Kemenah Invades Sharon To Take $3,000

by Mike Leone

Hartford, OH June 2, 2018 After losing seven of the first eight events scheduled for the 2018 season including the last three weeks, dry weather finally prevailed on Saturday night allowing Sharon Speedway to complete the first Menards “Super Series” event. A huge crowd was on hand as 96 cars filled the pit area. Capturing wins on Bucks Fabricating Night and celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane were Chad Kemenah-Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars, Chad Ruhlman-RUSH Sprint Cars, Blaze Myers-HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and Jacob Eucker-Summit Racing Equipment Econo Mods.

Six-time and defending All Star Sprint Car Champion, Chad Kemenah, made the most of a night off for the Series in between races at Lernerville and Bedford Speedways, to capture the $3,000 “410” Sprint Car victory. After the 31-car field was whittled down to 24 feature starters, the 46-year-old Findlay, Ohio driver started fifth and had the lead on lap two. Kemenah then led the rest of the way winning by nearly two seconds leading a top four sweep by All Star regulars. The victory was the sixth of Kemenah’s career at Sharon and came in the Rob Hunter-owned, DKW Transport/Bonnell’s Rod Shop/Brilex/Kistler Engines-sponsored #10H.

Front row starters Carl Bowser and 28-time Sharon “410” Sprint Car winner, Dave Blaney, finished second and third. Parker Price-Miller put on a show to take fourth after coming back from a spin and having to restart in 15th with nine laps to go. The Kokomo, Indiana youngster also put on quite a show for the fans at last month’s All Star event racing from 14th to fourth in the feature. Jack Sodeman, Jr., the 2009 and 2010 track champion, was the top local finisher in fifth.

Completing the top 10 were Brandon Matus, All Star Cale Conley, Dan Kuriger, $100,000 Mansfield winner Tim Shaffer, and Gary Kriess, Jr. Dennis Wagner went for a wild flip during the feature, but was okay. Kemenah set fast time overall in qualifying with a lap of 13.992. Matus, Kemenah, Shaffer, and Bryan Salisbury won the heat races, while Dan Shetler captured the B main. The Sprints will return on Tuesday, June 19 for Ohio Speedweek for the All Stars.

The new traditional, non-wing RUSH Sprint Cars made their first of two scheduled appearances for the 2018 season with Chad Ruhlman capturing the feature win. After a thrilling a heat race victory from the seventh starting spot, an invert zero put Ruhlman on the pole for the feature event. Ruhlman, a veteran standout of Late Model and Modifieds, made his first career Sprint Car start a winning one two weeks ago at Old Bradford (PA) Speedway.

Ruhlman is now two-for-two after leading wire-to-wire taking his first career Sharon win in his Premier Communications/Ruhlman Race Cars/Close Racing Supply-sponsored #87R by 0.727 of a second over veteran Sprint Car racer Mike Lutz, who started fourth. Gale Ruth, Jr., who won the Series event on Friday night at Lernerville, was third and continues to lead the $5,000 to-win Bonnell’s Rod Shop RUSH Series Championship. Micro Sprint racer Brandon Hawkins was fourth over Zach Morrow, who won the second heat race.

Blaze Myers pulled off what could be considered the biggest upset in the five-year history of the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. The 14-year-old racer led all 20 laps of the HTMA/Precise Racing Products feature topping an all-time record high car count of 31 cars. The Franklin, Pa. teen held his composure as he held off many racing veterans throughout the field. Myers’ first career win was worth $500 and came by a margin of 0.835 of a second in the R.H. Construction/R.K. Virgile Scrap Metals/Billy’s Garage/R&R Enterprises-sponsored #43JR.

Garrett Krummert, who is a regular in the Big-Block Modifieds and won two weeks ago at Tri-City Raceway Park for his first career RUSH victory, was second. Josh Deems, Alan Dellinger, and 2017 RUSH Weekly Series Champion Rocky Kugel were third through fifth. Rob Kristyak, Steve Slater, Deems, and Myers won the heat races, while Jordan Ehrenberg won the B main. The 31 cars topped the previous record of 30 from last year’s season opener.

Jacob Eucker was victorious in the 20-lap feature for the Summit Racing Equipment Econo Mods. The 17-year-old Fowler, Ohio driver took the lead on lap three and never looked back. Eucker’s eighth career win in the division and ninth overall at the track came by a margin of 1.879 seconds in his Ohio Commerce Center/Bucks Ground Maintenance/Danski Dyno/Dr. John Eucker/CRS/Lees Excavating-sponsored #64. Kyle Miller, who won his first career feature in 2017, was second over Brian Toto. Matt Alexander was fourth in a rare Sharon start. Ty Rhoades completed the top five. Heat wins over the 21-car field went to Buzz Seitz, Eucker, and Alexander.

“410” Sprint Cars (30 laps, $3,000 to-win): 1. CHAD KEMENAH (Hunter 10H) 2. Carl Bowser (Chiapelli 98) 3. Dave Blaney (Grove 70) 4. Parker Price-Miller (Destiny 4) 5. Jack Sodeman, Jr. (23JR) 6. Brandon Matus (13) 7. Cale Conley (Jessup 7K) 8. Dan Kuriger (08) 9. Tim Shaffer (Demyan/Rudzik 49) 10. Gary Kriess, Jr. (Frederick 55) 11. Dan Shetler (Pryde 29) 12. Cody Bova (20B) 13. Bryan Salisbury (126) 14. Tyler Esh (35) 15. Michael Bauer (46) 16. George Hobaugh (40) 17. Trevor Baker (45) 18. Brent Matus (33) 19. Frankie Nervo (21N) 20. John Garvin, Jr. (51) 21. Sye Lynch (42) 22. Jimmy Morris III (4N) 23. Jared Zimbardi (Chappel 8) 24. Dennis Wagner (38). DNQ: Mike Miller (Garvin G1), Russ Sansosti (23s), Jeremy Kornbau (27K), Eric L. Williams (4W), Bob McMillin (5), Gale Ruth (1R), Joe Sylvester (8).

RUSH Sprint Cars (15 laps): 1. CHAD RUHLMAN (87R) 2. Mike Lutz (86) 3. Gale Ruth, Jr. (Culver 1c) 4. Brandon Hawkins (27H) 5. Zach Morrow (27) 6. Arnie Kent (18) 7. Joe McEwen (Mahoney/Eckart 9J) 8. Shawn Smith (36) 9. Dave Hawkins (27) 10. Dalton Daniels (23) 11. Scott Hawkins (37) 12. Steve Cousins (56) 13. Steve Pedley (21) 14. Darin Gallagher (12).

HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds (20 laps, $500 to-win): 1. BLAZE MYERS (43JR) 2. Garrett Krummert (10S) 3. Josh Deems (9D) 4. Alan Dellinger (Williams 8) 5. Rocky Kugel (83) 6. Rob Kristyak (00) 7. Chas Wolbert (c3) 8. Jeremy Weaver (35W) 9. Kyle Martell (8) 10. Gary Haupt (16) 11. Kole Holden (2) 12. David Kalb, Jr. (11J) 13. Brandon Michaud (132) 14. Chelsie Kriegisch (10) 15. Jeff Schaffer, Jr. (4) 16. Sid Unverzagt, Jr. (Myers 11) 17. Brian Schaffer (41) 18. Jessica Kriegisch (63) 19. Jacob Jordan (28J) 20. Kevin Long (22) 21. Tony Tatgenhorst (63) 22. Will Schaffer (4) 23. Jordan Ehrenberg (JD57) 24. Steve Slater (29). DNQ: Cameron Nastasi (615), Preston Cope (24P), Lexi Couch (51), Brandon Ritchey (17), Brian Sadler (5), Jacob Wolfe (7), Justin Shea (14s).

Summit Racing Equipment Econo Mods (20 laps): 1. JACOB EUCKER (64) 2. Kyle Miller (15) 3. Brian Toto (8B) 4. Matt Alexander (77) 5. Ty Rhoades (12R) 6. Dustin Demattia (77D) 7. Brian Huchko (60) 8. Josh Mueller (01) 9. Buzz Seitz (1) 10. Gary Robinson (44R) 11. Mark Titus (25) 12. Rick Wilson, Jr. (35) 13. Ed Roberts (6s) 14. Jacob Plaugher (46) 15. Steve Burns, Jr. (70B) 16. Brandon Fiedler (18) 17. Steve Haefke (41) 18. Mark Hillman (29) 19. Mike Smith (81)-DNS 20. James Clay (84)-DNS 21. Ryan Goncz (77G)-DNS.

Coming up this Saturday night (June 9) will be a special visit by the ULMS Super Late Models racing for $3,000 to-win, the first appearance of the season by the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds, and the first appearance by the E-Mods in a UEMS-sanctioned event. The Junior Sprints for kids will also be on the card. Race time is 7 p.m.

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.