SHARON SPEEDWAY Kemenah captures 40-lap All-Star sprint feature race

V-8 Modified, Late Model driver Alan Dellinger won the Pure Stock division in Sonny Wisler Jr.'s car
KATIE LIBECCO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
HARTFORD -- The All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Race Week took over Sharon Speedway Wednesday night, sponsored by the Dave Blaney Fan Club. Rain was predicted, but it was hot and dry all evening at the track.
Chad Kemenah, leader in points for the All-Stars, started 13th and won the 40-lap sprint feature by only a few feet.
Track conditions were near perfect, leading to fast times throughout the evening. Brock Mayes nearly broke the track record of a 12.844 lap, set by Danny Lasoski. Mayes had the fastest lap time in the Huggins Cams Time Trials with a 13.080.
Heat winners for the All Star Sprints were Dean Jacobs, Jeremy Campbell, Jac Haudenschild and Kerry Madsen. Kenny Jacobs took the victory in the four-lap Haulmark Dash and John Ivy won the University of Northwestern Ohio sprint B-main race.
Started in front row
Byron Reed and Danny Smith started in the front row for the sprint feature, with Reed on the inside.
Smith took first and built a straight-away lead on the field until a caution for Jeremy Campbell on the third lap. Campbell did not return to the race.
Dale Blaney took second from Byron Reed on the restart and Kelly Kinser moved into fourth position after starting 21st. Chad Kemenah passed Blaney on lap 26.
A caution on lap 31 for Sydney, Australia's Kerry Madsen lead to a nine lap shoot-out between Danny Smith, Chad Kemenah and Kelly Kinser for the top three positions.
Smith and Kemenah were side by side on lap 35 and Kemenah passed Smith on the backstretch for first. Kinser moved under Smith for second.
The top five finishers were Chad Kemenah, Kelly Kinser, Danny Smith, Dale Blaney and Randy Hannagan.
Following the race, Kemenah noted that the bottom of the track proved more efficient and helped him move up from the 23rd position where he started.
Blaney had car troubles
Dave Blaney had car troubles throughout the night, with white smoke blowing from the left side of his Sprint car. He finished sixth in the Sprint B-main, one spot behind the transfer position.
"I want to thank everyone for coming out, thank my fan club for being here and I want to apologize for my sprint car," Dave Blaney said after the race.
Wednesday was the third race of the 23rd annual All Star Sprint Race Week. Twenty drivers are contracted to race eight races in as many nights, but an additional 19 local drivers came out to Sharon Speedway to qualify.
Someone will be crowned the All Star Race Week Champion Saturday after a race at the K-C Speedway in Alma, Ohio. Dale Blaney has held the title since 2003.
The second night of racing in the All Star Race Week at Raceway 7 was rained out, after 1.5 inches of rain gathered on the Conneaut track.
Joining the sprints
The All Star Sprints were joined by local Pure Stocks drivers. Gary Robinson, Alan Dellinger and Stan Womer were the heat winners.
Alan Dellinger moved from 10th to win the Pure Stock Feature by five car lengths. He leads the V-8 Modifieds in points at Sharon Speedway and The Bolt Place Late Models at Raceway 7. He raced Pure Stocks years ago, but it was his first time this season.
Dellinger drove Sonny Wisler Jr.'s 37w car. Wisler is currently second in points at Sharon Speedway for Pure Stocks.
Commenting after his victory, Dellinger said, "I don't think anything is wrong with the car."