8/20/2025
Sharon Speedway
5 MODIFIED CLASSES HIGHLIGHT SATURDAY’S “OPEN WHEEL CLASH” AT SHARON INCLUDING BIG BLOCKS, UMP, ECONOS, RUSH & VINTAGE; FREE HOT DOG NIGHT
By Mike Leone
August 20, 2025
(Hartford, OH)...Sharon Speedway will host the final “Steel Valley Thunder” program of the 2025 season on Saturday night (August 23) with its fifth event during the month of August. The “Open Wheel Clash” will feature five Modified divisions including the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds, Alcon Mechanical Econo Mod Mania Tour, UMP Modifieds presented by A&MP Electric, HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and the Old Skool Kool Vintage Modifieds. The Crown Vics will also be on the card all for just $15 for general admission on A&MP Electric and Sara Cipriano at Novus Home Mortgage Night. It’s FREE Hot Dog Night (two per person) presented by Sysco Foods, and all beer is just $2! Group qualifying for the Econo Mods will take place at approximately 6:40 p.m.
The Willy’s World Kids Club presented by MillCraft Barns will include a driver autograph session from 5-5:30 p.m. followed up by driver and fan engagement activities from 5:30-6 p.m. Featured drivers include Will Thomas III (Big-Block Mods), Andrew Hammond (UMP Mods), Brendan Warner (Econo Mods), and Kole Holden (RUSH Mods). Willy’s World is a non-profit organization dedicated to educate, support, guide, and provide resources to families and children with hidden disabilities, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Saturday is the fifth and final race of the season for the ground-pounding big blocks as they will battle for $2,000 to-win. After being shutout of victory lane in the division for two years at Sharon, Garrett Krummert won on June 21 and August 9. Dalton Slack charged from 21st to the lead and took $4,100 back to Canada for his first career Sharon victory during the “Lou Blaney Memorial”. Slack is planning on returning this Saturday night. Anthony Perrego joined Slack with his first career win taking the $10,000 to-win “Steel Valley 75” for the Super DIRTcar Series on August 11.
The Econo Mod Mania Tour will make their only appearance of the season on Saturday. The Econo Mods will compete for a strong purse with a season best $1,200 to-win/$150 to-start. In addition, the 10th place finisher will receive a free Hoosier Tire courtesy of Big Ed’s Tire Service. The 12th place finisher will receive a $100 gift certificate from Wedge Motorsports, while the heat race winners will receive a $50 Wedge gift certificate. Gabrielson Motorsports has posted $58 to the feature hard charger. Brendan Warner leads the Tour’s points over Steve Haefke, Jr., Garrett Calvert, Steve Simon, and Jarrett Young.
The Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods have completed six events this season at Sharon; Joe Gabrielson and Coleton Longwell have a pair of wins, while Warner and Calvert have one win each. The Econo Mods have averaged nearly 27 cars per event this season with another strong field expected Saturday in their next-to-last race of 2025.
The UMP Modifieds presented by A&MP Electric will make just their second visit of the 2025 season. Back on July 19, Ty Rhoades won for the fourth time in his career in the division picking up the $1,000 payday. Once again, $1,000 will be posted to Saturday’s winner part of the Locals Cup Series. Alan Dellinger is the division’s all-time winner at Sharon with 87 victories. Joel Watson, who still competes in the class but was MIA on July 19, is second with 30 triumphs.
The HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will compete in their seventh and final show of 2025. It’ll be the an annual “Manufacturers Night” presented by MSD Performance with $15,000 of product giveaways to eligible RUSH Mod drivers. Jerry Schaffer Racing has posted a $25 bonus to all competing RUSH Sportsman Modifieds on Saturday. Chas Wolbert leads the way with four victories, which has upped his all-time division leading tally to 26 at Sharon. Ayden Cipriano won the June 28 show, while Darin Gallagher won his first career Sharon race on August 9. Wolbert also leads both the $3,500 to-win Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Weekly Series and the $1,000 to-win “Route 7 Rumble” Series points for the RUSH Series.
Though not an open wheel class, the new Crown Vic division will compete in their fifth and final race of 2025. Coleton Longwell made history winning the first ever event at the track on June 21 then Travis Reeher drove Longwell's car to victory the following week. Brian Krepps of nearby Hubbard, Ohio has scored back-to-back wins. The rules are available at the following link: https://www.sharonspeedway.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=1061848. For tech questions, contact Rick Robinson at 724-893-6898.
Summit Racing Equipment will present the hard charger award on Saturday night to the Big-Block Modifieds. The driver that passes the most cars in the feature will receive a $100 Summit gift card. In the event of a tie, the tiebreaker will be the driver that finishes highest in the feature.
The Performance Bodies "Nosed Out" program will award a $100 Performance Bodies gift card redeemable only at Wedge Motorsports to a driver in the UMP Modifieds or Econo Mods. The recipient will be the driver that most closely beat out another competitor for any finishing position on the lead lap in those divisions. Tiebreaker will be the driver with the best finishing position.
There is no Sharon registration fee. One-way driver radios are mandatory; channel 454.000. AMB/MyLaps transponders are required; rentals available for $25. If you have yet to register for the 2025 season, please bring the registration form with you completed https://www.sharonspeedway.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=1006835
Big-Block Modifieds Payoff: 1. $2,000 2. $1,200 3. $750 4. $550. 5. $500 6. $425 7. $375 8. $300 9. $275 10. $250 11. $225 12. $220 13. $215 14. $210 15. $205 16-24. $200. Non-Qualifiers/Tow $75.
Econo Mod Mania Tour: 1. $1,200 2. $750 3. $400 4. $350 5. $300 6. $270 7. $260 8. $250 9. $240 10. $230 11. $225 12. $220 13. $210 14. $200 15. $190 16. $180 17. $170 18-24. $150.
UMP Modified Payoff: 1. $1,000 2. $700 3. $400 4. $300 5. $200 6. $175 7. $140 8. $125 9. $120 10. $115 11. $110 12. $105 13-24. $100. Tow/Non-Qualifiers $50.
Fans can not only experience viewing from the frontstretch and backstretch grandstands, but also from the infield fan zone, which includes concessions and restrooms. 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., while general admission opens at 4:30. Heat race action will get underway at 7 p.m. Grandstand/fan zone admission for those 14 and over is $15. Seniors are $13. Patio seating upgrades are just $10 and fan suite seating upgrades are just $20 over the cost of general admission. These can be upgraded on race night at the track office. As always, children under 14 and parking are always FREE. Pit passes are $35. As a reminder, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.
There will be no racing at Sharon until the final event of the 96th anniversary season on Saturday, September 27 when the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars visit for $12,000 to-win. They will be joined by the Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods. Tickets are available through the WoO: https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=WRG_SNG_MPV&orgid=52711&pid=9489417. For camping permits, visit: https://www.simpletix.com/e/rv-trailer-tent-camping-2025-tickets-199070
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.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
