The phrase “speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far” certainly applies to 410 winged sprint car driver D.J. Foos.
The Fremont, Ohio, racer may seem shy and reserved to most, but once the 32-year-old straps in his Burmeister Racing sprint car, he is confident he has one of the best machines on the track — and that confidence has translated to numerous victories and championships.
In arguably his best racing year yet, Foos won eight features last season and claimed the Fremont Speedway and the All Pro Aluminum Heads-Kistler Racing Products Attica Fremont Championship Series titles.
Foos credits the great season to the hard work of the small Fremont-based sprint car team that has fielded cars for more than 60 years.
“We have a great foundation as a team and a great group of individuals that help support the team,” Foos said. “I feel like the team has been able to provide me with great equipment and resources to get the job done.”
Last year’s triumphant campaign followed a struggle in 2020.
“We only had two wins and they came pretty late into the season. I really feel like we built off of our 2020 campaign and we carried that speed into 2021,” Foos said. “Mike Sommers, the crew chief on the car, had the car very consistent night in and night out. Doug Berryman at Berryman Racing Shocks had made some changes on our program toward the end of 2020 and I felt that had made a huge change in our program.”
When you know your car owners and crew give you a “big stick” with which to battle the competition, it can put pressure on the driver.
“I knew it was going to be up to me to minimize my mistakes on the race track and the wins would come,” Foos said. “After I had won at Attica Raceway Park for the first time (March 2021), Larry Helms told me, ‘You know why you won that race? Because you put yourself in position and you were there at the end of the race to capitalize on the opportunity when it presented itself.’ I always try to remind myself of that statement and I try not to take unnecessary risks early on in a feature event.”
While many outside of Ohio might think the eight-win season was the epitome of Foos’ success behind the wheel, his steps along the way since he began racing sprint cars prove there’s more to come.
He began racing go-karts at the age of 12 and soon moved into the tough 305 sprint car division, competing at Fremont Speedway and nearby Attica Raceway Park.
“I had grown up around sprint car racing. I lived right down the road from Mike Linder’s shop and my dad used to take us down to his place,” Foos explained. “We would probably go to his shop two to three times a week. My brother and I would go to the races as kids at Fremont Speedway.
“I had gotten my first opportunity to race sprint cars with Rich Farmer to start out in the 305 division. After racing for Rich for a year and a half, my dad and I bought him out and continued racing on our own. We continued to race for a few more years and had a decent amount of success. My final year in the 305 division was in 2012.”
Foos’ goal this year is to win an All Star race. (Paul Arch photo)
Foos won the 305 sprint car championship at Attica in 2010 and at Fremont in 2012, along with the FAST (Fremont-Attica Sprint Title) championship.
“In 2013, I was given the opportunity to drive for Marilyn Genzman in the 410 division at Attica Raceway Park and Fremont Speedway. As years have gone on I have gotten to drive for some really great car owners,” Foos said. “I am forever grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to drive their race cars — Rich Farmer, Marilyn Genzman, Bill Coomer, Jay Kiser, Mike Britt, Dave Baumgartner, Sharon Burmeister and Burmeister Racing.”
In his first season of 410 sprint car racing, Foos won the Fremont, Attica and FAST rookie-of-the-year awards.
Four years later, he claimed the 2017 FAST championship behind the wheel of Kiser’s machine. He followed that up in 2019 by moving to the Burmeister ride where he captured the Attica track title and the AFCS championship.
Of Foos’ eight wins in 2021, six came at Fremont and two at Attica.
Foos was nearly unbeatable at Fremont Speedway in 2021, especially when the track slicked off by feature time. Of the 15 winged 410 features at the track, he recorded six victories, including three in a row between June 25 and July 31.
With the exception of an 18th-place finish against the All Stars on June 12, Foos never finished out of the top 10 at Fremont with an average finish of fourth.
“It goes back to go-kart racing and being able to hold the car straight. I run through the middle at Fremont Speedway because sometimes the top of the race track gets too far around and everyone runs the bottom and you cannot pass if you follow. So go where they are not,” Foos said.
In addition to the two victories, Foos recorded six top-five finishes and 12 top-10 runs at the third-mile track.
“Sonny and Sharon Burmeister have had a race team at Fremont Speedway for over 60 years,” Foos noted. “This team would not be where it is today without the help of Rollie and Chrissy Burmeister and kids, Rodney Burmeister and kids, Mike Sommers, L.J. Sommers, Josh Kirkbride, Mike Britt and Justin Smith.
“It meant a lot to me to get the 2021 Fremont track championship as we have been so close two other times in our three years together,” he added. “Both of those were tough on our team as we lost our first championship by two points in 2019 and the next by only one point in 2020. I was happy to finally be able to accomplish the goals we had set. Fremont is my hometown, so it meant a lot to me and our team.”
Foos believes his relationship with Sommers contributes to the team’s success.
“We listen to what each other has to say about the race car and we discuss the decisions that will help make the car better. Mike Sommers can always give me a good race car,” said Foos.
Despite his successes, Foos is concerned about his struggles when the All Star Circuit of Champions or World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series invade his “home turf.”
“You know, Burmeister Racing has provided me with all the tools to get the job done and I haven’t been able to get it done for those big shows,” he said candidly. “They have won All Star races and finished on the podium at World of Outlaw races. I think that there are times when I am just not aggressive enough and that hurts me at the bigger events. I have to step it up this season. I have championships and wins at our tracks, but I always seem to struggle at the bigger events. My goal this year is definitely to win an All Star race.”
As for this season, Foos says the team plans to battle for titles at Attica, Fremont and the AFCS.
He added, “I hope to run Ohio Speedweek and potentially the Kings Royal. The big goal will be to win an All Star race.”
Keyword: Speak Softly & Carry A Big Stick