DEL ROUGEUX JR. COMPLETES HIS SEASON WITH TRI-CITY TITLE
by Brian Spaid

December 16, 2003

                When Del Rougeux Jr. first ventured to Tri-City Speedway in 1998, he was running at the back of the pack.

                Six seasons later, the Frenchville racer is the 2003 DIRT Modified track champion.

                Piloting his Bicknell-chassis No. 20D, the likeable Rougeux is now considered one of the top racers at the half-mile Venango County oval, and he continues to receive accolades this off-season. Many people were still shaking his hand at the BRP Modified Tour banquet.

                “Everyone has been congratulating me for weeks,” said Rougeux, 28, who collected some of his title winnings last month at the DIRT Motorsports banquet in Oneida, NY. He will receive the rest of his awards at Tri-City’s banquet on Jan. 10.

                After racing two years in Small Block Modifieds at Hidden Valley Speedway in Clearfield near his hometown, Rougeux became a regular at Tri-City in 1998. He placed 29^th in the point standings that first season.

                “I fell in love with Tri-City the first time I raced there,” said Rougeux. “I knew I could run fast at Tri-City, and I just focused on running better every week.”

                Never a showman, he gradually improved his racing skills. He climbed into the top ten in the final DIRT Modified points in 2000. Then, he shocked many pit observers when he captured the 2001 Hard Charger award. It appeared as if Rougeux came out of nowhere to earn that title, but it established him as a future star at the track.

                In 2002, Rougeux finished fourth in the DIRT Modified points and captured his first-ever feature win. He followed up that performance with a three-win championship season.

                “The title meant a lot to me, but I really wanted it for my crew. Those guys put a lot of time into the car and they are paid nothing. They earned it for me.”

                Rougeux’s loyal followers include his crew chief Mark Rowe of Hermitage, his father Del Rougeux Sr. of Frenchville, Mike Allen of Titusville, and Jess Crowley of Warren, Ohio.

                “I also owe this title to Charlie DeAngelis,” added Rougeux in reference to the late DIRT Modified crew chief. DeAngelis led famed drivers like Brett Hearn, Danny Johnson and Jimmy Horton to wins in the prestigious Eckerd Syracuse 200. DeAngelis also captured numerous track and series championships. He died on Aug. 10 from a heart attack.

                “He was a good friend,” said Rougeux. “He taught me everything about racing. We had a chance meeting a few years ago, and I will never forget him. He focused me on all aspects of racing – mental attitude, sponsor and public relations, and car setup. He made me realize that I had to focus on my program. He always said that.”

                Rougeux was in contention for the 2003 Tri-City championship from the beginning of the year. By midseason, he was embroiled in a title fight at Tri-City with Jim Rasey, Andy Priest and Joe Crawford of Polk. He struggled with some motor trouble in early August, and it seemed as if his title hopes were slipping away. Then, DeAngelis died.

                “After Charlie passed away, we knew we had to win the title. We worked hard to get the motor program back on track. We took the point lead that night, and never looked back.”

                With his recent success, Rougeux, who owns FDR Heating & Cooling, is starting to earn more respect in the racing industry. More product sponsors have approached him about racing their wares, and he works on research and development with Bilstein shocks and Hypercoil springs. Among his other sponsors are Vinyl Graphics of Shippenville, XRP Fittings, FK Rod Ends, Outerwears, and Brodix

                “It’s really ironic,” said Rougeux. “When you start out racing, and you need the help, no one is there to give it to you. Then, when you start to run well and win, you start to get more and more help. It’s part of the business of racing.”

                For 2004, Rougeux’s garage is stocked with two cars and a third chassis is on order. He intends to compete weekly at Tri-City and Sharon Speedways and he will chase the 2004 BRP Modified Tour. He will likely compete in some Super DIRT Modified Series races and may run some Small Block Modified events.

                “Our goals are race wins and championships. We want to win the Tri-City title three years in a row. I really believe we can do it. We’re running well, we’re fast, and we’re focused on our program. God has given me the people and equipment to do this. Now, I need to do my job and win.”

                MODIFIED TOUR BANQUET

                Ron Smoker of Hamburg, NY, collected the largest share of a $21,000 point fund distributed on Dec. 6 at the BRP Modified Tour banquet held at the Rocky Grove Fire Hall.

                Over 150 people attended the event, which honored the top DIRT Modified drivers and teams on the regional series. Competing in nine series events in 2003, Smoker captured four wins and his second consecutive title. He attributed the entire effort to his crew as he called them forward to join him at the podium.

                “Sometimes in life, you’re surrounded by good people,” said Smoker, who also won the Sharon Speedway title for the second year in a row. “I’m surrounded by great people. To show my appreciation to my crew, I’d like to award them all championship jackets. I’d also like to thank my sponsors and car owners, Bob Burk, Jerry Fay and Bill Massey.

                Kevin Bolland of New Brighton finished second to Smoker in the title chase in another repeat performance from 2002. Rougeux, Dave Murdick of Slippery Rock and Crawford rounded out the top five pointmen.

                Tour director Bob Rial announced that the 2004 schedule is still being formulated. Two events are slated at Tri-City on May 30 and Sept. 5. The series will run at other local tracks and make its first visit to Merrittville Speedway in Canada on July 1. The full schedule is expected to be released early next spring.