(Hartford, OH)…After five straight rain outs, Sharon Speedway was finally able to swing open the gates for the 97th anniversary season opener on a beautiful Saturday as the fans packed the grandstands to watch 84 race cars battle in the three-division program. The “Super Series” event presented by Bala Management on Novus Home Mortgage by Sara Cipriano of Hermitage saw Logan Wagner (Western PA Speedweek for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars), Garrett Krummert (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds), and Brad Shaffer (Gibson Insurance Agency Crown Vics) celebrate in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Victory Lane.
Five-time Port Royal Speedway track champion, Logan Wagner, had never raced at Sharon prior to Saturday night. With Port Royal off, the central Pennsylvania standout headed west and the decision paid off handsomely. Wagner started ninth, methodically worked his way to the front and passed Henry Malcuit for the lead on lap 27 then led the final laps for the $5,500 payday in the “Floyd Trevis Memorial” for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars. Thanks to Krill Recycling for adding $1,000 into the purse with Wagner garnering an additional $500 from the previously posted $5,000 to-win payoff.
“It was my dad’s (Mike) decision to come out here,” revealed the 35-year-old Harrisonville, Pa. standout. “I’ve been here when my dad raced and watched, but haven’t had the pleasure of driving here. Hats off to the Blaney crew. They do a phenomenal job on this race track and it shows. I found a really good lane off turn four where I could hug down and get good drive on the left rear and squatted out. I was able to get by (Carl) Bowser and a couple other guys, and get my tires heated up and really got the car underneath me. I wasn’t sure early on if I had enough, but the car really came on late. It’s a lot of fun to drive a car when it’s that good. I have to thank all of the fans for coming out.”
After the big 40-car field was whittled down to 24, Keith Sheffer, Jr. and Malcuit led the field to green for the 30-lap feature with Malcuit powering into the early lead over Sheffer, Logan McCandless, Brandon Matus, and Carl Bowser. Matus overtook McCandless for third on lap seven. Lapped traffic allowed Sheffer, who was making his Sharon debut, to close in; however, a caution for John Garvin, Jr. slowed action with 10 laps scored.
Malcuit maintained his lead when racing resumed, while Matus slid Sheffer for second on lap 13. Wagner meanwhile was not a factor the first half of the race, but cracked the top five on lap 14 when he passed Cale Thomas. Sheffer continued to back-pedal losing third and fourth to Bowser and Wagner respectively on lap 19. Wagner’s march forward continued as he drove under Bowser for third on lap 22 then five laps later stole second from Matus.
Wagner quickly tracked down Macluit and was on the leader on lap 26. The duo, who were both looking for their first career Sharon Speedway win, battled side-by-side on lap 27 with Wagner winning out. Malcuit tried to fight back but got into the turn 2 wall and after more contact with the backstretch wall knocked the front end. The event came to a scary halt after Malcuit lost control entering turn three and was drilled by the fourth place car of Thomas. Thankfully both drivers exited their cars on their own power.
Prior to the accident, Bowser had passed fellow western Pa. regular, Matus, for third. Bowser then inherited second for the restart, but had nothing for Wagner in the two-lap sprint to the checkered. Wagner crossed the finish line first in his father Mike’s #55 sponsored by Saner Brothers/KMM Shorthorns/Mack Magee Motorsports/Carlisle Cement Products/John Ott Racing-sponsored by 1.355 seconds to become the 177th different “410” Sprint Car winner all-time at Sharon.
Bowser, who hasn’t been victorious at Sharon since 2021, earned $2,300 for runner-up. Matus’ third was his best at Sharon since a third on July 29, 2023 and earned $1,700. McCandless was fourth over Jeremy Weaver. Sheffer, an All Star regular, dropped to sixth in his tune-up for the June 13 Ohio Speedweek event. Another central Pa. driver in Billy Dietrich was seventh. After issues prior to the start of the feature that sent him to the work area, Dale Blaney charged from 24th to 8th. Western PA Speedweek points leader, A.J. Flick, who won the Wednesday and Thursday shows, had an off night in ninth as Brandon Spithaler completed the top 10. Greg Wilson went 22nd to 12th to earn the $200 hard charger from Rustler Sales & Service.
For the third straight event, Blaney set fast time overall in qualifying with a lap of 14.104 and earned $200 from Knox Bakery. Heat race winners were Sheffer, McCandless, Wagner, and Bowser, while the two last chance B mains went to invaders Jordan Givler and Greg Wilson.
Garrett Krummert put on a lights out, dominating performance in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modified feature. Krummert went third to first on the opening lap, drove a masterful race through lapped traffic, and took the checkered flag first by a commanding 7.898 seconds in the caution-free 25-lap feature timed in 7:56.566. Krummert earned $2,000 for his victory in the event presented by King Bros. Ready Mix Concrete, King’s Sanitary Services, Russ King Racing, and Thermo Supply.
“We were pretty good,” acknowledged the 38-year-old West Middlesex, Pa. racer. “When they rolled out with the water truck before our feature I was really looking forward to it. When the track is technical and slippery with traction, typically I’m pretty good and like that condition. I didn’t know who was behind me. I seen the 20P (Mike Kinney) was in second for a little bit, then I could see on the scoreboard it was 25 (Erick Rudolph) then I saw Ayden (Cipriano). I figured when Ayden got to second he was running the top so I just stayed up there and went where they weren’t. I enjoy coming here especially when the track is like this. I think the Sprint Car feature was good too so it was a pretty good show for the fans.”
Mike Kinney and Austin Eyler led the field to green, but it was Krummert sneaking by both for what would be the winning move on the opening lap. After slipping back to fifth early, New York invader, Erick Rudolph, regained fourth on lap three getting by Cipriano. Rudolph then put a slider on Eyler in turn four to take third on lap six. Rudolph tracked down Kinney and the duo put on a tremendous side-by-side battle from laps 11-14 before Rudolph finally cleared him for runner-up on lap 14.
By the time Rudolph got to second, Krummert had an impressive half-lap lead on the three-time “Lou Blaney Memorial” winner. The lead, which at one point was nearly 11 second, would shrink by a few seconds, but Rudolph had his hands full in the closing laps with Cipriano. In fact, Cipriano made an impressive move to take second in heavy lapped traffic on lap 24.
Krummert however was checked out into a different zip code in his #29 sponsored by Curtiss-Wright/Colonial Metal Products/DIG Race Products/MD Landscaping/R&B Performance. Despite winning twice last season, Krummert’s victory on Saturday night was just the fifth of his career in Big-Block Modified competition at Sharon, but does go along with 11 career RUSH Sportsman Modified victories.
Cipriano earned $1,200 for beating out Rudolph for second. Will Thomas III went eighth to fourth in the non-stop feature. Rex King, Jr. was fifth. Jim Rasey was sixth over Brad Rapp. Chas Wolbert captured the $100 Summit Racing Equipment Hard Charger gift card by going 16th to 8th. Eyler dropped to ninth over 63-year-old veteran Dave Murdick in 10th. Rasey, Thomas, and King won the heat races over the 25-car field.
Brad Shaffer became the fifth different winner in six Crown Vic features run all-time for the second year division. Shaffer started seventh, passed Ray Gregory on lap four for the lead, and held him off throughout the remainder of the 15-lap Gibson Insurance Agency feature.
“I love this track,” expressed the 31-year-old New Castle, Pa. driver. “This track is always smooth, always slick, and always a fun time here. Once I took the lead, I knew I had to run because they were coming. I have to thank my mom and dad, all my sponsors, and all the people that help me out to allow me to get here.”
Shaffer’s winning margin in his Gibson Landscaping/Trackside Motors Auto Sales & Service/West Penn Salvage & Restoration-sponsored #26 was by 0.702 seconds over Gregory. Brandon Albert was third over Calvin Clay and Branden Porter. Jason Longwell and his son Coleton won the heat races over the record 19-car field.
Coming next Saturday (June 6) will see the return of the RUSH Late Model Touring Series after a four-year absence competing in a $4,000 to-win event presented by Kuhnle Motorsports Park. Also on the “Steel Valley Thunder” program will be the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Mods presented by A&MP Electric, Gibson Insurance Agency RUSH Sprint Cars, Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods, and the Gibson Insurance Agency Crown Vics. It’s Teacher Appreciation Night presented by Willy’s World with FREE grandstand admission for teachers & school staff with valid school ID.
Western PA Speedweek for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars (30 laps, $5,500 to-win): 1. 55-LOGAN WAGNER[9]; 2. 11-Carl Bowser[6]; 3. 13-Brandon Matus[3]; 4. 29-Logan McCandless[5]; 5. 5-Jeremy Weaver[7]; 6. 45-Keith Sheffer Jr[1]; 7. 8-Billy Dietrich[11]; 8. 10-Dale Blaney[4]; 9. 2-AJ Flick[8]; 10. 22-Brandon Spithaler[13]; 11. 08-Danny Kuriger[14]; 12. W20-Greg Wilson[22]; 13. 12J-Derek Hauck[19]; 14. 5K-Adam Kekich[16]; 15. 88J-Joey Amantea[12]; 16. 32B-Jeremy Kornbau[17]; 17. 17K-Mark Smith[23]; 18. 20B-Cody Bova[20]; 19. 46-Michael Bauer[24]; 20. 35Z-Jared Zimbardi[18]; 21. 2D-Jordan Givler[21]; 22. 70-Henry Malcuit[2]; 23. 49X-Cale Thomas[10]; 24. 13B-John Garvin Jr[15].
DNQ for the feature: Jason Shultz (35), Rayce Jacobs (81), Leyton Wagner (38), David Kalb, Jr. (11J), Chris Verda (3V), Bob Felmlee (6), Dusty Larson (47), Nate Reeser (83x), Brett Brunkenhoefer (47), Andy Cavanaugh (x7), Jacob Begenwald (3J), Chris Smith (7), Louie Mattes IV (m4), Brent Matus (33), Nathen McDowell (11), Jimmy Morris (16).
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds (25 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. 29-GARRETT KRUMMERT[3]; 2. 5C-Ayden Cipriano[6]; 3. 25-Erick Rudolph[4]; 4. 9-Will Thomas[8]; 5. 165-Rex King Jr[7]; 6. 32-Jim Rasey[9]; 7. 11R-Brad Rapp[10]; 8. C3-Chas Wolbert[16]; 9. 5A-Austin Eyler[2]; 10. 61-Dave Murdick[12]; 11. 20P-Mike Kinney[1]; 12. 18-Colton Walters[11]; 13. 12-JC Boyer[15]; 14. 00-Rob Kristyak[5]; 15. 17M-Kyle Fink[13]; 16. 13-Rick Regalski Jr[14]; 17. B4-Brayden Beatty[18]; 18. 18W-Jeff Walters[17]; 19. 00K-Jackson Kristyak[21]; 20. 3K-Shawn Kozar[19]; 21. 21X-Ryan Riffe[20]; 22. 15S-Nate Shook[24]; 23. 9M-Cameron Miller[25]. DNS: 8M-Macey Adamik & 86R-Rob Curtis
Gibson Insurance Agency Crown Vics (15 laps): 1. 26-BRAD SHAFFER[7]; 2. 82R-Ray Gregory[2]; 3. 30-Brandon Albert[1]; 4. C12-Calvin Clay[5]; 5. 16-Branden Porter[9]; 6. 4-Brian Krepps[10]; 7. 83-Dave Hanshaw Jr[6]; 8. 16C-Amelia Clay[8]; 9. 37-Adam Burns[15]; 10. 127-Chris Bugielski[14]; 11. 10J-Bill Fuchs[12]; 12. 64-John Kish[13]; 13. 11-Scott Gill[19]; 14. 87-Mike Barr[17]; 15. 33-Terry Clowser[16]; 16. 7-Coleton Longwell[3]; 17. 96W-Jason Longwell[4]. DNS: 309-Jacob Moon & 919-Elyn Wickham
Sharon Speedway is owned by Dave Blaney, Ryan Blaney, and Will Thomas III 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 Twitter) @sharonspdwy.