By Mike Leone
(Hartford, OH) A longstanding tradition is back. After a one year hiatus, Sharon Speedway
will once again have an awards banquet to recognize its top racers from the 2010 racing season.
The Yankee Lake (OH) Ballroom will again play host to the annual affair for one of the nation’
s oldest, continuously running speedways on Saturday, December 4.
The top 10 racers in the Saturday night program will be honored, while the top five point men from
the inaugural “Friday Night Thunder” program will receive their accolades. Along with
various special awards, two new legendary racers will be inducted into the Sharon Speedway Hall of
Fame.
“I feel banquets are an important part of a speedway’s operation,” stated first
year General Manager Dave Willoughby. “The drivers work hard all season long and deserve to
be recognized in a formal manner in front of their friends, family, and fellow racers. I always
enjoyed the banquets when I raced, and felt it was important to bring back this tradition for
Sharon Speedway.”
The 2010 season was a career year for Jack Sodeman, Jr. The second-generation North Jackson, Ohio
driver won three of his 10 overall feature wins at Sharon in route to his second consecutive track
championship in the PL Gibson Insurance Agency 410 Sprint Cars. Sodeman split time in his
family-owned #23Jr and the Rudzik Excavating #49.
Rex King has always been a fixture at Sharon Speedway, but 14 years had passed since King’s
last crown. Driver the fixture King Bros. #65, the Bristolville, Ohio veteran returned to
championship form in the Gibson Governor Insurance Agency Big-Block Modifieds narrowly beating out
Del Rougeux, Jr., who recently mourned the passing of his father.
Youngstown, Ohio’s Jeff Johnson became the seventh different E-Mod champion in the past seven
years showing the amazing competitiveness of the division that featured a surge in 2010!
For the fifth time in the seven years of competition, Guy Griffin is the Limited Sprint Car
champion in his #11. After placing runner-up in the inaugural 2004 season to Jimmy Weller III, the
Greenville, Pa. longtime racer won four consecutive crowns from 2005-2008 before losing out to
Brandon Spithaler last season.
After winning both the Stock Car and E-Mod titles in 2008, Alan Dellinger was shutout of
champions’ row in 2009. That changed this past season when the Hermitage, Pa. great had
another dominating season in the Burns #70B. Dellinger was also the 2005 Big-Block Modified
champion driving for the late John Rebhan.
The Hobby Stocks completed their second season of competition at the Hartford, Ohio oval and Mike
Scharba is once again the track champion in his #30M. The amateur division continued to grow in
car count throughout the year and will be known as Mini Stocks in 2011.
The “Friday Night Thunder” program debuted in May. After great success in the first
three nights, the program was continued on a bi-weekly basis for the duration of the 2010 season.
Capturing the inaugural titles were Rick Ament (Apollo, Pa.)-Mod Lites, Craig Daniels (Erie,
Pa.)-Micro Sprints, Brad Blackshear (Brookfield, Oh.)-2 Barrel E-Mods, Josh Walker (Warren,
Oh.)-Sportsman Dwarf Cars, and Steve Walker (Greenville, Pa.)-Hobby Stocks.
The awards banquet and dinner is open to the public. Doors open on December 4 at 5:30 p.m. with a
buffet dinner at 6:30. The awards presentation will begin promptly at 8 followed by music and
dancing. Beer and pop will be provided at no charge with a cash bar for liquor. Tickets are $30.
Go to www.sharonspeedway.com for a ticket order form. Deadline for ticket orders is November 24.
The Yankee Lake Ballroom is located between Brookfield and Hartford, Ohio on State Route 7.
Stayed tuned for more information on Sharon Speedway in the coming weeks. The 2011 divisional
rules are expected to be released next week. Watch for an all-new website that will be released in
2011. 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.
FINAL 2010 SHARON SPEEDWAY POINTS
PL Gibson Insurance Agency (410) Sprint Cars: 1. JACK SODEMAN, JR. 255 2. Gale Ruth, Sr. 200 3.
Brent Matus 173 4. Bob Lime 161 5. Aaron Shaffer 149 6. Brandon Matus 147 7. Russ Sansosti 145
8. Leo O’Malley 144 9. Broc Martin 131 10. Jimmy Seger 117.
Gibson Governor Insurance Agency Big-Block Modifieds: 1. REX KING, SR. 287 2. Del Rougeux, Jr.
277 3. Kevin Bolland 275 4. Brad Rapp 258 5. Dean Pearson 251 6. Rob Kristyak 242 7. Rex King,
Jr. 231 8. Rob Curtis 228 9. Tommy Kristyak 208 10. Carl Weatherby 207.
E-Mods: 1. JEFF JOHNSON 310 2. Joe Gabrielson 307 3. Alan Dellinger 273 4. Scott Stiffler 258
5. Jeff Hassay 217 6. Jim White, Jr. 211 7. Jim Turley 201 8. Jim Weller, Jr. 184 9. Paul
Phillips 183 10. Russ Dunn 179.
Stock Cars: 1. ALAN DELLINGER 2. Tim Burns 309 3. Jamie Scharba 299 4. Jamie Duncan 278 5.
Brian Carothers 251 6. Steve Burns, Jr. 246 7. Stan Woomer 234 8. Allan Hudzik 225 9. Jim
Flaherty, Jr. 216 10. Mike Clark 203.
Limited Sprint Cars: 1. GUY GRIFFIN 414 2. A.J. Albrecht 358 3. Adam Kekich 322 4. Jason
Scoville 289 5. Chad Matthews 276 6. Rob Felix, Jr. 232 7. Justin Whitesell 224 8. Jimmy Morris
III 217 9. Jonathan Frederick 198 10. Brandon Arnett 140.
Hobby Stocks (Saturday): 1. MIKE SCHARBA 390 2. Bill Fuchs 372 3. Chris Roberts 304 4. Lucas
Sprouse 290 5. Randy Sprouse 281 6. Steve Walker 251 7. Michael McElheney 244 8. John Shannon
224 9. Derek Dellinger 202 10. Mitch Stokes 153.
Mod Lites: 1. RICK AMENT 248 2. Kenny Meadows 232 3. Alan Knepper 213 4. Lynn Knepper 198 5.
Shane Pfeuffer 195.
Micro Sprints: 1. CRAIG DANIELS 261 2. D.J. Furney 241 3. Ryan Fredricks 235 4. Dalton Daniels
198 5. Joey Sanger 153.
2-Barrel E-Mods: 1. BRAD BLACKSHEAR 227 2. Dwayne Clay 214 3. Todd Canter 181 4. Rick Robinson
173 5. Calvin Clay 169.
Sportsman Dwarf Cars: 1. JOSH WALKER 290 2. Todd Walker 249 3. Matt Berger 222 4. Tiffany
Williams 213 5. Kyle Lawrence 192.
Hobby Stocks (Friday): 1. STEVE WALKER 247 2. Dan McEwen 239 3. Duane Westfall 214 4. Pete
Blazczak 176 5. Mike Scharba 169.