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Murdick, Griffith, Morris III Capture Initial Victories; Dellinger and Redman Repeat
Hartford, OH August 33, 2008 Bright sunshine greeted the Labor Day weekend visitors to the Sharon Speedway on Saturday, August 30th, as the final "Fantastic Five" racing event of the season was held. Youngsters Caleb Griffith (Warren Harley-Davidson 410 Sprint Division) and Jim Morris III (Limited Sprint Division) captured their first victories of 2008 as did veteran and newly crowned divisional champion Dave Murdick (Gibson-Governor Insurance Agency Modified Division). Bruce Redman scored his second win of 2008 in the Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stock Division and Alan Dellinger celebrated his two divisional crowns (Tom's Sewer and Drain Service E-Mod and Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stock) by picking up his ninth E-Mod victory of the season.
Caleb Griffith and Steven Lines led the 22 Warren Harley-Davidson 410 Sprint Car Feature to the green flag. Lines immediately took command however his engine expired on lap two and he retired from competition. Sandusky, OH youngster Caleb Griffith inherited the lead and showed "the poise of a veteran" as he weathered two red flags and held off the persistent challenges of Jack Sodeman Jr. for the remainder of the 25 lap event to motor to the win. Griffith masterfully worked his way through the lapped traffic in spite of a broken front nose wing to garner the second Sharon Speedway victory of his young career. Sodeman Jr. finished second with Pittsburgh, PA youngster Danny Holtgraver, Bob Felmlee and Rod George rounding out the top five.
Newly crowned Warren Harley-Davidson Sprint Champion Dan Shetler and divisional rookie Nate Stein flipped their rides on lap five of the main event. Neither driver was injured but both were finished for the evening.
Felmlee and Shetler were victorious in the preliminary events.
Slippery Rock, PA veteran Dave Murdick decided to add the Sharon Speedway to his schedule in 2008 and his performance tonight definitely indicated that he made the right decision. Murdick quietly used consistent top five finishes to solidify his points lead throughout the season and had already captured the Gibson-Governor Insurance Agency Modified Crown by finishing his heat event; the only piece of the puzzle that was missing was a "Sharon Speedway Feature Victory."
An "Invert Eight" redraw placed Murdick and fellow Troyer Chassis competitor Rob Kristyak on the front row of the 25 lap feature event. Murdick took the lead at the green and led lap one before Hubbard, OH veteran Jim Weller Jr. would take the lead. Weller Jr. would lead Murdick, Kristyak and Brad Rapp until a lap nine caution for Mark Felicetty. Murdick wrestled the lead away from Weller on the following lap and would weather four more cautions to capture his first Sharon Speedway victory of the year. Kristyak held on for the runner-up spot over youngster Brad Rapp, Tim Doran and Brian Swartzlander.
Swartzlander and Dave Schrader, who was subbing for Rex King, captured the heat race victories earlier in the evening.
Like his fellow competitors Griffith and Murdick, Limited Sprint driver Jim Morris III saved his winning performance for the final night of competition as he captured his first Sharon Speedway Limited Sprint main event of the year. Chad Matthews and A.J. Albrecht paced the field at the start of the 20 lap feature event. As the field entered turn two teenager and divisional title contender Brandon Spithaler flipped his sprinter. The dejected Evans City, PA youngster was uninjured however his hopes of a points championship were dashed.
Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stock action would find Charlie Jasinski and Shaun Fawcett pacing the field to the green. Jasinski, who had been out of action following a nasty crash several weeks ago, would lead the first 13 laps of the event before Bruce Redman would take command. Redman would weather two cautions on laps 13 and 14 as he held off the late race challenges of Russ Byler and newly crowned Divisional Champion Alan Dellinger, to collect his second feature victory of the season. Byler just nipped Dellinger for second at the line with Jasinski and Mike Aley rounding out the top five.
Gary Robinson, Will Aley and Dellinger were victorious in Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stock heat race action.
Clay and Johnson won the E-Mod preliminaries.
"Fantastic Five" racing action is now complete however the Sharon Speedway will be back in action throughout the month of September with several new and innovative special events that are sure to appeal to race fans and drivers alike. Next Saturday, September 6th will feature the Limited Sprints, the Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stocks and the Tom's Sewer and Drain Service E-Mods in action along with the first ever visit of the "Mudder Truckers." Admission for this event is just $7.00 so gather up your friends and bring them to Sharon Speedway for an evening of affordable family fun.
Monster Truck Madness will take over Sharon speedway on Saturday, September 13th as PMTRA/Quercio presents the Monster Truck Spectacular. See "Predator", "Prowler" and more they take to the Hartford, OH oval for the first time ever.
And the month of September will conclude with the Apple Festival Nationals on Saturday, September 20th and Sunday, September 21st. Each night will feature a full card of ASCS 360 Sprint Series action. In addition the BRP/Hoosier Race Tire Modified Tour '08 drivers will compete in the Russ King Memorial. The Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stocks will complete the card.
Apple Festival National lap sponsors are now available. Contact Kate at the Speedway Office for additional details on the most affordable marketing opportunity of 2008.
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.
Warren Harley-Davidson 410 Sprint Feature Finish: Caleb Griffith, Jack Sodeman Jr., Danny Holtgraver, Bob Felmlee, Rod George, Kevin Schaeffer, Carl Bowser, Scott Bonnell, Cale Conley, Roger Campbell, Russ Sansosti, Brent Matus, Mike Kekich, Shawn Minor, Chris Shuttleworth, Bob Lime, Joe Butera, Leo O'Malley, Brian Steinman, Nate Stein, Dan Shetler, Steven Lines
Gibson-Governor Insurance Agency Modified Feature Finish: Dave Murdick, Rob Kristyak, Brad Rapp, Tim Doran, Brian Swartzlander, Jim Weller Jr., Del Rogueux Jr., Dave Schrader, Carl Weatherby, Carl Murdick, Jim Cannon, Rick Ryder, Mark Felicetty, Eric Martin, Skip Moore, Bob Dorman, Rex King Jr., Dustin Martin, Ken Moy Jr., Dean Pearson, Rob Curtis
Tight-Seal Glass Block Pure Stock Feature Finish: Bruce Redman, Russ Byler, Alan Dellinger, Charlie Jasinski, Mike Aley, Shaun Hooks, Will Aley, Brian Carthers, Allan Hudzik, Bill Hanna, Bryan Wagner, Jeff Kravec, Gary Laurie, Larry Root, Tony Bruno, Jim Flaherty, Pat Adams, Gary Robinson, Jeff Yocum, Tim Burns, Eric Williams, Shawn Fawcett, Charles Ramsey
Tom's Sewer and Drain Service E-Mod Feature Finish: Alan Dellinger, Dwayne Clay, Jeff Johnson, Bob McCann, Joe Gabrielson, Jeff Hassay, Tim Deutsch, Jim Dellinger, Jim Turley, JR Mechling, Mark Hopkins, Vince Crisanti, Paul Phillips, Bob Williamson, Brandon Blackshear
Limited Sprint Feature Finish: Jim Morris III, Andy Paden, Pete Miller III, Chad Matthews, Jonathan Frederick, Calvin Clay, Chad Carpenter, Jack Whitmore, Guy Griffin, Kyle Layton, Joel Trent, A.J. Albrecht, Jason Scoville, Brandon Spithaler
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