COLETON LONGWELL DOMINATES UMP MODS FOR 2ND STRAIGHT SHARON WIN; JOHN MOLLICK (RUSH SPRINTS) & JEREMY DOUBLE (ECONO MODS) 3-FOR-3 IN 2026; CAREER 1ST WIN FOR BRANDEN PORTER IN CROWN VICS
By Mike Leone

August 15, 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Hartford, OH)…Sharon Speedway returned to action on Saturday for “Fan Appreciation Night”. The “Steel Valley Thunder” program brought out a strong crowd and 76 cars for the four-division program. Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Victory Lane were Coleton Longwell (Hovis UMP Modifieds presented by A&MP Electric), John Mollick (Gibson Insurance Agency RUSH Sprint Cars), Jeremy Double (Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods), and Branden Porter (Alcon Mechanical Crown Vics). It was Flynn’s Tire, A&MP Electric, Kangaroof Night, and Twin-State Auto Racing Club Night.

Coleton Longwell put on one of the most dominating performances in recent memory in the 20-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Modified feature. Longwell had a near 12-second lead and had lapped up to seventh place before a caution slowed action with three laps to go. Longwell earned $1,000 thanks to season long support from A&MP Electric, Holbrook Sewer & Excavating, Wedge Motorsports, and Kangaroof for his second straight win three weeks after winning his career first in the division.

“This was a fantastic race track tonight,” expressed the 25-year-old Kinsman, Ohio driver. “I wish we would have had Supers (Late Models) here tonight because I think it would have been the race of the country to watch. Hats off to these guys; they received a lot of rain this week. This track had to be a mess and it’s fantastic. The top is perfect, the bottom you could drive across the middle, and could trail brake across the center. The car runs well and everything worked well. It seemed like everyone else raced good, and overall we’re happy with it. Scott and Ann Thompson from Bala Management have done more for me than I could have ever asked for. Everything with this race car is top of the line. Every night we pull into the pits we know we have a good unit.”

Longwell powered into the lead from the outside pole , while June 13 winner, Ty Rhoades, went fourth to second over Andrew Hammond, Mason Lobb, and Bud Watson. Lobb moved into third on lap three and Watson would drop Hammond back to fifth on lap eight.

While Longwell was ripping around the fence increasing his advantage every lap, Lobb caught Rhoades on lap 14 and drove around him for runner-up on lap 16. At this point, Lobb was facing a deficit of 10.5 seconds with four laps to go. That lead grew to 11.8 seconds before the event’s first caution was displayed for Jeremy Holbrook. Two more laps were completed before Josh McDonald spun to bring out the event’s second and final caution.

Lobb was no much for Longwell, who would still take the checkered flag first by 1.091 seconds in the one-lap shootout to the finish in the Bala Management/DBRE/YeagerBaum’s Bar & Grill/Yeager’s Port Silver-sponsored #7. It was Longwell’s fourth victory in three different divisions this season and ninth of his career at Sharon in four divisions.

Lobb’s runner-up was his best Sharon finish since a fourth on June 22, 2024. Rhoades was third over Watson and Hammond. Dustin DeMattia, Andre Layfield, Chris Basich, Tyler Rendell, and Vinnie DePizzo completed the top 10. Heat winners were DeMattia and Watson over the 18-car field, which included drivers from five different states.

John Mollick continued his domination of the RUSH Sprint Car division at Sharon with his third win in three tries this season, ninth straight, and has now won 11 of the last 12 races dating back to the 2024 season! Mollick led all 20 laps of the Gibson Insurance Agency feature; however, had to withstand a late challenge by 11th starting Logen Lockhart.

“I’m telling you what Dave (Willoughby) keeps throwing me curveballs all the time and I think he’s doing it on purpose to me,” joked the 55-year-old Toronto, Ohio veteran. “I keep telling him slick, slick, slick and he keeps dumping the water to it. I can’t believe how grippy it is up there. This place doesn’t usually have any grip and you have to search for it, but tonight it’s loaded up! I have to thank my car owner Scott Clever, who takes care of it and that’s why it’s up front. I have to thank the crowd for coming out- it’s a hot, humid, and sticky night. Also, prayers to (announcer) Mike Ackelson, who got burnt- hate to see that happen to anyone.”

An invert 0 put heat race winners Joe Buccola and Mollick on the front row of the feature as Mollick used the outside to race into the early lead. Arnie Kent had just drove around both Grayson Bayle and Buccola for second on lap four, but the pass was negated as Wyatt Long got upside down in turn three and collected Kevin Kaserman and C.J. McClintock. Long was okay. Only Kaserman would restart the race.

Lockhart wasn’t a factor for the first half of the feature until he got up on the fence and started moving to the front. Lockhart cracked the top five on lap 11 then powered past Kent for fourth one-lap later. Lockhart did a two-for-one sneaking around both Bayle and Buccola in turn two for second on lap 14. Lockhart faced a huge deficit, but started to cut into the lead and even more so when Mollick was struggling in lapped traffic. Lockhart got what he needed when the caution was displayed for Lucas Roessner with 17 laps completed setting up a three-lap dash to the finish.

When racing resumed, Lockhart stuck with Mollick trying to find a way by. On lap 19, Lockhart went to the bottom in turns three and four, but scrubbed off too much speed. Lockhart then went back to the top in turns one and two on the last lap and got into the fence allowing Mollick to drive away. Mollick took the checkered flag first by 2.388 seconds in the Scott Clever-owned, Rae Lynn Enterprise/Spring Church Car Wash/Willy’s RS Wash & Shine/JET Racing Engines/RV Coleman Trucking/Niki’s Quick Six/McFadden Machine-sponsored #4J for his 36th career win overall in the division.

Lockhart, who is 14 and in his fourth year of RUSH Sprint Car racing, was a career best second in his first ever start in the division at Sharon. Buccola, who made his first Sharon start in exactly one-year when he finished second, came home third. Trent Marshall went 14th to 4th. After temporarily getting to second early on, Kent faded to fifth at the finish. Teenagers Brayden Blackshear, Samantha Priest, Bayle, and Cooper Macormac were sixth through ninth. Kaserman came back to finish 10th.

Like Mollick, Jeremy Double remained perfect on the season with his third win in three tries in the Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods. With 26 cars on hand in their first race in seven weeks, Double earned $600 for the third time this season. Double led the entire distance in the caution-plagued event that had 10 stoppages and was checkered when time expired with just 11 laps completed.

“There were slick spots and I was trying to hit the patches where I wanted to fire every time on the restarts,” explained the 30-year-old Bristolville, Ohio racer. “I also wasn’t sure what the inside car (Dennis Lunger) was doing and wanted to be clear of him going into (turn) one. I wish we could have gotten a full race in as that was disappointing; thanks for all the fans for sitting through that.”

Double used the outside to race into the early lead at the start of the scheduled 20-lap feature. Dennis Lunger, Jr. started sixth and moved into the runner-up spot on lap four. Double and Lunger pulled away from the field on lap five. After winning the UMP Mod feature, Longwell started back in 21st and moved into fourth on lap four. When racing resumed on lap eight following a caution, Double and Lunger raced side-by-side for the lead, while Longwell raced into third.

The event’s longest stretch of green flag laps was just three and occurred for the second time between laps 7-10. Lunger was unable to make the pass before four cautions between laps 10-11 ultimately ended the race. Double’s all-time leading 25th career win came aboard the Tom Sok-owned, Bala Management/Capital C Machine Tool Services/Close Racing Supply/All Star Performance/Glunt Industries/C&R Tire/Malone Diesel & Automotive-sponsored #83.

Lunger was second. Longwell was +21 and earned the $100 Summit Racing Equipment Hard Charger gift card. Seventh starting Clay Ruffo was fourth over Jacob Eucker. Arianna Samuelson went 15th to 6th. Pole-sitter George Vestal IV dropped to seventh over Shayne Meadows and Bryan Wagner. Carter Bidwell went 23rd to 10th in his first start aboard the Keith Smith-owned #16. Heat winners were Lunger, Eucker, and Wagner.

Branden Porter, who has raced numerous divisions over the years at Sharon, captured his first career win at the track in the 15-lap Alcon Mechanical Crown Vic feature. Porter led all but the opening lap to become the season’s fourth different winner in five races.

“I appreciation everyone that comes out- especially here,” acknowledged the 41-year-old Kingsville, Ohio racer. “We’ve tried so hard and have been so close two different times losing to the Longwells- they’ve been my kryptonite. I wish they were out here tonight, but that’s alright. The car was really good and stuck to the bottom. This car is on rails and is awesome since we finally figured it out.”

Newcomer Steve Hull led the opening lap before third starting Porter took charge on lap two following a restart. Ray Gregory, another driver who has competed in numerous divisions at Sharon over the years, started sixth and raced into second with a three-wide move on lap 10.

Up front, Porter would take the checkered flag first by 1.636 seconds in his BCT Construction-sponsored #16. Gregory would get sideways on the final lap allowing Hull to reclaim second at the finish. Hull had fell back as far as sixth after leading the opening lap. Gregory was able to cross the finish line in third over 12th starting Dave Hanshaw, Jr. Brian Krepps was fifth. Heat winners over the 16-car field, which was the second highest count in the division’s history, were Brad Shaffer and Porter.

Coming up next Saturday (August 22) will be the “Open Wheel Clash” featuring five classes of Modified racing; Big Blocks, UMP, RUSH Sportsman, Econos, and Vintage! It’s on-track autograph night for all divisions. It’s Ladies Night with 50% off general admission. Past owners of Sharon Speedway will be recognized. It’ll be Novus Home Mortgage and Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Night. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7.

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply UMP Mods presented by A&MP Electric (20 laps, $1,000 to-win): 1. 7-COLETON LONGWELL[2]; 2. 28-Mason Lobb[3]; 3. 12R-Ty Rhoades[4]; 4. 225-Bud Watson[5]; 5. 68-Andrew Hammond[1]; 6. 77D-Dustin DeMattia[6]; 7. 11-Andre Layfield[9]; 8. 71C-Chris Basich[7]; 9. 157-Tyler Rendell[11]; 10. 1-Vinnie DePizzo[13]; 11. 5M-Donnie May[10]; 12. 37-Josh McDonald[8]; 13. 9R-Garrett Rons[12]; 14. 16C-Amelia Clay[16]; 15. C12-Calvin Clay[18]; 16. 51-Jeremy Holbrook[14]; 17. 62-Jacob Wheeler[15]. DNS: 42-Nate Young

Gibson Insurance Agency RUSH Sprint Cars (20 laps): 1. 4J-JOHN MOLLICK[2]; 2. 58-Logen Lockhart[11]; 3. 5B-Joe Buccola[1]; 4. 17-Trent Marshall[15]; 5. 9-Arnie Kent[4]; 6. 10-Brayden Blackshear[13]; 7. 21N-Samantha Priest[7]; 8. 21-Grayson Bayle[3]; 9. 7-Cooper Macormac[5]; 10. 13K-Kevin Kaserman[8]; 11. 18-Brandon Fiedler[12]; 12. 20A-Jesse Armstrong[14]; 13. 48T-TJ Rosario[16]; 14. 213-Lucas Roessner[6]; 15. 63L-Wyatt Long[9]; 16. 17M-CJ McClintock[10].

Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods (11 laps, $600 to-win): 1. 83-JEREMY DOUBLE[2]; 2. 71L-Dennis Lunger Jr[6]; 3. 7-Coleton Longwell[25]; 4. 14R-Clay Ruffo[7]; 5. 64-Jacob Eucker[5]; 6. 9G-Arianna Samuelson[15]; 7. 4-George Vestal IV[1]; 8. 224-Shayne Meadows[8]; 9. 56-Bryan Wagner[4]; 10. 16-Carter Bidwell[24]; 11. 10-Derek Tessean[23]; 12. 31-Seth Brenot[17]; 13. 02C-Brian Carothers[20]; 14. 35-Rick Wilson Jr[21]; 15. 24R-Derrick Randolph[11]; 16. B1-Buzz Seitz[13]; 17. 51-Brian Lacey[12]; 18. 344R-Gary Robinson II[10]; 19. 47S-Gary Sullivan[9]; 20. 89-Junior Mechling[18]; 21. 8-Jonathan Davis[3]; 22. 4RJ-Robert Simmons[14]; 23. 11J-Ryan Johnston[26]; 24. 44-Lucas McEwen[22]; 25. 24-Mike Bihler[19]. DNS: 38H-Bryson Hill.

Alcon Mechanical Crown Vics (15 laps): 1. 16-BRANDEN PORTER[3]; 2. 37H-Steve Hull[1]; 3. 82R-Ray Gregory[6]; 4. 83-Dave Hanshaw Jr[12]; 5. 4-Brian Krepps[2]; 6. 10J-Bill Fuchs[5]; 7. 309-Jacob Moon[7]; 8. 99L-Mark Lawrence[9]; 9. 23-Aiden Laney[10]; 10. 87-Mike Barr[13]; 11. 35-Bryan McGrath[15]; 12. 10S-Trevn Schaffer[11]; 13. 83H-Thomas Hammond[14]; 14. 30-Brandon Albert[16]; 15. 26-Bradley Shaffer[4]; 16. 7-Tristan Thompson[8]

Sharon Speedway is owned by Dave Blaney, Ryan Blaney, and Will Thomas III 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 http://www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @sharonspdwy.

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