Story By: MIKE LEONE / SHARON SPEEDWAY – HARTFORD, OH – After coming off a successful 15th annual “Lou Blaney Memorial” last Saturday night, Sharon Speedway returns to action with a “Steel Valley Thunder” program presented by M&R Power Equipment this Saturday night (July 15). The four-division racing card will feature the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds along with the Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars, Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, and the HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. It’s Twin-State Auto Racing Club Night. Racing begins at 7 p.m.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds presented by Alcon Mechanical, Autism Awareness, King Bros. Ready Mix Concrete, King’s Sanitary Services, and Russ King Racing will headline Saturday’s show for the their third appearance of 2023. The ground pounders will battle for $1,500 to-win, $200 to-start (complete payoff below).
Back on June 17, Garrett Krummert ended a near eight-year winless drought in the division to take the $1,500 main event over the 20-car field. Last Saturday night, the BRP Tour made their only appearance of the season and it was Canadian invader Mat Williamson earning his first career Sharon victory, worth $2,500, as there were 40 cars on hand!
The Big-Block Modifieds were a weekly attraction at Sharon from 1981-1992 then again from 1996-2017 and have since made limited appearances each year. There have been 635 races run with 95 different winners. The late Lou Blaney leads the all-time win list with 121 victories over Rex King, who has 54 checkered flags. Rex King, Jr. has the most wins as an active racer with 27 followed by veterans Jim Rasey (19), Brian Swartzlander (14), and Dave Murdick (9). Other active Modified winners include Erick Rudolph (4), Jeremiah Shingledecker (4), Peter Britten (2), Brad Rapp (2), Steve Feder (2), Garrett Krummert (2), Chad Brachmann (1), Kyle Fink (1), Lonny Riggs (1), Mark Frankhouser (1), Mike Maresca (1), Ryan Susice (1), and Mat Williamson (1).
The Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars have made four appearances at Sharon this season with Chad Ruhlman winning all four. The Erie, Pa. driver won the May 13 opener then won the May 25 $800 special as an undercard to the World of Outlaws Late Models. On June 17, Ruhlman won from 17th after a thrilling duel with Blaze Myers, and once again out-dueled Myers to win the $800 “Wednesday Night Thunder” event on June 28. The RUSH Sprints have had 22 or 23 cars for all four events this season. Ruhlman has won 13 of the 28 races run all-time at Sharon as the four-time Series champion currently leads RUSH $5,000 to-win Sunbelt Weekly Series Championship points.
The Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks will make their fourth visit of 2023. All three victors to date have been first time Sharon winners! Invader Tim Bish won the $1,000 special on May 20; Jordan Perkins of New Castle, Pa. scored a popular win on June 3; and most recently, Jackson Humanic finally got the monkey off his back winning on June 17. Will there be a fourth first time Sharon winner on Saturday night or will one of the veterans reign supreme?
The HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will complete the four-division program. The 10th year division has produced three different winners as only Ben Easler has been able to repeat. The 2022 RUSH Weekly Series Champion won the season opener then returned to Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane at the last show on June 17. Ayden Cipriano and Garrett Krummert have also been victorious. Two-time track champion, Kole Holden, has won five races around the circuit to lead the $3,500 Weekly Series points; however, is still searching for his first Sharon win of 2023. Cipriano leads the $1,000 Wedge Motorsports “Route 7 Rumble” Series points.
Summit Racing Equipment will present the hard charger award to the RUSH Sportsman Modified division. The driver that passes the most cars in the feature will receive a $100 Summit gift card. In the event of a tie, the tiebreaker will be the driver that finished highest in the feature.
Big-Block Modified Payoff: 1. $1,500 2. $1,000 3. $750 4. $550. 5. $500 6. $425 7. $375 8. $300 9. $275 10. $250 11. $225 12. $220 13. $215 14. $210 15. $205 16-24. $200. Tow $75.