Osmolski regroups to help Price Miller renew taste of Speedway winning
Parker Price Miller started his career with a blast seven years ago at Fremont Speedway.
He won his first 410 sprint car feature at Fremont and followed with his first career win with the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions a week later. A Speedway victory Saturday provided Price Miller with a boost.
The Kokomo, Indiana driver is being treated for a type of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His crew chief in 2015, hall of famer Rick Ferkel reminded Price Miller to appreciate his early success.
Price Miller took the lead with eight laps to go on the second night of the 40th annual Cometic Gasket Ohio Sprint Speedweek and drove to the $10,000 pay day on Kistler Engines/Kistler Racing Products Night at Fremont.
"Seven years is too damn long I can tell you that," Price Miller said. "I have to thank Kevin Osmolski. Earlier today when we were changing motors, he took a pretty hard hit to the head. If it were me or anyone else we probably would have went to the hospital.
"He had a pretty big gash but he made the car good for us. This thing was throttling great. I was really patient, stuck the bottom, stayed committed down there, didn’t let anything else bother me and just kept trucking. I’m really proud of this one and will remember it forever."
Gibsonburg's Craig Mintz, a former Fremont track champion, took the lead from Chris Andrews with 15 laps to go, before surrendering it to Price Miller.
Mintz had two shots at Price Miller on restarts.
"Second sucks," Mintz said. "We come here to win races but to run second to Parker, that’s a really good team. My team busted their butts. I apologize I couldn’t beat him but they were really stoked and any time I can get those guys happy and get my sponsors happy and put on a show for you guys, that’s what we are here for.
"I was good in the middle but just couldn’t get by a few lapped cars. That’s the bad part about leading, you don’t know where anyone is at and Parker snuck by me and that was all she wrote."
Current All Star point leader and defending Speedweek champion Tyler Courtney finished third after recent struggles.
"Statistically one of our worst tracks, so to come here and get better and run third on a pretty slick Fremont like we are used to is encouraging," Courtney said. "Congrats to Parker and that team. They’ve been busting their tails and have had a sort of up and down season like us.
"It’s good to have our car going in the right direction and hopefully have a great rest of the week."
Fremont’s Jamie Miller took the lead with eight laps to go in the Burmeister Trophy Dirt Truck feature from race long leader Ben Clapp and survived two cautions with just two laps to go to claim his third division win of the year and fourth at Fremont this season. Miller owns a 305 sprint win and the victory is the 34th of his career at the track.
“This thing is just so easy to drive anyone could win in it,” Miller said.
Andrews led the first 20 laps of the 35 lap All Star A-main, before Mintz took control for six laps when Price Miller made his move to the front. A green, white, checkered finish was necessary when a caution flew.
Price Miller hit his marks as Cap Henry was fourth and Chris Windom fifth.
Racing continued Sunday at Fremont.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Courtney third at Speedway
