HARTFORD, OH – By Mike Leone – After some early morning rain, the skies cleared and turned into a beautiful day at Sharon Speedway for the rescheduled 16th annual “Lou Blaney Memorial” on Saturday night. The event got underway on August 17 until rain overspread the area after Sprint Car qualifying. On that night, Ryan Blaney was on hand to remember his grandfather, raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association and celebrate his 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. While Ryan was unable to return on Saturday, the fans packed the grandstands for the largest crowd of the season outside of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car event. Sixty-nine race cars were on hand for the two-division show as Dave Blaney (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars presented by Bala Management) and Erick Rudolph (BRP Big-Block Modified Tour) celebrated in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane.
Erick Rudolph joined Dave Blaney as a three-time winner of the “Lou Blaney Memorial” on the Big-Block Modified side. The New York standout capped off his third straight BRP Tour championship and fifth of his career by passing Mike Kinney on lap 15 to capture the victory in the 35-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply feature worth $2,500. It was also Rudolph’s third Sharon win of the season as he won in all three appearances worth a total of $6,500.
“This is the first time we’ve come here this year when the track was slick from top to bottom,” acknowledged the 32-year-old Ransomville, NY racer. “It took us a handful of laps to get going but then the car came alive and I was along for the ride. I was able to do what my car wanted to do as it was dialed in. It’s been a great season and this locked us in for the championship. I have to thank my family for all the support at home, and all the guys that come with me each and every race to make sure the car is in tip top shape which makes it easy for me. I also have to thank all of my sponsors to make sure we have exactly what we need to go up and down the road.”
Rex King, Jr. drew the pole and took off in the early lead over Kinney and Garrett Krummert. King, who won the 2014 and 2019 events, was also looking for his third event win as he pulled away on lap three. The battle was on for second as Kinney was trying to fend off Krummert and Rudolph before a caution for Steve Slater with 10 laps completed.
When racing resumed on lap 11, fifth starting Rudolph took third from Krummert. Kinney surprised everyone as he went to the top and drove around King in turn four to lead lap 12. Rudolph would get by King for second on lap 14 before a four-car accident in turn three. Back under green on lap 15, Kinney got too high and hit the fence allowing Rudolph to make the winning pass. King regained second on lap 17 getting by Kinney. A caution for Rodney Beltz slowed action for the final time of the event with 19 laps completed.
In the final 16 laps, King stayed within striking distance and closed late in lapped traffic, but Rudolph held on to win by 0.797 seconds. Rudolph’s seventh career Sharon win came in the Briggs Motorsports-owned, Stirling Lubricants/Highmark/Nationals Maintenance Contracting/Snyder Industries/United Steelworkers-sponsored #25. Rudolph has now won three of the last five “Lou Blaney Memorial” events for the Modifieds and has given outside invaders five straight wins against the locals.
After finishing fifth in his first ever Sharon appearance on August 10, Canadian Dalton Slack returned and did two spots better after starting eighth. Krummert was fourth. Kinney dropped to fifth, but still a great effort for the former UMP Modified racer. Ninth starting Jeremiah Shingledecker was sixth. Tyler Willard, another Canadian, was seventh over Jordan Ehrenberg and Dave Murdick. Brad Rapp raced from 18th to 10th. Jeff Miller went 22nd to 12th and earned the $100 Summit Racing Equipment hard charger gift card.
Heat winners were Rudolph, Krummert, Murdick, and Willard, while third generation racer, Hayden Holden, won the last chance B main in his second visit. There were 31 cars on hand, and like the Sprint Cars, eight drivers were unable to return from August 17 bringing the count to 39 different cars.
BRP Tour for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds “Lou Blaney Memorial” (35 laps, $2,500 to-win): 1. 25-ERICK RUDOLPH[5]; 2. 165-Rex King Jr[1]; 3. 3RS-Dalton Slack[8]; 4. 29-Garrett Krummert[3]; 5. 20P-Mike Kinney[2]; 6. 37MD-Jeremiah Shingledecker[9]; 7. 777-Tyler Willard[10]; 8. JD57-Jordan Ehrenberg[4]; 9. 61-Dave Murdick[7]; 10. 11R-Brad Rapp[18]; 11. 32-Jim Rasey[11]; 12. 75-Jeff Miller[22]; 13. 5C-Ayden Cipriano[19]; 14. 18-Colton Walters[15]; 15. 27H-Hayden Holden[21]; 16. 18W-Jeff Walters[23]; 17. 3K-Shawn Kozar[20]; 18. 25B-Steve Barr[24]; 19. 13-Rick Regalski Jr[17]; 20. 64-Rodney Beltz[6]; 21. 9-Will Thomas[14]; 22. 26-Kyle Richner[16]; 23. 73MD-Travis Shingledecker[13]; 24. 35-Steve Slater[12].
DNQ for the feature: 29*-Eric Beggs, 63-Jessica Kriegisch, 12-JC Boyer, 60-Tom Holden, 2-Kole Holden, 74-Kevin Green, 1X-Ryan Riffe.
Complete timing and scoring results: https://speedhive.mylaps.com/events/2812879
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 X (formerly known as Twitter) at www.twitter.com/sharonspdwy.