Martin, Rasey win at speedway

Staff report

HARTFORD

It was “Steel Valley Thunder” Night at Sharon Speedway on Saturday.

Going to victory lane were were Joe Martin (Late Models), Jim Rasey (Big-Block Modifieds), Richard Michael, Jr. (E-Mods), Steve Burns, Jr. (Stock Cars) and Mike Scharba (Mini Stocks).

The Late Model division produced more than 30 entries with Martin dethroning defending two-time National Weekly and Northeast Touring Series champion Max Blair.

With Martin’s feature victory, he became the division’s all-time winner at the track with three victories in the 10 events.

Rasey redeemed himself from a first-event crash with a wire-to-wire victory in the 20-lap Big-Block Modified feature, the 17th of his career. Brad Rapp finished in second place.

In the E-Mods, Michael won for the first time at Sharon Speedway, holding off Joel Watson.Burns became the third different Stock Car winner in as many races as he led from green-to-checkered in the 15-lap feature. Mike Clark crossed the finish line 1.265 seconds behind Burns for his best effort of the season in second.

Scharba used the outside pole position to take the lead and became the third different Mini Stock winner in as many races. The 12-lap feature win was the ninth of his career, tops all-time for the division. Bill Fuchs, who won on April 2, was right on Scharba’s bumper but couldn’t make the pass in a great race that had just one caution. Sharon will return to action this Friday and Saturday with a doubleheader weekend.