Sharon Speedway will honor one of its winningest drivers, Bill Gabrielson this Saturday.

He passed away in 2013 but the former Marine won during the golden age of asphalt racing and ruled the Semi Late Model division. The number 58 white and purple Chevelle won seven track championships, 82 feature wins, 78 heat race wins and 38 Australian Pursuits. He was the Sharon track champion in 1977, 1978 and 1979 and was the Hickory Speedway champion in 1978, 1979 and 1980.

After the ’79 season, the race car was sold and he went on to win a championship at Expo Speedway on the dirt. He was also the first former Sharon asphalt racer to win on the new dirt surface when the speedway returned to dirt. He was a threat to win every time he hit the track. I was with a race crew then and we all knew if Bill was there most of us would finish one more position down. Standing in victory lane with his son Joe was one of his proudest moments. Gabrielson was inducted into the Sharon Speedway Hall Of Fame in 2010 and the Twin State Auto Racing Club in 2012.

Saturday’s event is being put together by his son Joe and his wife Rochell. Joe, a winning racer himself, wanted to honor his father, who taught him the right things about life and racing as he guided him from go-karts to E-Mods.

The event will be one of the region’s most significant events for the UMP E-Mod divisions. First place will pay $3,558 to win $385.00 to start. No entry fee and $100.00 tow money. The contingencies don’t stop there. Fast qualifier $158.00. Fast Dash: 1st $358.00, 2nd $258, 3rd $158 4th $58.

This race should have the strongest field of E-Mods in the region.

Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m. Also on the card will be the RUSH Sprints, RUSH Sportsman Modifieds and Econo Mods.

I give you two reasons to attend the Bill Gabrielson Memorial. First, it’s an opportunity to honor a great racer of the past during the asphalt era.

Secondly, this will be a premiere event to see the best regional E-Mod racers put one of the best races of the year. 30 laps on the Hartford oval. The best racing is not on tv it’s at your local track.