---

$3000 to-win "Johnny Zdelar" Memorial" for Big-Block Mods highlights Saturday's "Steel Valley Thunder" show

By Mike Leone

August 5, 2015                        

(Hartford, OH)…Sharon Speedway will look to continue its string of completing events since the beginning of July as great weather is forecasted for Saturday’s (August 8) second annual “Johnny Zdelar Memorial�. The “Steel Valley Thunder� event part of the 86^th anniversary season will feature the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds, Weller Hughes Contracting & Developing RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products Econo Mods, and Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. Heat races get underway at 7 p.m.

Saturday is a corporate event for SMS Technical Services of Oil City, Pa. There will be power wheels races for kids at intermission. Saturday’s kitchen special is chicken wings. The beer and 50/50 raffle proceeds will benefit the Steve King Foundation for injured drivers. For more information, check out www.stevekingfoundation.org.

The DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds will be in the spotlight as they’ll race for $3,000 to-win in the second annual “Johnny Zdelar Memorial�. The 30-lap feature will offer a $1,000 payoff for second place and $750 going to third place. As always, if 24 or more cars are present, the entire purse will see an increase. Rex King has a 21-point lead on three-time winner, Rex King, Jr. in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply standings. Jim Weller, Jr., who won last year’s race, is getting hot winning the $2,000 “Lou Blaney Memorial� on July 11 and then won last Saturday night’s feature to move into third in points over one-time winner Ricky Richner and Jim Rasey.

Johnny Zdelar was a loving husband, dad, brother and son. Zdelar lost his life in a tragic automobile accident in November 2013. He spent most of his time working on his family’s farm. When he wasn’t planting soy bean or bailing hay he was attending Brookfield sporting events. He loved watching not only his kids play, but the rest of the Brookfield team succeed. Zdelar spent almost 30 years of his life at the race track; 20 of those years he was crew chief for King Brothers. He loved every minute at the race track. He was a person that could hold a conversation with anyone for even two seconds and that person would just fall in love with his personality, and he would consider them a friend. Johnny has been given the name “Heaven’s Pit Crew Chief�!

Will Thomas III is four weeks away from an improbable championship in the Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds. The Sharpsville, Pa. driver extended his point lead to 17 over Mike Kinney by winning last Saturday’s feature for his third victory of the season. Thomas is in his first year of open wheel racing after moving from asphalt Late Models to the RUSH Late Models where he won two of the last three titles. Third through fifth in points are Dwayne Clay, two-time winner Joel Watson, and veteran Paul Davis in his first full year in the division.

Greg Martin had to start 12^th last Saturday night after winning two straight RUSH Sportsman Modified feature. That didn’t stop Martin from his track leading sixth victory of 2015. Martin will now find himself starting last in this Saturday’s 15-lap Weller Hughes Developing & Contracting feature. The Wilson, New York driver has opened up a 50-point lead on Nick Ritchey, a one-time winner and the Bicknell Weekly Series point leader. Kole Holden, the current Bicknell “Futures Cup� point leader, one-time winner Rocky Kugel, and Chelsie Kriegisch are currently third through fifth in points.

Mike Clark became the Stock Car division’s first repeat winner last Saturday night, although it wasn’t an easy one as he stole a first win away from Gary Robinson and third place point man Brian Carothers with a late race pass. The Bristolville, Ohio driver sits atop the Gibson Insurance Agency standings now by 33 over Mike Miller in search of his third straight championship. Brian Mulichak is having his best career season in fourth, while Tony “Spaghetti� Bruno has moved into the fifth place in points.

Casey Bowers tied Ryan Fraley at three for the Econo Mod’s top winner; however, motor problems for Bowers the week prior has allowed Fraley to lead the HTMA/Precise Racing Products points by 24. It doesn’t appear Keith Felicetty will be able to challenge for the title, but he is in the midst of his career best season sitting in third comfortably ahead of Jamie Scharba and Wayne Daniels.

Bill Fuchs put an end to any outsiders coming in and winning a Mini Stock feature with his division-leading third victory last Saturday night. The Greenville, Pa. ace looks pretty much unstoppable for his third Deforest Used Parts title as he has a 40-point lead with four nights to go. Rookie Matt Rubright has moved up to second in points following his second third place finish of the season. Michael DelliQuadri, who is in his first full season, is third in points over Jamie Maxwell and Joe Keney.

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, Econo Mod, and Mini Stock divisions.

Pits open at 4 p.m. with grandstands at 5, and heat races are slated for 7. Pit passes are $30. Grandstand admission for those 14 and over is $10. As always, children under 13, parking, and camping is always FREE! Sharon has a no carry-in cooler policy.

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.

 

Back to News