8/10/2022
Sharon Speedway
UMP MODS & RUSH SPRINTS RETURN TO HEADLINE "STEEL VALLEY THUNDER" SATURDAY AT SHARON; PRO STOCKS & RUSH MODS ALSO IN ACTION
By Mike Leone
August 10, 2022
(Hartford, OH)... Sharon Speedway will look to complete its 11th straight show this Saturday night (August 13) for a "Steel Valley Thunder" event part of the 93rd anniversary season. The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds and Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars return to headline the program and will be joined by the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks and HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. It's A&MP Electric and Cortland Mower Night. Race time is 7 p.m.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds will be making their third appearance of the season, and will be battling for a $1,000 top prize. The April 23 show was rained out; however, former Econo Mod Champion, Dustin DeMattia, won his biggest career race on June 18 taking the $1,500 Renegades of Dirt Series event over the 30-car field. On July 9, Joel Watson topped a 33-car field for the $1,000 payday.
The UMP Modifieds, formerly known as E-Mods, have completed 325 shows in their history at Sharon. Alan Dellinger is the all-time division win leader with 87 victories. Watson's latest victory was his 29th all-time at Sharon, which is good for second on the win list. Jeff Johnson, another active racer, is fourth on the list with 18 victories. The UMP Mods will return for their final event on the season on August 27 in another Renegades of Dirt event paying $1,500 to-win.
Summit Racing Equipment will present the hard charger award on Saturday night to the UMP Mods. The driver that passes the most cars in the feature will receive a $100 Summit gift card. In the event of a tie, the tiebreaker will be the driver that finishes highest in the feature.
The Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars will also make their return to the Hartford, Ohio oval after more than a month since their last show in their sixth race of the year. The non-wing racers were finally able to hit the Hartford, Ohio on June 4 as Ryan Fraley of nearby Brookfield won his first career Sprint Car race over a Sharon record 24 cars. Chad Ruhlman picked up the $700 victory during Ohio Speedweek over a career best finish by Brian Hartzell. On June 28, Gale Ruth, Jr. finally won his first ever Sharon RUSH Sprint feature to become the third different winner in as many races. Ruth then backed it up winning the following week for $700. Ruhlman was victorious again at the most recent show on July 9 for his all-time division-leading ninth career win.
The RUSH Sprints have competed 16 times this year around the circuit heading into this weekend. Ruth not only leads the win list at seven victories, but also sits atop the $5,000 to-win Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series standings in search of his first championship. Three-time champion Ruhlman, a four-time winner in 2022, is second in points. Blaze Myers is the only other multiple winner in the class with two victories and is third.
The Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks are back for the third straight week in their seventh race of 2022 on Saturday night. In their June 18 opener, McGuire returned to prominence as he ran his famed high line around the fence to pass 32-time Sharon winner Steve D'Apolito for the victory. On June 25, Curt J. Bish stole a win away from 70-year-old Larry Kugel with a turn four, last lap pass for the 2019 and 2021 champion. On July 19, Chris Schneider led all the way unchallenged for his 16th career win at the track. Bish picked up his second win of the year and second $10,000 "Steel Valley Pro Stock Nationals" victory topping a 52-car field on July 16. Bobby Whitling ended a winless drought of more than three years with his win on July 30. Last Saturday night saw Will Thomas III capture his first ever victory in the division in just his third race to become the season's fifth different winner in six races.
The HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will also be battling in their seventh show of 2022. Like the Stocks, there have been five different winners in six races. Tony Tatgenhorst, Justin Shea, Ben Easler, Garrett Krummert, and JC Boyer have been victorious. The wins for Tatgenhorst, Easler, and Boyer were the first Sharon wins of their careers, while Shea's ended nearly a five-year winless drought. Easler became the first repeat winner of the season last Saturday night. Easler continues to sit atop both the $3,500 to-win Hovis Weekly Series and $1,000 to-win Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series points over two-time track champion, Kole Holden. The RUSH Mods have run back-to-back caution-free features.
There is no Sharon registration fee. One-way driver radios are mandatory; channel 454.000. AMB/MyLaps transponders are required; rentals available for $25. If you have yet to register for the 2022 season, please bring the registration form with you completed http://sharonspeedway.myracepass.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=713060
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 concession 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.
The pits will be open throughout the afternoon with passes going on sale at 4 p.m., while general admission opens at 5. Racing will begin at 7 p.m. Grandstand/fan zone admission for those 14 and over is $15, while senior admission is $10. Patio seating upgrades are just $10 and fan suite seating upgrades are just $20 over the cost of general admission. These can be upgraded on race night at the track office. As always, children under 14 and parking are always FREE. Pit passes are $30. As a reminder, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.
Coming up next Saturday night (August 20) will see the World of Outlaws Late Models return for the "Battle at the Border" paying $10,000 to-win, and will be joined by the Whelen Econo Mods. Tickets are on sale at https://sharonspeedway.simpletix.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.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
