$2,558 To Win UMP Mod “Bill Gabrielson Memorial” Headlines Saturday’s “Steel Valley Thunder” At Sharon

By Mike Leone

August 20, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Hartford, OH)…After Mother Nature claimed last Saturday night’s “Lou Blaney Memorial”, great weather is in the forecast for this Saturday night’s (August 24) “Steel Valley Thunder” finale presented by A&MP Electric and Sunburst Environmental. The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds will headline the program in the “Bill Gabrielson Memorial”. The Econo Mod Mania Tour and the HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will add to the excitement for a Modified tripleheader, while the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks will round out the four-division program. Group qualifying for the UMP Mods will get underway at 6:40 p.m. followed by racing.

The Hovis Auto & Truck UMP Modifieds will be making their fourth appearance of 2024 on Saturday night, but richest to date in the second annual “Bill Gabrielson Memorial” as the 25-lap feature will pay $2,558 to-win/$258 to-start! The complete payoff is posted below. Gabrielson passed away in 2013 from cancer. Gabrielson owns 42 career wins at Sharon including 40 in the Semi-Late division, which is the most all-time. He was a three-time Semi-Late Champion (1977-1979) at Sharon and is in the Twin-State Auto Racing Club Hall of Fame.

In addition to the excellent payoff, the following bonuses have been posted: $158 to the fastest qualifier, $158 to-win heat races, $258 to-win dash with $158 for second, $108 for third, and $58 for fourth through sixth, and $158 to the feature hard charger.

Drivers will draw to determine the qualifying order. The fastest six qualifiers will transfer directly to the dash. Those six drivers will redraw for the starting lineup of the dash as that finish will determine the first six starting spots of the feature. All other drivers will transfer to the heat races, which will be lined up straight up on qualifying times. There is no entry fee. Saturday’s event is also part of the “Local’s Cup” Series.

Special thanks to presenting sponsors A&MP Electric, Gabrielson Motorsports & Family, Paul Gabrielson, Sr., and Gene Zreliak in memory of cancer victims along with the following platinum sponsors: Russ King Racing, PROE Construction & Supply, 2B Trucking, Canine Companions, Warren Diesel Performance, and Wedge Motorsports, and the following additional associate sponsors: Intellectual Wealth Group, Darkside 6 Motorsports, Jeanette Halliday, TR2 Racing Team, King Bros. Feed & Supply, Karen Gabrielson Pratt, Midway Garage Doors, Big Ed’s Tire Service, and Grundy Law Firm.

Thus far this season there have been three different UMP Mod winners in as many races. Bud Watson won a thriller over Ty Rhoades for his second career win on June 22. Nate Young finally broke into victory lane for the first time in his career on July 20. And most recently, Dennis Lunger, Jr. won his first in the division on August 10. The UMP Mods will return on Friday, September 6 for the “Apple Festival Nationals”.

There have been 334 races run all-time in the UMP Mod division at Sharon dating back to the mid 1990s on the half-mile track with 63 different winners. Alan Dellinger, who no longer competes in the division, is still the all-time winner at 87. Joel Watson, who is still active, is second with 30 victories.

The Econo Mod Mania Tour will make their first of two appearances of the season in a $1,058 to-win event for the Whelen-sponsored division presented by Alcon Mechanical. In addition to the boosted feature payoff, heat races will pay $58 to-win, the pole-sitter for the feature will receive $58, the last car on the lead lap in the feature will receive $58, the feature hard charger will receive $58 courtesy of Gabrielson Motorsports, $50 courtesy of Lindemuth Laser Etching and a gift certificate from Competition Products, hard luck recipient will receive $58 and gift certificates from RTR Parts & Performance and Competition Products, and the worst pill draw will receive $58 and a gift certificate from Competition Products all of this in memory of Bill Gabrielson. Thank you to Close Racing Supply on being the primary sponsor for the monetary contingency prizes.

Drivers will draw for their heat race starting positions. The top two finishers from each heat race will redraw, which will take place in front of the grandstands following the UMP Mod redraw.

The Econo Mods had strong car counts of 23, 24, and 23 during the month of July. Joe Gabrielson won the opener in his debut in the division and then won the last event on July 27 for his 11th career win at the Hartford, Ohio. Dennis Lunger, Jr., who is expected to do double duty on Saturday, won the $800 special on July 12 part of the World of Outlaws Late Model program then won added a $600 payday on July 20. Jeremy Double is still looking for his first win of 2024 to become the division’s all-time winningest driver.

Rounding out the Modified portion of the program are the HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, who have had four different winners in five races to date this season. Kole Holden, who leads RUSH’s $3,500 to-win Weekly Series Championship, is the only repeat winner. Chas Wolbert, who has five wins at Raceway 7, won the $800 special on July 13 for his 21st career win at Sharon and more impressively milestone 50th of his career in the division! Veteran Rob Kristyak scored a win on July 20, while Ayden Cipriano won the most recent event on August 10. Holden also leads JC Boyer in the $1,000 to-win Wedge Motorsports “Route 7 Rumble” Series Championship, which takes into account all events at Raceway 7 and Sharon.

After getting rained out on August 3, the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks will be competing in their first race since July 27. This will be the final tune-up for the Stocks before their big two-day “Apple Festival Nationals” weekend on September 6-7, which will include the $2,000 to-win “Ray’s Race” on Friday night followed by the $1,000 to-win Penn-Ohio Tour event on Saturday night. Thus far this season there have been three different winners in four races. Christian Schneider won the May 18 opener for $1,000 part of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car show. Curt J. Bish then followed it up with a pair of victories before Jordan Perkins won his second career feature the last time out.

Summit Racing Equipment will present the hard charger award to the RUSH Sportsman Modified division. The driver that passes the most cars in the feature will receive a $100 Summit gift card. In the event of a tie, the tiebreaker will be the driver that finished highest in the feature.

The Performance Bodies “Nosed Out” program will award a $100 Performance Bodies gift card redeemable only at Wedge Motorsports to a driver in the UMP Mods, Econo Mods or Pro Stocks. The recipient will be the driver that most closely beat out another competitor for any finishing position on the lead lap amongst the divisions. Tiebreaker will be the driver with the best finishing position.

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modified “Bill Gabrielson Memorial” Payoff: 1. $2,558 2. $1,058 3. $858 4. $758 5. $558 6. $400 7. $375 8. $350 9. $325 10. $300 11. $275 12. $265 13-24. $258. Tow/Non-Qualifiers $100.

Whelen Econo Mod presented by Alcon Mechanical Payoff: 1. $1,058 2. $500 3. $300 4. $250 5. $225 6. $200 7. $150 8. $140 9. $135 10. $130 11. $125 12. $120 13. $115 14. $110 15. $105 16. $100 17. $90 18-24. $85. Tow/Non-Qualifiers $50.

There is no Sharon registration fee or entry fee. One-way driver radios are mandatory; channel 454.000. AMB/MyLaps transponders are required; rentals available for $25. If you have yet to register for the 2024 season, please bring the registration form with you completed https://www.sharonspeedway.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=785729

Fans can not only experience viewing from the frontstretch and backstretch grandstands, but also from the infield fan zone, which includes concessions and restrooms. Sharon is the only track in the area to have viewing from the unique infield perspective. There will be times throughout the night when fans can cross on the frontstretch back and forth.

Pit passes will go on sale at 4 p.m., while general admission opens at 5. Drivers meeting and pill draw will close at 6:15 p.m. Group qualifying for the UMP Mods will be at 6:40 p.m. with racing to follow.

Grandstand/fan zone admission for those 14 and over is $15, while senior admission is $13. Patio seating upgrades are just $10 and fan suite seating upgrades are just $20 over the cost of general admission. These can be upgraded on race night at the track office. As always, children under 14 and parking are always FREE. Pit passes are $30. As a reminder, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.

There will be no racing over Labor Day weekend. The next events will be September 6-7 for the “Apple Festival Nationals” followed up by the rescheduled “Lou Blaney Memorial” on September 21 featuring the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars for $12,000 to-win/$1,200 to-start along with the BRP Modified Tour for $2,500 to-win, and finally the return by the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series on September 28.

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. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @sharonspdwy.

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