Rick’s Racing Roundup: Blaze Myers Presented With Diploma in Victory Lane

FRANKLIN, Pa. – In a season that has been plagued by rain, Western Pennsylvania Speedweek was no different.

(Pictured above: Racer Blaze Myers, pictured with his parents, after Franklin High School principal shows up to present him with his diploma in victory lane at Tri-City Raceway Park. Photo by Rick Rarer of SprintCarNews.com.)

Despite rain washing out the first two nights of action at Mercer and Pittsburgh, there was plenty of great racing action the remainder of the weekend starting at Lernerville Speedway on Friday night where a great field of thirty-five cars were pitside.

Defending track champion AJ Flick used luck and speed to inherit the lead during the closing laps of the thirty lap main and win on the opening night of Speedweek over last year’s winner of the race and defending Speedweek champion Ryan Smith. Fab 4 racing resumes this Friday at Lernerville Speedway.

On Saturday action moved to Sharon Speedway where another strong field of thirty-three cars signed in for action. This time AJ Flick would run down early leader George Hobaugh to take the lead then hold off the challenges of central Pa invader Ryan Smith to hold on for his second win in as many nights. Early leader Hobaugh would hold on for a third-place finish.

Sunday night the third and final leg of Speedweek would also be the season opener for Tri-City Raceway in Venango County. On this night AJ Flick would leave no doubt as he took the lead on the first lap and dominated the final night of Speedweek by leading every lap and going on for his third win in a row and clinching the Speedweek championship.

And for the third night in a row, Ryan Smith would find himself finishing in the runner-up spot and lock up the Speedweek runner-up spot in points. Former track champion Jack Sodeman Jr would round out the podium. Tri-City will not race this Sunday but will return to action on Father’s Day Sunday, June the 19th with the 410 sprints and 358 modifieds headlining the card.

AJ Flick had a career weekend sweeping Western Pa Speedweek (Rick Rarer photo) (1)

(PHOTO ABOVE: AJ Flick had a career weekend sweeping Western Pa Speedweek. Photo by Rick Rarer of SprintCarNews.com.)

While AJ Flick was having the weekend of his career another local driver was having a great weekend as well. Pleasantville driver Gale Ruth Jr ended his weekend on a high note by scoring the win at Tri-City Sunday after edging out Andy Priest who is a newcomer to the division driving for Ted Hull. New York invader Eric Rudolph won the modified feature while Levi Maskal won his first-ever feature in the min stock nightcap.

Fellow RUSH sprint car driver Blaze Myers, of Franklin, received a big surprise Sunday night at Tri-City. Myers who missed his graduation from Franklin High School so he could race over the weekend was surprised by his family and his principal, Dr. Christina Cohlhepp, who showed up to present him with his diploma in victory lane. Blaze and family received a huge round of applause from the local fans.

410 Sprint Cars return to Mercer Raceway this Saturday in a 3,000 to win event and will be joined by the big block modifieds, RaceSaver 305 sprints, mini stocks, and limited modifieds. Car counts continue to increase with the new surface at the Mercer oval.

Ohio Speedweek kicks off this Friday at Attica Raceway Park with the All-Star Circuit of Champions. Speedweek features nine consecutive nights of racing at eight different tracks. While Sharon Speedway will not be in action this Saturday they will play host to night #5 of Ohio Speedweek on Tuesday June 14th with the All-Stars and RUSH wingless sprints.


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