Season Opener At Sharon Saturday; 410 Sprints Highlight First Night Of Racing For 91st Year

Story By: MIKE LEONE / SHARON SPEEDWAY – HARTFORD, OH – All systems are a go for Sharon Speedway to finally kickoff the 2020 season this Saturday night (June 27) with fans!

The 91st anniversary season will get underway with the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars for $3,000 to-win, RUSH Sprint Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and the Elite Econo Mod Series on Kams Electric Night. Race time is 7 p.m. All general admission grandstand areas will be open including the front and backstretch grandstands as well as the new infield fan zone!

The infield fan zone was the major offseason project. For no additional cost, fans will have the opportunity to witness racing from the infield. Sharon will become the first track in the western Pennsylvania/eastern Ohio area to offer this unique vantage point. In addition to the grassy infield viewing area, concrete pads have been added in turn four and on the backstretch of the infield, which are perfectly suited for lawn chair viewing. An infield concession area has also been added to the already existing multiple frontstretch concessions and backstretch concession. There will be designated times throughout the program when fans will be able to cross back and forth.

“While we’re certainly proud of our facility, we’re always looking at ways to improve the experience for our attendees,” added Willoughby. “The infield viewing is popular at a lot of tracks outside the area so we’re really looking forward to being able to add this new and unique viewing option for our fans. The racing has greatly improved since the new red clay surface put down in 2017, and not only did we add to that base again, but fans will now be able to see it up close and from a vantage point that probably most have never experienced before. And little did we know that when we announced this endeavor, social distancing would become the norm in 2020.”

Online advanced tickets are highly encouraged to be purchased to avoid lines and minimize in person transactions. Tickets can be purchased by clicking on ‘buy tickets’ at the top of the website or directly here https://sharonspeedway.simpletix.com. Those that purchase tickets can skip the ticket line and proceed directly to the gate with either the printed ticket(s) or have them on your handheld devices.

Drivers that have yet to register for the 2020 season, are asked to bring the completed registration form with them. There is no fee to register in 2020. The form is available here http://www.sharonspeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/RegistrationFormSharon2020.pdf.

All attendees are encouraged to print out the COVID-19 waiver and bring it with them completed on their first visit to the Speedway. The waiver is posted on the website on the Drivers tab under Forms or directly here http://www.sharonspeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/COVID-Waiver.pdf.

The “410” Sprint Car events have been tremendous in recent years. Last year saw seven different winners in nine races with an average car count of 31+, while in 2018 there were eight different winners in eight races with an average car count of 36+. Saturday night will be the only tune-up for the July 11 and 12 All Star Circuit of Champions events.

The hot lap/group qualifying format that has been used at all “Super Series” Sprint Car events the last two years will be utilized. Two to three cars will qualify at a time only amongst their heat race group. The fastest four in each heat will be inverted with the top three redrawing plus the fastest transferring non-top three finisher if there are three heats or the top two plus the two fastest transferring non-top two finishers if there are four heats. The B main will be lined up heads up on heat race finishes. Heat and B main finish(es) will complete the 24-car starting lineup that will offer $250 to-start. Mufflers are not required.

The non-wing RUSH Sprint Car division will be beginning its third year of competition featuring the Chevrolet Performance 602 crate engine, sealed/spec Bilstein Shocks, spec Hoosier Tire, and RUSH Visual Methanol. Car counts grew in 2019 and averaged 18 per event at Sharon. Brian Woodhall and Andy Feil won their first career RUSH races last year. Several new competitors will be joining the field in 2020.

Sharon has been the home of the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds since the class debuted in 2014 featuring the Chevrolet Performance 602 crate engine, sealed/spec Bilstein Shocks, RUSH 91 gas, and spec Hoosier Tires. The class has had average car counts of 24-28 each of the last three years. Only four nights over the past four years has the count dipped below 20 cars! Kole Holden became the first repeat HTMA/Precise Racing Products Champion last season. Chas Wolbert is the division’s all-time Sharon winner with 13 victories.

The Econo Mods will be under the weekly sanctioning of the Elite Series in 2020. This will be the 11th consecutive year the division has been part of the track’s weekly program. The Econo Mods have averaged around 24 cars per night each of the past two seasons. There have been eight different champions in 10 years with second year racer Dustin DeMattia being the most recent in 2019.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no track point funds in 2020; however, as stated above there will be no registration fee for any division this season. Drivers are encouraged to become a member of each division’s sanction to take part in their point funds.

Pits will be open throughout the afternoon with pit passes going on sale at 4 p.m. The main grandstands will open one hour earlier than normal at 4 p.m. as well. Drivers meeting will be at approximately 6:00 p.m. followed by Sprint engine starts at 6:15 and group qualifying for Sprints at 6:30. Heat races are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Grandstand admission for those 14 and over is $13, while senior citizens are $10. Patio seating upgrades are just $5 and fan suite seating upgrades are just $20 over the cost of general admission. These can be reserved on race night in the track office. As always, children under 14 and parking are always FREE! Pit passes are $30. As a reminder, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.

Coming up on July 11-12 will be the conclusion of Ohio Speedweek for the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars competing in a full show each night for $6,000 to-win. Saturday the 11th will be the “Lou Blaney Memorial” presented by Premier Pallet & Recycling and will also include the BRP Modified Tour, while Sunday the 12th will be the Justin Snyder “Salute to the Troops” and will also include the RUSH Sprint Cars.