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"Steel Valley Thunder" returns Saturday for PCTC Night; Ohio Speedweek for All Star Sprints coming Tuesday

By Mike Leone

June 17, 2014

(Hartford, OH)…After another stellar turnout of fans packing the facility for Fan Appreciation and Autograph Night last Saturday, Sharon Speedway is hoping the great summer weather continues for the fifth straight week this Saturday night (June 21). The “Steel Valley Thunder� week eight program as part of the 85th anniversary season will include the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, Barris Supply RUSH Late Models, Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds, Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products Econo Mods, and Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. Race time is 7 p.m.

Saturday is the annual Pittsburgh Circle Track Club (PCTC) Night with FREE general admission for club members.

Don’t forget coming up on Tuesday, June 24 is Ohio Speedweek for the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars in a $5,000 to-win event along with the TUSA Mod Lites racing for $500. 2014 Miss Area Auto Racing News and Ms. Motorsports Runner-up Lainey Reinard will make an appearance. Advance tickets are on sale, which admits the holder grandstand access one-hour early at 3 p.m. Tickets will go on sale at 4 p.m.

Another week and another win by a King or Weller in the DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds; this time it was Rex King, Jr. picking up the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply feature last Saturday night. The scorecard now shows King, Jr. at three wins with King, Sr. Jim Weller, Jr. at two wins each. The tight championship race has featured all three drivers taking their turns at the top spot. Currently it’s King, Sr. with a two-point advantage on his son, while Weller has slipped to third at six points back. Jim Rasey and Ricky Richner, who would appear to be the two that have the best shot at unseating the lead trio, complete the top five.

Three drivers have also shown supremacy in the RUSH Late Models and that’s been Will Thomas III, Dennis Lunger, Jr. and Alan Dellinger. Lunger stopped Thomas’ three race win streak last Saturday and joined him with his third win of 2014. Dellinger meanwhile won opening night, and while he’s been consistent hasn’t been able to get back to the top spot. Thomas, the 2012 champion, has a 33-point lead on the consistent Russ Byler in the Barris Supply standings. Lunger is third despite missing one event, while Jamie Wrightsman and Clay Ruffo complete the top five.

After taking last Saturday off, Joel Watson was still able to maintain his Summit Racing Equipment Modified point lead, but just barely. The four-time winner leads the points by just two over last Saturday’s winner Steve Dixon. Dixon has made the long trip down from Smethport, Pa. to compete weekly for the first time ever. Defending champion, Mike Kinney, who also has a win is third. Currently tied for fourth is one-time winner Carl McKinney and Russ Dunn, who is driving for Jim White this season.

Mike Clark and Paul Davis began the year alternating Stock Car wins, but since Shaun Hooks and Bryan Wagner have been able to sneak wins in. Clark, who is the defending champion and three-time winner this season, has just a six-point lead on Davis in the Gibson Insurance Agency title run. Brian Carothers, who lost last Saturday’s feature on the final lap, is third with Wagner and Jamie Duncan completing the top five.

Of all six divisions, the largest championship battle is the Econo Mods. With five different winners in six races and seemingly each driver having a bad night and/or missing an event has kept the top eight drivers within just 33 points! Ironically, Ty Rhoades still sits on top of the HTMA/Precise Racing Products standings despite still looking for his first career win, which you’d have to figure is due. Brandon Blackshear is five out in second and just one ahead of defending champion Jeremy Double. Jason Longwell and Steve Burns, Jr., the division’s only repeat winner, are fourth and fifth.
Travis Creech was back in victory lane last Saturday night in the Mini Stocks and with Bill Fuchs suffering a DNF increased his Deforest Used Parts point lead to 16. The defending champion now leads all racers at the Speedway with five wins this season. Jamie Maxwell, Jim Haefke, Jr., and Joe Campbell are third through fifth in points and are all searching for their first wins.

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply will again award six complimentary pit passes for the following week; a pair going to the hard luck driver in DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, a pair to a lucky driver in the division that competes first, and a pair to a lucky fan. Summit Racing Equipment will award $25 gift cards to the hard charger in the Modified, Stock Car, and Econo Mod divisions. Sweeney Chevrolet/Pace Performance will award $50, $25, and $25 certificates to the top three GM 602 crates in the Econo Mods that have been purchased through them or have secondary seals.

Pits open at 4 p.m. with grandstands at 5, drivers meeting at 6:30 and heat races slated for 7. Admission for those 14 and over is $13. Pit passes are $30. As always, children under 13, 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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