8/13/2022
Sharon Speedway
2ND STRAIGHT $1000 UMP MOD WIN FOR WATSON; FRALEY WINS RUSH SPRINT THRILLER; PRO STOCK WIN #3 FOR BISH; CAREER 1ST SHARON WIN FOR CIPRIANO
By Mike Leone
August 13, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hartford, OH)…Sharon Speedway completed its 11th straight event during the 93rd anniversary season on a cloudy and cool evening in Northeast Ohio on Saturday night. Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane for the "Steel Valley Thunder" program were Joel Watson- Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds, Ryan Fraley-Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars, Curt J. Bish-Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, and Ayden Cipriano-HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. It was A&MP Electric and Cortland Mower Night.
After crashing with a lapped car while leading the June 18 Renegades of Dirt show, Joel Watson has redeemed himself by scoring his second straight $1,000 UMP Modified victory. Watson passed Joe Gabrielson on lap four and fended him off over the remainder of the 25-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply for his milestone 30th career Sharon win.
"We've put a lot of effort into the last couple nights," revealed the 48-year-old Conneaut, Ohio standout. "I can't thank all of the people on my team. Gary is one of the most special guys you could ever imagine. He joined our team this year and has made some amazing things happen. Yesterday we got a new motor after blowing two or three in a row, which is very devastating for any race team. We got lucky to get one at 6 p.m. last night, thrashed very hard to get it ready for the races last night, and we put on a very competitive race and backed it up with a win tonight. This is actually only the second night with this race car as we blew up the other nights and didn't get any laps on the car."
Gabrielson and Troy Johnson led the field to green with Gabrielson taking the early lead, while Watson charged from the fifth starting spot to second on the opening lap. Watson quickly went after Gabrielson and the two raced side-by-side for the lead on lap three. Watson would make the winning move in turn one on lap four.
Dennis Lunger, Jr. lost the handle in turn four and collected Bud Watson to bring out the first caution of the event with six laps scored. When racing resumed on lap seven, sixth starting Ty Rhoades entered the picture moving into third. Rhoades pressured Gabrielson for the runner-up spot on lap eight and the two raced side-by-side until a caution for a spin by Eric Nellis with 11 laps completed. After another caution for Nellis with 14 laps completed, the final 11 went green-to-checkered.
Gabrielson got a good restart and stayed with Watson. Gabrielson tried a big slider in turns one and two on lap 18 and made contact with Watson. The fence straightened Watson out, neither car spun as both maintained their positions. After the near mishap, Watson pulled away over the final seven laps to once again win by more than three seconds, 3.587 seconds to be exact, in his NWR/Close Racing Supply/Capp Steel Erectors/Tire Express/Walker Roofing/Lodge at the Lake/Zimmer's Service Center-sponsored #92.
Gabrielson then had to fight off Rhoades in the closing laps to finish second. Nate Young beat out Mike McGee in a great race for fourth. Mason Lobb was sixth. Alan Atkinson, who was slated to line up 13th, finished seventh and earned the $100 Summit Racing Equipment gift card for being the hard charger. Johnson dropped to eighth over Vinnie DePizzo. Bud Watson came back to complete the top 10. Heat winners were Watson and McGee.
Opening night RUSH Sprint Car winner, Ryan Fraley, returned to Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane for the second time this season. Fraley passed veteran Andy Priest on lap two then kept Blaze Myers and three-time Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series Champion Chad Ruhlman at bay over an intense three-car battle for the win in the finals laps of the 20-lap Terry Bowser Excavating feature.
"I seen him sneak down there and figured I needed to go to the top," explained the 33-year-old from nearby Brookfield, Ohio. "I wasn't sure if they (lapped cars) were going to hold him up or me up, but it was pretty fun out there. Doug (Kekich) told me I needed to run hard into turns three and four as that's where I lost the heat race and it killed me, but we're learning. I didn't think I'd get to do this (win) again this year. These things are tough to race, but the help I have is tremendous and it's cool to be back here. I want to thank everyone that helps, the fans, and everyone that puts this on."
After four cars tangled in turn one, Fraley would make the winning move from Priest when racing resumed on lap two. Sixth starting Myers and Priest raced side-by-side for runner-up on laps 2-4 with Priest maintaining runner-up. By lap five, Gale Ruth, Jr. and Ruhlman entered the fray making it a five-car race for the lead! On lap 10, Priest got too high and slapped the fence allowing Myers to steal second. Ruhlman then worked his way by Priest for third on lap 15. As Fraley was contending with lapped traffic, Ruhlman closed in and a three-car race for the win ensued over the final four laps.
Ruhlman nosed ahead of Myers for second on lap 18, but Myers didn't go away. It was three-wide for the lead in traffic on lap 19 as Myers regained second. Myers looked like he was setting up a slingshot move on Fraley racing off turn two on the final lap, but the lapped car of Kevin Kaserman was there slowing Myers' run. Fraley took the checkered flag first by just 0.133 seconds. Fraley's 10th career Sharon win, which includes eight in the Econo Mod division, came aboard his Barris Truck Service/Intense Fab/Pruskowski Trucking/Scoville Designs-sponsored #12.
Myers matched his career best Sharon RUSH Sprint Car effort from 2021 in second. Ruhlman was a close third after winning on Friday night at Lernerville Speedway. Priest dropped to fourth after leading the opening lap. Brian Hartzell went 18th to fifth! Ruth was sixth.
A.J. MacQuarrie crossed the finish in seventh, but took a nasty flip down the frontstretch after the red was out for Jarod Larson, who flipped in turn three. Larson, who started 24th, was battling with MacQuarrie for seventh when he got too high. Both drivers were banged up, but okay. Completing the top 10 were Brandon Blackshear, Zack Wilson, and Ricky Tucker, Jr. Heat winners were Myers, Ruth, and Wilson. The 24 cars on hand matched the highest count for the division was set on June 4.
Curt J. Bish continued his winning ways in the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks. Bish, who is the division's only multi-time winner of the season, passed Steve D'Apolito on lap three and went on to record his third victory of 2022, which includes the $10,000 "Steel Valley Pro Stock Nationals" triumph.
"Early on the bottom was real good and the car stuck but I couldn't tell if I heard someone on the top before that last caution," explained the 38-year-old Cranberry, Pa. racer. "I probably should have picked the top right away. When we came around to take the green my guys were telling me top. I thought I might be in trouble so I got there as fast as I could. We were able to get up there and sail around the top the last few laps. Anytime you win it's a good feeling. There's a lot of competition and good drivers in this division. I have to thank the car owners Bob and Brian Tarr, my family, crew, all of my sponsors, the fans, and everyone that puts the work into this place."
D'Apolito led the opening two laps and had a fairly comfortable lead when Scott Malone brought out the caution. When racing resumed on lap three, Bish drove around D'Apolito for the winning pass. Paul Davis meanwhile passed Larry Kugel for third. Davis battled with D'Apolito lap after lap before finally making the pass stick for second on lap 15, while 10th starting Coleton Longwell followed past D'Apolito in third one lap later.
A flat tire for Davis ended his strong run with 16 laps completed and moved Longwell to second for the four-lap dash to finish. A left front flat tire was enough to keep Longwell from challenging Bish in the closing laps as Bish took the Bob Tarr-owned, Bernard's Electrical Service & Troubleshooting/R.K. Virgile Scrap Metals/Double E Landscaping & Fencing-sponsored #29 to his ninth career win 1.756 seconds.
Sixth starting Chris Schneider made his way to third at the finish. D'Apolito dropped to fourth over a rare appearance by Tyler Dietz. Completing the top 10 were Scott Stiffler, Jamie Duncan, Jamie Scharba, Malone, and Troy DeZarn. Heat victors were Dietz and Davis.
Ayden Cipriano drove around race-long leader Tony Tatgenhorst on lap 11 and went on for a popular first career Sharon win in the 20-lap HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modified feature. Cipriano became the sixth different winner in seven races this year and fourth driver to earn his first career win at the Hartford, Ohio oval!
"This was definitely a fun one and probably the most fun I've ever had here," expressed the 16-year-old Hermitage, Pa. racer. "I love running the outside everywhere we run, but normally it's stick to the bottom here. Tonight wasn't like that. I was able to do what I'm normally comfortable with and get the win tonight. It means a lot to get one here. I've always beat myself up about this place because we do good everywhere else besides here, but I think I'm finally getting into my groove and hopefully we win some more this year and next year. I have to thank all of my sponsors, parents, grandparents, Russ King for helping on the car- I couldn't do it without all of them."
After missing last Saturday night following a crash the week prior, Tatgenhorst charged around Dalton Gabriel into the early lead. Cipriano started fourth, took third from Brandon Ritchey on the opening lap, then used the top to pass Gabriel for second on lap two. While Tatgenhorst ran the middle and bottom, Cipriano was flying around the top and began to close in on the leader on lap six. After back-to-back caution-free features, a trio of cautions on laps 9-10 slowed action.
When green replaced yellow on lap 11, Cipriano using the momentum on the outside to get past Tatgenhorst for the lead and quickly began to pull away. Sixth starting Ben Easler passed Tatgenhorst for second on lap 15, but the 15-year-old was unable to get close enough to challenge the fellow teenager as Cipriano took the checkered flag first by 1.930 seconds in the William Cipriano-owned, Wheatland Steel Processing/Waterstone Mortgage of Hermitage/Black Viper Barber Shop/RKR/Colonial Metals/Fin & Bear It/Stainless Steel Engineering/JR's Garage-sponsored #5c.
Easler's runner-up coupled with Kole Holden failing to start the feature due to engine issues, allowed Easler to expand his lead in both the $3,500 to-win Hovis Weekly Series and $1,000 to-win Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series Championships. Tatgenhorst dropped to third after leading the first 10 circuits. J.C. Boyer, who won his first career feature on July 30, was fourth for the second straight week. After starting 14th, Rob Kristyak made his way to fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Josh Deems, Ritchey, Kyle Martell, 13th starting Cole Edwards, and 15th starting Jacob Rutana. Capturing heat race wins over the 20-car field were Easler and Ritchey.
Coming up next Saturday night (August 20) will see the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment 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/
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds (25 laps, $1,000 to-win): 1. 92-JOEL WATSON [6]; 2. 58-Joe Gabrielson[1]; 3. 12R-Ty Rhoades[7]; 4. 42-Nate Young[4]; 5. 11M-Mike McGee[5]; 6. 28-Mason Lobb[9]; 7. 32-Alan Atkinson[13]; 8. 2J-Troy Johnson[3]; 9. 1-Vinnie DePizzo[14]; 10. 225-Bud Watson[11]; 11. 15-Eric Nellis II[16]; 12. M20-Mike Potosky[8]; 13. 27-Jeff Johnson[17]; 14. 71L-Dennis Lunger Jr[10]. DNS: 77D-Dustin DeMattia, 17-Jason Gracey, 4J-Jim Plance, 44R-Gary Robinson.
Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars (20 laps): 1. 12-RYAN FRALEY [2]; 2. 43JR-Blaze Myers[6]; 3. 68-Chad Ruhlman[12]; 4. 41-Andy Priest[1]; 5. 69-Brian Hartzell[18]; 6. 24-Gale Ruth Jr[5]; 7. 69X-AJ MacQuarrie[3]; 8. 10-Brandon Blackshear[9]; 9. 1-Zack Wilson[4]; 10. 1T-Ricky Tucker Jr[7]; 11. 57N-Tyler Newhart[11]; 12. 9-Arnie Kent[21]; 13. 44C-Bill Cunningham[8]; 14. 20-Jeff Metsger[14]; 15. 23-Charlie Utsinger[20]; 16. 16C-Amelia Clay[17]; 17. 15-Lacey Shuttleworth[22]; 18. 47-Jarod Larson[24]; 19. 29-Brandon Shughart[15]; 20. 13K-Kevin Kaserman[16]; 21. 19-Brad Blackshear[23]; 22. 35-Nick Simon[10]; 23. 12C-Calvin Clay[13]; 24. 11-Don Blaney[19].
Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks (20 laps): 1. 29-CURT J. BISH [2]; 2. 7-Coleton Longwell[10]; 3. 55-Chris Schneider[6]; 4. 84-Steve D'Apolito[1]; 5. 00-Tyler Dietz[5]; 6. 14-Scott Stiffler[8]; 7. 67J-Jamie Duncan[9]; 8. 11S-Jamie Scharba[11]; 9. 12M-Scott Malone[7]; 10. 21-Troy DeZarn[12]; 11. 3-Paul Davis[4]; 12. 0-Larry Kugel[3]. DNS: 11-Travis Creech, 8-Jonathan Davis.
HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds (20 laps): 1. 5C-AYDEN CIPRIANO [4]; 2. 02-Benjamin Easler[6]; 3. 63T-Tony Tatgenhorst[2]; 4. 12-JC Boyer[8]; 5. 00-Rob Kristyak[14]; 6. 9D-Josh Deems[9]; 7. 1R-Brandon Ritchey[3]; 8. 8-Kyle Martell[11]; 9. 29-Cole Edwards[13]; 10. 57R-Jacob Rutana[15]; 11. 333G-Dalton Gabriel[1]; 12. 2LC-Lucas Canon[17]; 13. 111-Dave Price[5]; 14. 0-Mike Smith[16]; 15. JD57-Jordan Ehrenberg[12]; 16. 59-Bill Cunningham[10]; 17. 28J-Jacob Jordan[7]. DNS: 2-Kole Holden, 46R-Doug Rutana, 14S-Justin Shea.
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.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
