“Bickerstaff Cup” To Feature Four-Race Series For Outlaw E-Mods At Sharon In 2019
Story By: KEN MARQUETTE / SHARON SPEEDWAY – HARTFORD, OH – Outlaw Modified racing returns to Sharon Speedway in a big way for the 2019 season, a four race series with a paid point fund and contingency awards. The series will be called “The Bickerstaff Cup” named after one of the greatest drivers from our area to strap on a helmet Jimmy Bickerstaff.
Dates for the series will be June 8, June 22, July 20th and August 24th. The first three races will pay $1,200 to win and $200 to start the final race that will also honor the late great Jim Bickerstaff Sr. will pay $3,000 to win and $300 to start and be ran under two 24 lap segments. The four race series point fund will pay $1,000 for first and will pay back to fifth place possibly more positions as work will be done in the next few months to help secure monies. Nightly awards will include a hard charger award of $75 presented by Burgan Reality and $100 hard luck award by Dickson Racing Shocks. Other awards include $200 overall series hard charger award, as well as numerous other contingency’s and awards still in the works and planning stages. There will be no driver’s entry fee to any of these events.
Contingency awards will be for drivers that completed all four nights put into a raffle and handed out on the August 24th final night after the races. These awards will later be posted on social media as they are collected. Only drivers that complete all four nights will be eligible.
There will be no time trials for any of the events. The race format will be done by a passing point system. Details and explanation of race format, rules and point system will be announced in the near future as they are confirmed.
This Modified racing series is being brought to you by a lot of hard work and brain storming of Farmdale, Ohio’s Cyndi and Scott Stiffler, longtime local racers and chassis builders working with Jim Bickerstaff Jr. for two purposes. First to finally honor a local racing legend Jim Bickerstaff and two to bring prestigious local money race to one of the most exciting divisions to grace “The Grand Ole Lady of Racing” Sharon Speedway. The Stiffler’s working hard to build this race to make it an exciting do not miss event for fans and racers alike, continue to work hard to attract sponsors and manufactures.
The late Jim Bickerstaff who hailed out of Mineral Ridge won on dirt and asphalt from N.Y. to Florida from the 60s into the 80s. Even people who were not race fans knew the name Jimmy Bickerstaff. Race paper writers called him The Big Stick, Bick, the Ridge Runner, A Mid-American Auto Racing news columnist called him Mr. Sharon Speedway. He is the Sharon Speedway all time Super Late Model winner with an unofficial total of 42 feature wins including wins on the dirt and asphalt surfaces. During that time period the P.R.A. Pittsburg Racing Association was considered one of the toughest in the country.
Bickerstaff won the P.R.A. 250 National Open and the Tri-State 150 twice and a track champion all at the famed Heidelberg. He also won the Ohio State 500; Track championships at Canfield, Sharon, and Heidelberg; the Ohio State Invitational 3 times at Midvale; a road course win at Nelson Ledges; and so much more. As these events unfold, more will be shared on his life time accomplishments.
Outlaw Modified racers and fans alike mark this one on your race calendar, it’s a do not miss series to honor a legend.
