By Mike Leone
(Hartford, OH)…The 42nd annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek is set to make a stop at Sharon Speedway this Wednesday (June 12). The FAST on Dirt Series will feature the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars presented by Bala Management for $5,000 to-win along with the non-wing Billy’s Garage RUSH Sprint Cars for $800 to-win on Diehl Automotive Night. Warm-ups are slated for 6:30 p.m. followed by qualifying and racing.
Ohio Speedweek will feature nine straight nights of racing with Sharon being stop number six on the grueling swing through the Buckeye State. A $12,000 points fund is on the line with $5,000 to the champion; $2,500 for second, $2,000 for third, $1,500 for fourth, and $1,000 for fifth.
Wednesday’s $5,000 to-win, $500 to-start event will mark the first appearance by the FAST Series at Sharon in nearly five years. The last time FAST visited the Hartford, Ohio oval was August 18, 2019 when local Sye Lynch fended off the invaders. In 2018, Cap Henry scored the FAST-sanctioned victory. After three nights of racing, the average Speedweek car count has been 50! Tickets and camping for all events are available at the following link: https://sharonspeedway.simpletix.com.
After a five-year absence, Ohio Speedweek returned to Sharon in 2010 as hall of famer Tim Shaffer was victorious. In 2011, it was hometown favorite Dale Blaney winning the Sharon leg of Speedweek over a 45-car field. In 2012, in a stunning turn of events, local racer Brandon Matus came out victorious for his first career win with both the All Stars and at Sharon as 43 cars were on hand. The 2013 and 2014 events fell victim to Mother Nature.
In 2015, Dale Blaney won his second Speedweek race in three events at Sharon. Bryan Clauson topped a 51-car field in 2016 winning his first career All Star race before tragically losing his life in a racing accident later in the summer. In 2017, Kyle Larson scored a popular win over a big field of 48 cars. Larson’s bid for two straight Sharon Speedweek wins failed when Christopher Bell made a late race pass to win in 2018 with 48 cars on hand. The 2019 Speedweek show was rained. In 2020, the “Lou Blaney Memorial” and Justin Snyder’s “Salute to the Troops” events fell under Speedweek due to the COVID-19 pandemic as Cale Conley and Larson were victorious. Danny Dietrich won his first career Sharon race in 2021 topping a huge 53-car field. NASCAR Cup racer, Christopher Bell, won his second Sharon Ohio Speedweek race in 2022. Last year’s event was rained out.
Speedweek always brings a diverse field of competitors from all over the Northeast and Midwest, Australia, and beyond. Central Pa’s Danny Dietrich is looking to win another Sharon Speedweek race on Wednesday. Zane DeVault is the current FAST points leader. The average car count since Speedweek returned to Sharon in 2010 has been nearly 45 cars per event!
Sharon has completed two “410” Sprint Car events thus far in 2024. David Gravel topped a 45-car field for his first career Sharon win on May 18 in the first of two visits by the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars. Then on June 1, Ryan Smith won the Western PA Speedweek event for the second time in four years as 46 cars were hand!
The Billy’s Garage RUSH Sprint Cars will round out the two-division Sprint Car program on Wednesday night racing for $800 to-win, $160 to-start in their first of eight visits. The RUSH Sprints are in their seventh year of racing and have averaged 22 cars per night the last two seasons at Sharon. The RUSH Sprints have completed 30 events all-time at Sharon with 12 different winners. Chad Ruhlman, a five-time $5,000 Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series Champion, leads the list with 14 victories; however, Ruhlman will be taking 2024 off as veteran Late Model and UMP racer Brent Rhebergen steps into the Tim Engles-owned #68. Billy’s Garage is in its first season of sponsoring the RUSH Sprints at Sharon and is owned by RUSH racer Billy Myers. Billy’s son Blaze has two RUSH Sprint Car victories at Sharon and will drive for 2020 championship car owner, Ted Hull, in 2024.
Summit Racing Equipment will present the hard charger award to the RUSH Sprint Car 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.
There is no Sharon registration 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 2023 season, please bring the registration form with you completed https://www.sharonspeedway.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=899241
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. with grandstands at 5. Sprint Car motor heat is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. followed by warmups, Sprint Car qualifying and racing.
Reserved and general admission tickets for those 14 and over is $25. Patio seating upgrades are just $10 and fan suite seating upgrades are just $20 over the cost of general admission. These can be reserved online https://sharonspeedway.simpletix.com/. Children under 14 and parking are always FREE. Pit passes are $35. Tickets will be available at the gates on race day. A camping permit is $25 and must be reserved through the above ticket link. As a reminder, stadium seats, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds will make their second appearance of the season on Saturday, June 15 and will be joined by the Billy’s Garage RUSH Sprint Cars, Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, and the Whelen 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. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway and follow us on Twitter @sharonspdwy.