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11th starting Ty Rhoades upsets talent-laden UMP Mod field for $1000; Chas Wolbert takes RUSH Mod Tour MFG Night win; Chad Ruhlman charges from 20th f

By Mike Leone

July 31, 2021     

(Hartford, OH)…One of the nicest race days of the year provided an excellent backdrop for "Steel Valley Thunder" competition on Saturday night at Sharon Speedway on A&MP Electric Night.  Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane with impressive wins were Ty Rhoades-Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds, Chas Wolbert-HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds Hovis Tour, Chad Ruhlman-Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars, and Coleton Longwell-Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks.  Ninety-eight cars were in the pit area for the four-division program.  The eighth annual RUSH Sportsman Modified "Manufacturers Night" took place as $23,000 in valuable product giveaways were shared amongst the racers.

Ty Rhoades pulled off an upset first career Sharon UMP Modified win with a stirring performance from the 11th starting spot to beat a talent-laden field of competitors like Dan Davies, Brian Ruhlman, Joel Watson, Brent Rhebergen, Mike Potosky, Nathon Loney amongst others from across the region.  Rhoades, who has five career Econo Mod wins at Sharon, earned $1,000 for his 25-lap feature victory.

"Brian (Ruhlman) went to the top on that restart and I don't think he realized I was down there," explained the 30-year-old Harmony, Pa. resident.  "I tried to lay back on the pace lap so he didn't know I was back there.  I got lucky I think.  We've had a rough go of it.  Our trailer was delayed and we haven't race much.  We had a good car last weekend and got in an unfortunate incident.  This car is so good.  I can't thank the Davies Family enough along with Josh and Jen with Elite Motorsports for putting this power plant in for me and let me go to the next level.  It was hard for me to win my first race here in an Econo Mod and now to win against this competition in an 'open' Mod is probably the peak of my career right now.  I really don't know what to say- I'm just excited." 

Watson took off in the lead over Rhebergen.  It was three-wide for third on lap three with Ruhlman moving into the spot over Loney and Davies.  It was side-by-side for the lead on lap eight between Watson and Rhebergen with Rhebergen taking control using the outside to power into the lead off turn two, while Davies followed charging back into second.  Ruhlman grabbed third from Watson on lap nine. 

Following a caution for a spin by Tim Gould and Junior Mechling, Davies and Ruhlman raced side-by-side for runner-up for the next four laps with Ruhlman nosing ahead on lap 15 for second.  With 10 laps to go, the top five pulled away; it was now a five-car race for the lead as Rhoades joined the battle.  Ruhlman then was able to overtake Rhebergen for the lead on lap 19 in traffic with Rhoades taking third.  Rhoades continued his run to the front taking second from Rhebergen before the final caution of the event was displayed for Davies, who couldn't clear the speedway with 21 laps scored.     

Back under green flag conditions on lap 22, Rhoades made the winning pass on the restart and pulled away over the final four laps to take his sixth career Sharon win by 2.015 seconds in his Bloom Machineworks/Trace Lawn & Landscaping/Hemly Tool/Dirt Rhoades Logging/Dan Davies Racing/Elite Motorsports/Lethal Chassis/Dynamic Drivelines/Bill's Bit/Wedge Motorsports-sponsored #12R.

Ruhlman's runner-up was worth $700.  After leading laps 8-18, Rhebergen dropped to third.  Mike Kinney came on late to finish fourth after starting eighth.  Joe Gabrielson went 10th to fifth.  Rounding out the top 10 were 17th starting Carl McKinney, 16th starting Mike McGee, Watson, Loney, and Jacob Eucker.  Heat races were won by Watson, Davies, and Rhebergen over the 25-car field.  The UMP Mods will return for their final race of the year on August 28.   

RUSH Sportsman Modified Weekly Series and HTMA/Precise Racing Products Sharon points leader, Chas Wolbert, rebounded from drawing a 96 pill to move forward in both his heat race and the Ohio Intra Express Dash to earn the outside pole starting spot.  Wolbert then led all 25 laps of the feature, and other than surviving four restarts on laps 19-20, went uncontested for the $600 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Touring Series win- the sixth of his career but first of the season.

"The track really changed from the heat races but we made a couple of adjustments and are blessed to be here," explained the Warren, Ohio winner less than two hours shy of his 27th birthday.  "I could roll the middle when we came to lapped cars, but the bottom was where it was at for me.  I love Sharon Speedway; it's a great facility.  Thank you to Dave Willoughby and all the staff so we have such a great place to race at."

Wolbert drove around Kyle Martell on the start with Rob Kristyak passing Jacob Wolfe for third.  Sixth starting Justin Shea was up to fourth on lap three after dropping Wolfe back another spot.  Kristyak drove around Martell in turns one and two for second on lap five, but faced a 2.3-second deficit from Wolbert.  Lapped traffic came into play on lap 10 for Wolbert, while Shea was all over Martell in the race for third.  While Wolbert stayed on the bottom, Kristyak was hammering the top right around the fence.     

A caution for rookie Lucas Canon slowed action with 19 laps completed.  Under caution, Kristyak had to exit to the pits with a flat tire after contact with the fence and a lapped car, but was able to change the tire and return to competition.  Shea inherited third; however, lost power under the caution and was done for the night.  Two more cautions slowed action on laps 19 and 20, before the final five laps went green-to-checkered.  Wolfe had dropped to fifth, but with Kristyak and Shea out of the mix was back to third for the restart. 

When racing resumed on lap 21, Wolfe passed 10th starting Tony Tatgenhorst for second.  Wolfe was unable to challenge Wolbert, who went uncontested in the closing laps taking the checkered flag first by 1.785 seconds in his Alcon Mechanical/Dunkin Donuts of Warren, OH/C.T. Wolbert Trucking/Walters Building Co./Ohio Intra Express/Russ King Racing/BCT Construction-sponsored #c3.  The victory was Wolbert's all-time leading 18th of his career at Sharon and 41st overall in RUSH Sportsman Modified competition.

Wolfe, who won his first career race on June 26 at Sharon, backed up his runner-up Expo Speedway Tour finish with another excellent second place run to lead the Hovis Tour points.  Tatgenhorst was a solid third.  J.C. Boyer, who started eighth, had a career best fourth place finish holding off Kristyak, who charged back through  the field to complete the top five.  Martell dropped to sixth at the finish as Brandon Ritchey, Kole Holden, 15th starting Clayton Deems, and Preston Cope completed the top 10.  Kristyak, Shea, and Wolbert won the heat races.  Martell picked up $100 for winning the Ohio Intra Express Dash.  Gary Haupt won the last chance B main.

After electrical issues in his RUSH Sprint Car heat race, Chad Ruhlman put on a performance not seen in quite some time at the track.  Starting from the 20th position, Ruhlman ripped around the fence and put a slide job on leader Gale Ruth, Jr. on lap 16 and went on for his second straight 20-lap Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Car win.  It was Ruhlman's milestone 30th career overall Pace Performance RUSH Sprint Car win for the 2018 and 2019 champion.

"That was a ball," expressed the 44-year-old Erie, Pa. racer.  "Once again this place didn't fail to deliver; it was just beautiful.  This has been a tough week with Kevin (Ruhlman) getting hurt so this one is for you Kev.  You shouldn't run the wall like that- you could get hurt.  We had electrical problems in the heat race and didn't make the call.  Tim (Engles) and crew put their heart and soul into this deal so I'm glad we could deliver.  That was a lot of fun racing with Gale (Ruth) and I saw Brian (Ruhlman) down there.  Gale was right against the wall and he did it flawlessly so I had to come up with something.  I just had to make sure I didn't get any dirty air coming down the back chute, then slide him, get to the cushion first, and not get run over."

In his first Sharon appearance of the season, Ryan Fraley led the opening lap, but it was third starting Gale Ruth, Jr. taking the lead off the topside of turn four on lap two.  Jarod Larson, who was making his season debut, started fifth and passed Blaze Myers for third on lap three.  After just four laps, Chad Ruhlman was already up to fourth then drove around Larson off turn two for second on lap five.  Ruhlman continued his forward progression around the top of the track ripping past Fraley for second on lap six, but found himself more than three seconds behind Ruth, who was setting a torrid pace himself around the top.

Meanwhile, Chad's brother Brian Ruhlman started sixth and was on the move.  Brian Ruhlman passed Larson for fourth on lap eight and Fraley for third one lap later.  Back up front, Chad Ruhlman began to close in on Ruth on lap 11 before the first caution of the event for Russ Sansosti, who was also making his season debut.  When racing resumed on lap 12, the top three of Ruth and the Ruhlman brothers began to pull away.  The second and final caution of the race was displayed with 16 laps scored when Fraley and Myers made contact to bring out the caution.

When green replaced yellow on lap 17, Chad Ruhlman's slider on Ruth in turn four stuck, which turned out to be the winning move.  Chad Ruhlman then pulled away for all-time leading sixth of his career at Sharon in the Tim Engles-owned, Dirt Roads Logistics/Pennywell Sandblasting/Dotera Oils-sponsored #68 by a margin of 3.134 seconds. 

Ruth and Brian Ruhlman traded runner-up back and forth in the closing laps with Ruth getting the spot.  After a runner-up in the UMP Mods, Brian Ruhlman had to settle for third.  Larson was fourth.  John Mollick went 19th to fifth.  Sixth through 10th were Tyler Newhart, Brian Hartzell, 14th starting Brian Cressley in his first Sharon start of the year, Rod George, and A.J. MacQuarrie.  Heat winners over the 21-car field were George and Ruth.  Brad Blackshear was a late arrival and had to start 11th.  Blackshear charged around the top and was battling for second when he ran over Larson's right rear in turn one and flipped.  He was okay, but done for the night.

Coleton Longwell led wire-to-wire in the 20-lap Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stock feature fending off the last four years' track champions in Curt J. Bish, Chris McGuire, and Paul Davis for his first career Sharon win!  The second generation racer earned $500 for his efforts. 

"I didn't know where everyone was at and that's why I generally hate starting on the pole because you don't know what's going on," explained the 20-year-old Burghill, Ohio racer.  "I was trying to move around a bit.  Those guys behind me are smart, respectable and clean racers that have won a lot of races; Chris McGuire, Paul Davis, and Curt Bish.  I was trying too hard a couple times and was getting all worked up.  I thought 'there's Bish and now it's probably over'.  I thought he was going to play those games on the restarts again.  I was struggling.  Al, who couldn't make it tonight, said to me 'let's get a new car and try it out'.  Benny Gordon has been helping me out with it big time.  He's hooked me up.  My dad put tires on it this week because I'm eating a Raman noodles every night to get this thing here."

Longwell took off in the lead over Davis, Jordan Perkins, Bish, and Jason Johns.  Bish and Johnson moved passed Perkins for third and fourth on lap three.  Longwell was running the bottom, while Davis was powering around the top.  Davis caught Longwell and the two raced side-by-side for the lead on laps four through eight; however, lapped traffic on lap eight allowed Longwell to distance himself from Davis before a caution for Jonathan Davis.

When racing resumed on lap nine, Bish was able to pass Davis for second.  Two cautions on lap 10 gave Bish a shot alongside Longwell on the double file restart, but Longwell wasn't to be denied.  Longwell pulled away over the second half of the race to take the checkered flag first by a margin of 3.105 seconds in his EZ's Orangeville Tavern/Trick Shot Penetrating Lubricant/Razor Sharp Chassis-sponsored #7.

Bish was second as he continues to lead the points by 10 over McGuire, who finished third.  Davis dropped to fourth with Johns in fifth.  Larry Kugel, Perkins, Scott Stiffler, Brian Carothers, and Jason Jones were sixth through 10th.  Heat victors over the 23-car field were Bish, McGuire, and Johns. 

Coming up next Saturday (August 7), the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply "410" Sprint Cars are back in the "Bill Kirila Memorial" paying $3,000 to-win.  The Whelen Econo Mods will compete in their biggest race of the season- the "Ron Shargo Memorial" paying $2,000 to-win.  The HTMA/Precise Racing RUSH Sportsman Modifieds and Sportsman Dwarf Cars will round out the card.  Race time is 7 p.m.

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds (25 laps, $1,000 to-win): 1. TY RHOADES (12R)  2. Brian Ruhlman (49)  3. Brent Rhebergen (07R)  4. Mike Kinney (Porter 20P)  5. Joe Gabrielson (58)  6. Carl McKinney (6M)  7. Mike McGee (11M)  8. Joel Watson (92)  9. Nathon Loney (10L)  10. Jacob Eucker (64)  11. Dustin DeMattia (77D)  12. Alan Atkinson (32)  13. Mike Potosky (m20)  14. Steve Haefke (41)  15. Michael Hudzik (31H)  16. Bruce Dreistadt (18D)  17. Jim Plance (4J)  18. Junior Mechling (89)  19. Mason Canter (9T)  20. Rick Robinson (11H)  21. Tim Gould (2G)  22. Scott Stiffler (14)  23. Dan Davies (71D)  24. Jeff Johnson (27).  DNS: Mark Titus (25).

HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modified Hovis Touring Series (25 laps, $600 to-win): 1. CHAS WOLBERT (c3)  2. Jacob Wolfe (7)  3. Tony Tatgenhorst (63T)  4. J.C. Boyer (12)  5. Rob Kristyak (00)  6. Kyle Martell (8)  7. Brandon Ritchey (1R)  8. Kole Holden (2)  9. Clayton Deems (55R)  10. Preston Cope (24)  11. Ben Easler (02)  12. Brandon Albert (30)  13. Ayden Cipriano (5c)  14. Greg Porter (25)  15. Gary Haupt (16)  16. Chelsie Kriegisch (10)  17. Dave Price (111)  18. Jacob Jordan (28J)  19. Amelia Clay (16c)  20. Lucas Canon (2LC)  21. Justin Shea (14s)  22. Jordan Ehrenberg (JD57)  23. Cole Edwards (29)  24. Josh Ehrenberg (571).  DNQ: Cameron McFadden (83), Doug Rutana (11J), Joe Gibson (119), Calvin Clay (12c), Jim Bryce (JGCP 10s).

Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars (20 laps, $600 to-win): 1. CHAD RUHLMAN (Engles 68)  2. Gale Ruth, Jr. (McConnell 24)  3. Brian Ruhlman (49)  4. Jarod Larson (47)  5. John Mollick (Clever 14)  6. Tyler Newhart (57N)  7. Brian Hartzell (69)  8. Brian Cressley (62)  9. Rod George (Hull 41)  10. A.J. MacQuarrie (Hartzell 69x)  11. Nolan Groves (25)  12. Amelia Clay (16c)  13. Brad Church (40)  14. Brandon Shughart (29)  15. Ricky Tucker, Jr. (1T)  16. Russ Sansosti (23s)  17. Kevin Kaserman (13)  18. Gale Ruth, Sr. (1R)  19. Ryan Fraley (12)  20. Blaze Myers (43Jr).  DNS: Brad Blackshear (19).

Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks (20 laps, $500 to-win): 1. COLETON LONGWELL (7)  2. Curt J. Bish (Tarr 29)  3. Chris McGuire (63)  4. Paul Davis (3)  5. Jason Johns (31)  6. Larry Kugel (Petsko 00)  7. Jordan Perkins (13J)  8. Scott Stiffler (14)  9. Brian Carothers (02c)  10. Jason Jones (81)  11. Jamie Scharba (11S)  12. Jamie Duncan (67J)  13. Tony Spaghetti (97)  14. Russ Coyne (8c)  15. Ray Gregory (82R)  16. Troy DeZarn (21)  17. Blake Scharba (12B)  18. Mike Kerr (25K)  19. Will Gates (83)  20. Jonathan Davis (8)  21. Ryan Gates (97)  22. Joe Johnson (12J).  DNS: Mark Hopkins (69H).

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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