RUDOLPH WINS CAUTION FREE THRILLER AT SHARON

HARTFORD, OH – By Mike Leone – After hosting round six of Ohio Sprint Speedweek on Wednesday night, Sharon Speedway was right back in action on Saturday night for the first “Steel Valley Thunder” program of the season. Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane with exciting down to the wire wins were Erick Rudolph (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds), Blaze Myers (Billy’s Garage RUSH Sprint Cars), Curt J. Bish (Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks), and Joe Gabrielson (Whelen Econo Mods). It was Hovis Auto & Truck Supply and Cortland Mower Sales Night.

While the box score will show Erick Rudolph leading all 20 caution-free laps of the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modified feature, that certainly doesn’t tell the story of what a tremendous race it was. In his season debut, Rudolph scraped and clawed his way through lapped traffic and held off a furious challenge by Rex King, Jr. and late charge by Garrett Krummert for the exciting victory. Rudolph earned $2,000 in an event sponsored by Autism Awareness, King Bros. Ready Mix Concrete, King’s Sanitary Services, Russ King Racing, and Thermo Supply. The feature went non-stop in 6:24.977.

“I really didn’t know what kind of lead I had,” stated the 32-year-old Ransomville, NY racer. “I think the top came in a little better than I thought it did, and I had a rearview mirror full at the end. We were able to make some key passes in lapped traffic at the end. Every time we come to Sharon it’s a memorable experience. I’d like to thank all of my sponsors on board and my crew for coming down.”

Rudolph powered around Rick Regalski, Jr. at the start of the feature with King following in second, while Krummert quickly went eighth to fourth on the opening lap. Krummert then drove around Regalski for third on lap six. Lapped traffic came into play for Rudolph on lap eight and he’d have to deal with it through the remainder of the feature.

King closed the deficit on lap 12 and pulled alongside the leader on lap 14, but the following lap saw Rudolph open up some breathing room, while Krummert closed in on King. With two laps to go, Krummert closed in even more as a three-car race for the win would ensue. On the final lap, King ducked low heading into turn one and briefly had the advantage in between turns one and two; however, Rudolph slid up, hit the moisture on the cushion and the momentum propelled him back into the lead. Krummert then snuck under King for second racing off turn two.

Krummert charged hard but wasn’t able to get quite close enough as Rudolph took the checkered flag first by 0.475 seconds as his fifth career win came in the Briggs Motorsports-owned, Stirling Lubricants/Highmark/Nationals Maintenance Contracting/Snyder Industries/United Steelworkers-sponsored #25. Krummert earned $1,200 for his runner-up finish. King, who was fresh off his 36th career Lernerville Speedway win on Friday night, was third after doing everything possible to get by the New York invader.

Will Thomas III started seventh and finished fourth. Pole-sitter Regalski dropped to fifth at the finish. Colton Walters was sixth in his season debut. Steve Feder had a good run in 7th after starting 12th. Jeremiah Shingledecker was eighth also in his first appearance. Ayden Cipriano, who won his first career Big-Block Modified race at the last show on June 1, went 15th to 9th. RUSH Sportsman Modified graduate and Big-Block Modified rookie, Jordan Ehrenberg, completed the top 10. Heat winners over the 20-car field were Krummert and Thomas.

Coming up next Saturday night (June 22) will be the season’s first appearances by the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds and the HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds along with the return of the Billy’s Garage RUSH Sprint Cars and the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks. Race time is 7 p.m.

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds (20 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. 25-ERICK RUDOLPH[2]; 2. 29-Garrett Krummert[8]; 3. 165-Rex King Jr[3]; 4. 9-Will Thomas[7]; 5. 13-Rick Regalski Jr[1]; 6. 18-Colton Walters[5]; 7. 45-Steve Feder[12]; 8. 37MD-Jeremiah Shingledecker[4]; 9. 5C-Ayden Cipriano[15]; 10. JD57-Jordan Ehrenberg[10]; 11. 20P-Mike Kinney[6]; 12. 18JR-Mike Dougherty Jr[13]; 13. 60-Tom Holden[11]; 14. 25B-Steve Barr[9]; 15. 75-Jeff Miller[14]; 16. 17-Brad Deeter[16]; 17. 1X-Ryan Riffe[20]; 18. 8M-Macey Adamik[19]; 19. 11R-Brad Rapp[17]; 20. 74-Kevin Green[18]

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.

Rudolph Wins Caution Free Thriller at Sharon