7/21/2024
Sharon Speedway
CAREER 1ST SHARON WIN FOR YOUNG (UMP MODS); MYERS OVER MOLLICK BY .001 (RUSH SPRINTS); 1ST WIN FOR KRISTYAK (RUSH MODS); LUNGER REPEATS IN ECONOS
By Mike Leone
July 20, 2024
(Hartford, OH)…Sharon Speedway was blessed with a beautiful Saturday as weekly "Steel Valley Thunder" racing returned for the first time in four weeks following a rain out, a weekend off for the Independence Day holiday, and the two-day World of Outlaws Late Model program last weekend. Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane with wins were Nate Young (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds), Blaze Myers (Billy's Garage RUSH Sprint Cars), Rob Kristyak-HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and Dennis Lunger, Jr. (Whelen Econo Mods presented by Alcon Mechanical). It was Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, A&MP Electric and Billy's Garage Night as fans enjoyed $10 general admission, free hot dogs, and $2 beers!
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds made their second of five appearances during the 2024 season on Saturday night and it was Nate Young becoming the second different winner. Young, who entered the night with six wins around the circuit including Friday night at Raceway 7, brought the crowd to their feet with his first career Sharon Speedway win worth $1,000 in the 20-lap A&MP Electric feature that had four different leaders! The seventh place starter passed 30-time Sharon winner, Joel Watson, on lap 11, and then rode the wall to get back around Ty Rhoades for the lead on a restart on lap 18.
"Man this car was good," expressed the 30-year-old Painesville, Ohio racer. "This place has been a kryptonite for me. I've been racing for seven or eight years now and just couldn't get a win here. I just could never figure out the slick surface. This is about the only track I haven't won at and to get a win here really means a lot. My uncle Jack (Young) has won a lot of races here and to finally put my name in the winner's list is really special. I know my crew is pumped up and I'm pumped up- this is a huge win for me!"
Dennis Lunger, Jr., who was doing double duty on the night also running an Econo Mod, led the first two laps before Watson took over. Watson's bid for his 31st career win at the track ended when he lost the lead to Young. Young though would lose the top spot to two-time 2023 winner, Ty Rhoades on lap 17. Young would become the final leader of the race taking the lead for good on lap 18 and took the checkered flag first by 1.751 seconds over Rhoades in his C.S. Engineering/McCallister Concrete Pumping/LaVigne Poured Walls/955 Automotive/Bentley Excavating/Wright Racing/Longhorn Chassis/Jonas Construction/Holbrook Sewer-sponsored #42. Young became the 62nd different winner in 333 races run all-time in the division.
Watson was third after leading eight laps in the first half of the feature. Lunger dropped to fourth after leading the first two laps. Vinnie DePizzo was fifth and earned the $100 Performance Bodies "Nosed Out" gift card for beating out Garrett Calvert by just 0.267 seconds. Calvert meanwhile earned the $100 Summit Racing Equipment Hard Charger as he was scheduled to lineup 18th. Brandon Grossman, Mason Canter, Gary Olson, and Dustin DeMattia completed the top 10. Heat winners were DeMattia and Young.
Blaze Myers and John Mollick have been duking it out throughout the region in the RUSH Sprint Cars leading the way in victories in the non-wing class. The duo resumed their battle on Saturday night in the 20-lap Billy's Garage feature as they started one-two and were side-by-side on the final lap with Myers winning by the closest of margins- 0.001 seconds in fact! The headline didn't end there though as Myers flipped after the checkered flag between turns one and two and had to walk to victory lane. It was Myers' second Sharon win of the season and fourth overall on the $5,000 to-win Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series circuit.
"That ended in an unfortunate situation," stated the 20-year-old Franklin, Pa. driver. "It sucks. I feel very sorry for Ted (Hull). I'm not even sure what happened or how bad the car is. The car lost fuel pressure during the last caution, which we've been struggling with this year, but I just refused to lose. I've lost too much this season and it was time to take a different route. I got into John's right front and it shot me sideways and that's all I remember. The first thing I asked when they rolled me back over was if I won. It definitely means a lot more than finishing second."
The Ted Hull-owned, Billy's Garage/Kevin Hoffman Door/C&S Hilltop Hardware/Marco Auto Body/JI McCall Construction/JI's Place/Washington House/Linda's Lou Restaurant-sponsored #41 had to be towed back to the pits rather than Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane. The win was Myers' fourth of his career in the division and fifth overall at the track as he also has one RUSH Sportsman Modified win.
Mollick was second as he continues to lead the Series points. Brent Rhebergen went fifth to third as he continues to knock on the door for his first career Sprint Car win for the longtime Super Late Model and UMP Modified standout. Opening night winner, Arnie Kent, went eighth to fourth. Trent Marshall was fifth. Sixth through 10th were Joe Buccola, Bill Cunningham, Ryan Fraley in his 2024 debut, Kevin Kaserman, and Billy Myers. Heat winners were Blaze Myers and Mollick.
It's been a tough stretch for veteran racer Rob Kristyak in the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. In his last two starts at Raceway 7, Kristyak has destroyed a car in a massive barrel roll flip and on Friday night blew an engine. Kristyak's luck finally changed on Saturday night as he took the lead on lap 4 from JC Boyer and survived late race challenges from Boyer, Chas Wolbert & lastly Darin Gallagher for his first Sharon win since August 5, 2023 in the 20-lap HTMA/Precise Racing Products feature.
"It's been a rough couple weeks," acknowledged the 46-year-old Bristolville, Ohio resident. "I have an outstanding pit crew and wouldn't be here without them- they're second to none. It's a hard accomplishment and not easy to win. I know the fans love the '410' Sprints, but we had a high side with them not here. This is my kind of track; I loved it and I want to thank Sharon Speedway as it was perfect for me."
Kristyak's winning margin was just 0.883 seconds over Darin Gallagher in his Bala Management/C&R Tire/Mark Thomas Ford/Jeff's Towing/Wedge Motorsports/Bristol Disposal-sponsored #00. For Kristyak, it was his fifth career win in the division at the track and 16th overall as he has 11 Big-Block Modified wins. Gallagher, who is not racing a Sprint Car in 2024, recorded his second runner-up in three starts at Sharon; however, the first was in his wife Chelsie's car on June 22 and on Saturday night did it aboard Jerry Schaffer's #23!
Wolbert, who won last Saturday, went sixth to third after winning Friday night at Raceway 7. Kole Holden, who leads RUSH's $3,500 to-win Weekly Series points, was fourth after starting seventh. Pole-sitter Boyer dropped to fifth at the finish, but remains tied with Holden for the Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series points lead. Sixth through 10th were Lucas Canon, Karston King, Chelsie Gallagher, Brayden Beatty, and Dalton Gabriel. Heat winners were Kristyak and Boyer.
Dennis Lunger, Jr. is now two-for-two in the Whelen Econo Mods since deciding to make Sharon Speedway his weekly stop. Lunger started sixth and inherited the lead on lap 17 when Jacob Eucker got into the fence. After pocketing $800 for the July 12 special, Lunger earned $600 on Saturday night in the 20-lap feature presented by Alcon Mechanical with a full field of cars on hand.
"I love this place," stated the 56-year-old Albion, Pa. standout. "It gets slick and I just love a slick race track. I think Jacob (Eucker) was a little better than me on the top, but the top was getting real choppy down there, and I'm a firm believer you live and die by that top sometimes. It jumped up and bit him. I hated to see that happen to him, but we'll take these wins anyway we can get them. I seen Joe (Gabrielson) underneath me a couple times before Jacob broke on the top so I wasn't sure what to do- stay in my line or block the bottom, but it all worked out."
Brendan Warner, who made his first ever Sharon visit, led the opening lap before fourth starting Eucker took over. Eucker led the next 15 laps, but his bid for his 17th career Econo Mod win ended when he got into the fence with less than four laps to go. Lunger would lead the remaining way in his wife Elizabeth's #71L sponsored by Charlie's Complete Landscaping, West Penn Collision, Angela's Cafe, TMR Racing, Hess Technology Group, Great Lakes Speed, English Tire, Beacon Lubricants, and Paul's Trading Post for his third career win in the division and 15th overall at the track thanks to 12 Crate Late Model wins.
Former UMP Mod racer, Joe Gabrielson, who won on opening night, went eighth to second. Jeremy Double, who is still tied with Brandon Blackshear as the division's all-time winner, was third after starting seventh. Eric Wilson was fourth as Warner dropped to fifth. Completing the top 10 were Jarrett Young, Garrett Calvert, Bryan Wagner, Eucker, and pole-sitter Gary Robinson. Heat wins went to Lunger, Wilson, and Eucker over the season high 24-car field.
Coming up next Saturday (July 27) will be the "Bill Kirila Memorial" "Super Series" event presented by Bala Management featuring the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply "410" Sprint Cars racing for $4,000 to-win, $400 to-start. The Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and the Whelen Econo Mods presented by Alcon Mechanical will also be on the card. Qualifying for the Sprints will get underway at 6:30 p.m. followed by racing at 7.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Mods presented by A&M Electric (20 laps, $1,000 to-win): 1. 42-NATE YOUNG[7]; 2. 12R-Ty Rhoades[6]; 3. 92-Joel Watson[4]; 4. 71L-Dennis Lunger Jr[3]; 5. 1-Vinnie DePizzo[5]; 6. 7G-Garrett Calvert[18]; 7. 17G-Brandon Grossman[11]; 8. 9T-Mason Canter[15]; 9. 23-Gary Olson[9]; 10. 77D-Dustin DeMattia[8]; 11. 21R-Randy Bauknecht[2]; 12. 17-Jason Gracey[14]; 13. 25-Chris Peterson[12]. DNS: 225-Bud Watson, 2-Bill Watson, 28-Mason Lobb, 17E-Lance Elson, 32-Todd Canter, 74-Jeffrey Bametzrieder.
Billy's Garage RUSH Sprint Cars (20 laps): 1. 41-BLAZE MYERS[1]; 2. 4J-John Mollick[2]; 3. 68-Brent Rhebergen[5]; 4. 9-Arnie Kent[8]; 5. 17-Trent Marshall[6]; 6. 5B-Joe Buccola[7]; 7. 44C-Bill Cunningham[11]; 8. 12-Ryan Fraley[10]; 9. 13K-Kevin Kaserman[16]; 10. 43SR-Billy Myers[12]; 11. 1E-Curt Emings[4]; 12. 1T-Ricky Tucker III[13]; 13. 5Z-Zack Wilson[14]; 14. 18-Brandon Fiedler[17]; 15. 48T-TJ Rosario[15]; 16. 23-Charlie Utsinger[9]; 17. 55-Luke Mulichak[3].
HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds (20 laps): 1. 00-ROB KRISTYAK[2]; 2. 23-Darin Gallagher[3]; 3. C3-Chas Wolbert[6]; 4. 2-Kole Holden[7]; 5. 12-JC Boyer[1]; 6. 2LC-Lucas Canon[8]; 7. 165K-Karston King[11]; 8. 10-Chelsie Gallagher[4]; 9. B4-Brayden Beatty[12]; 10. 333G-Dalton Gabriel[5]; 11. 17T-Kyle Teeter[14]; 12. 29A-Anthony Antus[9]; 13. 00K-Jackson Kristyak[13]; 14. 58-Logen Lockhart[10].
Whelen Econo Mods presented by Alcon Mechanical (20 laps): 1. 71L-DENNIS LUNGER, JR.[6]; 2. 58-Joe Gabrielson[8]; 3. 83-Jeremy Double[7]; 4. 10-Eric Wilson[5]; 5. 12*-Brendan Warner[2]; 6. 21-Jarrett Young[11]; 7. 12C-Garrett Calvert[10]; 8. 56-Bryan Wagner[22]; 9. 64-Jacob Eucker[4]; 10. 44R-Gary Robinson[1]; 11. 6-Dave Shagla Jr[14]; 12. 89-Junior Mechling[15]; 13. 16C-Calvin Clay[21]; 14. 37-Ryan Wisniowski[24]; 15. 15-Eric Nellis II[18]; 16. 89C-Travis Carothers[9]; 17. B1-Buzz Seitz[12]; 18. 7-Coleton Longwell[3]; 19. 965-Andy Buckley[13]; 20. 17-Dennis Dellinger[17]; 21. 2P-Branden Porter[20]; 22. 9-Jeremy Holbrook[16]; 23. 12-Troy Pinch[19]; 24. 35-Rick Wilson Jr[23].
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 X (formerly known as Twitter) at www.twitter.com/sharonspdwy.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
