From Tyler Altmeyer
HARTFORD, Ohio (July 10, 2021) – Adding his name to an impressive list of former event champions, a list that includes such names as Tony Stewart, Christopher Bell, Brad Sweet, Dave Blaney, and Dale Blaney, Lebanon, Indiana’s Spencer Bayston is now a Lou Blaney Memorial champion at Sharon Speedway, scoring the FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 victory over a stout field and packed house, ultimately withstanding a last-ditch effort slider by “Sunshine” Tyler Courtney to secure the $8,000 payday. The victory, Bayston’s first-ever All Star win at Sharon Speedway and his first Series win since August of 2020, bumped his career win total to four with the traveling aces, now at the helm of the Sam McGhee Motorsports No. 11.
“I’m happy to get it done,” an elated, but tired Spencer Bayston said in Sharon Speedway victory lane. “The throttle was actually hanging at about 3000 rpms under caution, so I was forced to mess with my throttle by hand under caution. But, it’s done and we’re here in victory lane. I can’t say enough about Mike McGhee and the entire Sam McGhee Motorsports team. They are a great team that provides awesome equipment and they certainly made my job easy tonight. It’s so cool to be a part of this event. Hopefully the weather cooperates on Sunday and we can come out here and do it again.”
Starting third on the Blaney grid, Bayston made his living around Sharon’s outer edge, battling his way to second by lap 11 before taking control of the field on lap 13. A single-file restart on lap 11 is what allowed Bayston to move to the runner-up position, utilizing a slingshot move through turns three and four to work by former World of Outlaws champion, Dave Blaney. Meanwhile, local standout and Chicora native George Hobaugh was the man in charge, taking advantage of the outside-pole position to lead from the drop of the green.
Using his momentum from the exact same aforementioned restart, Bayston made his first official move for the lead on lap 13, diving into corner number one to squeeze between Hobaugh and the infield tractor tires. The move worked, taking command by the time the frontrunners made their way into turn two. Unfortunately for Hobaugh, his night would come to an end on lap 17, as contact with an infield tire sent the Krill Recycling No. 40 for a wild ride between turns one and two; he was OK.
Although the ensuing restart allowed Bayston to drive away in clean air, Tyler Courtney, who had already worked his way to second from ninth, kept the Mike McGhee and Associates No. 11 sprinter within reach. Using two and three wide traffic to his advantage, Courtney powered himself to a car length by lap 27, following Bayston around Sharon’s outer, but thin edge. Two circuits later, Courtney made his move, diving to the bottom of turn one before power sliding across Bayston’s nose. The move nearly worked, but hard contact with the turn two wall cost Courtney momentum and a right-rear tire. Bayston regained control and drove on to claim the signature Blaney trophy; Courtney limped home fifth.
The New York/Ohio All Star swing will conclude on Sunday, July 11, with the annual Justin Snyder’s Salute to the Troops program presented by Self Made Racing, honoring military veteran and open wheel advocate, the late Justin Snyder. Derek Snyder, owner and founder of Self Made Racing, as well as the executive manager and partner of Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC in Boardman, Ohio, will honor his brother with the season’s final All Star visit to Sharon Speedway, set to award a $6,000 payday.
Floracing All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1
Lou Blaney Memorial
Sharon Speedway
Hartford, Ohio
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Dixie Vodka Qualifying
1. 19-Brent Marks, 14.733[10]
2. 17B-Bill Balog, 14.897[21]
3. 24-Rico Abreu, 14.912[14]
4. 11-Spencer Bayston, 14.935[15]
5. 26-Cory Eliason, 14.952[12]
6. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 14.993[18]
7. 29B-Dale Blaney, 15.026[9]
8. 4-Cap Henry, 15.035[23]
9. 10B-Dave Blaney, 15.068[43]
10. 22C-Cole Duncan, 15.075[6]
11. 48-Danny Dietrich, 15.076[41]
12. 5-Paul McMahan, 15.084[24]
13. 40-George Hobaugh Jr, 15.086[22]
14. 13-Justin Peck, 15.113[3]
15. 07-Skylar Gee, 15.145[36]
16. 17-Josh Baughman, 15.165[39]
17. 42-Sye Lynch, 15.167[33]
18. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 15.248[13]
19. 22-Brandon Spithaler, 15.251[1]
20. 5K-Adam Kekich, 15.348[7]
21. 10-Zeb Wise, 15.368[4]
22. 28-Tim Shaffer, 15.398[32]
23. 91-Kyle Reinhardt, 15.422[26]
24. 13M-Brandon Matus, 15.541[11]
25. 3C-Cale Conley, 15.555[27]
26. 33-Brent Matus, 15.564[30]
27. 23-Darren Pifer, 15.583[42]
28. 11B-Carl Bowser, 15.617[34]
29. 81-Lee Jacobs, 15.637[16]
30. 6-Bob Felmlee, 15.792[35]
31. 29-Michael Bauer, 15.954[19]
32. 97-Greg Wilson, 15.986[40]
33. 21N-Frankie Nervo, 16.020[29]
34. 11J-David Kalb Jr, 16.026[38]
35. 29M-Logan McCandless, 16.117[20]
36. 38-Leyton Wagner, 16.334[5]
37. 35-Jeremy Weaver, 16.368[2]
38. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau, 16.425[28]
39. 11X-George Englert, 16.433[17]
40. 99-Cameron Nastasi, 16.601[37]
41. 55S-Matt Sherlock III, 16.712[8]
42. 22R-Ryan Fredericks, 17.042[31]
43. 20B-Cody Bova, [25]
Ford Performance Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 13-Justin Peck[2]
2. 10-Zeb Wise[6]
3. 22-Brandon Spithaler[1]
4. 29B-Dale Blaney[4]
5. 22C-Cole Duncan[3]
6. 5K-Adam Kekich[5]
7. 38-Leyton Wagner[7]
8. 35-Jeremy Weaver[8]
9. 55S-Matt Sherlock III[9]
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 26-Cory Eliason[1]
2. 11-Spencer Bayston[2]
3. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[6]
4. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[5]
5. 19-Brent Marks[4]
6. 13M-Brandon Matus[7]
7. 24-Rico Abreu[3]
8. 81-Lee Jacobs[8]
9. 11X-George Englert[9]
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 40-George Hobaugh Jr[1]
2. 5-Paul McMahan[2]
3. 4-Cap Henry[3]
4. 17B-Bill Balog[4]
5. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[5]
6. 3C-Cale Conley[6]
7. 29-Michael Bauer[7]
8. 20B-Cody Bova[9]
9. 29M-Logan McCandless[8]
Mobil 1 Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 42-Sye Lynch[4]
2. 11B-Carl Bowser[1]
3. 28-Tim Shaffer[3]
4. 33-Brent Matus[2]
5. 6-Bob Felmlee[5]
6. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau[7]
7. 21N-Frankie Nervo[6]
8. 22R-Ryan Fredericks[8]
Kistler Racing Products Heat Race #5 (8 Laps)
1. 07-Skylar Gee[2]
2. 48-Danny Dietrich[3]
3. 10B-Dave Blaney[4]
4. 17-Josh Baughman[1]
5. 23-Darren Pifer[5]
6. 97-Greg Wilson[6]
7. 11J-David Kalb Jr[7]
8. 99-Cameron Nastasi[8]
Kears Speed Shop Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 4-Cap Henry[1]
2. 11-Spencer Bayston[4]
3. 29B-Dale Blaney[2]
4. 17B-Bill Balog[5]
5. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[3]
6. 13-Justin Peck[6]
Elliotts Custom Trailers and Carts Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 40-George Hobaugh Jr[1]
2. 10B-Dave Blaney[2]
3. 28-Tim Shaffer[4]
4. 26-Cory Eliason[6]
5. 42-Sye Lynch[5]
6. 07-Skylar Gee[3]
Computer Man Inc C-Main (10 Laps)
1. 81-Lee Jacobs[1]
2. 99-Cameron Nastasi[2]
3. 20B-Cody Bova[4]
4. 29M-Logan McCandless[6]
5. 35-Jeremy Weaver[3]
6. 55S-Matt Sherlock III[8]
7. 11X-George Englert[7]
8. 22R-Ryan Fredericks[5]
Classic Ink USA B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 19-Brent Marks[1]
2. 22C-Cole Duncan[3]
3. 24-Rico Abreu[2]
4. 6-Bob Felmlee[6]
5. 23-Darren Pifer[5]
6. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[4]
7. 5K-Adam Kekich[7]
8. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau[11]
9. 11J-David Kalb Jr[14]
10. 97-Greg Wilson[10]
11. 13M-Brandon Matus[8]
12. 29-Michael Bauer[12]
13. 81-Lee Jacobs[16]
14. 3C-Cale Conley[9]
15. 21N-Frankie Nervo[13]
16. 38-Leyton Wagner[15]
17. 99-Cameron Nastasi[17]
FloRacing A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 11-Spencer Bayston[3]
2. 26-Cory Eliason[8]
3. 17B-Bill Balog[7]
4. 48-Danny Dietrich[13]
5. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[9]
6. 19-Brent Marks[21]
7. 13-Justin Peck[11]
8. 10-Zeb Wise[15]
9. 4-Cap Henry[1]
10. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[17]
11. 42-Sye Lynch[10]
12. 07-Skylar Gee[12]
13. 24-Rico Abreu[23]
14. 6-Bob Felmlee[24]
15. 22C-Cole Duncan[22]
16. 17-Josh Baughman[19]
17. 5-Paul McMahan[14]
18. 33-Brent Matus[20]
19. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[25]
20. 22-Brandon Spithaler[18]
21. 11B-Carl Bowser[16]
22. 10B-Dave Blaney[4]
23. 40-George Hobaugh Jr[2]
24. 28-Tim Shaffer[6]
25. 29B-Dale Blaney[5]