9/25/2024
Sharon Speedway
WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CARS TO CAP OFF 95TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON AT SHARON ON SATURDAY; ECONO MODS ALSO IN ACTION
By Mike Leone
September 25, 2024
(Hartford, OH)... Sharon Speedway will close out the 2024 racing season this Saturday night (September 28) with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in the Federated Auto Parts Showdown! Also in competition are the Whelen Econo Mods presented by Alcon Mechanical as they bring down the curtain on the 95th anniversary season. Warmups will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by qualifying and racing on Hovis Auto & Truck Supply night.
Saturday's appearance by the World of Outlaws will be their second visit of 2024 at Sharon. The "Greatest Show on Dirt" was the season opener at Sharon back on May 18 as David Gravel pocketed the $12,000 payday for his first career Sharon win. Once again, $12,000 to-win/$1,200 to-start will be on the line on Saturday night.
The World of Outlaws Sprint Cars completed both events in 2023 as the May show was won by 10-time Series Champion, Donny Schatz, for his first Sharon "410" feature win! Brad Sweet topped the September show for the second straight year in route to his fifth Series championship. In 2021, Dave Blaney won in spectacular fashion over Sheldon Haudenschild for his 95th career WoO win, but first since 1997!
Prior to 2021, the World of Outlaws last appeared at Sharon on June 1, 2007 when the "King of the Outlaws", Steve Kinser, scored the victory. Kinser leads the way at Sharon with four WoO wins, while Danny Lasoski is the only other repeat winner besides Sweet with victories in 2002 and 2004. Besides Schatz and Blaney, other single WoO winners at Sharon include Jac Haudenschild (2006), Jason Meyers (2005), and Joey Saldana (2002).
Entering this weekend, David Gravel sits atop the World of Outlaws points in search of his first Series championship. Gravel, who has a Series best 14 victories, maintains a 90-point lead on Carson Macedo. Macedo is also second best with the Series in wins with nine. Schatz, the 10-time Series Champion, is third in points with four wins. Buddy Kofoid has had an excellent rookie season with five victories and is fourth in points ahead of 2023 rookie-of-the-year, Gio Scezli, who has three wins.
Though he's sixth in points, fan favorite Sheldon Haudenschild has the third most wins on the season with eight. Federated Auto Parts backed central Pennsylvania racer, Logan Schuchart, is seventh with one win. Completing the top 10 in points are rookie Bill Balog, central Pa. racer Brock Zearfoss, and rookie Landon Crawley aboard the Jason Sides-owned #7s. Just outside the top 10 in points are Kraig Kinser and the Bill Rose-owned #6 entry. Though not a Platinum Series racer, Missouri's Garet Williamson, is 13th in points and will be making his Sharon debut on Saturday.
Sharon has completed five "410" Sprint Car events thus far in 2024 with five different winners and big car counts at each one! Gravel topped a 45-car field on May 18 with the WoO. On June 1, central PA invader Ryan Smith won the $4,000 Western PA Speedweek event for the second time in four years as 46 cars were hand. Danny Dietrich, another member of the PA Posse, won the $5,000 FAST-sanctioned Ohio Sprint Speedweek event on June 12 with 53 cars on hand! Dale Blaney was victorious for the 21st time of his career at Sharon on July 27 winning the $4,000 event. And most recently, Dave Blaney won the $12,000 "Lou Blaney Memorial" last Saturday night over a 38-car field in what was his 38th and final career win at Sharon as he announced his retirement in victory lane.
Completing the two-division program will be the Whelen Econo Mods presented by Alcon Mechanical in an $800 to-win/$160 to-start event. It'll be the second appearance by Economod Mania Tour event in their season finale. At the last event on August 24, Jeremy Double topped a season high 34-car field for his all-time division leading 23rd career Sharon win. Joe Gabrielson and Dennis Lunger, Jr. both have a pair of Sharon victories this season. Lunger leads the Economod Mania Tour points over Jacob Eucker, Jarrett Young, Garrett Calvert, and Double.
Summit Racing Equipment will present the hard charger award on Saturday night to the Econo 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 Performance Bodies "Nosed Out" program will award a $100 Performance Bodies gift card redeemable only at Wedge Motorsports to a driver in the Econo Mods. The recipient will be the driver that most closely beat out another competitor for any finishing position on the lead lap. Tiebreaker will be the driver with the best finishing position.
There is no Sharon registration fee for the Econo Mods. 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 2024 season, please bring the registration form with you completed https://www.sharonspeedway.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=899241
Fans can not only experience viewing from the frontstretch and backstretch grandstands, but also from the infield fan zone, which includes concessions and restrooms. 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.
Pit gates open at 2 p.m. Grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m. Warmups will get underway at 6:30 p.m. followed by Sprint Car qualifying with heat races scheduled for 7:30.
General admission for those 13 and over is $35 in advance and $40 on Saturday, while reserve tickets are $40 in advance and $45 on Saturday for all ages. Students 6-12 are $10 for general admission. Kids five and under are free. Pit passes are $45. Advance and reserved tickets can be purchased at the following link: https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=WRG_SNG_MPV&orgid=52711&eventId=104123
Reserved seats are the top five rows of all frontstretch grandstands. Patio and VIP fan suite seats are sold out. As a reminder, stadium seats, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted. Camping permits are $25 and can be reserved at the following link: https://www.simpletix.com/e/rv-trailer-tent-camping-spots-tickets-153713
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 X (formerly known as Twitter) @sharonspdwy.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
