traffic came into play with seven laps to go with Valenti leading Miller and a closing Weaver. Weaver took second on lap 20 and three laps later Valenti slowed and pulled into the infield.
Out front, Weaver drove to the win over an impressive run for Sabo, Miller, Seth Schneider and Ziebold.
After an opening lap crash, the dirt truck feature went non-stop for 20 laps and was very entertaining. Pole-sitter Black grabbed the lead over Dustin Keegan, John Brooks, Jim Holcomb and Kent Brewer. Brooks took second on lap two with Holcomb taking the spot a lap later. From there it was a tremendous three truck battle the remaining 17 laps.
Black sliced his way through traffic while Holcomb and Brewer traded the runner-up spot just feet behind him every lap. Holcomb made several moves to Black’s inside while in lapped traffic but couldn’t get the pass.
As they raced to the white flag, Holcomb tried to get under Black and hit one of the infield tractor tires, putting Brewer into second. Coming to the checkers Brewer tried to race under Black but couldn’t get by as Black took the win by just feet over Brewer, Holcomb, Shawn Valenti and Jamie Miller.
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