By Mike Leone
(Hartford, OH)… Sharon Speedway will try again to complete one its biggest races of the 95th anniversary season this Saturday night (September 21)! The 16th annual “Lou Blaney Memorial” will feature the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars presented by Bala Management and the BRP Tour for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds. The event was originally scheduled for August 17, but was rained out before racing got underway meaning Saturday will be a complete new show. Warmups will begin at 6:30 with p.m. with qualifying and racing to follow.
Every adult in attendance will receive a FREE ticket for a 2025 “Steel Valley Thunder” event of your choice ($15 value)! This includes those with rain checks from August 17, newly purchased advance tickets, and those who purchase tickets at the gate. Pit passes are not included in this promotion. Also, the first 500 kids on Saturday will receive a FREE bag of Skittles or Starburst!
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, which took place prior to the event being rained out on August 17. “Lou Blaney Memorial” t-shirts will be available in the souvenir stand.
This year’s “Lou Blaney Memorial” event for the Sprint Cars boasts a feature payoff of $45,750 with $12,000 going to the winner and a whopping $1,200 to-start! Also, thanks to Knox Bakery, the driver that sets fast time overall in qualifying will receive $250.
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! Both Dave and Dale will be in competition on Saturday looking to add another “Lou Blaney Memorial” victory.
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. It’ll not only be the final Big-Block Modified show of the season at Sharon, but will also be the season finale for the BRP Tour. 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 eight events this season with Rudolph winning five of them, while Williamson and King have also scored Series wins. Rudolph leads Garrett Krummert, King, Tyler Willard, and Will Thomas III in the points.
Thus far this season at Sharon, Rudolph has won in both of his visits for $4,000 total, 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.
There is no Sprint Car registration or entry fee. Sprint Car drivers that have not competed in 2024 at Sharon are urged to complete the registration form in advance and bring it completed to save time at registration/pill draw. The form is available at 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. 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 4 p.m. General admission will open early at 4 p.m. A drivers meeting will be held at 6 p.m. with Sprint Car motor heat at 6:15. Warm-ups are slated for approximately 6:30 followed by Sprint Car qualifying and Modified warm-ups with heat race action to follow.
Rain checks from August 17 can be utilized. Grandstand/fan zone admission for those 14 and over is $30. Children under 14 and parking are FREE. Advanced general admission tickets are on sale by visiting https://sharonspeedway.simpletix.com/. Tickets will also be available at the gate beginning at 4 p.m. The event will NOT sell out. Pit passes are $40. Camping is $25 for anyone that did not reserve a spot for the August 17 event; 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 and final event of the 2024 season at Sharon Speedway will be on Saturday, September 28 for the return of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series for $12,000 to-win. The Economod Mania Tour will also be on hand for $800 to-win presented by Alcon Mechanical. Reserved seats and advance general admission tickets are available through the WoO at https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=WRG_SNG_MPV&orgid=52711&eventId=104123. Tickets will be available at the gates. The event will not sell out.
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.