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"Apple Festival Nationals" this weekend at Sharon; Full show for RUSH Sprints & Dwarfs Friday with "410" Sprints Saturday; RUSH LM Tour, Penn-Ohio Sto

By Mike Leone

September 8, 2021       

(Hartford, OH)…After a weekend off, Sharon Speedway will return to racing this Friday and Saturday night (September 10-11) with the running of the annual “Apple Festival Nationalsâ€?.  Seven different divisions will compete at some point during the weekend.  The Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars and Sportsman Dwarf Cars presented by Joe's Radiator Service, Sara Cipriano at Waterstone Mortgage, and R Tumbleweed Transportation will run a complete show on Friday night, while the "410" Sprint Cars will run a complete show on Saturday night.  The RUSH Late Model Tour presented by Zarin Truck & Auto and an anonymous donor in recognition of Autism Awareness along with the Whelen Econo Mods presented by BACA, Penn-Ohio Pro Stocks, and the RUSH Sportsman Modified Tour and will have their shows split over the two nights with their last chance B mains and features on Saturday night.  Race time is 7 p.m. both nights. 

For the fifth straight year, the "410" Sprint Cars will be part of the "Apple Festival Nationals" racing for $3,000 to-win, $250 to-start.  The hot lap/group qualifying format will be utilized.  Sharon has hosted 10 "410" Sprint Car events this season with nine different winners as only Carl Bowser has been able to repeat!  Not only has there been nine different winners, but six of those racers have captured their first career Sharon wins including Bowser.  Other winners this year include Justin Peck, George Hobaugh, Dave Blaney, Ryan Smith, Danny Dietrich, Dale Blaney, Spencer Bayston, Adam Kekich.  

It had been nearly five years since the Flynn's Tire/Born2Run Lubricants RUSH Late Model Touring Series had raced at Sharon prior to the "Bill Forney Memorial" on August 28.  At that show, Chub Frank emerged victorious over the 33-car field with a last lap pass of Joe Martin for the $3,199 victory in a race that featured two and three-wide racing throughout the field.  Virginia's Kyle Hardy, who finished third, leads the Tour back to Sharon this weekend for the $4,000 to-win, $300 to-start "Cider Jug 40" presented by Zarin Truck & Auto and an anonymous donor in recognition of Autism Awareness.  Hardy has six wins this season and currently leads Martin in the $12,000 to-win points with defending and three-time champion Jeremy Wonderling in third. 

The Whelen Econo Mods will be competing in their richest event in the 12-year history of the division thanks to BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) as Saturday's feature will pay $2,500 to-win!  Young's Family Trucking will provide $100 and a 4' trophy to the dash winner on Friday night, which will set the beginning of Saturday's feature lineup.  At the August 7 "Ron Shargo Memorial", an all-time Econo Mod record 39 cars competed for the $2,000 payday, which topped the previous high of 38.  Will Thomas III was the victor that night for one of his four wins in six starts.  Jeremy Double won two features including the most recent race on August 21 in route to the track championship.  The only other feature winner in 2021 was Dennis Lunger, Jr., who won on opening night and is planning on returning this weekend.

A large field of Penn-Ohio Pro Stocks annually take part in the "Apple Festival Nationals" and that's expected once again this weekend with $2,000 to-win, $150 to-start posted.  Chris Schneider has already won the two biggest events of the season; the $10,000 "Steel Valley Pro Stock Nationals" and the $1,000 special on August 14.  Curt J. Bish started off the season strong winning two events out of the box, but hasn't won since May 15 even though he captured his second straight Gibson Insurance Agency track championship.  The only other repeat winner was 2018 champion Chris McGuire.  Also victorious this season was Coleton Longwell for his first career Sharon win.

Though the HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modified track points are finalized with Chas Wolbert victorious, a lot of points will be on the line for the eighth year division that draws a full field of racers plus each and every Saturday night.  The RUSH Mods will be competing in a Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Touring Series event with also Hovis Weekly Series and Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series points up for grabs.  Currently Jacob Wolfe leads the Tour, Wolbert the Weekly, and Brandon Ritchey in the R7R.  This season, Wolbert won four races, three to Garrett Krummert, while Wolfe and Clayton Deems won their first career features.

The Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars will compete in a full show on Friday night for $600 to-win part of the Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series Championship that awards $5,000 to the champion.  After veteran Rod George won the opener, it's been a season of streaks as Nolan Groves won two straight followed by two for Chad Ruhlman, and most recently a pair for seven-time "410" Sprint track champion Jarod Larson.  Ruhlman, who is a two-time $5,000 RUSH Weekly Series Champion, is again leading the points, but only by four over Gale Ruth, Jr.  Amazingly, Ruth, who has seven wins this season on the RUSH circuit and 13 in his career, has still never won at Sharon and hopes to change that Friday night.

The Sportsman Dwarf Cars have become an annual fixture on the Friday night "Apple Festival Nationals" program for several years now.  This year, the Dwarfs made two other appearances with Angie Grzelak and Luke Mulichak victorious.  Friday's $500 to-win show is again presented by Joe's Radiator Service, Sara Cipriano at Waterstone Mortgage, and R Tumbleweed Transportation. The Dwarf Cars have appeared 24 times over the years at Sharon with 13 different winners as Josh Walker is the all-time winner with seven.   

Fans can not only experience viewing from the frontstretch and backstretch grandstands, but also from the infield fan zone.  The fan zone, which includes a concessions and restrooms, debuted in 2020 during the COVID-19 shortened season.  Sharon is the only track in the area to have viewing from the unique infield perspective.  There will be times throughout the night when fans can cross on the frontstretch back and forth.

Complete payoffs for each division are available at the following link: http://www.sharonspeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Apple-Festival-Purses-2021.pdf.  One-way driver radios are mandatory for all divisions; channel 454.000.  AMB/MyLaps transponders are required for all divisions except the Dwarf Cars.  Rentals are available for $25 for the weekend.  If you've yet to compete or register at Sharon this year, please complete the registration form ahead of time and bring it with you completed; there's no fee for the Sharon registration. http://www.sharonspeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/RegistrationFormSharon2021.pdf

A drivers meeting will be held at approximately 6 p.m. each night.  The RUSH Late Models will receive warm-ups on Friday night at approximately 6:15 p.m. followed by RUSH Sprint motor heat and then group qualifying for the Late Models.  On Saturday, Sprint Car motor heat is 6:15 with warm-up/qualifying at 6:30 p.m. 

Race teams will not be permitted to enter the pits until passes go on sale at 3 p.m.  Teams will be directed where to park when they arrive; there will be no saving spots for other teams.  Pit passes are $35 each night. 

General admission will open at 5 p.m. each night; those 14 and over are $15 on Friday and $20 on Saturday.  Senior admission is $10 on Friday and $15 on Saturday.  Patio seating upgrades are just $5 and fan suite seating upgrades are $20 over the cost of general admission each night.  These can be reserved on race night in the track office beginning at 5 p.m.  As always, children under 14 and parking are FREE!  As a reminder, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.  Lunch will be served from 12-2 p.m. in the pit concession on Saturday.  Camping is free of charge and opens Wednesday at 5 p.m. 

Coming up next Saturday (September 18) will be the final event of the 92nd anniversary season.  The Renegade Monster Truck Tour will feature Monster Trucks, Mini Monster Trucks, and Renegade Road Rippers.  In addition, there will be a Monster Ride Truck along with Track Party & Kids Fun Zone.  For more information, check out www.MonstersATsharon.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.  Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway and follow us on Twitter @sharonspdwy.

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