Sharon Speedway ULMS 10-5-13 Preview

Davey Johnson took the ULMS Checkers back in April

By Mike Leone

Hartford, OH October 2, 2013 Six months has passed since Sharon Speedway kicked off the 2013 season on April 6; now the 84th anniversary season will come to a close this Saturday night, October 5. The special event will feature the United Late Model Series (ULMS), Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds in a non-winners event, Open Stock Cars, and the Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. Racing begins at 7 p.m.

The NDRL’s United Late Model Series (ULMS) will be making their fourth appearances of the year in another $3,000 to-win show. Back on April 20, “The Juice” Davey Johnson shattered the track record in route to the $3,000 ULMS payday. Johnson’s victory was the 27th of his career, which is second all-time to the great Jim Bickerstaff.

Somehow, Sharon was able to beats the odds on June 12 with rain literally everywhere but at the speedway as Mike Knight won the first race of his career Sharon. On July 20, it was Boom Briggs becoming the third different winner in as many races. Briggs held off challenges most of the event from Brent Rhebergen and a last lap surge by Keith Barbara for the $3,000 payday and his first ULMS win in two seasons. Briggs then went on to sweep the $8,000 two-day ULMS “Fall Classic” at McKean County Raceway two weeks ago!

In the 2012 season finale last October, Barbara went down in the record books as the winner of the first ever ULMS event at the speedway! Knight has a 56-point lead on Briggs as Robbie Blair, Matt Urban, Jason Dupont, Greg Oakes, Russell King, Dave Hess, Jr., Brent Rhebergen, and Davis Scott round out the top 10 in points.

The Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds have clearly been the most competitive of the speedway’s six weekly classes. A total of 76 different drivers have participated throughout the season with 12 different winners! There’s a guarantee that Saturday night will feature a 13th different winner as the program is only open to Modified drivers that have yet to win a feature anywhere on the circuit.

The speedway’s regular Modified purse of $500 to-win will be used and as is the case nightly, if there are 24 or more cars, the feature will pay $100 to-start. Note: all Econo Mod racers are permitted to run the event whether they won a feature in the two-barrel class or not. Jeff Hassay is the division’s top racer in points who has yet to win a feature. Hassay finished fifth in points with two top five finishes including a season best third on June 15. Hassay owns one career Sharon win.

It was a good season for the Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars. Those racers can now take part in the season’s ending event Saturday night with extra money on the line as $1,000 will go to the feature winner in the “open rules” event. Earlier this season Rod Laskey won the $750 race during Memorial Day Weekend; two week ago champion Mike Clark won his biggest career race taking the $1,500 “Apple Festival Nationals” over a season-high 36-car field. The Open Stock Car events always bring out some of the region’s best competitors.

Rounding out the card will be the Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. Last Saturday, Travis Creech made a last lap pass to win his sixth feature of the season, but more importantly grabbed the championship title in the final night of points. Extra cash will be on the line this week with $200 going to the winner. The car counts have been up in recent events with 18 last Saturday night and 19 for the “Apple Festival Nationals” as that $300 to-win event was won by 2011 champion Bill Fuchs. Aluminum wheels will again be permitted.

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. This promotion will continue throughout the 2013 season.

Pits open at 4 p.m. Saturday with grandstands at 5. Qualifying for the Late Models will take place at 6:30 p.m. with racing at 7. Grandstand admission for those 14 and over is $15, while children under 14 are always free. Pit passes are $35. Parking and camping is always free.

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.