Ellenberger wins first-ever at Sharon in Sprints; Blaney wins second in Modifieds

by Mike Leone

HARTFORD, OH (June 9, 2000) — Sharon Speedway put race #7 of the 2000 season in the record books on Friday night. The following drivers recorded wins: Brad Ellenberger-Sunburst-Environmental 410 Sprint Cars, Lou Blaney-Gibson-Governor Insurance Agency Big-Block Modifieds, Russ Dunn-Coy Bros. E-Mods, and Gary Robinson-Burghill Auto Salvage Stock Cars.

Brad Ellenberger of Karns City, Pa. scored his first career Sharon Speedway win in the 20-lap Sunburst Environmental 410 Sprint Car Feature thanks to a blown right rear tire on race-long leader Jarod Larson's car. "I'm real excited to be here (victory lane)," said a happy Ellenberger. "I've ran here a lot of years-I've been close, but never got here. It's a real thrill."

At the start, Larson quickly jumped into the lead past polesitter, Ellenberger. Tom Quarterson and Mike Kekich also got around Ellenberger on the first lap for second and third. Kekich grabbed second from Quarterson on lap two. Ellenberger started moving back up front when he got the outside groove working. He moved around Quarterson for third on the third circuit.

Larson opened up a straightaway lead on Kekich by lap four as Terry Young took fourth from Quarterson. By the half-way point, Larson continued to lead, while a three-car battle developed for second between Kekich, Ellenberger, and Young. Kekich got sideways in turns three and four on lap 10 allowing Ellenberger to take second. The following lap saw Young inch ahead of Kekich at the line for third.

Larson's chance at his first win was erased when his right rear tire blew coming down the front-stretch on lap 13. This gave the lead to Ellenberger with Young, Kekich, Quarterson, and Bruce Powell filling out the top five.

Todd Bauer brought out the final caution with 15 laps completed setting up a five-lap shoot-out to the checkers. Quarterson made a late charge getting around Young for second on lap 17. Quarterson closed on Ellenberger in the final two laps, but Ellenberger made the right moves through traffic to score his first win of 2000 in the Top Gun Equipment/Frankland Racing Supply-sponsored #87.

Quarterson second was his best of the season as was Young's third. Powell got around Kekich for fourth on lap 18 to record a career best Sharon finish. Point leader Gary Edwards was fifth as he also got by Kekich with two laps to go. Completing the top 10 were central Pa's Jim Nace from 16th, Scott Bonnell, Kekich, Colorado Springs, Colorado's Bryan Castine, and Gary McCollum. Winning the heat events over the 24-car field were Edwards and Quarterson.

Lou Blaney of Hartford, Ohio won his second in a row in the 20-lap Gibson-Governor Insurance Agency Big-Block Modified Feature. "I enjoy all the people in racing-I just love it," said Blaney. "It was pretty nice for me on the bottom. I got a break in traffic and went to the front."

Making his first start of the season, Carl Murdick, raced into the lead at the start. John Braymer and Dave Murdick passed Bob Dorman for second and third on the opening lap. Meanwhile, Blaney was on the charge from the 11th starting spot. On lap five, Blaney got around Riggs for fifth, then took third when Jim Weller and Dave Murdick got sideways in turn four.

Blaney's winning move came on lap seven when he drove to the outside of Carl Murdick racing off turn two. Weller followed in second passing Murdick the next lap. Tim Doran dropped Murdick back another spot when he took third on lap 12. Murdick's night came to an end with a busted rear-end with 15 laps completed. The last five laps went green-to-checker. Neither Weller nor Doran had anything for the veteran Blaney, who won the event in the Troy-Alan Chevrolet/Carpenter's Towing/Colonial Metal Products-sponsored #10. Randy Snider came from 16th to finish fourth over Pete Simpson. Completing the top ten were Jim Rasey, Braymer, Joe Crawford, Dorman, and Rob Kristyak. Winning the heats were Lonny Riggs and Blaney.

Russ Dunn of Harmony, Pa. won his first career Sharon Speedway win in the 15-lap Coy Bros. E-Mod Feature. Richard Stiffler led the first eight laps from the pole position looking for his first career Sharon win. On lap eight, Stiffler spun in turn four giving the lead to Scott Jones. Jones' lead lasted only a lap, when he looped his mount all by himself in turn four. This gave the lead to Russ Dunn, who started 10th. Dunn then lead the final five laps for the win in his Dunn Trucking-sponsored #47. Scott Stiffler came from 22nd to finish second after passing Jeff Haefke for the spot on lap 14. Haefke dropped to third over Rick Prosser, Jr. and Jim White, Jr. Dunn and Prosser won the heats over the 23-car field. Steve Haefke won the dash.

After going winless for the entire 2000 season, Gary Robinson of Greenville, Pa. finally broke through to capture the 15-lap Burghill Auto Salvage Stock Car Feature. Robinson survived a major pile-up that occurred on lap 10 that took out positions two through five. At the start of the race, Robinson immediately took the lead from the pole position. Starting 12th, Bobby Whitling, raced into the top five on lap five. On lap six, Whitling drove around Dwayne Clay, Dan Lewis, and John Beniston for second on the outside. The next three laps saw Whitling and Robinson race side-by-side for the lead. But on lap 10, Whitling got sideways in turn four and collected Clay, Lewis, and Carl Davis. The melee brought out the red as all four drivers were okay. Only Clay would return to action. The last six laps went green-to-checker with Robinson taking the victory in the Cresswell's Auto Align/Speir Homes-sponsored #44R. Recording best career Sharon finishes were Beniston and Dave Willoughby in second and third. Jim Davis and Steve Babos were fourth and fifth. Heat winners were Whitling and Lewis over the 24-car field.

RESULTS

SUNBURST ENVIRONMENTAL 410 SPRINT CAR

FEATURE - 1. Brad Ellenberger 2. Tom Quarterson 3. Terry Young 4. Bruce Powell 5. Gary Edwards 6. Jim Nace 7. Scott Bonnell 8. Mike Kekich 9. Bryan Castine 10. Gary McCollum 11. Jamie McKinney 12. Gale Ruth, Jr. 13. Donnie Jeschke 14. Brad Hastings 15. Dan Taylor 16. Brian Hartzell 17. Larry Clay 18. Jarod Larson 19. Todd Bauer 20. Tommy Burns, Jr. 21. Ed Etzel 22. Jack Sodeman, Jr. 23. Jeff Schrum-DNS 24. C.W. Harshman-DNS.

GIBSON-GOVERNOR INSURANCE AGENCY BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED

FEATURE - 1. Lou Blaney 2. Jim Weller 3. Tim Doran 4. Randy Snider 5. Pete Simpson 6. Jim Rasey 7. John Braymer 8. John Crawford 9. Bob Dorman 10. Rob Kristyak 11. Carl Murdick 12. Tim Engles 13. Rex King 14. Lonny Riggs 15. Dave Murdick 16. Rob McClimans 17. Jason Engles 18. Rodney Beltz-DSQ 19. Skip Moore-DNS.

COY BROS. E-MOD

FEATURE - 1. Russ Dunn 2. Scott Stiffler 3. Jeff Haefke 4. Rick Prosser, Jr. 5. Jim White, Jr. 6. J.R. Mechling 7. Bob McCann 8. Chuck Schell 9. Richard Jaeger 10. Scott Jones 11. Roger Frost 12. Jeff Rudrick 13. Terry Yoder 14. Bill Taylor 15. Arlan Coy 16. Steve Haefke 17. Jeff Johnson 18. Richard Stiffler 19. Ron Jaeger 20. Jeff Sharp 21. Dale Fuller 22. Matt Miklos 23. Donald Watson-DNS.

BURGHILL AUTO SALVAGE STOCK CAR

FEATURE - 1. Gary Robinson 2. John Beniston 3. Dave Willoughby 4. Jim Davis 5. Steve Babos 6. Greg Pesa 7. Jerry Flavell 8. Steve D'Apolito 9. Chris Seamen 10. Dwayne Clay 11. Bobby Whitling 12. Carl Davis 13. Dan Lewis 14. Bill Fox 15. David Pinch 16. Chuck Sullivan, Jr. 17. Mark Felicetty 18. John Jackson 19. Nathan Miller 20. Jeff Webber-DSQ 21. Matt Lux-DNS 22. Bill Jackson-DNS 23. Scott Molesy-DNS 24. Jim Moyers-DNS.