DALE AND LOU BLANEY MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR IN SHARON SPRINTS AND MODIFIEDS

by Mike Leone

Hartford(OH) Highlighting wins on the seventh night of racing on the 70th anniversary season were local heroes Dale Blaney (Sprint Cars) and father Lou Blaney (DIRT Modifieds). Other winners were Alan Dellinger (E-Mods) and Rick Prosser, Jr. (Stock Cars).

Hometown favorite Dale Blaney put on an awesome drive coming from 21st to win his first race of 1999 driving a backup car to Tommy Burns, Jr. in the 20-lap Sprint Car Feature. Blaney was scheduled to start 23rd after scratching from his heat with magneto problems. "I was ready to give up after the heat. I thought well, I didn't have any laps and I had to go out there and start last and maybe tear it up. Tommy (Burns) really wanted me to run and I wanted to run too. I've got to thank him. He's got a really good car here," said the 1998 World of Outlaw Rookie-of-the-Year.

Blaney's brother-in-law, Doug Kekich, drove into the lead by C.W. Harshman on the start. Sixteen year-old Boston Reid of Kokomo, Indiana was making his second straight start and passed Harshman for second on lap one. By the fourth lap, Blaney had already worked his way to sixth and moved into the top five on lap five passing Jamie McKinney. Blaney then ran down teammate Burns and made the move for fourth on lap nine. Ronnie Myers was making his first start in the Pete Smith #1 from West Virginia. Myers held down third for most of the race until losing the spot to Blaney at the start-finish line on lap 10. Reid was Blaney's next victim as the Hartford, Ohio driver disposed of the youngster on lap 12 with an inside move on the backstretch. At this point, Blaney was a straightaway behind Kekich. A caution for Jeff Schrum, who stopped with 13 laps completed, bunched up the field.

When racing resumed, Burns took Reid for third on lap 15. The winning move came on lap 16 when Blaney blasted by Kekich on the inside as Kekich got sideways coming off turn two. Blaney then pulled away in the Double II Technology/McClung Autobody #7 for the win by nearly six seconds. "I wasn't happy to pass Doug (Kekich). He was running a real good race, but Tommy (Burns) would have been mad if I didn't pass him. So I had to pass him," said the happy 1995 and 1996 All Star Champion.

Burns kept getting faster as the race went on and took second from Kekich on lap 19 for his second straight runner-up. Tom Quarterson also got around Kekich on lap 19 to finish third. Kekich and Reid fell to fourth and fifth at the finish. Sixth through tenth were Mike Kekich, Jarod Larson, Myers, Parkersburg, West Virginia's Wayne McPeek, and Ohio's Brad Hastings, who made his first-ever start. Heat winners were McPeek, Mike Kekich, and Larson.

Lou Blaney gave the crowd what they wanted giving the father and son duo a sweep of the headlining 20-lap Sprint Car and DIRT Modified Features. "We didn't have much of the body left (after getting tore up at Lernerville Speedway on Friday), but we didn't hurt much of the running gear. We just took the body off, said the veteran Hartford, Ohio driver. Sons Dave and Dale helped Lou on Saturday get the car back together to finish second at Mercer, then followed it by his seventh overall win of 1999 on Sunday. "I appreciate all of their help," said Blaney in victory lane after his third Sharon win.

Tim Doran jumped into the lead at the start passing Pete Simpson. Rex King came from sixth to challenge Simpson for second. On lap four, King got by, but the two tangled in turn two with King going around bringing out the only caution. On the restart, both Guy Griffin and Blaney, who started ninth, passed Simpson for second and third. On lap six, Blaney went to the outside to pass Griffin for second in turn two. Blaney was all over Doran, just like last night at Mercer, but on this night Blaney was able to make the move going by the defending two-time champion on lap eight coming off turn two.

Blaney pulled away for the easy win in his son Dave's #10 sponsored by Carpenter's Towing and Troy-Alan Chevrolet. Blaney was joined by both Dale and Dave in victory lane in front of the cheering grandstands. Doran was second. Griffin got a flat tire on lap 18, which moved Jim Rasey to third with King and Simpson completing the top five. Sixth through tenth were Lonny Riggs, George Hobaugh, Dale Fuller, Bob Dorman, and Carl Murdick. Taking heats were Griffin and Blaney.

Niles, Ohio's Alan Dellinger won his fifth 15-lap E-Mod Feature. Dellinger got by both Jeff Rudrick and Bob Diver for second on lap two. On lap five, Dellinger slipped under Bootie Petsko going into turn two. Dellinger drove off for his second win of the weekend after winning $2,500 at Muskingum Speedway in Ohio in his Boardman Engines/Ralph's RV Center #19. Rudrick re-passed Bob McCann on lap nine and held on for second over McCann, Petsko, and Jeff Johnson. Heat victors were Jeff Sharp and McCann.

Rick Prosser, Jr. of Geneva, Ohio won his fifth 15-lap Stock Car Feature coming back from last week's nasty flip. Prosser started 10th and was already up to second passing Eric Gibson on lap two. Prosser was all over Dwayne Clay on laps two through four. On lap five, Prosser made the winning move going by Clay on the backstretch. Prosser, Clay, and Gary Robinson, who started 12th, pulled away from the field. Prosser was able to hold off Clay in his #A1 sponsored by Geneva Storage and Big "M" Motors. Clay edged Robinson for second with Tom Miller and Jason Longwell completing the top five. Winning the heats were Robinson and Jim White, Jr. Patty McCann beat Prosser to win the 4-lap Novicky Dash worth $100.

Sprint Car Feature Finish: 1. DALE BLANEY 2. Tommy Burns, Jr. 3. Tom Quarterson 4. Doug Kekich 5. Boston Reid 6. Mike Kekich 7. Jarod Larson 8. Ronnie Myers 9. Wayne McPeek 10. Brad Hastings 11. Arnie Kent 12. Terry Young 13. C.W. Harshman 14. Dan Taylor 15. Troy Cochran 16. Brian Benson 17. Jamie McKinney 18. Jeff Schrum 19. Gary Edwards 20. Bob Lime 21. Marty Ling 22. Bob Whitacre-DNS 23. Andy McKisson-DNS.

DIRT Modified Feature Finish: 1. LOU BLANEY 2. Tim Doran 3. Jim Rasey 4. Rex King 5. Pete Simpson 6. Lonny Riggs 7. George Hobaugh 8. Dale Fuller 9. Bob Dorman 10. Carl Murdick 11. Randy Chronister 12. Guy Griffin 13. Rick Kress 14. Dave Murdick 15. Skip Moore-DNS 16. Randy Snider-DNS 17. Bill Dorman-DNS 18. Jim Weller-DNS.

E-Mod Feature Finish: 1. ALAN DELLINGER 2. Jeff Rudrick 3. Bob McCann 4. Bootie Petsko 5. Jeff Johnson 6. Bob Diver 7. Jeff Sharp 8. Jim White, Jr. 9. Arlan Coy 10. Mark Willison 11. Bill Taylor 12. Jeff Covelli 13. Scott Stiffler 14. J.R. Mechling 15. Chuck Schell 16. Scott Jones 17. Jeff Haefke-DNS.

Stock Car Feature Finish: 1. RICK PROSSER, JR. 2. Dwayne Clay 3. Gary Robinson 4. Tom Miller 5. Jason Longwell 6. Joe Porter 7. Jim Davis 8. Mark Felicetty 9. Patty McCann 10. Eric Gibson 11. Carl Pasternack 12. Robert Kutsch 13. Ralph Blackson 14. Glen Pupino 15. Greg Pesa 16. Jim White, Jr. 17. John Jackson 18. Clint Gibson 19. Carl Davis 20. Larry Keener 21. Ken Moy, Jr.-DNS.

Upcoming shows:

June 27 Regular show (Sprint Cars, DIRT Modifieds, E-Mod, Stock Cars) & Kids bike races.

July 01 Ohio All Star Sprint Speedweek for Sprint Cars plus York Triathlon Series E-Mods and Stock Cars.

July 04 Sprint Cars, DIRT Modifieds, and Stock Cars. Kids bike races.

July 11 Regular show/GM/Delphi Packard Employee Night-$2 off general admission with company ID.

July 18 Regular show. Autograph night for Sprints.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with racing at 6:30 p.m.

Media Contact: Mike Leone, 53 East Glenora Drive, Grove City, PA 16127. Phone/Fax: 724-748-3358. E-mail: mleone@infonline.net

Sharon Speedway is north of Interstate 80 on Route 7 to Route 305, then east on Custer-Orangeville Road in Hartford, Oh. For more information call (330) 652-5030 or the speedway on race day at (330) 772-5481. The fax number is (330) 772-7704. The mailing address is P.O. Box 403, Mineral Ridge, OH 44440.