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After losing out on 2013 DIRTcar Big-Block Mod Championship to Jim Weller, Rex King, Jr. defeats Weller to win $1010 "Drive to be a Champion" title

By Mike Leone

January 13, 2014

(Hartford, OH)…With the western Pa./eastern Ohio region down to just two weekly speedways running Big-Block Modifieds, Sharon Speedway has worked hard in recent years to preserve the longstanding division that has been part of the weekly program since going back to dirt in 1981. Sharon joined with Lernerville Speedway under the DIRTcar sanction in 2012 and for the second straight year offered the separate “Drive to be a Champion� program in memory of Lou Blaney. The result has been increased car counts over the past two seasons.

In the inaugural 2012 season, Rex King topped Dave Murdick and Kevin Bolland to win the $1,010 “Drive to be a Champion� prize as those three racers shared $1,830. In 2013, thanks to additional sponsors (see list below), the pot grew to $2,300! The top 10 drivers will now share in the point fund that will be distributed during the 2013 Awards Banquet & Dinner at Yankee Lake (OH) Ballroom on Saturday, February 1. The program again used drivers’ best 10 finishes during 2013 with the addition of 10 bonus points for competing in the August 20 “Lou Blaney Memorial�.

For the second straight year a King earned the “Drive to be a Champion� title. Behind a career high five victories, Rex King, Jr. of Bristolville, Ohio took the $1,010 top honors in the KMB, Inc.-owned, Jim Brown Seed Sales/Bristol Disposal/Cedar Steel/Professional Heating & Cooling/Reese Services/King Sanitary Service-sponsored #165.

Jim Weller, Jr., who had a phenomenal season winning three features and recording five runner-up finishes that propelled him to the Governor Insurance Agency track championship, finished second in the program and will receive $310. The elder Rex King, who won 2012 the “Drive to be a Champion� program, dropped to third place this past season for $210.

The following drivers finished fourth through tenth in the program and will receive an extra $110: Dave Murdick, Ricky Richner, Jeremiah Shingledecker, Eric Gabany, Rob Kristyak, Jimmy Weller III, and Bob Warren.

The 2013 “Drive to be a Champion� sponsors included Colonial Metals (Bill Thomas), New Breed (Jerry Morell), Wedge Motorsports (Dave Willoughby), DB Racing (Dave Blaney), Carpenter’s Towing (Rudy Carpenter), Tom Keir Family, Bob Morell, Dale Blaney, and Ryan Blaney Motorsports.

FINAL 2013 “Drive to be a Champion� DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Top 10 Points: 1. REX KING, JR. (165) 296 2. Jim Weller, Jr. (31) 282 3. Rex King (65) 276 4 Dave Murdick (61) 266 5. Ricky Richner (26) 250 6. Jeremiah Shingledecker (37MD) 236 7. Eric Gabany (3E) 218 8. Rob Kristyak (00) 186 9. Jimmy Weller III (23) 183 10. Bob Warren (96B) 181.

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 www.twitter.com/sharonspdwy.

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