HARTFORD, Ohio — It turned out to be a battle of the Blaney brothers on the final Wednesday Night Thunder program of the 94th season of racing at Sharon Speedway.
Dave Blaney held off his younger brother Dale to capture the 30-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply winged sprint car feature and earned $4,000 for his third victory of the season at the three-eighths-mile track.
Dave Blaney started 10th and passed Lee Jacobs for the lead on lap 12. He then had to hold off Dale Blaney over the closing laps to secure the triumph.
”The track changed so much,” explained the 60-year-old Sprint Car Hall of Famer. “It was really sticky early. When I came out for the feature it was way slippery and I was sure I didn’t have the right setup in to even have a chance, but it went right to the front. I’m surprised, but happy so it’s a great night.
“I can’t believe the rain held off either just as much as me winning. Starting 10th, the first couple laps is key, and I had a really good first couple laps around the bottom to clear some guys. I saw Dale (Blaney) was behind me and didn’t know where to go on the restart or to block; I could hear him, but luckily never saw him.”
Dale Blaney, 59, finished second.
“I’m sure he (Dave Blaney) could hear me around his right rear at least the first three after that caution,” Dale Blaney, also a Sprint Car Hall of Famer, said. “I should have beat the top down here. I knew Brandon (Spithaler) was probably going to make another run, and if he cleared me he was probably going to have a shot at Dave, but he got into the wall a little and I got back in front of him. I should have been more patient in the center of the corner and caught that little bit on exit through the middle. I was really good from about lap 10 through 25 and got rolling good everywhere so I’m really happy with it.”
Spithaler charged from 22nd to finish third.
While all eyes were on Blaney’s charge as he closed in on Jacobs, some of the attention focused to Spithaler, who was making his way forward. Spithaler cracked the top five on lap eight then passed Flick for fourth on lap 10. Back up front, Blaney caught Jacobs on lap 11 and made what would be the winning move one lap later on the bottom of turn two.
Mat Williamson bagged the BRP Tour modified feature, earning his 199th career victory.
The finish:
Feature (30 laps): 1. 10-Dave Blaney[10]; 2. 32B-Dale Blaney[12]; 3. 22-Brandon Spithaler[22]; 4. 29-Carl Bowser[9]; 5. 2-AJ Flick[3]; 6. 08-Danny Kuriger[1]; 7. 22M-Dan McCarron[7]; 8. 5K-Adam Kekich[11]; 9. 6-Bob Felmlee[4]; 10. 40-George Hobaugh Jr[19]; 11. 70M-Henry Malcuit[5]; 12. 13-Brandon Matus[18]; 13. 5M-Max Stambaugh[6]; 14. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau[23]; 15. 35B-Stuart Brubaker[15]; 16. 23-Darren Pifer[14]; 17. 47-Brett Brunkenhoefer[16]; 18. 33-Brent Matus[17]; 19. 86-Michael Lutz Jr[13]; 20. 81-Lee Jacobs[2]; 21. 97-Zeth Sabo[8]; 22. 7T-Andy McKisson[20]; 23. 47L-Dusty Larson[21]; 24. 90-Jeffrey Neubert[24]. DNQ: Andy Cavanaugh (X7), Jon Carpenter (22C), Eric L. Williams (4W), Cameron Nastasi (99), Chris Verda (3V).
