HARTFORD, Ohio (June 19, 2010) – Heavy-hitting E-Mod drivers came out to Sharon Speedway for the Tri-State Modified $1,000-to-win 25-lap feature. Scott Stiffler (Farmdale, Ohio) started on the pole and jumped out to lead in the 22-car A-Main. The bumping and grinding farther back in the field brought out an eight-car incident on the sixth lap, sending some of those heavy-hitters to the back of the pack and setting up some serious race action.
Joe Gabrielson (Bristolville, Ohio) and Russ Dunn battled for second behind Stiffler, with Dwayne Clay (Mineral Ridge, Ohio) getting his nose in and Jeff Johnson (Mineral Ridge, Ohio) looking outside. Just at the halfway point, a light rain started coming down in turn two and brought out a short delay.
On the restart, Gabrielson jumped to the inside and got next to Stiffler on the back straightaway, but Stiffler pulled away through turns three and four. Clay put pressure on Dunn for the third spot and Joel Watson (Conneaut, Ohio) was looking to move into the top five.
For the last three laps, Stiffler held on to his lead and Gabrielson held on to his second spot, but Russ Dunn had some company, with Dellinger, Watson and Johnson battling for fourth. When the checkered came out, the order across the line was Stiffler, Gabrielson, Dunn, Johnson and Watson.
“After I seen him in the heat, I knew he was probably the one to beat,” Stiffler said of Gabrielson after the race. “
Gale Ruth Jr. (Pleasantville, Pa.) was quick out-the-gate on restarts, setting up a big lead over Jimmy Seger (Morrisdale, Pa).
Broc Martin and Eric Williams were trading places, while 410 Sprints points leader Jack Sodeman Jr. was looking for his chance to make a move them. Sodeman got that chance on lap 13, making use of cushion to come to the front.
It was Ruth’s first feature win over a 22 car field on the 3/8-mile dirt oval at Sharon Speedway. Sodeman ultimately finished second over Seger who finished third. Williams finished fourth and Broc Martin rounded out the top five.
The Hobby Stock feature saw the cars go three and four wide past the flag stand, which saw some of the cars get tangled up in turn one. Derek Dellinger (Niles, Ohio) took the lead on the second start, staying out in front of the pack in his blue-and-white Dodge Neon.
A caution on lap 8 shortened Dellinger’s lead with Mike Scharba (Masury, Ohio) bumping on Dellinger, getting the pass on the 10th lap. Dellinger lost his steam and it looked like Bill Fuchs (Greenville, Pa.) in his Saturn was going to make a move, too, but he made contact, cut through the infield and finished fourth. Scharba went from starting 10th to record the win.
Scharba said in a post-race race interview he couldn’t have passed Dellinger and got his third Saturday night win at Sharon Speedway without the caution.
It was Dellinger’s third top-five finish during Saturday night Hobby Stock action at Sharon Speedway. Behind him, Dan McEwen (Harrisville, Pa.)finished third, followed by Fuchs and John Shannon (Harrisville, Pa.) rounded out the top five.
In Limited Sprint action, Joel Trent (Brunswick, Ohio) jumped out to a lead on a quick, single-file restart on the first lap, behind him, a battle was shaking down for second place. Robert Felix Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) made a pass through turns one and two on the fifth lap to take the lead, while Guy Griffin (Greenville, Pa.) was knocking on the door.
But a hard-charing A.J. Albrecht picked up the momentum to take first and lead the field by a half-racetrack distance by lap 10.
Albrecht told announcer Jim Pollock in a post-race interview that he didn’t know what his team had down to give his car such an advantage, but said, “It got to the front.”
Felix finished second, Limited Sprints points leader Guy Griffin (Greenville, Pa.) finished third, Adam Kekich (Hermitage, Pa.) finished fourth in his Warren Harley Davidson machine and Adam Anderson (Sagertown, Pa.) rounded out the top-five.
The Pro Stock A-Main saw Jamie Scharba (Brookfield, Ohio) lead from start to finish in a green-to-checkered 12-lap feature, earning his first feature win at Sharon Speedway. Jamie Duncan (Bristolville, Ohio) finished second. Michael Clark (Bristolville, Ohio) started and finished the race third.
Division points leader Alan Dellinger had to start the race in 21st position after several consecutive wins but charged his way through the pack to finish fourth. Dellinger remains the points leader in Pro Stocks at Sharon Speedway. Paul Davis (Fowler, Ohio) rounded out the top five Saturday in the Pro Stock feature.
Pro Stock drivers Dunca, Scharba, Paul Davis, Stan Woomer and Steve Burns competed in the Old 82 Automart Dash Saturday at Sharon Speedway. Duncan shot out to big lead and held onto the position to win. Old 82 Automart owner Steve Babos presented the post-race awards.
June 19 results (*denotes heat winner):
E-Mods: 1.) Scott Stiffler 2.) Joe Gabrielson 3.) Russ Dunn 4.) Jeff Johnson 5.) Joel Watson 6.) Dwayne Clay 7.) Jim Weller Jr. 8.) Jack Young 9.) Jim White 10.) Ed Wilson Jr. 11.) James Turley 12.) Paul Phillips 13.) JR Mechling 14.) Vince Crisanti 15.) Jeff Hassay 16.) Robert Williamson DNF: Alan Dellinger, Ronnie Kahler, Arlan Coy, Howard Fraley, Jim Dellinger, Michael Cryster
Gibson Insurance Agency 410 Sprints: 1.) Gale Ruth Jr. 2.) Jack Sodeman Jr.* 3.) Jimmy Seger 4.) Eric Williams 5.) Broc Martin* 6.) Jody Keegan* 7.) Russ Sansosti 8.) Craig Keel 9.) Dan Shetler 10.) Robert Lime 11.) Aaron Shaffer 12.) Brandon Matus 13.) Nathan Stein 14.) Brent Matus 15.) Shawn Minor 16.) Leo O’Malley 17.) Gale Ruth Sr. DNF: William Jones, Matt Butler, Brandon Spitaler, Robert Vantassel
Hobby Stock results: 1.) Mike Scharba 2.) Derek Dellinger* 3.) Dan McEwen 4.) Bill Fuchs 5.) John Shannon 6.) Chris roberts 7.) Mitch Stokes DNF: Stephen Walker, Lucas Sprouse DNS: Randy Sprouse, Ray Tedrow
Limited Sprints: 1.) A.J. Albrecht 2.) Robert Felix Jr. 3. ) Guy Griffin 4.) Adam Kekich 5.) Adam Anderson 6.) Jonathan Frederick 7.) Justin Whitesell 8.) Trent Joel DNF: James Morris III, Jason Scoville*, Chad Matthews
Pro Stocks: 1.) Jamie Scharba* 2.) Jamie Duncan 3.) Mike Clark 4.) Alan Dellinger 5.) Steven Burns 6.) Stan Woomer 7.) Allan Hudzik 8.) Tim Burns* 9.) Tom Miller 10.) Brian Carothers 11.) Eric Williams 12.) Martin Warren Jr. 13.) Bret McCarthy 14.) James Flaherty 15.) Bobby Robinson 16.) Patrick Adams 17.) Bill Banick 18.) Dan McEwen 19.) Paul Davis DNF: Bruce Redman, Mike Aley
Old 82 Automart Dash: 1.) Jamie Duncan 2.) Steve Burns 3.) Stan Woomer 4.) Paul Davis 5.) Jamie Scharba
On Thursday, June 24 the O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Ohio Speedweek will return to Sharon Speedway. Limited Sprints will also run Thursday. Gates will open at 4 p.m. with qualifying to begin at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults, $5 for children ages 9 to 13 and children 8 and under are free.
6 PAK Saturday racing will resume June 26 with the Gibson Insurance Agency 410 Sprints, Governor Insurance Big Block Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Pro Stocks, Limited Sprints and E-mods. Tickets for 6 PAK Saturday are $13 for adults ages 14 and older, $5 for teens from ages 9 to 13 and kids 8 and under are free. Family passes, for two adults and up to four students, are available for $32.
Micro Sprints, Mod Lites, Sportsman, 2 bbl E-mods and Hobby Stocks will compete again in Friday Night Thunder at Sharon Speedway on July 9 and 16.
UPCOMING EVENTS: 6 PAK Saturday June 26, July 10, 17 and 24. Friday Night Thunder July 9 and 16. O’Reilly Allstar Sprints Ohio Speedweek June 24, July Lou Blaney Memorial July 7, Northwest Pa. Truck & Tractor Pullers July 25.
Sharon Speedway is a 3/8-mile dirt oval located in Hartford, Ohio. Sharon Speedway is one of the oldest, continuously running weekly racetracks in the United States. Visit sharonspeedway.com for a complete schedule, directions to the track and the latest news. “Buckle Up and Hang On” as Sharon Speedway brings you dirt track racing at its finest!
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