Rick’s Racing Roundup: Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions to Invade Area This Weekend

| April 30, 2019

It was another frustrating weekend for race fans and racers as rain washed away racing action across Ohio and western Pennsylvania once again.

(PHOTO: Aaron Reutzel will lead the All Star Circuit of Champions into western Pennsylvania this weekend. Photo by Rick Rarer.)

Sprint car fans will be hoping for better weather this weekend when Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions invades the area this Friday and Saturday. The series will make their only appearance of the season at Lernerville Speedway before heading to Sharon Speedway for the first of three visits this season.

Western Pennsylvania is not the only area being hit hard by rain. The All Stars arrive this weekend on the heels of five consecutive rain outs. Leading the All-Star charge will be defending series champion Aaron Reutzel of Texas. Joining him will be All Star veterans like Paul McMahan, Dale Blaney, Greg Wilson, and Tim Shaffer. New young names like recent winner Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss, Spencer Bayston, and Gerard McIntyre will also be in the hunt and bring fans to their feet.

Defending track champion AJ Flick will lead the charge at Lernerville against the All Stars along with Carl Bowser, Sye Lynch, Jack Sodeman Jr, Dan Shelter and the rest of the local contingency as they look to defend their home turf. With the All Star regulars, local drivers, and some Ohio invaders look for strong fields both nights. For both Lernerville and Sharon this will be the first race of 2019 if weather cooperates.

Michaels’ Mercer Raceway will give it another try this Saturday after falling to victim to rain this past weekend. It will be the “grand opening” show and the first night of points featuring the big block modifieds, 305 sprint cars, limited modifieds, mini stocks, and mod lites. There will also be fireworks Saturday to celebrate to reopening of the track under Michaels’ ownership.

Despite losing their practice to rain this past Saturday Thunder Mountain Speedway is slated to get their 2019 season underway this Friday and will kick off the season with the BRP Modified Tour. Joining the big block modifieds in action Friday will be the super late models, semi lates, pure stocks, and mini stocks. Action is scheduled to get underway at 7:30 p.m.

Thunder Mountain Speedway opens their season this Friday with the big block modifieds (Penny Kay Photo)
(PHOTO: Thunder Mountain Speedway opens their season this Friday with the big block modifieds. Photo by Penny Kay Photo.)

Hummingbird Speedway and Hidden Valley Speedway were the only area tracks to see any kind of action over the weekend where they both completed an open practice Saturday. Both tracks are scheduled to open their 2019 racing season this Saturday. Late models will highlight the five division show at Hummingbird which will also have a Star Wars costume contest which will find prizes going to the best dressed.

At Hidden Valley Speedway the late models will also headline the five division season opener as the track will see action for the first time since 2013. This will be the first race under the Luzier family (who originally opened the Speedway in 1992) since the 2002 season. Action is slated to get underway at 7:00pm at the Clearfield oval.

Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway near Imperial is also slated to get their 2019 season started this Saturday. Six divisions will be in action including the RUSH crate late models, the ELITE modified series, RUSH modifieds, pro stocks, hobby stocks, and 4 cylinders.

Rick’s Racing Roundup is brought to you by:

Redbank Chevrolet
Bauer Truck Repair
Red Bandana Winery
Zacherl Motors
Allegheny Grille
Kerle Tire Company

About Rick

Rick Rarer, a Franklin resident, is the owner of Racestud.com and SprintCarNews.com. He has been covering racing for 19 years, taking racing photos for 14 years, and has covered races at over 100 tracks in 15 states. Most recently, Rick won the Bill Steinbach Media Award at the Lernerville Speedway Annual Awards Banquet.


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