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Bonnell, Kristyak, and Robinson Collect Initial 2008 Victories, Spithaler, Griffin and Dellinger Repeat
Hartford, OH August 3, 2008 A warm August afternoon turned into a beautiful evening that saw three new faces grace the Hovis Auto and Truck Supply Victory Lane on Saturday, August 2nd, at the Sharon Speedway. Scott Bonnell (Warren Harley-Davidson 410 Sprint Cars and Rob Kristyak (Gibson-Governor Insurance Agency Big Block Modifieds) dominated the feature events in their respective divisions to earn their first Sharon Speedway victories of the season. Veteran Gary Robinson (Tight Seal Glass Block Pure Stocks) held off Alan Dellinger, who has been the master of the division in 2008, to capture a well earned victory and youngster Brandon Spithaler picked up his second victory in Limited Sprint action. In addition Dellinger captured the July 12th rain out Pure Stock feature that opened the evening's racing action and then came back at the end of the evening to pick up his sixth victory in Tom's Sewer and Drain Service E-Mod action. Guy Griffin picked up his second Limited Sprint victory as he collected his second Limited Sprint win in the other feature event that was rescheduled from July 12th.
It has been several years since Fairview, PA Sprint car driver Scott Bonnell visited Victory Lane at the Sharon Speedway but he made a triumphant return this evening. Bonnell and Jack Sodeman Jr. led the 22 car field to starter's tower for the 25 lap event with Sodeman taking command. Several cautions slowed the race in the early stages as Mike Kekich broke an axle on lap three, Leo O'Malley and Brian Steinman tangled and lap four and Gary Edwards slammed the turn two wall on lap ten. The caution for Edwards put Bonnell right on Sodeman's tail and Bonnell took over the front spot on the ensuing restart. Bonnell would weather one final caution on lap 15 as he collected a convincing win, finishing several car lengths ahead of Sodeman at the checkered. Dan Shetler, Cale Conley and Kevin Schaeffer rounded out the top five.
Kekich and Conley captured the Sprint heat race events earlier in the evening.
The Gibson-Governor Big Block Modified feature turned into a marathon event that nearly went the entire 30 minute time limit but Bristolville, OH driver Rob Kristyak pulled off a very convincing and well deserved win. Russell King led the opening lap before Jim Rasey pulled ahead to lead lap two. A caution for rookie competitor Dustin Martin saw the caution flag wave on lap three. On the restart that followed veteran Brian Swartzlander slowed to bring out the caution a second time and Mark Felicetty would break down on the ensuing restart as the caution waved for the third time. Just one lap later Dave Reges would spin and bring out the caution yet again. Cautions for Howard Duff (lap six), Carl Murdick (lap seven) and King (lap ten) would once again slow the field. Motor problems ended Rasey's quest for victory on lap 11 and Kristyak inherited the lead. The personable young driver then proved that he was the "Class of the Field" as he easily drove away from his fellow competitors to pick up a well deserved victory in the Mark Thomas Ford sponsored HRE/Troyer. Defending divisional champion Del Rougeux Jr. finished second with Rob Curtis, Tim Doran and Brad Rapp rounding out the top five.
King, Rasey and Kristyak won the Modified heat races earlier in the evening.
Greenville, PA driver Gary Robinson finally got the "Bad Luck Monkey" off of his back as he picked up a hard fought and very popular feature win in the 15 lap Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stock feature event. Robinson and Dellinger led the 26 car field to the green flag with a determined Robinson grabbing the top spot. The two veteran drivers battled wheel to wheel with Robinson managing to hold off Dellinger on each circuit. Dellinger pulled ahead on lap 13 but Robinson fought back and regained the lead on the next circuit. The two drivers then battled side by side on the final circuit with Robinson holding off six time winner Dellinger at the line. Mike Aley, Jamie Duncan and Stan Womer completed the top five.
Greenville, PA driver Gary Robinson finally got the "Bad Luck Monkey" off of his back as he picked up a hard fought and very popular feature win in the 15 lap Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stock feature event. Robinson and Dellinger led the 26 car field to the green flag with a determined Robinson grabbing the top spot. The two veteran drivers battled wheel to wheel with Robinson managing to hold off Dellinger on each circuit. Dellinger pulled ahead on lap 13 but Robinson fought back and regained the lead on the next circuit. The two drivers then battled side by side on the final circuit with Robinson holding off six time winner Dellinger at the line. Mike Aley, Jamie Duncan and Stan Womer completed the top five.
Dellinger, Robinson and Aley also won the Pure Stock heat events earlier in the evening
Teenager Brandon Spithaler likes the high side of Sharon Speedway and he used it once again as he overtook race leader Rob Felix to capture his second Limited Sprint main event. Veteran driver Calvin Clay just joined Limited Sprint competition a few weeks ago and he led the first three laps of the main event before being overtaken by defending divisional champion Guy Griffin on lap four. A caution on lap five for Tyler Palmer gave Clay another shot at the leader. Griffin's wheel fell of when racing action resumed and Clay got the lead back by default. Rob Felix got by Clay on lap seven and led until Spithaler used the high side of the speedway to shoot into the lead. Spithaler then led the final four circuits to capture his second Limited Sprint victory of the season. Felix finished in the runner-up spot with A.J. Albrecht, Clay and Pete Miller III rounding out the top five.
Jim Morris and Spithaler were victorious in Limited Sprints heat race action.
Vince Crisanti and Russ Dunn led the 15 lap Tom's Sewer and Drain Service E-Mod feature to the green with Dunn leading the first circuit. An eight car pile up in turn three collected Crisanti, Jeff Johnson, Jim Turley, Shawn Shingledecker, Jeff Hassay, Brandon Blackshear and Mark Hopkins. None of the drivers were injured however Turley was the only driver who was able to continue. When racing action resumed Dunn once again took control and led until lap ten when 17th place starter Alan Dellinger and his teammate Dwayne Clay both motored by Dunn. Dellinger held off Clay to capture his sixth Sharon Speedway E-Mod win of the year. Clay was right behind Dellinger to make it a "One-Two Sweep" for the 007/008 Race Team. Dunn, Bob McCann and Joe Gabrielson rounded out the top five.
Tim Deutsch and Rich Stiffler won the E-Mod preliminaries.
The two rained out events from July 12th kicked off the evening's racing action. Pole sitter Stan Woomer would lead the first eight circuits of the Tight-Seal Glass Block feature event before 12 place starter Alan Dellinger would get by for the lead. Dellinger was never challenged and went on to collect the win. Woomer held on for second over Russ Byler, Gary Robinson and Bill Hanna.
In the Limited Sprint makeup event Andy Paden and Pete Miller III led the field to the green however Jim Morris III and Rob Felix got together on the backstretch and Tyler Palmer, Jack Whitmore and Joel Trent were also collected in the crash. Paden would lead the first two circuits when the action resumed with Felix taking over the top spot on lap three. Veteran Guy Griffin slowly reeled in Felix and motored into the lead on lap 11. Griffin held on for the remaining nine laps and picked up the win. Jason Scoville, Brandon Spithaler, Paden and Pete Miller III rounded out the top five.
Another "Fantastic Five" racing program will take place next Saturday, August 9th. In addition the "Faster Pastor #4" event will be on the card and the Gibson-Governor Big Block Modified drivers will be signing autographs at intermission.
And remember that Sharon Speedway is proud to announce a special promotion for the Tuesday, August 12th "Duel in the Dirt II" event featuring Kevin Harvick, Ken Schrader and Dave Blaney as race fans who purchase One General or Reserved Admission and Receive Another Companion Ticket Absolutely FREE!!." That's right race fans you will receive One Free Companion Ticket to watch the NASCAR Stars compete against the area's top E-Mod drivers for the $1,000 top prize. A $3,000 to win 410 Sprint event is also on the card. So gather your friends, neighbors and co-workers and head to Sharon Speedway for this "Must See" event.
July 12th Tom's Sewer and Drain E-Mod Feature Finish: Alan Dellinger, Stan Woomer, Russ Byler, Gary Robinson, Bill Hanna, Jamie Duncan, Chris Hake, Matt Wagner, Allan Hudzik, Eric Williams, Jeff Kravec, Tim Burns, Jeff Yocum, Mike Aley, Larry Root, Jim Keith, Bruce Redman, Charlie Jasinski, Will Aley, Bill Cramer III, Tom Miller, Ryan Hills, Josh Seippel, David Braun, Gary Rowley
July 12th Limited Sprint Feature Finish: Guy Griffin, Jason Scoville, Brandon Spithaler, Andy Paden, Pete Miller III, AJ Albrecht, Calvin Clay, Jack Whitmore, Johnathan Frederick, Chad Mathews, Rob Felix Jr., James Morris III, Joel Trent, Tyler Palmer, Chad Carpenter
Warren Harley-Davidson Sprint Feature Finish: Scott Bonnell, Jack Sodeman Jr., Dan Shetler, Cale Conley, Kevin Schaeffer, Mike Lutz, Bob Felmlee, Jimmy Hawley, Shawn Minor, Aaron Shaffer, Keith Taylor, Bob Lime, Bill Jones Jr., Jeff Taylor, Leo O'Malley, Jack Helget, Brian Steinman, Caleb Griffith, Russ Sansosti, CW Harshman, Gary Edwards, Mike Kekich
Gibson Governor Insurance Agency Modified Feature Finish: Rob Kristyak, Delmont Rougeux Jr., Rob Curtis, Tim Doran, Brad Rapp, Jim Weller Jr., Dave Murdick, Brian Swartzlander, Skip Moore, Russell King, Dean Pearson, Bill Dorman, Erik Martin, Rex King Jr., Ron Eperthener Jr., Dustin Martin, Rick Ryder, Chris Schiffer, Dave Reges, Mike Kinney, Howard Duff, Jim Rasey, Carl Weatherby, Mark Felicetty, Carl Murdick, Jason Longwell, Scott Strock
Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stock Feature Finish: Gary Robinson, Alan Dellinger, Mike Aley, Jamie Duncan, Stan Woomer, Bill Hanna, Tim Burns, Terry Wheeler, Allan Hudzik, Russ Byler, Matt Wagner, Jeff Kravec, Pat Adams, Jeff Yocum, Ed Snyder, Ron Yarab, Eric Williams, Brian Carothers, Chris Hake, Charlie Jasinski, Shaun Hooks, Jim Keith, Larry Root, Will Aley, Bill Cramer III, Bruce Redman
Tom's Sewer and Drain Service E-Mod Feature Finish: Alan Dellinger, Dwayne Clay, Russ Dunn, Bob McCann, Joe Gabrielson, Tim Deutsch, Ron Jaeger, Jeff Walters, Ed Wilson Jr., Bob Williamson, JR Mechling, Jim Turley, Dustin Fraley, Jeff Hassay, Jim Dellinger, Brandon Blackshear, Vince Crisanti, Jeff Johnson, Shawn Shingledecker, Rich Stiffler, Paul Phillips, Mark Hopkins
Limited Sprint Feature Finish: Brandon Spithaler, Rob Felix Jr., AJ Albrecht, Calvin Clay, Pete Miller III, Jim Morris III, Tyler Palmer, Johnathan Frederick, Joel Trent, Jack Whitmore, Guy Griffin, Jason Scoville
Sharon Speedway is located at the intersection of Routes 7 and 305 in Hartford, OH and is just a short drive from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland. "Buckle Up and Hang On" as Sharon Speedway brings you Saturday Night Racing at its finest!!!
For additional information please visit the Speedway's website at www.sharonspeedway.com or contact Kate at the Speedway office at (330) 772-5481.
Sharon Speedway Marcie BarlowMedia Relations
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