8/9/2025
Sharon Speedway
GARRETT KRUMMERT WINS HIS 2ND IN BIG-BLOCK MODS; CAREER 1ST SHARON WINS FOR GALLAGHER (RUSH MODS) & DIETZ (STOCKS); LONGWELL (ECONOS) & KREPPS REPEAT
By Mike Leone
August 9, 2025
(Hartford, OH)... One-week after a successful 17th annual “Lou Blaney Memorial”, Sharon Speedway returned to action on a beautiful Saturday evening for a big five-division "Steel Valley Thunder" show. Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Victory Lane were Garrett Krummert (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds), Jake Dietz (Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks), Darin Gallagher (HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds), Coleton Longwell (Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods), and Brian Krepps (Crown Vics). Fans were treated to tremendous racing throughout the night with two first time winners. It was Flynn’s Tire & Auto, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, and Sara Cipriano of Novus Home Mortgage Night. The Twin-State Auto Racing Club also hosted their annual Club Night as all card-carrying members enjoyed free general admission.
Back on June 21, Garrett Krummert ended a winless drought of more than two years at Sharon by winning the 2025 opener for the Big-Block Modifieds. Krummert’s return to victory lane didn’t take as long this time around as he tracked down New York standout, Erick Rudolph, and made the winning pass with four laps to go. Krummert went on for the $2,000 win in the 25-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply feature, which served as a tune-up for Monday’s $10,000 to-win Super DIRTcar Series event. Krummert is now two-for-two in 2025 “Steel Valley Thunder” events for the ground-pounders.
“I don’t know if he (Rudolph) had a tire going away or what,” said the 37-year-old West Middlesex, Pa. winner. “We were good and I knew once they did track prep it was going to be good on the top. I bided my time at the beginning and was able to get up there faster than I thought. This helps getting ready for Monday. The track though will be different and the competition will be a lot different on Monday, but it certainly helps to win and I think we have something to work with.”
Krummert started the feature from the fifth starting spot and despite not taking the lead until four laps to go, he would take the checkered flag first by 1.920 seconds in his M&D Landscaping/Colonial Companies/Curtiss-Wright/Dig-sponsored #29. It was just Krummert’s fourth career Big-Block Modified win at Sharon to go along with 11 career RUSH Sportsman Modified victories.
Rudolph earned $1,200 for his runner-up finish after leading laps 4-20. Jeremiah Shingledecker had a great run going eighth to third. After going 10th to 3rd at last Saturdays BRP Tour event at Sharon, Rex King, Jr. went 12th to 4th on Saturday night. Ayden Cipriano was fifth. Veteran Brian Swartzlander led the first three laps before fading to sixth at the finish over Steve Feder, Jim Rasey, and Will Thomas III. After winning the “Lou Blaney Memorial” from 21st one week ago, Dalton Slack once again had to line-up 21st, but this time the Canadian was only able to manage a 10th place finish. Heat winners over the 21-car field were Steve Slater, Swartzlander, and Feder.
Jacob Dietz traded the lead back and forth with Steve D’Apolito before getting by for good on lap 9 in the 15-lap Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stock feature. Dietz then went on for his first career Sharon Speedway victory. Dietz became the season’s fourth different winner in five races and second straight career first winner after Nick Kocuba won at the last event.
“This place has always haunted me,” acknowledged the 27-year-old Saxonburg, Pa. victor. “I’ve broke a lot of stuff here so it’s nice to finally get a win. My one crew guy said all the Mods were running around the top so I tried it, but realized that wasn’t going to work once Steve (D’Apolito) got underneath me then I was able to get underneath him in turn four. Steve always runs good here so it was good to run with him.”
Dietz, who also won the heat race, took the Charlie Neely-owned, 955 Automotive/Integra Shocks/Daugherty Motorsports/Dog Head/Saxonburg Heritage Wine Cellars/Kelley’s Restaurant/Foster Pools-sponsored #27 to victory by a commanding 2.978 seconds over D’Apolito. D’Apolito would edge out fellow veteran Paul Davis for the second spot by a mere 0.080 seconds, which earned him the $100 Performance Bodies gift card for the “Nosed Out” contingency. Yet another veteran, in soon-to-be 74-year-old Larry Kugel, was fourth for his best finish since a fourth on July 27, 2024. Jason Jones was fifth. Newcomer Matt Alexander was sixth as Jamie Scharba and Troy Norman completed just the eight-car starting field.
After finishing in the top 5 in 8 out the last 10 RUSH Sportsman Modified events over the past two years, Darin Gallagher was finally able to win his elusive first career Sharon Speedway race! Gallagher passed Doug Rutana on lap four and was never challenged throughout the 20-lap HTMA/Precise Racing Products feature.
“This is a massive gorilla off my back- more like three of them,” expressed the elated 35-year-old Butler, Pa. driver. “I swear every time I’m here it’s 10th on back where I start. I told you earlier if I got at least a decent starting spot I’d have a good shot at winning. It was a terrible car in the heat race. We did wholesale changes to it for the feature and it was a rocket ship off the bottom. Once I got the lead it felt like I might have something. It’s taken a long time, but I finally got this car in victory lane for Goose (Jerry Schaffer). He’s been a big supporter of me and I know he’s going to be super excited. I’ve been so close here before, even in the Sprint Cars, and have had them taken away from me. Tonight, everything went right for me; I’m super excited so now it’s time to go for more!”
Gallagher started the feature in fifth, but wasted little time getting to the front. Gallagher was third after lap one, went to second on lap two, and made the winning pass on lap four. Gallagher crossed the finish first in the Jerry Schaffer-owned, The Burg Bar & Grill/Innovative Fitness/Robinson Greenhouse-sponsored #23 by a huge margin of 7.367 seconds! Gallagher became the division’s 25th different winner all-time at Sharon and 40th overall on the circuit in the 12-year history since the division’s inception in 2014.
Rutana held on for second for his career best effort at Sharon. Kole Holden went 11th to 3rd to earn the $100 Summit Racing Equipment hard charger gift card. Chas Wolbert, who entered the night winning 10 of the 12 RUSH Sportsman Modified events run on the circuit in 2025, could only muster a fourth after gaining just two spots in the feature.
After qualifying for the BRP Tour Big-Block Modified feature one-week ago in his Chevrolet Performance 602 crate engine, JC Boyer was fifth. Matt Latta was sixth in just his third race of 2025 and fourth of his RUSH Sportsman Modified career for the former RUSH Late Model winner. Kyle Hanshaw, who typically is the assistant flagman at Sharon, was seventh in his first ever race at the track. Jacob Rutana raced from 13th to 8th over Todd English. RUSH’s Futures Cup points leader, Karston King, completed the top 10. Heat winners were English and Hanshaw.
Coleton Longwell entered the 2025 season with just one career feature win at Sharon Speedway coming in the Pro Stocks back in the 2021 season. On Saturday night, Longwell won for the third time of 2025 as he scored his second in the Econo Mod division to go along with winning the first ever Crown Vic race. Longwell tracked down race-long leader Ty Rhoades and made the winning pass on lap 17 in 20-lap Alcon Mechanical feature. Longwell earned $600 as once again there was more than a full field of cars on hand.
“If you’re going to pick a guy to beat here it’s probably Ty Rhoades,” acknowledged the 25-year-old Kinsman, Ohio racer. “He’s about the best. I was happy when we were racing that it was super clean and he left me a lane the whole time we were next to each other. He completely did everything by the book and we had a good race. That’s not Ty’s wheelhouse (running the top) and he was way better down there (bottom) than me that’s for sure. I was hoping he’d woah up when he got to the lapped car because when you do that here it really scrubs speed off. I missed the cushion though and scrubbed off my speed the lap before, but I was able to get it all back with the lapped car. I’m super happy with everyone as we ran a lot of green flag laps.”
Longwell started in fourth and was already in second after the opening lap. The win didn’t come easy for Longwell, who had to chase down UMP Modified standout, Ty Rhoades, who was subbing for Seth Brenot. Rhoades, who has four career UMP Mod wins and six Econo Mods wins at Sharon, nearly added another as he led the first 16 laps before losing out on the lead in lapped traffic on the 17th circuit.
Longwell’s margin of victory over Rhoades was 1.557 seconds in his Wedge Motorsports/Close Racing Supply/Dave Baird Racing Enterprises/955 Automotive/YeagerBaum’s Bar & Grill/Yeager’s Poured Silver-sponsored #7. Joe Gabrielson, who also has two Econo Mod wins this season, went 12th to 3rd! Jacob Eucker was fourth over Steve Haefke, Jr. Brendan Warner, who won his first career Sharon race on July 19, went 13th to 7th as Travis Carothers, Jonathan Davis, Zack Eller, and George Vestal IV completed the top 10. Heat winners over the 26-car field were Gabrielson, Davis, and Longwell.
Brian Krepps was credited with his second straight Crown Vic win after newcomer and apparent winner, Brad Shaffer, was disqualified for illegal wheels. Shaffer was trying to become the fourth different winner in the first four events after taking the lead on lap seven and then crossed the finish line first by a commanding 3.552 seconds. Kreps, 43 of nearby Hubbard, Ohio, was aboard the Jimmy Neno’s Pizzeria & Taproom/Galaxy Industries-sponsored #4. Elyn Wickham, who won the heat race, moved up to second in the official finish as Dakota Papsun, newcomer Jacob Moon and Brandon Albert completed the first five.
It'll be a quick turnaround as Sharon Speedway returns to action on Monday night (August 11) for the “Steel Valley 75” presented by Capitol Renegade featuring the Super DIRTcar Series in a $10,000 to-win Big-Block Modified event along with the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars for $4,000 to-win. Motor heat for the Sprints gets underway at 6:25 p.m. followed by warmups and qualifying with heat races scheduled for 7:30 p.m. NASCAR Cup racer and Sharon co-owner, Ryan Blaney, will participate in a Q&A from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m. and will also be part of the broadcast team. Pit passes go on sale at 4 p.m. with general admission opening at 5 p.m. General admission is $30, teens 13-17 are $10, kids 12 and under are free, and pit passes are $40. The event will not sellout.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds (25 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. 29-GARRETT KRUMMERT[5]; 2. 25-Erick Rudolph[6]; 3. 37MD-Jeremiah Shingledecker[8]; 4. 165-Rex King Jr[16]; 5. 5C-Ayden Cipriano[7]; 6. 6S-Brian Swartzlander[2]; 7. 45-Steve Feder[3]; 8. 32-Jim Rasey[10]; 9. 9-Will Thomas[12]; 10. 3RS-Dalton Slack[11]; 11. 13-Rick Regalski Jr[4]; 12. 11R-Brad Rapp[19]; 13. 18JR-Mike Dougherty Jr[15]; 14. 14S-Justin Shea[18]; 15. 87-Rocky Kugel[9]; 16. 17M-Kyle Fink[17]; 17. 35-Steve Slater[1]; 18. 55-Rob Kristyak[21]; 19. 20P-Mike Kinney[14]; 20. 6-Matt Stangle[13]; 21. 86R-Rob Curtis[20].
Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks (15 laps): 1. 27-JACOB DIETZ[2]; 2. 84-Steve D'Apolito[4]; 3. 3-Paul Davis[6]; 4. 11R-Matthew Alexander[3]; 5. 81J-Jason Jones[8]; 6. 0-Larry Kugel[7]; 7. 11S-Jamie Scharba[5]; 8. 19N-Troy Norman[9]. DNS: 14-Scott Stiffler
HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds (20 laps): 1. 23-DARIN GALLAGHER[5]; 2. 46R-Doug Rutana[1]; 3. 2-Kole Holden[11]; 4. C3-Chas Wolbert[6]; 5. 12-JC Boyer[4]; 6. 21-Matt Latta[7]; 7. 22-Kyle Hanshaw[2]; 8. 57R-Jacob Rutana[13]; 9. 711-Todd English[3]; 10. 165K-Karston King[9]; 11. 333G-Dalton Gabriel[10]; 12. 58-Logen Lockhart[8]; 13. 00K-Jackson Kristyak[12]; 14. 12S-Troy Pinch[15]; 15. 70B-Nolan Burns[14].
Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods (20 laps, $600 to-win): 1. 7-COLETON LONGWELL[4]; 2. 31-Ty Rhoades[1]; 3. 58-Joe Gabrielson[12]; 4. 64-Jacob Eucker[6]; 5. 39-Steve Haefke Jr[3]; 6. 12-Brendan Warner[13]; 7. 89C-Travis Carothers[11]; 8. 8-Jonathan Davis[5]; 9. 99E-Zack Eller[2]; 10. 4-George Vestal IV[8]; 11. 56-Bryan Wagner[9]; 12. 26X-Carter Bidwell[18]; 13. 71A-Don Watson[17]; 14. 9G-Arianna Samuelson[7]; 15. 14-Dan McEwen[10]; 16. 24R-Derrick Randolph[19]; 17. 10-Derek Tessean[20]; 18. 17-Dennis Dellinger[16]; 19. 44R-Bobby Robinson[21]; 20. 02C-Brian Carothers[14]; 21. 15-Eric Nellis II[22]; 22. 35-Rick Wilson Jr[23]; 23. 28-Dan McEwen Jr[25]; 24. 1-Jim Dellinger[24]; 25. (DNS) 83-Jeremy Double; 26. (DNS) 89-Junior Mechling
Crown Vics (12 laps): 1. 4-BRIAN KREPPS[6]; 2. 919-Elyn Wickham[1]; 3. 117-Dakota Papsun[4]; 4. 309-Jacob Moon[7]; 5. 30-Brandon Albert[2]; 6. 34G-Makenzie Gracey[5]; 7. 26-Bradley Shaffer[3]- DSQ (illegal wheels).
Sharon Speedway is owned by the 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 known as Twitter) @sharonspdwy.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
