Cole Duncan Wins 2nd 410 Sprint Car Feature Of 2019 At Sharon

By Mike Leone

Hartford, OH August 10, 2019 Another beautiful Saturday night allowed Sharon Speedway to finally pull ahead of Mother Nature at nine to eight in the 90th anniversary season on Kams Electric Service Night. Picking up victories for the “Bill Kirila Memorial” and celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane as part of the Menards “Super Series” were Cole Duncan-Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars, Paul Davis-Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, Chas Wolbert-HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and Jacob Eucker-Summit Racing Equipment Econo Mods. Also, Tony Tatgenhorst won the “Wheelman” Non-Winners race presented by Ohio Intra Express and C&R Tire for the RUSH Mods.

It hasn’t been the greatest season for Ohio standout Cole Duncan, but the Grove City resident has done well in his limited, albeit it six-hour roundtrips to Sharon Speedway in 2019. Duncan picked up the May 11 season opening FAST-sanctioned “410” Sprint Car $3,000 win back on May 11 and finished third in the “Lou Blaney Memorial” All Star-sanctioned on July 6. On Saturday night, Duncan returned to Sharon and led all 30 laps in pretty convincing fashion for another $3,000 payday.

The 27-year-old went fourth to first on the opening lap and navigated lapped traffic to perfection to take the checkered flag first by a comfortable 4.248 seconds in his Ohio Heating/Helms Construction/Motor City-sponsored #22. Fresh off winning $12,000 last Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway, May 20 Sharon winner, A.J. Flick, came home second. Friday night Lernerville Speedway winner, Jack Sodeman, Jr., was third for the second straight week. Two-time 2019 winner, Dave Blaney, raced from ninth to fourth over 14th starting George Hobaugh. Completing the top 10 were Adam Kekich in his 2019 debut, Carl Bowser, Michigan Dan McCarron, Jeremy Kornbau from 19th, and Frankie Nervo. Blaney set fast time overall against the 27-car field in qualifying with a lap of 13.432. Heat winners were McCarron, Kekich, and Dan Kuriger, while Kornbau won the last chance B main.

Two weeks ago, Kole Holden won his first feature since his 2017 championship season in the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. On Saturday night, Paul Davis did the same in the Stock Cars. Davis started fifth, dropped back to sixth, before racing forward and taking the lead on lap six. Once in front, Davis stayed glued to the bottom and held off the rim-riding and sixth starting Curt J. Bish for the 20-lap Gibson Insurance Agency victory by 1.273 seconds.

The 59-year-old Fowler, Ohio driver’s last win came on June 10, 2017 in his Ocala Restaurant/Hover Racing/Tub’s Automotive/Bell’s Chiropractic Clinic-sponsored #3, but was his 23rd career win in the division. Bish maintained his points lead with his runner-up finish. Mike Miller was third over Chris McGuire and Noah Brunell. Steve D’Apolito went 16th to sixth over Jamie Scharba, Troy DeZarn, Gil Demello, and Jamie Maxwell. Bish and Davis won the heat races.

Chas Wolbert became the track’s top winner of 2019 scoring his third victory in the 20-lap HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modified feature earning $500 with a full field of cars on hand. The 25-year-old Warren, Ohio driver also became the division’s all-time leading feature winner with his 12th career victory!

Wolbert started fifth and took the lead from pole-sitter Rob Kristyak on lap five and cruised to the victory by 2.837 seconds in his Alcon Mechanical/Dunkin Donuts of Warren, OH/C.T. Wolbert Trucking/Walters Building Co./Ohio Intra Express/Russ King Racing-sponsored #c3. Points leader, Kole Holden, raced from seventh to finish a distant second. Jim Rasey was third for the second straight week. Kristyak dropped to fourth over Will Thomas III, who made his RUSH season debut. Sixth through 10th were Tony Tatgenhorst, Eric Gabany, rookie Clayton Deems, D.J. Schrader, and Gary Haupt. Heat winners were Kristyak, Gabany, and Thomas over the 24-car field.

In the “Wheelman” Non-Winners event, Tony Tatgenhorst took the lead on lap two from D.J. Schrader and went on for his second victory of the season by a commanding 3.809 second advantage. The 39-year-old Columbiana, Ohio racer became the second repeat winner to earn $75 in his All State Integrity of Salem/Edwards Flower Shop-sponsored #63T. After his first career top 10 in the regular feature with an eighth place, rookie Clayton Deems finished second for the second straight race in the “Wheelman” race presented by Ohio Intra Express and C&R Tire. Schrader dropped to third over another rookie in Brandon Albert. Greg Porter was fifth.

Jacob Eucker emerged victorious out of another caution-plagued Econo Mod feature to become the season’s sixth different winner in seven races. The 18-year-old Fowler, Ohio defending Summit Racing Equipment Champion took the lead on lap three from Jim Clay, lost it back on lap four, and regained it for good on lap five. Eucker though would have to fend off seventh starting Ty Rhoades by just 0.193 of a second in his Ohio Commerce Center/Danski Dyno & Performance/Dr. John Eucker/Close Racing Supply-sponsored #64. Dustin DeMattia, who entered the night with two straight wins and the points lead, finished third. Brian Toto was fourth over Gary Robinson. DeMattia and Eucker won the heat races.

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars (30 laps, $3,000 to-win): 1. COLE DUNCAN (22) 2. A.J. Flick (2) 3. Jack Sodeman, Jr. (23Jr) 4. Dave Blaney (98H) 5. George Hobaugh (40) 6. Adam Kekich (5K) 7. Carl Bowser (11) 8. Dan McCarron (22M) 9. Jeremy Kornbau (27K) 10. Frankie Nervo (21N) 11. Darren Pifer (23) 12. Davey Jones (76) 13. Brent Matus (33) 14. Michael Bauer (46) 15. Russ Sansosti (23s) 16. Cody Bova (20B) 17. Eric L. Williams (4w) 18. Brett Brunkenhoefer (Kish 47) 19. Dale Blaney (Stafford 4N) 20. Logan McCandless (29M) 21. Andy Feil (08) 22. Andy Priest (McCandless 7N) 23. Dan Shetler (7K) 24. Dan Kuriger (08). DNQ: Shawn Smith (Matus 13), Lance Christie (Kish 45), George Englert (11x).

Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars (20 laps): 1. PAUL DAVIS (3) 2. Curt J. Bish (Tarr 29) 3. Mike Miller (Thompson 81) 4. Chris McGuire (63) 5. Noah Brunell (31) 6. Steve D’Apolito (84) 7. Jamie Scharba (11s) 8. Troy DeZarn (21) 9. Gil Demello (22) 10. Jamie Maxwell (6) 11. Mike Kerr (25K) 12. Andy Thompson (5) 13. Jamie Duncan (67J) 14. Brian Carothers (02c) 15. Michael Hudzik (31H0 16. Chris Schneider (55).

HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds (20 laps, $500 to-win): 1. CHAS WOLBERT (c3) 2. Kole Holden (2) 3. Jim Rasey (32) 4. Rob Kristyak (00) 5. Will Thomas III (9) 6. Tony Tatgenhorst (63T) 7. Eric Gabany (Schaffer 4s) 8. Clayton Deems (55R) 9. D.J. Schrader (14) 10. Gary Haupt (16) 11. Calvin Clay (12c) 12. Amelia Clay (16c) 13. Brandon Albert (30) 14. Greg Porter (25) 15. Preston Cope (24P) 16. Cameron Nastasi (615) 17. Justin Halicki (24) 18. Don Blaney (11B) 19. Kyle Martell (8) 20. Josh Deems (9D) 21. Jacob Jordan (28J) 22. Nathen McDowell (11G) 23. John McMillen (6) 24. Teddy Williams II (818).

Summit Racing Equipment Econo Mods (20 laps): 1. JACOB EUCKER (64) 2. Ty Rhoades (12R) 3. Dustin DeMattia (77D) 4. Brian Toto (8B) 5. Gary Robinson (44R) 6. Buzz Seitz (1) 7. Gary Olson (23) 8. Dan McEwen (44) 9. Jim Clay (84) 10. Rick Wilson, Jr. (35) 11. Daniel Moffitt (2) 12. Ed Snyder, Jr. (25S) 13. Pat Drennan (24) 14. Brandon Fiedler (18) 15. Jarrett Young (21) 16. Jeremy Double (83) 17. Bob Moskey (7) 18. Ray Gregory (82R).

Ohio Intra Express/C&R Tire RUSH Sportsman Modified “Wheelman” Non-Winners Race (10 laps, $75 to-win): 1. Tony Tatgenhorst 2. Clayton Deems 3. D.J. Schrader 4. Brandon Albert 5. Greg Porter 6. Preston Cope 7. Cameron Nastasi 8. Justin Halicki 9. Nathen McDowell 10. Amelia Clay 11. Don Blaney 12. John McMillen 13. Calvin Clay-DNS 14. Jacob Jordan-DNS 15. Teddy Williams II-DNS.

Coming up next Saturday (August 17) will be the second and final appearance by the FAST Series for the “410” Sprint Cars in a $3,000 to-win, $300 to-start event. The Menards “Super Series” event will also include the rescheduled “Bickerstaff Cup” Series race #3 for the Outlaw Mods paying $1,200 to-win, the RUSH Sportsman Modified Touring Series for their “Manufacturers Night” for $600 to-win, RUSH Sprint Cars, and Econo Mods. 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.