7/8/2023
Sharon Speedway
CAREER 1ST SHARON WINS FOR TYLER COURTNEY ($10,000 ALL STAR SPRINTS) & MAT WILLIAMSON (BRP MOD TOUR) COME IN "LOU BLANEY MEMORIAL"
By Mike Leone
July 8, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hartford, OH)…After an off weekend, Sharon Speedway returned to action in a big way on Saturday night for the 15th annual "Lou Blaney Memorial" presented by the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation and Bala Management. Rain miraculously dodged the Hartford, Ohio facility throughout the afternoon and evening; however, the first substantial rain hit the track right as the first feature was about to start causing a two-hour rain delay. Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane were Tyler Courtney-Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions "410" Sprint Cars and Mat Williamson-BRP Tour Big-Block Modifieds. Eighty-three cars filled the pit area for two-division show. Thousands of dollars were raised for the Alzheimer's Association through various fund raising activities via the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation.
Two-time and defending All Star Champion, Tyler Courtney, bolted from third to first on the opening lap of the 35-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply "410" Sprint Car feature and went uncontested on a fast track following the rain delay to capture his sixth All Star win of the season and extended his points lead. Courtney's first career Sharon victory was worth $10,000 as he became the 14th different "Lou Blaney Memorial" winner in 15 races!
"Thanks to everyone for sticking this out," expressed the 29-year-old Indianapolis, Indiana driver. "We dodged the rain all night but unfortunately got a little unlucky there (before the feature). The track ended up being pretty good for as much rain that came down in a short period of time. It's good to get the 7BC car back in victory lane after the struggles we've had lately. This gets our confidence up heading into this big week. I've run second here a couple times so to finally get a win here especially in the 'Lou Blaney Memorial' and add my name to the winner list is pretty cool- the Blaney Family is legendary and historic in Sprint Car racing."
Courtney ducked past Cole Macedo and two-time 2023 Sharon winner, Dave Blaney, for the early lead. Macedo had also passed Blaney for second, but engine woes on lap two ended his night and brought out the caution. When racing resumed, local Darin Gallagher took a nasty flip down the backstretch after contact with Carl Bowser; he was okay.
When racing resumed on lap two, fifth starting Chris Windom passed Blaney for second, while seventh starting Kerry Madsen got by Parker Price-Miller for fourth. Madsen continued his way forward as he passed Blaney for third on lap three. Meanwhile, Courtney had opened up a straightaway lead on Windom by lap four and caught lapped traffic on lap six. After crashing in the dash, Zeb Wise was moving forward from his ninth starting spot taking fourth from Blaney on lap 11. Action was halted when Cole Duncan slowed to a stop with 17 laps scored.
Back under green flag conditions, Madsen went after Windom and put a slider on his fellow All Star regular in turn two on lap 19 to grab second; however, Windom returned the favor one lap later in turn four to regain second. Lee Jacobs and Zeth Sabo each slowed to bring out separate cautions with 27 and 29 laps scored respectively.
Courtney though went unchallenged over the final six laps and took the checkered flag first by 2.036 seconds for his 22nd career All Star victory in the Clauson/Marshall-owned, NOS Energy Drink/zMax Dragway-sponsored #7BC. Courtney became the 172nd different driver to win a "410" Sprint Car feature at Sharon.
Windom was a career best second at Sharon as he continues to chase after his first career All Star win. Wise got by Madsen on the final restart for third. After going seventh to second, Madsen crossed the finish in fourth. Dave Blaney dropped from the pole to fifth as he failed to become the event's first three-time winner. Tim Shaffer went 11th to 6th over Dale Blaney, who won the last Sprint Car race at Sharon on June 28. Mark Smith charged from 14th to 8th in his second appearance of the season. Parker Price-Miller fell to ninth at the finish over Greg Wilson.
Madsen set fast time overall against the season high 43-car field in All Star qualifying with a lap of 14.062. Heat winners were Courtney, Jacobs, Price-Miller, Dave Blaney, and Wise. Dave Blaney won the dash to earn the feature pole. J.J. Hickle captured the last chance B main. Sharon has averaged over 35 cars per night for the 2023 "410" Sprint Car events!
Mat Williamson out-dueled two-time BRP Tour champion and current points leader, Erick Rudolph, taking the lead for good with seven laps to go to win over a star-studded field of Big-Block Modifieds. Williamson became the 12th different winner in 15 "Lou Blaney Memorial" events for the Modifieds as his first career Sharon victory was worth $2,500 in the 35-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply feature.
"It's obviously a long haul so I wanted to race tonight," acknowledged the 33-year-old St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada star. "Hats off to the track crew for doing a wonderful job to get the track back to what it was. I don't think if the rain hadn't came the race would have been that good. The track was really good and you could race all over it- it kept me on my toes because I didn't know where to be. Thankfully he (Rudolph) left me a lane on the top on those restarts and it was a great race together. Hopefully we put on a great show for the fans."
Williamson used the outside to power past June 17 winner, Garrett Krummert, on the opening lap for the early lead. Rudolph started sixth and was halfway to the front when he passed Jimmy Phelps for third on lap three. Following a caution for a spin by Will Thomas III, Phelps then passed both Rudolph and Krummert for second on lap four. Eighth starting Max McLaughlin entered the fray getting by both Rudolph and Krummert for third on lap five.
After dropping back to fifth, Rudolph went back forward again passing Krummert for fourth on lap six and McLaughlin for third on lap eight. While Williamson continued to set the pace out front in traffic, Rudolph used the inside to sneak past Phelps for second on lap 20 before a caution for Colton Walters. Williamson chose the outside for the double file restart and it was Rudolph making the bottom work to lead for the first time on lap 21, but Williamson came storming back to take the lead again on lap 22.
McLaughlin closed in making it a three-car race for the lead on lap 23 before another caution slowed action with 26 laps scored for Justin Shea. Williamson chose the outside again for the double file restart and once again Rudolph made the bottom work to take back the lead on lap 27; however, it was short-lived as Williamson drove back around for what would be the winning move on lap 28.
Rudolph stayed right with Williamson over the final laps and had a shot on the final lap running the middle of the track, but Williamson had just enough momentum off the top of turn four to take the checkered flag first by just 0.227 seconds! Williamson became the 95th different driver all-time to win a Big-Block Modified feature at Sharon as his triumph came in the S&W Service Centre/Becker Bros. Trucking/Marin Drywall/Williamson Welding/Bicknell Racing Products-sponsored #6.
Rudolph, who had won two of the last three "Lou Blaney Memorial" features, came up just shy of becoming the event's first three-time winner in either division. McLaughlin was third over Phelps- his Heinke-Baldwin Racing teammate. Rex King, Jr. was fifth. Krummert dropped from the pole to sixth at the finish. Chad Brachmann, who won the 2021 event, went 17th to 7th. Jeremiah Shingledecker was 8th after starting 14th. Canadian Gary Lindberg was ninth his first ever Sharon visit. Steve Feder completed the top 10 after coming from 15th. J.R McGinley went 25th to 13th to earn the $100 Summit Racing Products Hard Charger gift card driving a second Rick Regalski entry.
Phelps, Krummert, Rudolph, and King captured the heat races over the 40-car field, while Brachmann and Shea won the last chance B mains.
Racing returns to Sharon next Saturday (July 15) as the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds return to headline the "Steel Valley Thunder" program racing for $1,500 to-win. They will be joined by the Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars, Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, and the HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. Racing begins at 7 p.m.
Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply "410" Sprint Cars "Lou Blaney Memorial (35 laps, $10,000 to-win): 1. 7BC-TYLER COURTNEY[3]; 2. 4-Chris Windom[5]; 3. 26-Zeb Wise[9]; 4. 55-Kerry Madsen[7]; 5. 10-Dave Blaney[1]; 6. 45-Tim Shaffer[11]; 7. 32B-Dale Blaney[6]; 8. 19R-Mark Smith[14]; 9. 9P-Parker Price Miller[4]; 10. W20-Greg Wilson[10]; 11. 97-JJ Hickle[21]; 12. 6-Bob Felmlee[24]; 13. 5K-Adam Kekich[22]; 14. 28M-Conner Morrell[26]; 15. 22-Brandon Spithaler[12]; 16. 23-Zeth Sabo[18]; 17. 81-Lee Jacobs[8]; 18. 3V-Chris Verda[16]; 19. 11-Carl Bowser[20]; 20. 70-Henry Malcuit[25]; 21. 22-Cole Duncan[19]; 22. 47-Brett Brunkenhoefer; 23. 23-Darren Pifer[23]; 24. 29-Cole Macedo[2]; 25. 12-Darin Gallagher[13]; 26. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[15]. DNS: 1-Nate Dussel.
DNQ for the feature: Sye Lynch (29), Craig Mintz (09), Brandon Matus (13), Brent Matus (33), Jeremy Weaver (5), Byron Reed (5), Andy McKisson (7T), Cameron Nastasi (99), Leyton Wagner (38), Bryan Salisbury (21), Justin Adams (10), Zane DeVault (23), George Hobaugh (40), A.J. Flick (2), David Kalb, Jr. (11J), Nathen McDowell (11).
BRP Tour for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds "Lou Blaney Memorial" (35 laps, $2,500 to-win): 1. 6-MAT WILLIAMSON[2]; 2. 25R-Erick Rudolph[6]; 3. 8H-Max McLaughlin[8]; 4. 98H-Jimmy Phelps[3]; 5. 165-Rex King Jr[5]; 6. 29-Garrett Krummert[1]; 7. 3-Chad Brachmann[17]; 8. 37MD-Jeremiah Shingledecker[14]; 9. 37S-Gary Lindberg[12]; 10. 45-Steve Feder[15]; 11. 9-Will Thomas[19]; 12. 09-Trevor Wright[23]; 13. 13JR-JR McGinley[25]; 14. 32-Jim Rasey[24]; 15. 18JR-Mike Dougherty Jr[9]; 16. 29*-Eric Beggs[4]; 17. 61-Dave Murdick[22]; 18. 20P-Mike Kinney[13]; 19. 9R-Chad Reitz[7]; 20. 18R-Brad Rouse[20]; 21. 13-Rick Regalski Jr[11]; 22. 14S-Justin Shea[18]; 23. 18-Colton Walters[10]; 24. 22-Noah Walker[21]; 25. 5C-Ayden Cipriano[16].
DNQ for the feature: Eric Gabany (318), Chas Wolbert (c3), Brad Rapp (11R), Kyle Fink (66F), Rodney Beltz (64), Steve Slater (35), Austin Eyler (5A), Rob Kristyak (00), Tom Glenn (83T), Wally Wade (82), Shawn Kozar (3K), Brandon Michaud (132), Shannon Whaley (44), JC Boyer (12), Jeff Miller (75).
Sharon Speedway is owned by the Blaney, Weller, and Kirila Families 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. Become a fan of Sharon Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sharonspdwy.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
