DEL ROUGEUX JR. LOOKS TO REGAIN TRI-CITY DIRT MODIFIED TITLE
Special Report from John Snyder

March 10, 2005

   FRENCHVILLE, PA ... After slipping to third place in the DIRT Modified division point chase at Tri-City Speedway in 2004, Delmont (Del) Rougeux Jr., the 2003 track champion, is out to reclaim the point title.

   “Last year was a good one for us,” says the 29-year-old Frenchville, Pa., driver, “Although we lacked a little bit in consistency. What’s important is that we learned more about our race car, and what it takes to not only win races, but also championships. Let me tell you, we want to win back the Tri-City championship.”

   Rougeux, who operates his own commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning business, won four Tri-City feature races in 2004, the same as he had in 2003.

   “Every time I can, I give credit for our racing success to the late Charlie DeAngelis,” says Rougeux. “Charlie’s advice was invaluable in helping us get our entire racing program headed in the right direction.”

   DeAngelis was a championship crew chief and team manager for the Freightliner Express team from Newburgh, NY. In one three-year stretch during the early 1990s, DeAngelis orchestrated 100 feature victories.

    In addition to weekly DIRT MotorSports-sanctioned competition at Tri-City Speedway, Rougeux is also expected to race at DIRT’s newly acquired Lernervile Speedway as well as the independently-operated Sharon Speedway.

   “It’s a pretty full schedule for us, but if things go smoothly, we also want to enter a limited number of DIRT’s Advance Auto Parts Modified Series races,” explains Rougeux. “Like Charlie always told me, the more seat time you have, the better you’ll race. So we’re going to give it our best shot.”

   Rougeux began his racing career in 1997, driving in the 358 Modified division at Hidden Valley Speedway in Clearfield, Pa. He won his first Big Block Modified feature at Tri-City Speedway in 2002, while finishing fourth in season long track points.  At Sharon Speedway, his record since 2002 shows a fifth, third, and sixth in Big Block Modified division points.

   Accredited media members wishing to interview Del Rougeux may contact him at 317 Ferds Lane, Frenchville, Pa. 16836 or 814-263-4620.