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SNOW FINALLY ALLOWS SNOWMOBILE RACES TO HAPPEN; 9 DIFFERENT RACERS VICTORIOUS AMONGST 11 FEATURES

By Mike Leone

January 21, 2012

(Hartford, OH)…After a raving success at last year’s inaugural “Circle Track Showdown� Snowmobile Races, a mild winter had forced the last two scheduled events to be postponed and it appeared Saturday’s event would again have to be lost, but several inches of snow fell just in time on Thursday and then again Friday night to allow the second annual event to take place at Sharon Speedway. This year’s event was presented by JohnnyK’s Powersports of Niles, Ohio with associate sponsorship by Northstar Power Sports of Hermitage, Pa.

A $5 ticket allowed fans to watch nearly four hours of exciting snowmobile action around the 3/8-mile oval. Some 23 events were contested featuring three-lap heat races and six-lap features with drivers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Nine different drivers captured wins amongst the 11 features run as Jeff Weber and Rod Krupp were the only multiple winners. Krupp also picked up a pair of heat wins as part of his four checkered flags, while Weber won one of his heat races.

Race fans recognized several Saturday night auto racers, who took their sleds to the track, including DIRTcar Big-Block Modified racers Jim Rasey and his son Justin, E-Mod standouts Joel Watson and good friend Mike Kinney, Stock Car driver Steve Burns, Jr., and former Modified and asphalt racer Gene Kirila.

“I have to thank everyone for supporting this,� stated third year GM Dave Willoughby. “It turned into being a last minute decision to host the event with the way the weather has been. We know it wasn’t easy with the snowfall for everyone to get to the track as well. The program wasn’t perfect, but we continue to learn each time and figure out ways to make it better for next time.�

The next “Circle Track Showdown� Snowmobile Races presenyed by JohnnyK’s Powersports will take place on Saturday, February 11, weather permitting.

Results by division with winner’s hometown and make & model of sled:

12-14 Child: 1. BRANDON BEADER (Hermitage, PA – Polaris XC700) 2. Cole Saloom

0-400: 1. JASON RAGER (Plymouth, OH- Polaris TXL 340) 2. Jeff Rice 3. Shawn Swogger 4. Aaron Fitzgerald 5. Michael Mattes

400 Vintage: 1. JEFF WEBER (Cheektowaga, NY – Ski Doo RV) 2. Jason Rager 3. Jeff Cann 4. Bill Rice 5. Gene Kirila 6. Michael Batchelder 7. Michael Mattes

400 Vintage Senior: 1. JEFF KRAYNAK (Youngstown, OH – Polaris TX 440) 2. Larry Newell 3. Jim Rice 4. Jimmy Mattes 5. Bill Rice 6. John O’Brien-DNS.

401-500 Leaf: 1. JEFF WEBER (Cheektowaga, NY – Ski Doo RV) 2. Steve Burns, Jr. 3. Todd Wolf 4. Tim Gillung 5. Jimmy Mattes 6. Chad Schultz 7-14. ?

401-500 I.S.: ROLF KRUPP (Wakeman, OH – Arctic Cat Sno Pro) 2. Bill Hanko 3. Mike Kinney 4. Joel Watson

501-600 I.S.: 1. ROD KRUPP (Wakeman, OH – Polaris XC-SP) 2. Jeff Kraynak 3. Rolf Krupp 4. Bill Hanko 5. Tyler Ochs 6. Gary Rogers 7. Paul Kirila 8. Jim Rasey 9. Justin Rasey-DNS.

501-600 Vintage Senior: 1. ROBERT EVANGELISTA (Perry, OH – Cat Ext 580) 2. Tyler Ochs 3. David O’Connor, Jr.

601-700: 1. ROD KRUPP (Wakeman, OH – Polaris XC-SP) 2. Jim Rasey 3. Robert Minto 4. Brian Beader 5. Justin Rasey 6. Jeff Kraynak 7. Jason Nemeth.

701-800: 1. CRAIG SALOOM (Masury, OH – Arctic Cat 700 Firecat) 2. Rod Krupp 3. Todd Flamisch 4. Gary Rogers 5-7. ?

801 Mods: 1. MARK PRESTON (West Middlesex, PA) 2. Chad Schultz 3. Joseph Powell 4. Robert Minton 5. Bill Germadnik 6. Don Drass.

The 2011 Sharon Speedway Awards Banquet and Dinner is coming up on Saturday, February 4. Anyone wishing to attend is urged to send in their ticket order as soon as possible.

Stayed tuned for more information on Sharon Speedway in the coming weeks. Sharon Speedway is owned by the Blaney, Weller, and Kirila Families and is a 3/8-mile dirt track located on Custer-Orangeville Road in Hartford, Ohio near the intersection of Routes 7 & 305. For more information, check out the website at www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481. Become a fan of Sharon Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway.

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