Lucas Oil Late Models Set For Sharon Debut On Friday

By Mike Leone

Hartford, OH April 19, 2016 After a successful 87th anniversary season opener on Saturday night at Sharon Speedway, the stage is finally set for the inaugural appearance by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series this Friday night (April 22). The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH (Crate) Late Model Touring Series will also be part of this long-awaited Late Model doubleheader program, which is being presented by Barris Truck Service of West Middlesex, Pa. Barris Truck Service features medium and heavy duty truck repair and heavy duty towing. Performance Bodies with their MD3 brand is an associate sponsor of the event.

The LOLMDS boasts a star-studded lineup of racers that will be in competition battling in the $10,000 to-win “Steel Valley 50” led by defending champion and current point leader Jonathan Davenport of Mount Airy, North Carolina, who leads the Series with six victories this season. Two-time Series champion, Scott Bloomquist, is currently second in the standings with two wins.

Jared Landers is third followed by Darrell Lanigan and Brandon Sheppard. Sixth through 11th in points are Dennis Erb Jr., Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson Jr., Don O’Neal, and Steve Francis. Colton Flinner of Allison Park, Pa. leads the Lucas’ Rookie of the Year standings. Other 2016 LOLMDS winners include Josh Richards with three and Mason Zeigler and Chris Madden with one with each.

While many of the above racers have not competed at Sharon, one driver that has is Lanigan, who won the last national Late Model race at Sharon back in 2010. Several local and regional talented Late Model racers will be on hand trying to dethrone some of the best Super Late Model racers in the world like Rochester Mills, Pennsylvania driver Gregg Satterlee, who already has wins this season at Williams Grove and Port Royal Speedways. Another of those is Max Blair, who will actually be doing double duty competing with both the LOLMDS and the RUSH Crate Late Models. Other local standouts expected include last Friday night’s Lernerville winner Russell King and 2015 ULMS Super Late Model Champion Jared Miley.

“We’ve tried for five or six years to get a Lucas Oil event at Sharon,” acknowledged seventh year General Manager Dave Willoughby. “Lucas Oil is committed to a 50-event slate each year and the success of their events has tracks renewing year in and year out. This date came open and even though it’s not on our typical Saturday night program we couldn’t pass up the opportunity as Lucas Oil will be heading to Hagerstown Speedway the following night. Other than some events two hours or more away in Ohio, this will be the only local appearance the Series makes until October at Pittsburgh. Interest has been very high so hopefully we get good weather and the fans support this event so it becomes an annual tradition.”

The tire rule for the event is Hoosier Rib 1300 (no white dots) or Hoosier 1325 for left rear and fronts, and Hoosier 01 (1300 rubber) or Hoosier 04 (1425 rubber) for right rear. For more information on Lucas Oil, check out their website at www.lucasdirt.com.

The Sweeney RUSH Late Model Touring Series will also be part of the program highlighted by a 30-lap feature paying $2,000 to-win. It’ll be the Series’ opening event of the 2016 season after actually completing the 2015 season last Saturday with the “Apple Festival Nationals” make-up that saw Matt Latta win his first career RUSH Tour event.

Defending Series Champion Max Blair along with past crate champions like Alan Dellinger, Mike Pegher, Jr., and Ryan Montgomery are expected along with former Sharon Champions Will Thomas III, Dennis Lunger, Jr., and Josh Double. The event is expected to draw competitors from all over Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York along with the Mid-Atlantic and Ontario, Canada. RUSH will return in a Touring Series event on September 16-17 as part of the “Apple Festival Nationals”.

Reserved and advanced tickets are on sale through Thursday at noon for $28 by going to www.sharonspeedway.com and clicking on ‘buy tickets’ at the top left of the page. Day of event general admission adult tickets are $25, while pit passes are $40. Children 13 and under are free for general admission. Advanced ticket holders will be able to get into the grandstands at 4 p.m. for preferred seating before the grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. Warm-ups begin at 6:15 for RUSH followed by group qualifying for both series with racing to follow.

There will be no racing on Saturday night (April 23). The 87th anniversary season at Sharon continues on Saturday, April 30 with the “Steel Valley Thunder” kick-off featuring the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds, Lyden/Red Line Oil RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products Econo Mods, and the Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. Race time is 7 p.m.

The Barris Family has been heavily involved in racing over the years. Barris Supply was the presenting sponsor of the RUSH Late Models for several years through their last season of weekly racing in 2014. See Barris Supply for all your Cub Cadet needs. Barris Supply is located at 3500 Sharon Rd., West Middlesex, PA 16159. Contact them at 724-528-2560 or www.barrissupply.com.

Performance Bodies has been in business for over 35 years can provide your race team with the same quality products, great service and FAST delivery, that they provide thousands of other race teams throughout the country. Performance Bodies is also sells the MD3 noses for all types of race cars. With a warehouse stocked full of high quality, race-proven parts and a great team to provide you with their world famous same day shipping, we guarantee you won’t be disappointed! All orders received will ship the same business day. For more information, check out www.performancebodies.com or www.md3dirt.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. Become a fan of Sharon Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sharonspdwy.