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BOSS Sprints & Sweeney RUSH Late Model Touring Series Doubleheader Saturday at Sharon

By Mike Leone

August 14, 2013

(Hartford, OH)…After losing the first BOSS/RUSH doubleheader to Mother Nature on July 6, Sharon Speedway is expecting better weather Saturday as the non-wing Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) and Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Series will be the featured attraction this Saturday, August 17. The Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products Econo Mods, and Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks will also be in competition. Race time is 7 p.m.

BOSS is in its third year of competition and has grown in popularity and in both quantity and quality of competition. Last year, former track champion Jack Sodeman, Jr. went down in the record books as the very first winner of a non-wing Sprint Car race on the new 3/8-mile track. Twenty-two Sprints were on hand about an hour before start time before the rains washed out the July 6 show.

This year, seven of the 14 BOSS events have been completed with seven different winners and at least a full field of cars or more at each event! Robert Ballou won the opening race at Fremont, while winged racer Sheldon Haudenschild won his first career non-wing race at Wayne County, local Brandon Spithaler captured the victory at home track- Mercer Raceway Park, Joss Moffatt won at Lawrenceburg, Tony Beaber was victorious at Pittsburgh, Sodeman won at Lernerville the night before the last scheduled BOSS show at Sharon, and Justin Grant was the most recent winner at Lawrenceburg.

Evans City, Pennsylvania’s Brandon Spithaler has taken over the point lead. Spithaler owns six career wins in the former Limited Sprint division at Sharon, but has yet to win in the “410s� at the track he started his racing career at. Spithaler has a 19-point lead on Mike Miller with Beaber just one more point back. Chad Wilson and Kirk Jeffries complete the top five. For more information, check out www.buckeyesprints.com.

The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series returns for their fourth of five visits during the 2013 season. Saturday is a big one with $2,000 on the line to the winner of the 30-lap “Gary Knollinger Memorial� feature! Past winners of the Knollinger Memorial include Max Blair in 2011 and Joe Martin in 2012.

Knollinger, of Triadelphia, WV, was a standout Crate Late Model racer for several seasons in the Northeast and considered Sharon his favorite track. Knollinger captured his first career touring victory in 2010 at Sharon, but succumbed to injuries on Christmas Day 2010 after being struck by a vehicle near his business. Knollinger was well-liked by his fellow racers, fans, and Series and Speedway Officials. The Knollinger Family will be on hand to present the beautiful winner’s trophy and also award and extra $25 to positions three and eight in the feature due to Gary’s car number being 38K.

The Sweeney Tour has completed 12 of its 25 scheduled events this season. Rick Singleton won the inaugural event at Hagerstown. Mike Pegher, Jr. leads the way with three victories (Sharon, Hagerstown & Roaring Knob), while Ryan Montgomery (Sharon & Roaring Knob) and Max Blair (McKean & Sharon) are the only other two repeat winners. Single victories have gone to Bryce Davis, Josh Double, Kyle Lukon, and Russell King.

While only show-up points will be awarded for the regular Sharon points, points will be on the line in four other RUSH championship series including Sweeney Touring, Sweeney Weekly, Pace Performance “Summer Chase�, and the “Futures Cup�.

Pegher sits atop the Sweeney Tour standings by 24 over Montgomery. Just 10 points separate the third place battle between Joe Martin and Singleton, while fifth place is a tie between Canadian Jorden Peters and Maryland racer Matt Glanden. Completing the top 10 in points are Butch Lambert, Chad Ruhlman, Cody Dawson, and Michael Lake. For more information, check out www.rushracingseries.com.

Sharon’s regulars will be chomping at the bit to fend off the invaders like current point leader and four-time winner, Dennis Lunger, Jr., defending champion Will Thomas III, 2011 champion Josh Double along with winners Matt Latta and Eric Wilson, along with several others.

It might have taken Tim Burns over four months to do it, but his season’s first win last Saturday night has charged up him for another run at a Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Car Championship. The Greenville, Pa. defending champion became the ninth different winner in 13 races and has closed the gap to just 19 behind Mike Clark, who is after his first championship. The Stock Car count has picked up and quality and competitiveness is top notch.

Last Saturday night, 12-year-old Jacob Eucker thrilled the throngs of fans that turned out for Fan Appreciation Night. The nearby Hartford, Ohio racer already has an amazing four victories this season and is third place in points. Eucker trails Jeremy Double by 34 and is only four behind early point leader Ryan Fraley, who has struggled in recent weeks.

The 17-year-old Double of Bristolville, Ohio is primed for his first championship with a stellar six victories and four runner-up finishes. Rookie Ty Rhoades brings his impressive streak of eight streak top five finishes into Saturday night and his fourth place standing.

After a mid-season slump, Scott Gilliland returned to form last Saturday night and was able to garner his sixth win to maintain a 37-point lead over rookie Travis Creech in the Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. It’s been somewhat of a disappointing season for 2011 champion Bill Fuchs and 2012 champion Jim Haefke, Jr. Fuchs has only two wins to Haefke’s one and leads Haefke by just one-point in the race for third in points as their chances of adding another title are quickly evaporating.

Once again Saturday night, one lucky boy and girl under the age of 14 will win a bicycle or scooter thanks to King Bros. and Sharon Speedway.

Pits open at 4 p.m. Saturday with grandstands at 5. Group qualifying for the RUSH Late Models will be at approximately 6:30 p.m. with racing at 7. Grandstand admission for those 14 and over is $15, while children under 14 are always free. Pit passes are $30. Parking and camping is always free.

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 and follow us on Twitter at @SharonSpdwy.

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