(Hartford, OH)…Sharon Speedway is set for one its biggest races of the 95th anniversary season this Saturday night (August 17)! The 16th annual “Lou Blaney Memorial” will feature the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars and the BRP Tour for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds. Warmups will begin at 6:30 with p.m. with qualifying and racing to follow. 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Ryan Blaney, will be making an appearance!
The “Lou Blaney Memorial” will celebrate the life and accomplishments of the Hall of Fame driver, who won more than 600 feature victories during a five-decade career. The legend has at least 121 Modified wins and another 11 documented in a Sprint Car at Sharon alone. Blaney passed away in 2009 after battling Alzheimer’s. Not only does the event focus on remembering the late Lou Blaney, but also honors him by raising funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s and the Alzheimer’s Association.
This year’s “Lou Blaney Memorial” event for the Sprint Car boasts a feature payoff $45,750 with $12,000 going to the winner and a whopping $1,200 to-start! It took 10 years, but there was finally a repeat winner for the Sprint Car portion of the event in 2018, and it was none other than track owner, Dave Blaney. In 2019, Dave’s younger brother Dale captured his first event, while in 2020 year it was Dave’s son-in-law, Cale Conley, winning his first!
Tony Stewart, won the inaugural event in 2009. Mike Lutz was the first local winner taking the 2010 version. Texan Sam Hafertepe, Jr. won in 2011, while five-time World of Outlaws Champion, Brad Sweet, was victorious in 2012. Jack Sodeman, Jr. became the second local driver to win the prestigious event in 2013, while Dave Blaney won his father’s memorial for the first time in 2014. Another WoO racer in Sheldon Haudenschild won the 2015 event. Pittsburgh’s Danny Holtgraver won the biggest race of his career in 2016. Christopher Bell, who has went on to NASCAR glory, won his first race at the track in 2017. Spencer Bayston became a new winner in 2021 before becoming a national touring driver. Ohio standout Cap Henry etched his name in the history books by winning in 2022. Last season saw two-time All Star Champion, Tyler Courtney, become the 14th different winner in 15 years!
Sharon has completed four “410” Sprint Car events thus far in 2024 with big car counts at each one. 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. On June 1, central PA invader Ryan Smith won the Western PA Speedweek event for the second time in four years as 46 cars were hand. Danny Dietrich, another member of the PA Posse, won the FAST-sanctioned Ohio Sprint Speedweek event on June 12 with 53 cars on hand! And most recently, Dale Blaney was victorious for the 21st time of his career at Sharon on July 27 winning the $4,000 event.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds will make their fourth appearance of the 2024 season on Saturday night in a $2,500 to-win BRP Tour event. There have been 12 different winners in 15 “Lou Blaney Memorial” Modified events; however, it has been five years since a local was victorious.
New York legend Jack Johnson captured the inaugural 2009 race, while local Ohio drivers Jim Rasey and Rob Kristyak stole the thunder in 2010 and 2011. Kevin Bolland won the prestigious event in 2012 and fellow western Pa. racer Dave Murdick joined him in 2013. In 2014, Rex King, Jr. won the event part of his dream season, while in 2015 Jim Weller, Jr. added his name to the win list. Rasey became the first repeat winner in 2016. Jeremiah Shingledecker got his first event win in 2017, while New York’s Mike Maresca ended the locals’ run of eight straight event wins thanks to his victory in 2019. Five years after his first win, King, Jr. added his second event win in 2019. Erick Rudolph and Chad Brachmann became the third and fourth Empire State racer to be victorious in the event in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Rudolph became the event’s third repeat winner by capturing the 2022 event. Last year saw another invader win as Mat Williamson of Ontario, Canada captured his first career Sharon Speedway victory.
The BRP Tour has completed five events this season with Rudolph winning three of them, while Williamson and King have also scored Series wins. Rudolph leads Garrett Krummert, King, Ayden Cipriano, and Tyler Willard in the points.
Thus far this season at Sharon, Rudolph has won in both of his visits for $4,000, while Cipriano captured his first career big-block win on June 1 worth $2,000. The driver that passes the most cars in the feature on Saturday night will receive a $100 Summit Racing Equipment gift card. In the event of a tie, the tiebreaker will be the driver that finishes highest in the feature.
“410” Sprint Car Payoff: 1. $12,000 2. $4,000 3. $2,500 4. $1,800 5. $1,500 6. $1,450 7. $1,400 8. $1,375 9. $1,350 10. $1,325 11. $1,300 12. $1,275 13. $1,250 14. $1,225 15-24. $1,200. First 4 non-transfers in B main $200, all other starters $150.
The Ryan Blaney Family Foundation was founded in 2018 by Lou’s grandson, Ryan Blaney, and his family, and they work hard to make a difference for Alzheimer’s patients and the families and caregivers that surround them. On Saturday, the RBFF will provide many opportunities to donate to the cause while experiencing the excitement of the night.
The “Lou Blaney Memorial” will include a raffle auction and a silent auction. Some items that will be in the silent auction include signed racing gloves worn by Dave, Dale, and Ryan, along with replica helmets, merchandise bundles and more! The silent auction will go live for viewing on Friday, August 16, with bidding beginning on Saturday morning. All bidding will take place online, with the link to register being released on social media on the 16th.
Attendees will also be able to check out Ryan’s 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship trophy for a donation of $5. With the donation, you will be able to see it up close and can take a photo with it.
The RBFF is encouraging attendees to wear a Lou Blaney or Lou Blaney Memorial shirt of their choice to participate in the “Lou Out” sponsored by Colonial Companies. Colonial Companies has had a long-standing, supportive relationship with Lou Blaney and the Blaney family. Those who wear said shirts can enter a free raffle drawing for a chance to win $100 with 10 winners chosen, thanks to Colonial Companies generous donation. Make sure to stop by the “Lou Out” tent in the Fan Zone to enter the raffle. Donations will also be taken to receive more raffle tickets for extra chances to win.
The Ryan Blaney Family Foundation booth will also be set up in the Fan Zone, selling merchandise and providing Alzheimer’s information to those in need. Lou Blaney Memorial shirts will also be sold in the Fan Zone and on the backstretch.
Funds raised from the night will be donated to the Mahoning Valley and Rowan-Cabarrus Walk to End Alzheimer’s. For more information regarding the RBFF and the efforts they will be hosting that night, please contact Leah Blaney at leah@ryanblaneyfamilyfoundation.org.
Fans can not only experience viewing from the frontstretch and backstretch grandstands, but also from the infield fan zone. The fan zone, which includes a concession and restrooms, debuted in 2020. 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.
The pits will be open throughout the afternoon with passes going on sale at 3 p.m. General admission will also open early at 3 p.m. Motor heat will be at 6:15 p.m. Warm-ups are slated for approximately 6:30 followed by Sprint Car qualifying and Modified warm-ups with heat race action to follow.
Grandstand/fan zone admission for those 14 and over is $30. Children under 14 and parking are FREE. Advanced general admission and reserved tickets are on sale by visiting https://sharonspeedway.simpletix.com/. Pit passes are $40. Camping is $25; permits must be obtained through the above ticket link. As a reminder, stadium seats, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.
The next event at Sharon Speedway will be on Saturday, August 24 for the “Bill Gabrielson Memorial” paying $2,058 to-win/$258 to-start for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds presented by A&MP Electric. Also on the card will be the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and the Whelen Econo Mods presented by Alcon Mechanical. Hot lap/qualifying for the UMP Mods will get underway at approximately 6:30 p.m. followed by racing at 7.
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.