Story By: MIKE LEONE / SHARON SPEEDWAY – HARTFORD, OH – After losing three of the last six scheduled events to rain, Sharon Speedway is looking forward to better weather this weekend for a doubleheader of action.
Friday night (July 21) will feature the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars and the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, while Saturday night (July 22) will be the fifth annual “Steel Valley Pro Stock Nationals” for the Homak Penn-Ohio Championship Series along with the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds presented by A&MP Electric.
On Friday night, Sprint Car hot lap/qualifying will get underway at 6:45 p.m. followed by racing, while on Saturday night the Stocks will hot lap/qualify at 6:30 p.m. followed by racing.
For the first time, “The Night Before the Nationals” will include a complete program of racing on Friday night. The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars were a recent addition to the show with no events taking place for them in western Pennsylvania. The weekly Lernerville payoff will be used; however, thanks to Shaun Krill of Krill Recycling, an additional $1,000 has been added into the top three positions with $2,500 going to the winner.
The “410” Sprint Cars have competed five times this season with four different winners and car counts of 30+ at each event. Dave Blaney won the May 13 opener then backed that up by winning another $3,000 in his next appearance on June 3 for the Western PA Speedweek event for his 36th career Sharon “410” victory . In between, Donny Schatz won his first Sharon “410” race when the World of Outlaws visited on May 20 for $10,000. Dale Blaney topped a season high 37-car field on June 28 in the $4,000 “Wednesday Night Thunder” show, and most recently Tyler Courtney won the $10,000 All Star-sanctioned “Lou Blaney Memorial” over a season high 43-car field.
The Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks will open the two-night weekend on Friday night running in a complete show utilizing Sharon’s weekly payoff. If there are 24 or more cars, the Stocks will race for $750 to-win.
A new format will be used for Saturday’s fifth annual “Steel Valley Pro Stock Nationals”. Drivers will qualify and then will be split into two groups with each running heat races, a dash, B Main(s) if necessary, and a 35-lap feature. Regardless of car count, TWO features will be run with each paying $3,500 to win, $300 to start.
Sponsors for driver awards include Jesse Brock-(2) hard charger awards, Team 7W-(2) dash winner awards, Ringgold Plumbing and Heating-overall fastest qualifier award, Jimmy Fosnaught Racing-longest tow award, Lynchwood Spirits-hard luck award, Lias Tire/American Racer-2 AR tire certificates, Keyser Manufacturing/Integra Shocks-set of 4 Integra Racing Shocks, and Homak Manufacturing-tool cart.
Fan giveaways include a Homak tool cart and over 20 kids’ bikes/scooters. Tickets for a chance to win will be given to fans each day of the event with drawings being held on Saturday. One lucky adult fan will walk away with a Homak tool cart, while lots of kids will take home a bike or scooter. Thanks to all of those who donated bikes for the event, and special thanks to Scott and Cyndi Stiffler of Integra Fabricating.
Sponsors of the twin 35s include: STAAR Trucking as the premier event sponsor; as well as Homak, Close Racing Supply, Les Frickshun, Bish Heating and Cooling, R&R Enterprise Auto Sales, Virgile Iron & Steel, RCR Automotive, Stoneboro Recycling, BT Truck & Auto Service, 3C Graphix, SS Chassis & Supply, Hooks Auto, NorthStar Unlimited, Shaffer’s Auto & Exhaust, Roostit Chassis, Wedge Motorsports, Shingledecker Welding, and The Dirt Network.
In the 2018 inaugural event, Brent Johnson fended off Chris Schneider in a near photo finish for his first career Sharon win and the $10,000 prize. The 2019 event saw Curt J. Bish race from the 15th starting spot to pass Bobby Whitling on lap 50 and kept the standout at bay over the final one-third of the race to capture his biggest career win. The COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2020 event. In 2021, Schneider finally broke through to win the biggest race of his career as he inherited the lead with 10 to go after Chris McGuire suffered a flat tire. Last year, Bish became the event’s first repeat winning charging from the 26th starting spot to earn another $10,000 payday.
After raining out on June 24, the Hovis Auto & Truck UMP Modifieds presented by A&MP Electric will be making their first appearance of 2023 on Saturday night and will be competing for the $1,000 top prize. The event is part of the “Local’s Cup” Series with Raceway 7, Eriez Speedway, and Mercer Raceway. The UMP Modifieds will return on August 5 and August 19 for the $1,558 to-win “Bill Gabrielson Memorial”.
Since the division’s inception some 30 years, the class formerly known as the E-Mods has competed 327 times at Sharon between the former 1/2-mile and current 3/8-mile with 60 different winners. Alan Dellinger is the division’s all-time winner with 87 victories over active racer Joel Watson, who is expected to be on hand. Other active racers in the division with wins include Jeff Johnson (18), Carl McKinney (10), Joe Gabrielson (9), Dan Davies (5), Dave Hess, Jr. (4), Will Thomas III (4), Brent Rhebergen (3), Brian Ruhlman (2), David Scott (1), Dustin DeMattia (1), Jacob Eucker (1), Jonathan Taylor (1), Mike Potosky (1), Rich Michael, Jr. (1), Steve Haefke (1), and Ty Rhoades (1).
Summit Racing Equipment will present the hard charger award to the Pro Stock division on Friday night and the UMP Modified division on Saturday night. 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.
As a Senior Project, Meghan Rubright will have tables set up behind the grandstands with Chinese Auction Baskets and race car door panels on Friday and Saturday in an effort to raise funds to promote Childhood Cancer Awareness. Meghan will have cancer ribbon decals for fans to purchase in support of a loved one. Pro stock driver Steve D’Apolito will have the purchased ribbons displayed on his car.
“410” Sprint Car Payoff: 1. $2,500 2. $1,400 3. $1,100 4. $700 5. $600 6. $550 7. $500 8. $450 9. $400 10. $350 11. $325 12. $300 13. $275 14. $250. 15. $235 16. $230 17-24. $225. Tow/Non Qualifiers $100.
Pro Stock Twin 35 Payoff (each feature on Saturday): 1. $3,500 2. $1,750 3. $1,000 4. $700 5. $650 6. $600 7. $550 8. $525 9. $500 10. $475 11. $450 12. $425 13. $400 14. $375 15. $350 16. $325 17-24. $325.
UMP Modified Payoff: 1. $1,000 2. $700 3. $400 4. $300 5. $200 6. $175 7. $140 8. $125 9. $120 10. $115 11. $110 12. $105 13-24. $100. Tow/Non-Qualifiers $50.
There is no Sharon registration fee. One-way driver radios are mandatory; channel 454.000. AMB/MyLaps transponders are required; rentals available for $25. If you have yet to register for the 2023 season, please bring the registration form with you completed http://sharonspeedway.myracepass.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=713060
Fans can not only experience viewing from the frontstretch and backstretch grandstands, but also from the infield fan zone, which includes concessions and restrooms. Sharon is the only track in the area to have viewing from the unique infield perspective. There will be times throughout the night when fans can cross on the frontstretch back and forth.
On Friday, pits will be open throughout the afternoon with all gate ticket sales beginning at 5. Sprint motor heat will be at 6:20 p.m. with hot lap/qualifying for the Sprints at 6:45 followed by racing.
On Saturday, pits will be open all day with pit passes going on sale at 4 p.m., while general admission opens at 5 p.m. Hot lap/qualifying for the Stocks will be at 6:30 p.m. followed by racing.
Grandstand/fan zone admission for those 14 and over is $15, while senior admission is $10. Patio seating upgrades are just $10 and fan suite seating upgrades are just $20 over the cost of general admission. These can be upgraded on race night at the track office. Tickets are available through https://sharonspeedway.simpletix.com. As always, children under 14 and parking are always FREE. Pit passes are $30 on Friday and $35 on Saturday. As a reminder, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.
Camping opens on Thursday at 5 p.m. Camping spots are $25 for the weekend and can be reserved through the following link: https://www.simpletix.com/e/rv-trailer-tent-camping-tickets-122979
Coming up next Saturday (July 29) will be the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars racing for $3,000 to-win along with the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and the Whelen Econo Mods. Race time is 7 p.m.