FORT WORTH, Tex.—Sharon Speedway has always held a special place in Ryan Blaney’s heart.

Although he didn’t follow his grandfather Lou, father Dave, or uncle Dale’s path to the dirt-racing world, some of the 2023 NASCAR Cup champion’s fondest memories were forged at the     3/8ths mile clay oval in bucolic Hartford, Ohio.

When the opportunity arose to join the ownership group, Blaney, 31, simply couldn’t refuse the offer.

“Dad came to me and said, ‘Hey, there’s an opportunity here,’ to join him in ownership of it as well as Will Thomas,” Blaney said. “I think my immediate answer five seconds later was, ‘Yes! I’d love to be a part of it. I’d love to have the opportunity.’

“So dad let me know there was a chance and luckily we were able to fulfill that chance.”

Dave Blaney became a partner at Sharon Speedway in 2002. The former World of Outlaws champion joined local entrepreneurs Jim Weller, Sr. of Liberty Steel Industries, and Bill and Ron Kirila of Kirila Contractors in the purchase of the track. The group revitalized the facility and shortened the track to its current configuration.

“I feel very fortunate to have Ryan and Will Thomas as partners in Sharon Speedway,” Dave Blaney said. “Looking forward to the next chapter in the speedway’s long history. 

“The Weller family and Kirila families were great partners for the last 20 years. We were very sad to lose Jim Weller and Ron Kirila this winter. 

“I’ve known Will Thomas and his whole family my entire life. His father was a big part of my father’s racing career. Very pleased to have him on board. 

“Ryan’s enthusiasm to be part of the speedway is a big boost for all of us. I’m very excited for the future of Sharon Speedway.”

Blaney, 62, grew up in Hartford and has amassed 40 career wins at his home track which has hosted World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, World of Outlaws Late Models, All Star Circuit of Champions, Super DIRTcar Series, and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series over the last 23 seasons. 

In 2022, SRX held its season finale at Sharon with Chase Elliott scoring the win. The Lou Blaney Memorial, a 410 sprint car race celebrating the life and Hall of Fame career of the family patriarch has been held for the past 17 years. 

The track has been a family affair for the Blaney’s with both Lou involved in co-ownership and operation prior to his death in 2009. Over 47 seasons, the Hall of Fame racer won 600 races—including 121 Modified and 11 Sprint Car wins at Sharon. His wife Katie still works in the ticket office at the track.

With the loss of Weller in 2006 and the recent passing of Weller, Sr., and Ron Kirila this year, the door opened for the next generation—Will Thomas III, the son of the late Bill Thomas, one of Dave Blaney’s best friends and a former racer, and Ryan Blaney to join the fold. The elder Thomas owned sprint cars and modifieds piloted by Lou Blaney. Will Thomas has won in five different divisions at Sharon.

“You just want to keep it in the family and around where my father grew up and my grandmother still lives,” Blaney said. “It just meant a ton. And Dad has owned that place for over 20 years. It’s just been really special and we’ve had so many good times there.

“You know, just trying to keep short track racing—whether it’s dirt or asphalt—healthy, that’s what you want. It just holds so many childhood memories for me and so many childhood memories for my dad, and a lot of memories of my grandpa growing up. 

“So when you get the chance to do something, anything, and in my case something with a race track that meant so much to my family growing up, you definitely want to be a part of it and keep it in the Blaney name. I was just really lucky that we were able to do that.”

Sharon’s storied past dates back to 1929—one of the oldest and continuously running tracks in the country. Nestled in the northeast corner of Ohio next to the Pennsylvania border, the track is included in both Western PA Sprint Speedweek and Ohio Speedweek. For the 16th season, Dave Willoughby will serve as general manager.

“It blows my mind,” Blaney said of Sharon’s longevity. “It’s gone through a lot of changes from being a half-mile dirt track to asphalt at one point. NASCAR raced on it a long time ago. And now being a 3/8ths mile track now, it has put on a ton of great shows from World of Outlaws, All Star sprints, and things like that.

“My dad got his last win there at my grandpa’s race before he retired. That was really cool. There are just so many memories of it. I’m hoping it’s running 96 years from now. Just want to keep the place healthy.

“The fans in that area love dirt and racing in general. They’re really passionate and it’s a great track to go to. There’s a lot of great race tracks in the area but they choose Sharon a lot. I appreciate all of their dedication to the race track. It means a lot to us. Here’s to keeping it going.”

Sharon’s season will open May 10. Unfortunately, Blaney will be qualifying for the Advent Health 400 at Kansas Speedway on Saturday with the NASCAR Cup race scheduled for May 11. Still, Blaney looks forward to his next Sharon homecoming.

“I’d like to try and go up at some point,” Blaney said. “It’s hard for me to do it with my day job but I plan on going up there a handful of times this year and meet with everybody. We have a great staff that works out of there that has been really, really great to us over the years.

“Whether they’re at the concession, prepping the track or running the day-to-day operations, they all mean a lot. We’ve been lucky to have a great group of men and women up there. I hope to make it to the track a lot more this year.”