Garrett Krummert Ends Eight-Year Winless Streak In Big Block Modifieds At Sharon Speedway

Story By: MIKE LEONE / SHARON SPEEDWAY – HARTFORD, OH – After an off weekend and the first rain out in over a year on Tuesday for Ohio Sprint Speedweek, sunshine returned to Sharon Speedway on Saturday allowing the “Steel Valley Thunder” program on Cortland Mower Sales Night to be completed.

Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane were Garrett Krummert-Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds, Chad Ruhlman-Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars, Jackson Humanic-Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks, and Ben Easler-HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds.

Garrett Krummert has 11 RUSH Sportsman Modified wins at Sharon, but hadn’t won a Big-Block Modified feature at the track since his only win back on August 29, 2015. That near eight-year victory drought ended on Saturday night as Krummert inherited the lead on lap three after Chas Wolbert was docked for jumping the start and beat his teammate Will Thomas III to finish for the $1,500 victory presented by Alcon Mechanical, Autism Awareness, King Bros. Ready Mix Concrete, King’s Sanitary Services, and Russ King Racing.

“I love coming here,” expressed the 35-year-old West Middlesex, Pa. racer. “When they announced seven races here for the Big-Block Modifieds I was real excited. It just seems like I always struggle when I come here with the big-block and aren’t very good so I’m pretty happy to get a win. I told my guys before the race I was more nervous tonight than some of the big tour races. I wanted to get a win in the big blocks as I’ve won a lot in the crates here. I’m not sure if the track will be the same for the Lou Blaney Memorial in a couple weeks, but I’m looking forward to it. I would have liked to race Chas (Wolbert) to see how it would have played out.”

Wolbert and Krummert led the 20-car field to green for the first Big-Block Modified race of the season with Wolbert taking the early advantage over Krummert as Thomas passed Kyle Fink for third. Following a caution for Jeff Miller with two laps scored, Wolbert relinquished the lead to Krummert after restarting the race too early as Thomas moved to second.

Eighth starting Rex King, Jr., who has the most wins in the division for active racers at 27, spun while running sixth to bring out the caution with three laps scored. King though charged back through the field reaching the top five on lap 14 as he knocked 14th starting Jeremiah Shingledecker back a spot. King and Rick Regalski, Jr. made contact entering turn one on lap 18 with King taking the fourth spot. Regalski and the lapped car of Tom Holden tangled in turn one on the last lap forcing a caution.

Krummert held off Thomas in the one-lap shootout taking the checkered flag first by 1.028 seconds in his Colonial Companies/MD Landscaping-sponsored #29 for his second overall win of the year at Sharon and 13th of his career. Wolbert was third. King came all the way back to claim fourth with Shingledecker advancing nine spots from his original starting spot to complete the top five.

Steve Feder was sixth. Jim Rasey went 19th to 7th. Fink dropped to eighth over Steve Slater and Justin Shea. Heat winners over the 20-car field were Wolbert and Krummert. The Big-Block Modifieds will return on July 8 in a $2,500 to-win BRP Tour-sanctioned event for the “Lou Blaney Memorial”.

Though it wasn’t easy, Chad Ruhlman kept his perfect streak alive this season at Sharon in the RUSH Sprint Cars. Ruhlman charged from the 17th starting spot and out-dueled Blaze Myers to win the 20-lap Terry Bowser Excavating feature for his third win in as many races. Ruhlman also received the $100 Summit Racing Equipment Hard Charger gift card. Ruhlman continues to lead RUSH’s $5,000 to-win Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series Championship, which he has won the title four of the previous five years.

“I was pretty pissed off after the heat race so that’s what you get- a show up on the cushion like that,” expressed the 46-year-old Erie, Pa. standout. “Stuff like that drives me. I hate getting my ass kicked so starting 17th I wasn’t going to have that. I about gave it away down there on the billboards, but we prevailed. It was a good race, and we had slide jobs. He’s (Blaze Myers) a good kid and was racing his heart out. It was close and I was giving him room. He definitely earned what he got. The race track had a lot of character tonight. You could really go all over the place. Hats off to the crew that prepares it. I love this track and I love the Series.”

Myers took the early lead over Arnie Kent. Ruhlman was flying around the top up against the fence and cracked the top five on lap four getting by his rival Gale Ruth, Jr. One lap later, he raced by Jeff Metsger for fourth. On lap seven, Ruhlman drove around both his son Kevin and Kent for second. Myers had opened up a lead of 2.5 seconds by the time Ruhlman worked into second. Myers caught lapped traffic on lap 10, but a caution for Brian Hartzell and Metsger, who tangled on the frontstretch, slowed action and erased Myers’ lead.

Back under green, Ruhlman was trying everything to get by Myers, who was doing a great job at keeping the division’s all-time winner at bay; however, Ruhlman changed course by shooting low in turns three and four to come out with the lead on lap 15. Myers didn’t go away and ran the fence getting alongside Ruhlman nearly taking the lead back on several occasions, but Ruhlman kept the Tim Engles-owned, Dirt Road Logistics/LINC Products/Billy @ Suppa Racing/Dynamic Machine/Cre8ions by Maddie-sponsored #68 out front as he won for the 12th time in 27 races at Sharon. It was also Ruhlman’s 46th career overall win in the Series.

Myers was just 0.975 seconds back in an exciting second place effort. Kent was a season best third as was Kevin Ruhlman in fourth. Gale Ruth, Jr. was fifth after starting eighth in his first Sharon race of the season. Ryan Fraley went 13th to 6th over Bill Cunningham and Ricky Tucker, Jr. Hartzell came back up to ninth after going to the tail at the halfway point. Brad Blackshear was 10th after starting 21st. Heat winners over the 23-car field were Brandon Blackshear, Ruth, and Joe Buccola.

Jackson Humanic became the third new winner in three Pro Stock races this season joining Tim Bish and Jordan Perkins with their first career Sharon victories. In his season debut, Humanic led all but one lap in the 20-lap Gibson Insurance Agency feature.

“This place owes me a few,” acknowledged the 30-year-old Titusville, Pa. driver. “I’ve been so close here I don’t even know how many times so this feels great. I’ve had so many chances to win here and have lost them on the last lap. The track was unpredictable, real technical, and a lot of fun. I just kept trying to keep putting good laps together. I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight- this is great.”

Humanic charged around Jonathan Davis on the opening lap for the lead, while Scott Stiffler passed Scott Malone for third. Stiffler then drove around Davis for second on lap three. A caution for Paul Davis, who went up in smoke and laid a streak of oil nearly the entire way around the track, brought action to a halt with five laps scored. The event’s final caution slowed action with 10 laps scored for debris.

When racing resumed, Stiffler made the outside work to lead lap 11; however, Humanic came charging back to regain the lead for good on lap 12. The top two then distanced themselves from the field, while Davis, Chris McGuire, and Steve D’Apolito had a great battle going for third. Stiffler would suffer a flat tire on the final lap allowing Humanic to easily capture the victory in his E&K Equipment/Eagle Hoist & Winch/Blue Ox Timber/Church Towne Welding & Gas Supply/Fat Chad’s Brewing-sponsored #17.

Jonathan Davis was a career best second. In his season debut, McGuire edged out D’Apolito for third. Perkins was fifth. Malone dropped to sixth. Michael Miller, Jason Jones, and Ed Bolyard II were seventh through ninth in their first races of 2023. Jamie Duncan was 10th. Heat victors were Jonathan Davis and Humanic.

Opening night winner, Ben Easler, returned to victory lane in the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds as the teenager has now doubled his career win total this year to four. Easler emerged victorious in the 20-lap HTMA/Precise Racing Products feature that had three different leaders.

“My steering wheel was all jacked up left after I hit that tire,” revealed the 16-year-old Linesville, Pa. winner. “I’m happy everything stayed together so we could pull one out. We’ve had four consecutive second place finishes (between Raceway 7 and Sharon) so I’m happy to get one. Running second that many times starts to tear up on you so I feel better.”

JC Boyer jumped out to the early lead over Kole Holden, while Easler and Jacob Wolfe passed Jacob Rutana for third and fourth respectively on the opening lap. The top four pulled away by lap three before a caution for Dalton Gabriel slowed action with five laps completed. When racing resumed, the next three laps featured a side-by-side duel between Boyer and Holden as the duo traded the lead with Boyer regaining the top spot on lap eight.

Easler joined the battle making it a three-car race for the lead on lap 12. Easler nosed ahead of Holden for second on lap 12, which would prove crucial because Boyer got into the fence the following lap with Wolfe also involved in the accident. Easler ran over a yuke tire during the skirmish, but was able to keep going and inherited the lead. That would be the final stoppage of the race as the final eight laps went caution-free as Easler stretched out his advantage every lap taking the victory by 3.582 seconds in the Jason Easler-owned, Crawford Custom Consulting/Titusville Ford/Pore’s Bodywax/Espyville Heating & Air/Russ King Racing/Lakeside Lanes/Happy Hill Farms-sponsored #02.

Holden, who has two wins this season at Raceway 7 part of the Wedge Motorsports “Route 7 Rumble” Series, was a Sharon season best second. Tony Tatgenhorst went seventh to third for his best finish of the season. Ayden Cipriano was fourth. Wolfe came from the tail in the final eight laps to finish fifth. Sixth through 10th were brothers Jacob and Doug Rutana, Bill Cunningham, Jacob Jordan, and Rob Kristyak. Heat winners were Cipriano and Wolfe.

Coming up next will be the first appearance by the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modifieds presented by A&MP Electric on Saturday, June 24 along with the Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, and the Whelen Econo Mods. Race time is 7 p.m.

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Big-Block Modifieds (20 laps, $1,500 to-win): 1. 29-GARRETT KRUMMERT[2]; 2. 9-Will Thomas[4]; 3. C3-Chas Wolbert[1]; 4. 165-Rex King Jr[8]; 5. 37MD-Jeremiah Shingledecker[14]; 6. 45-Steve Feder[10]; 7. 32-Jim Rasey[19]; 8. 66F-Kyle Fink[3]; 9. 35-Steve Slater[5]; 10. 14S-Justin Shea[9]; 11. 13-Rick Regalski Jr[6]; 12. 9R-Chad Reitz[11]; 13. 20P-Mike Kinney[15]; 14. 60-Tom Holden[7]; 15. 27R-Dave Reges[17]; 16. 5C-Ayden Cipriano[12]; 17. 00-Rob Kristyak[16]; 18. 64-Rodney Beltz[18]; 19. 75-Jeff Miller[13]. DNS: 5A-Austin Eyler.

Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars (20 laps): 1. 68-CHAD RUHLMAN[17]; 2. 43JR-Blaze Myers[1]; 3. 9-Arnie Kent[2]; 4. 68K-Kevin Ruhlman[3]; 5. 24-Gale Ruth Jr[8]; 6. 12-Ryan Fraley[13]; 7. 44C-Bill Cunningham[4]; 8. 1T-Ricky Tucker Jr[10]; 9. 69-Brian Hartzell[5]; 10. 19-Brad Blackshear[21]; 11. 41-Brian Cressley[15]; 12. 23-Charlie Utsinger[12]; 13. 54-Devon Deeter[14]; 14. 16C-Amelia Clay[22]; 15. 5BX-Josh Seippel[16]; 16. 11-Don Blaney[11]; 17. 13K-Kevin Kaserman[20]; 18. 15-Lacey Shuttleworth[18]; 19. 69X-AJ MacQuarrie[19]; 20. 10-Brandon Blackshear[9]; 21. 20-Jeff Metsger[6]; 22. 5B-Joe Buccola[7]. DNS: 56-Tyler Clark.

Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks (20 laps): 1. 17-JACKSON HUMANIC[2]; 2. 8-Jonathan Davis[1]; 3. 63-Chris McGuire[7]; 4. 84-Steve D’Apolito[11]; 5. 13J-Jordan Perkins[6]; 6. 12M-Scott Malone[3]; 7. 51-Michael Miller[12]; 8. 81J-Jason Jones[10]; 9. 05-Ed Bolyard II[9]; 10. 67J-Jamie Duncan[8]; 11. 8C-Russ Coyne[14]; 12. 44-Jacob Wheeler[17]; 13. 14-Scott Stiffler[4]; 14. 97-Tony Bruno[15]; 15. 3-Paul Davis[5]; 16. 21-Troy DeZarn[16]; 17. 11S-Jamie Scharba[13].

HTMA/Precise Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modifieds (20 laps): 1. 02-BEN EASLER[4]; 2. 2-Kole Holden[2]; 3. 63T-Tony Tatgenhorst[7]; 4. 5C-Ayden Cipriano[6]; 5. 7-Jacob Wolfe[5]; 6. 57R-Jacob Rutana[3]; 7. 46R-Doug Rutana[11]; 8. 59-Bill Cunningham[9]; 9. 28J-Jacob Jordan[13]; 10. 00-Rob Kristyak[12]; 11. 10-Chelsie Kriegisch[14]; 12. 2LC-Lucas Canon[8]; 13. 1*-Joe Watson[15]; 14. 00K-Jackson Kristyak[16]; 15. 12-JC Boyer[1]; 16. 333G-Dalton Gabriel[10].