Return Of “Steel Valley Thunder” Saturday At Sharon

By Mike Leone

Hartford, OH August 22, 2013 After a pair of successful special race events and a Charlie Daniels concert over the past week, Sharon Speedway will get back to its weekly attraction- “Steel Valley Thunder” this Saturday night, August 24. On the card will be the Governor Insurance Agency DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, Barris Supply RUSH Late Models, Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds, Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products Econo Mods, and Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks will also be in competition. Race time is 7 p.m.

Saturday’s promotion is Youngstown State University (YSU) Night. All current students with an ID will be admitted free for general admission, while alumni will receive $3 off! Kids bike races will be held at intermission. Kids 3-12 will be eligible to compete on the frontstretch during intermission. Helmets are required. Once again Saturday night, one lucky boy and girl under the age of 14 will win a bicycle or scooter thanks to King Bros. and Sharon Speedway. Saturday’s kitchen special is chicken gravy over mashed.

The DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds have featured increased car counts this year and are coming off a big field of 39 at Tuesday night’s “Lou Blaney Memorial”. Dave Murdick will enter the weekend on fire winner of three straight on the circuit, and it wasn’t just three regular events. Murdick received a $1,000 bonus for winning last Friday night at Lernerville Speedway, followed that up with a $1,500 BRP Tour win Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park, and did one step more winning Tuesday’s $2,000 BRP Tour feature.

Murdick also was going for the lead on August 10 at Sharon when he clipped the fence ending his night. The defending champion though sits fourth in points with just a few nights remaining. Jim Weller, Jr. leads the Governor Insurance Agency points by 26 over Rex King. Ironically both of those racers’ cars are in the process of being repaired after both got upside down on Tuesday night. Rex King, Jr. is third in points 48 behind Weller.

Dennis Lunger, Jr. has held onto the Barris Supply RUSH Late Model point lead since his victory on opening night back on April 6. Lunger’s lead had begun to shrink, but stopped the bleeding with his season’s fourth win on August 10. Lunger has a 30-point lead on defending champion Will Thomas III, who would be much closer had he not missed opening night. Ironically, 2011 champion Josh Double is third in points, but is 50 back and is quickly running out of time. “Futures Cup” point leader, Eric Wilson, is fourth ahead of Late Model rookie Jamie Wrightsman.

The Modifieds haven’t run since August 10 when Scott Stiffler became the amazing 11th different winner of the season! Mike Kinney has really been hooked up of late and surging to the front no matter where he’s starts. The Ashtabula, Ohio driver has finished in the top 10 in every point night this season, which has allowed him to race out to a big 50-point lead over Joe Gabrielson. Alan Dellinger, Jeff Johnson, and Jeff Hassay complete the top five in points. A total of 69 different drivers have competed to date this season in the Summit Racing Equipment-sponsored division!

It’s hard to believe that only a couple years ago Mike Clark had been winless in his 15 plus year racing career. The Bristolville, Ohio racer won a pair of races in both 2011 and 2012 and stepped it up even more this season. Clark leads the Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Car division with three wins and currently leads defending champion Tim Burns by 31 in the point race. Clark is one of the five point leaders that have never won a championship at Sharon.

The Econo Mods are coming down to a three-boy race between Jeremy Double, Ryan Fraley, and Jacob Eucker. The trio has won 14 of the 15 features this year despite their combined ages totaling only 53 years of age! Double (six wins) leads last week’s winner Fraley (four wins) by just 15 points and 12-year-old Eucker (four wins) by only 23. Consistent rookie Ty Rhoades and one-time winner Steve Burns, Jr. are fourth and fifth in points and are the only two racers that are challengers on a weekly basis.

After getting crashed last week, Scott Gilliland’s point lead shrunk to just 14 over rookie Travis Creech in the Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. Creech looked like he was headed to victory and cut the lead even more, but his right rear wheel broke ending his night. Defending champion, Jim Haefke, Jr., went on for his season’s second win as he keeps his championship hopes alive in third place.

Pits open at 4 p.m. Saturday with grandstands at 5and racing at 7. Grandstand admission for those 14 and over is $13, while children under 14 are always free. Pit passes are $25. Parking and camping is always free.

A reminder that there will be no racing over Labor Day Weekend at Sharon Speedway.

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 @SharonSpdwy.