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Lucas Oil Late Model Series set to return Friday; Star-studded field of racers to battle for $12,000 along with RUSH Sportsman Mods

By Mike Leone

April 16, 2018               

(Hartford, OH)…The 89th anniversary season at Sharon Speedway is set to begin this Friday (April 20) in a big way.  The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) will make its second ever appearance at the 3/8-mile clay oval.  The HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will also be on the card with warm-ups slated to begin at 6:15 p.m.  The event is presented by Barris Truck Service and Performance Bodies and Parts.

The LOLMDS boasts a star-studded lineup of racers that will be in competition battling in the $12,000 to-win “Steel Valley 50â€?.  The inaugural "Steel Valley 50" was scheduled to take place in 2016, but Mother Nature washed out that event.  Last year, the first ever Lucas Oil event at Sharon saw Josh Richards pick up the $10,000 win.  Richards, a four-time World of Outlaws Champion, moved over to the LOLMDS last year and captured the championship.  He's set to defend that title and got off to a fast start winning the Series' first two events this season.

One of the top names in the world of Super Late Model racing that didn't compete full-time with LOLMDS in 2017, but is back full-time in 2018 is Jonathan Davenport.  Davenport won three Series events in Florida in February, and currently leads the points.  Scott Bloomquist and Jimmy Owens will both be in search of a fourth Series title in 2018.  Bloomquist is fresh off his Series’ first win of 2018 on Friday night at Atomic Speedway.

Veteran standout Don O'Neal returns along with his son Hudson, who is coming off rookie-of-the-year honors and a ninth place points finish.  Fan favorite Tim McCreadie is back along with four-time Series champion, Earl Pearson, Jr.  Prior to last year's event, Darrell Lanigan, won the last national Super Late Model event at Sharon when he captured a WoO event n 2010.  He'll try to regain that magic on Friday night. 

Others drivers committed to LOLMDS in 2018 that will be at Sharon on Friday night include Dennis Erb, Jr., Bobby Pierce, Gregg Satterlee, Kyle Bronson, Ryan King, and "Boom" Briggs.  Several local and regional talented Late Model racers will be on hand trying to dethrone some of the best Super Late Model racers in the world.  For more information on Lucas Oil, check out their website at www.lucasdirt.com.

The HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will run a complete program for $600 to-win.  The championship points race will begin both for Sharon along with the $3,000 to-win RUSH Weekly Series Championship.  The RUSH Mods will begin their fifth season of competition at Sharon and fourth as a weekly division.  Car counts have grown each year with an average count of 24 last year.  Only on one night in each of the last two seasons has there been less than 20 cars.  Greg Martin, Brandon Ritchey, and Kole Holden are past track champions.  Top racers Alan Dellinger, Garrett Krummert, and Rob Kristyak will be new weekly competitors in 2018 along with several other newcomers like Tony Tatgenhorst, who raced at Sharon in Mod Lites, RUSH Late Models, and E-Mods.

Pit passes will go on sale at 4 p.m. with the main grandstands opening at 5.  Warm-ups begin at 6:15 followed by group qualifying for the LOLMDS and then heat race action. 

Reserved tickets are on sale through Thursday night at midnight for $27 by going to www.sharonspeedway.com and clicking on ‘buy tickets’ at the top left of the page.  Patio and fan suite tickets are available for $32 and $45 respectively.  Day of event general admission adult tickets are $27, while pit passes are $40.  As always, children under 13, parking, and camping is always FREE!  Pit passes for children 12 and under are $30.  Sharon has a no carry-in cooler policy.

On Saturday, April 28, Sharon will present the first Menards "Super Series" event featuring The Modified Tour for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply big blocks paying $2,000 to-win.  The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will return and will be joined with the Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, Summit Racing Equipment Econo Mods, and Junior Sprints for kids.  Race time is 7 p.m. 

The Barris Family has been heavily involved in racing over the years.  Barris Supply was the presenting sponsor of the RUSH Late Models for several years.  Barris Truck Service features medium and heavy duty truck repair and heavy duty towing located in West Middlesex, Pa. See Barris Supply for all your Cub Cadet needs.  Barris Supply is located at 3500 Sharon Rd., West Middlesex, PA 16159.  Contact them at 724-528-2560 or www.barrissupply.com. 

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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