ALLSTAR: Sharon Nationals race report 2001-09-02

HARTFORD, OH - A broken radiator hose cost Kenny Jacobs Sunday night at Sharon Speedway in the All Star sprint 40-lap feature. The 21st annual Sharon Nationals final victory apparently went to Jacobs who crossed the finish line first, but due to the loss of water, Jacobs came up four pounds under the 1,200 pound minimum at the scales. The next driver to cross the line, Jason Johnson, had illegal weight added to his car and was disqualified, handing the victory to third place finisher Greg Hodnett. Also disqualified were sixth place finisher Mike Wagner and seventh place Lance Dewease for no mufflers and 13th place PJ Chesson for being two pounds under weight.

The win paid Hodnett $10,000. It was his second Sharon Nationals win and came over Kelly Kinser and Todd Shaffer.

Johnson started on the ButlerBuilt Hot Seat pole with Ed Lynch Jr. alongside. Dean Jacobs and Greg Hodnett made up row two for the start. Jacobs spun on the initial start, and spun again on lap three, causing him to be sent to the pits according to the two spin rule.

Johnson grabbed the lead over Lynch on the start, with Kenny Jacobs taking second on lap two after starting fifth. Hodnett took third from Lynch on lap four before James Chesson tagged the wall, bringing out a red for a fuel stop.

Johnson led following the fuel stop, with Hodnett now second after passing Jacobs high off turn two. Todd Shaffer was then fourth behind Jacobs and Kelly Kinser was fifth. Johnson maintained a quarter lap lead when Byron Reed's stalled machine brought out the caution on lap 10. Johnson was still on top as Jacobs hounded Hodnett and got second on lap 12. Ed Lynch Jr. got around Kinser and was pressuring Shaffer for the fourth spot, Kinser moved back around Lynch as the pair battled behind Shaffer for the next five laps, trading positions several times each lap.

At the half-way mark, Johnson's lead had evaporated with Jacobs applying heavy pressure. Jacobs tried a slide job on the leader on lap 21, but to no avail. On lap 22 the leaders were side by side with Jacobs going under Johnson in turns three and four to take command on lap 23. Lynch spun on lap 28 out of fifth spot, and while circling under caution Jacobs popped a radiator hose, losing all his water on the speedway. He did not pull in, but kept the lead on the restart over Johnson and Hodnett. On lap 32 Jacobs pulled away from Johnson with Hodnett third. Jacobs quarter lap lead disappeared on lap 28 for the final caution as Jim Nier stopped on the front stretch. Jacobs pulled away to the apparent victory until the shortcoming at the scales.

So the final finishing order was Hodnett, Kelly Kinser, Todd Shaffer, Greg Wilson, Jimmy Hawley, Danny Smith and Chad Kemenah finished seventh, winning the Team Simpson Racing Lucky Seven award.

The K-T Equipment heat went to Ed Lynch, Jr., the JB Enterprise Racing Products heat to Kenny Jacobs, the Crown Battery heat to Hodnett and the Engler Machine & Tool heat fell to Chad Hill. The B Main went to Johnson and Lynch also captured the Haulmark Dash. Rodney Duncan smacked the wall in hot laps. He was done for the evening.

-Allstar-