By Mike Leone
(Hartford, OH)… After some early morning rain, the skies cleared and turned into a beautiful day at Sharon Speedway for the rescheduled 16th annual “Lou Blaney Memorial” on Saturday night. The event got underway on August 17 until rain overspread the area after Sprint Car qualifying. On that night, Ryan Blaney was on hand to remember his grandfather, raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association and celebrate his 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. While Ryan was unable to return on Saturday, the fans packed the grandstands for the largest crowd of the season outside of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car event. Sixty-nine race cars were on hand for the two-division show as Dave Blaney (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars presented by Bala Management) and Erick Rudolph (BRP Big-Block Modified Tour) celebrated in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane.
There’s no better way to go out in sports than doing it on top and on Saturday night Dave Blaney decided the time was right. The National Sprint Car Hall of Famer regained the lead back from Ryan Smith on lap eight then held off a last lap charge by central Pennsylvania standout Danny Dietrich to win the 30-lap “Lou Blaney Memorial” for the third time. In the 16-year history, Blaney is the only Sprint Car driver to win the event more than once and Saturday night’s sendoff in memory of his father was worth $12,000 for the 95-time World of Outlaws winner and 1995 champion, who began his career in 1981. Blaney also won the event in 2014 and became the first repeat winner in 2018.
“This is big,” expressed the emotional 61-year-old Hartford, Ohio native. “This is a race Dale (Blaney) and I try to win every year. To beat that guy (Danny Dietrich) in my last race…because I’m officially done right now- there’s no better way to retire than to win this one.”
“It was a great race,” added Blaney. “I don’t think I was the fastest car by any means. The 6 (Smith) had trouble and the 48 (Dietrich) was all over me, but we hung on. I tried to protect and saw where Danny was getting his runs from. You don’t think too much and run as hard as you can and hope you don’t give him a lane to drive up in front of you. I can’t believe we did it- this is awesome. Thank you to everyone for coming out.”
Blaney drew the pole for the feature and took off in the lead over Smith and fellow National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Tim Shaffer. Brandon Spithaler had the top working going sixth to fourth on the opening lap then drove around Shaffer for third. Smith found the topside to his liking as he made the pass of Blaney off turn two to lead lap three. By lap four, the lead trio of Smith, Blaney, and Spithaler pulled away from the pack until a caution for Greg Wilson with four laps scored. Wilson had charged from 20th to 12th before clipping an infield tire and knocking the front end out.
Back under green, eyes shifted to northern Ohio standout Cap Henry. Henry started seventh and moved into the top five on lap five then drove under Shaffer for fourth on lap six. Back up front, Smith was setting a good pace. Smith, who won the $4,000 Western PA Speedweek event on June 1 at Sharon, was trying for a payoff of three times that for the central Pa. based BJD Motorsports team. Smith though got into the turn four fence on lap eight allowing Blaney to regain the lead. Spithaler then passed Smith for second on lap 10 before a caution for Logan McCandless. Under caution Smith had to pit with a flat tire.
Henry and Dietrich were swapping fourth place back and forth with Dietrich getting the spot before the caution then inherited third when Smith exited. When racing resumed on lap 11, Henry regained third. By the halfway point, the top three of Blaney, Spithaler, and Henry opened up ground on the rest of the field. Henry snuck under and past Spithaler for second on lap 18 with Dietrich following in third one lap later. Spithaler got into the fence and slowed with a flat tire to bring out the event’s final caution with 19 laps scored.
The caution wasn’t what Henry wanted to see as it appeared as if he had the fastest car and a great opportunity to overtake Blaney for the lead. Henry was fresh off a $30,000 victory one week ago at Fremont Speedway and had his sights set on a fourth career Sharon win. When green replaced yellow on lap 20, Dietrich passed Henry once again- this time for second, and two laps later lost third to Cale Thomas.
With five laps to go, Dietrich closed in on Blaney. The two raced side-by-side in turns three and four for several laps. On the final lap, Blaney ducked low in lapped traffic opening up the top lane for Dietrich. It appeared Dietrich may have had enough momentum to sweep around Blaney in turn two, but Blaney got to the top just in time to shunt his run. Then Dietrich tried to get under Blaney in turn three, but Blaney shut the door just in time. Blaney took his Ryan Blaney Family Foundation/DRE Custom Trailers-sponsored #10 to his 38th career Sharon victory by 0.519 seconds. Blaney also became the season’s fifth different winner in five “410” Sprint Car races.
Dietrich, who won the $5,000 Ohio Speedweek show on June 12, settled for the $4,000 runner-up after making the last minute decision to bring the Gary Kauffman-owned #48 west after the morning rainout at BAPS Motor Speedway. “I raced my ass off and it’s a tough one to swallow with a four and a half four drive back home but I have a lot of respect for that guy (Dave Blaney),” stated the 36-year-old Gettysburg, Pa. driver. “We come here to win and don’t make any friends on the race track, but you have to race him with respect for one of the most respectful people on the race track. It’s fun to race with him. He’s fast here so to run second- we’ll take it, but wish we were one spot better.”
“I feel like we were a tick better than him at the end there,” continued Dietrich. “He doesn’t make any mistakes. I knew he could see me and had to have heard me for awhile. I thought if I could rattle his cage and maybe get in front of him, but I didn’t want to crash him or myself. I know how special this race is to the Blaney Family and it’s a race he should ultimately win. It’s pretty cool to be able to run this race. Thanks to everyone for coming out- it’s a packed house and I love to see it. I love Sharon and love coming out here when we can. If the situation is the same next week maybe we’ll back for the Outlaws. We have a pretty damn good car for this place.”
Fifth starting Thomas came on late to finish third in Jay Kiser’s #23. After winning the Attica Raceway Park track championship on Friday night with a runner-up finish, Henry, the 2024 AFCS Champion, settled for fourth in Jeff Ward’s #33w. Shaffer was fifth in the Demyan/Rudzik #49x. Dale Blaney, who won the 2019 “Lou Blaney Memorial”, took the Tiger Barris #32B from the 14th starting spot to a 6th place finish. Cole Duncan was 7th after starting 12th. Completing the top 10 were A.J. Flick, Carl Bowser, and Ricky Peterson.
Spithaler set fast time overall against the 38-car field in qualifying with a lap of 13.769 to earn $250 from Knox Bakery. Heat winners were Lee Jacobs, Henry, Shaffer, and Dave Blaney, while Michael Bauer won the last chance B main. Eight drivers were unable to return from the August 17 rainout meaning a total of 46 different Sprints were on hand between the two nights.
The next and final event of the 2024 season will be next 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.
Lou Blaney Memorial
Sharon Speedway
Hartford, Ohio
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Knox Bakery Qualifying Flight A
1. 22-Brandon Spithaler, 13.769[7]
2. 48-Danny Dietrich, 13.788[3]
3. 98-Ricky Peterson, 13.841[2]
4. 33W-Cap Henry, 13.882[15]
5. 81-Lee Jacobs, 14.041[11]
6. 2-AJ Flick, 14.100[5]
7. 11N-Kasey Jedrzejek, 14.133[6]
8. 08-Danny Kuriger, 14.161[8]
9. 32B-Dale Blaney, 14.238[12]
10. 3-John Jerich, 14.276[14]
11. 46-Michael Bauer, 14.282[19]
12. 21N-Andy Priest, 14.344[13]
13. 5K-Adam Kekich, 14.346[4]
14. 13-Brandon Matus, 14.464[18]
15. 29-Dan Shetler, 14.514[16]
16. 47L-Dusty Larson, 14.555[17]
17. 90-Jordan Givler, 14.768[9]
18. 5H-Jordan Harble, 14.807[10]
19. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau, 14.892[1]
Knox Bakery Qualifying Flight B
1. 6B-Ryan Smith, 13.802[13]
2. 23-Cale Thomas, 13.803[3]
3. 1-Nate Dussel, 13.833[14]
4. 10-Dave Blaney, 14.074[7]
5. 49X-Tim Shaffer, 14.087[4]
6. 22D-Cole Duncan, 14.097[10]
7. 29M-Logan McCandless, 14.138[11]
8. 11-Carl Bowser, 14.180[8]
9. 20B-Cody Bova, 14.298[15]
10. 5-Jeremy Weaver, 14.299[5]
11. 6-Bob Felmlee, 14.337[17]
12. W20-Greg Wilson, 14.404[1]
13. 15-Mitch Harble, 14.542[6]
14. 7NY-Matt Farnham, 14.612[18]
15. 33-Brent Matus, 14.843[2]
16. 40-George Hobaugh Jr, 14.867[16]
17. 3V-Chris Verda, 14.882[12]
18. 31C-Chase Metheney, 15.106[19]
19. 47-Brett Brunkenhoefer, 15.625[9]
Hovis Auto Truck Supply Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 81-Lee Jacobs[2]
2. 98-Ricky Peterson[1]
3. 22-Brandon Spithaler[4]
4. 32B-Dale Blaney[5]
5. 11N-Kasey Jedrzejek[3]
6. 46-Michael Bauer[6]
7. 5K-Adam Kekich[7]
8. 29-Dan Shetler[8]
9. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau[10]
10. 90-Jordan Givler[9]
Hovis Auto Truck Supply Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 33W-Cap Henry[1]
2. 2-AJ Flick[2]
3. 48-Danny Dietrich[4]
4. 08-Danny Kuriger[3]
5. 13-Brandon Matus[7]
6. 3-John Jerich[5]
7. 5H-Jordan Harble[9]
8. 47L-Dusty Larson[8]
9. 21N-Andy Priest[6]
Hovis Auto Truck Supply Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 49X-Tim Shaffer[2]
2. 1-Nate Dussel[1]
3. 6B-Ryan Smith[4]
4. 20B-Cody Bova[5]
5. 29M-Logan McCandless[3]
6. 15-Mitch Harble[7]
7. 6-Bob Felmlee[6]
8. 33-Brent Matus[8]
9. 3V-Chris Verda[9]
10. 47-Brett Brunkenhoefer[10]
Hovis Auto Truck Supply Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 10-Dave Blaney[1]
2. 22D-Cole Duncan[2]
3. 11-Carl Bowser[3]
4. 23-Cale Thomas[4]
5. W20-Greg Wilson[6]
6. 5-Jeremy Weaver[5]
7. 40-George Hobaugh Jr[8]
8. 7NY-Matt Farnham[7]
9. 31C-Chase Metheney[9]
Hovis Auto Truck Supply B Main (12 Laps)
1. 46-Michael Bauer[1]
2. 40-George Hobaugh Jr[8]
3. 5-Jeremy Weaver[4]
4. 5K-Adam Kekich[5]
5. 3-John Jerich[3]
6. 29-Dan Shetler[9]
7. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau[13]
8. 7NY-Matt Farnham[12]
9. 6-Bob Felmlee[6]
10. 3V-Chris Verda[14]
11. 33-Brent Matus[10]
12. 90-Jordan Givler[17]
13. 5H-Jordan Harble[7]
14. 47-Brett Brunkenhoefer[18]
15. 47L-Dusty Larson[11]
16. 15-Mitch Harble[2]
17. 31C-Chase Metheney[16]
DNS: 21N-Andy Priest
Hovis Auto Truck Supply A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 10-Dave Blaney[1]
2. 48-Danny Dietrich[4]
3. 23-Cale Thomas[5]
4. 33W-Cap Henry[7]
5. 49X-Tim Shaffer[3]
6. 32B-Dale Blaney[14]
7. 22D-Cole Duncan[12]
8. 2-AJ Flick[11]
9. 11-Carl Bowser[13]
10. 98-Ricky Peterson[9]
11. 81-Lee Jacobs[8]
12. 20B-Cody Bova[15]
13. 40-George Hobaugh Jr[22]
14. 46-Michael Bauer[21]
15. 08-Danny Kuriger[16]
16. 5K-Adam Kekich[24]
17. 11N-Kasey Jedrzejek[17]
18. 1-Nate Dussel[10]
19. 22-Brandon Spithaler[6]
20. 5-Jeremy Weaver[23]
21. 6B-Ryan Smith[2]
22. 29M-Logan McCandless[18]
23. 13-Brandon Matus[19]
24. W20-Greg Wilson[20]