Sharon Speedway under new ownership team

Starting May 10, a new ownership team will be taking over Sharon Speedway. 

As the speedway embarks on its 96th anniversary season, owner Dave Blaney will be joined by his son, and NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney, and area businessman and racer Will Thomas III. 

In 2002, NASCAR Cup driver Dave Blaney along with area businessmen Jim Weller, Sr. of Liberty Steel Industries and Bill and Ron Kirila of Kirila Contractors, purchased Sharon Speedway. The track was successfully operated by the trio for the next 23 years. Bill Kirila passed away in 2006. This year on January 17, Weller, Sr. passed away at the age of 94, and most recently, Ron Kirila passed away on April 24 at the age of 86.

Dave Blaney will be beginning his 24th year of ownership at Sharon, a track that he grew up racing at and with which he shares his hometown of Hartford, Ohio. The 62-year-old is a former champion of the World of Outlaws and USAC and was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2014. 

Ryan Blaney, will join his father as a partner in his foray into promoting and track ownership. Blaney's day job is driving the #12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series. The 31-year-old was the 2023 NASCAR Cup Champion and runner-up in the championship in 2024. 

Rounding out the new ownership team at Sharon is Will Thomas III of Sharpsville. Thomas has been a well accomplished racer throughout his career beginning on asphalt and then transitioning to dirt in 2011. He currently owns Colonial Metal Products and Colonial Slitting Industries. 

The 2025 season at Sharon Speedway will get underway on Saturday, May 10 in a "Super Series" event presented by Bala Management. The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply "410" Sprint Cars will highlight the program in a $4,000 to-win event along with the Gibson Insurance Agency Pro Stocks and the Alcon Mechanical Econo Mods. Pits open at 4 p.m. with general admission at 5 and racing at 7.