by Mike Leone
Hartford, OH June 19, 2019 After a very successful debut of the “Bickerstaff Cup” Series for the Outlaw Mods on June 8 at Sharon Speedway, round two takes place this Saturday night (June 22) for the “John C. Rebhan Memorial”. The Menards “Super Series” event will also include the non-wing RUSH Sprint Cars and the HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. It’s Warren Fab & AMG Jet Night. Race time is 7 p.m.
The new four-race mini series for the Outlaw Mods (IMCA-type) has been created by Cyndi Stiffler and Scott Stiffler to honor and remember the career of former great, Jim Bickerstaff, Sr. Bickerstaff is the all-time winningest Super Late Model driver in the history of Sharon with 42 victories. The inaugural event on June 8 saw Brian Ruhlman top a huge field of 40 cars for the $1,200 payday. It was Ruhlman’s first career win at Sharon as he became the 53rd different driver all-time to win an E-Mod race at Sharon. Ruhlman, who also races a RUSH Sprint Cars, plans on returning Saturday night to again do double duty.
Saturday’s event is the “John C. Rebhan Memorial” sponsored by Warren Fabricating & Machine. Rebhan was a former racer turned car owner for many greats over the years on both asphalt and dirt including Bickerstaff passed away back in 2008 at the age of 64. Two of his most recent drivers were Alan Dellinger and Arnie Kent. Dellinger, the track’s all-time leading Stock Car and E-Mod winner, finished 12th at the last show in an Econo Mod for Bob Williams, while Kent competes in the RUSH Sprint Car division. Dellinger won races and championships in both the Big-Block Modified and Super Late Model for Rebhan. Rebhan was inducted into the Twin-State Auto Racing Hall of Fame a few years ago with much of that success attributed to Bickerstaff as Rebhan owned cars Bickerstaff won in all over the area in and even in NASCAR.
Rebhan started and owned Warren Fab of nearby Warren, Ohio until his passing. His daughter Regina is now the CEO of the company and wanted to sponsor this race in the Bickerstaff Cup series to honor her dad and his years as a successful car owner.
After Saturday night’s 25-lap $1,200 to-win main, the Series returns on July 20 for another $1,200 to-win payday, and will wrap up on August 24 for $3,000 to-win, $300 to-start. The four-race “Bickerstaff Cup” point fund will pay $1,000 to-win and payback five positions thanks to Graham Machine, Blue Wolf Tavern, and Airport Auto.
There will be a pill draw for the heat races. The top 12 in passing points from all the heats will be locked into the feature with the top eight redrawing, while the rest will line up in B mains by passing points. The finish of the B mains will set the rest of the field. On August 24, the feature will be 33 laps in honor of the first race number Bickerstaff ran, and there will be a dash for the top six in that night’s passing points to set the first three rows of that night’s feature. The rest of the field will lined up per the standard passing points structure.
The following contingencies have been posted; Burgan Realty Hard Charger, $75 (overall Series hard charger will get $200); Dickson Racing Shocks, $100 cash nightly to the Hard Luck driver; Close Racing Supply, $25 to each heat race winner nightly and $100 gift certificate to each nightly winner; Penguin City Beer, one case of beer to each nightly winner; Hoosier Tire, two tires given away at each drivers meeting.
The Outlaw Mod Rules are posted at SharonSpeedway.com and can be found by clicking Drivers and then Rules. For more information on the Series, check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sharon-Speedways-2019-Outlaw-Modified-Bickerstaff-Cup-Series-581138452385271.
The RUSH Sprints finally were able to race on June 8 as Chad Ruhlman was able to rip the fence and edge out Brian Woodhall for the victory, while his son Kevin finished third and brother Brian fourth. There were 18 cars on hand, which was a record for the division at the time until that number was eclipsed on Friday night at Raceway 7 when Chad Ruhlman topped a 20-car field. Chad Ruhlman is the defending Series champion and leads the $5,000 to-win points. Mother Nature hasn’t been kind to the RUSH Sprints as they’ve only been able to complete three of their 12 shows circuit-wide including four rainouts at Sharon with the most recent being on Tuesday night.
The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will complete Saturday’s three-division card. The HTMA/Precise-Racing Products-sponsored division has had three different winners in three races with Chas Wolbert, Rob Kristyak, and Garrett Krummert victorious. Kristyak has a one-point lead on Tony Tatgenhorst. Kristyak also leads RUSH’s $3,000 to-win Weekly Series points. Meanwhile, David Kalb, Jr. and Pat Adams have scored wins in the “Wheelman” non-winners events presented by Ohio Intra Express and C&R Tire. Jacob Jordan leads those points.
Pits are open throughout the afternoon on Saturday with pit passes going on sale at 4 p.m., while the main grandstands open at 5. Heat races are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Grandstand admission for those 14 and over is $13, while senior citizens are $10. Patio seating upgrades are just $5 and fan suite seating upgrades are just $20 over the cost of general admission. In order to reserve either of these ahead of time, call the office Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 330-772-5481. As always, children under 14 and parking are always FREE! Pit passes are $30. As a reminder, coolers nor outside food or beverages are not permitted.
Coming up on Saturday, June 29 is a Menards “Super Series” event as the “410” Sprint Cars return to race for $3,000 to-win along with the Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and the Summit Racing Equipment Econo Mods. It’s Kams Electric Service Night and Armed Forces Night with racing at 7 p.m.
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. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway and follow us on Twitter @sharonspdwy.
