RUSTY KELLOGG CONTINUES TO IMPROVE IN PRO STOCKS AT TRI-CITY
by Brian Spaid

June 18, 2004 

   It just goes to show you that classified advertisements really do payoff.

   One day in 2002, Titusville driver Rusty Kellogg was reading The Derrick. The longtime subscriber glanced through the classifieds and one ad stood out immediately:  “Race Car For Sale.”

   He quickly read it to his wife, Darla.

   “I was always a race fan, and I thought about getting a car for a long time,” said Kellogg. “Darla told me I could do whatever I wanted, but she said she’d only give me three years to justify it.”

   With that, Kellogg was on his way to weekly competition at Tri-City Speedway.

   He purchased the car from a former Franklin-area driver, and even kept the No. 47X on the side. He gathered up his courage and headed to the track. Then, reality set in.

   “It was a lot harder than I thought.”

   All race fans do it. They sit in the grandstands and question moves and driving styles without ever sitting in a car. They all believe they can drive better than everyone else on the track.

   “It’s a lot tougher than I ever dreamed,” added Kellogg. “It takes a lot of hours and late nights to prep the car for one. Without crewmen like my son, Nathan, and good friend, Mike Swope, I wouldn’t be at the track.”

   On the track, Kellogg realized his learning curve was long.

   “I never believed that the setup of the car made such a difference. We learned a lot as a team, and other guys have been real helpful over the years. We still have a ways to go, but I think a feature win is not out of the question.”

   In three seasons, Kellogg has developed into one of the top Pro Stock racers at the Venango County half-mile oval. Currently, he sits seventh in the point standings in one of the toughest divisions.

   “I love the Pro Stocks. In my opinion, there is not a tougher class out there. The drivers make it that way. They are all class individuals and tough competitors, but we seem to all be able to talk about it after the races.”

   Kellogg also earned the respect of his fellow racers. Known as a clean racer, rarely is Kellogg accused of rough driving or found in the middle of accidents.

   “I don’t try to drive rough-style. Rubbing is racing, but I don’t feel that hitting guys to get past them is the way to race. I still remember the time I spun out because of my own bad judgment on a setup. I thought I could run the outside cushion and it didn’t work. I spun and collected about four other cars. I felt bad about it because I wrecked other people’s equipment. That’s racing, though, and you have to move on and put it behind you.”

   Last season, he traded in his first racer for a new chassis built by Late Model star Robbie Blair of Titusville. He added a Chevrolet Monte Carlo body and some nice graphics. With strong equipment, his learning curve shortened tremendously.

   “Purchasing the new chassis was the best thing we did. We learned more about proper setups and we gained more confidence.”

   Kellogg opened the 2004 season strong with a sixth place finish. Before last Sunday, however, he struggled a little.

   “For about three weeks, we played with the setup too much. We finally got it back to where it should be last Sunday, and we finished sixth again. We’re not touching that setup this week. It has to match my driving style, and I think we’ve finally done that.”

   Now in his third season, the ultimate question is whether Kellogg’s wife will agree to continue racing after 2004.

   “We seem to be doing better. I think she’ll let me keep going for at least another year,” smiled Kellogg.

   And just think, it all started with one classified ad in the Derrick.

   The sponsors on Kellogg’s Chevrolet No. 47X include William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating & HVAC of Franklin, Baker Auto Parts of Franklin, Dr. Scott Kennedy of Titusville, Aul Vinyl Graphics and Lettering of Pleasantville, Bluegill Graphics of Titusville, Dr. Glass of Seneca, Carbaugh Printing Services of Oil City, and Artistic Dimensions Hair Studio of Franklin.