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TRI-CITY
OPENS 2007 SEASON AS ROD GEORGE, JEREMIAH SHINGLEDECKER, SHAWN
SHINGLEDECKER, ROD LASKEY AND CHARLIE McMILLEN WIN April 29, 2007 FRANKLIN, PA ... The 2007 season kicked off in fine style Sunday night at Tri-City Speedway with warm and sunny weather as Rod George (4 Your Car Connection Super Sprints), Jeremiah Shingledecker (Schwab's Ford DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds), Shawn Shingledecker (RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods), Rod Laskey (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Charlie McMillen (Klapec Auto Body Thundercars) scored feature wins at the Venango County half-mile oval. Taking the lead on the 13th circuit of the 20-lap Super Sprint feature, Rod George of Kittanning, Pa., cruised to his 41st career win at Tri-City. It was his second win of the weekend as George won the night before at Mercer Raceway Park in his Notary Express/Dr. John Crawford III Family Practice Maxim No. 4. “The track was excellent tonight,” said George. “I didn’t know if we were racing at all this season until about two weeks ago. This team came together and we’re thrilled with two wins.” Cory Good led the first six circuits of the race after starting on the outside pole position. Good succumbed to the challenges of Todd Bauer on the seventh lap when Bauer raced around the outside of Good off turn two. Track champion Bob Felmlee and George quickly followed Bauer past Good. After a quick caution, George zipped under Felmlee after a restart on the 11th circuit. He took the lead from Bauer one lap later, but the pass was negated by a slow rollover by Scott Rodgers. When action resumed, George made the winning pass under Bauer off the second turn on the 13th circuit. Once out front, George raced to the win over Bauer, Felmlee, Brent Covell and Good. Felmlee and George won the Super Sprint heat races. Jeremiah Shingledecker of Polk, Pa., held off defending track champion Kevin Bolland to win the 20-lap DIRTcar Big Block Modified feature win. Driving his Carmate Trailers/Quaker Steak & Lube/Lou Heath & Son Excavating and Trucking Bicknell No. 37MD, Shingledecker took the lead on the seventh circuit from Andy Priest. For Shingledecker, it was his sixth career win at Tri-City. “This is a great way to start the season,” said Shingledecker, who also won earlier this year for the first time at Lernerville Speedway. “My grandpa is up here from Georgia watching me race for the first time, so this is a perfect time to win. Usually, the outside cushion works best for me here. Tonight, I used the bottom to get by Andy, and it worked.” Priest led the first six circuits holding off Shingledecker’s every move. On the seventh circuit, Shingledecker made the low groove work to perfection off turn four to snare the lead. Priest charged back on the following lap to no avail. On the 14th circuit, after many tries, Bolland finally drove under Priest to take second. He gradually caught Shingledecker, but could not pass him. In the end, Shingledecker won by 0.971 seconds over Bolland, Priest, Russell King and Chris Schiffer. Rex King and Brian Swartzlander captured the DIRT Modified heats. Shawn Shingledecker of Franklin, Pa., started the 2007season off well with a victory in the 15-lap E Mod feature. Taking command of the race on the third start, Shingledecker cruised to his fourth career feature win aboard his Red Express/Venango Steel/Madera Equipment Pierce No. 54S. “I’d like to thank all of my family and the entire crew,” said Shingledecker, who finished second in points in 2006 to teammate Brent Rhebegen. “The setup we had in the heats didn’t work. We went back to our normal setup, and it worked.” It took three attempts to start the race. Polesitter Bruce Powell led the first two times. On the third attempt, Shingledecker rocketed by Powell off turn two. Once out front, Shingledecker was never headed. Behind him, however, Powell battled fiercely with Mike Potosky, who had to fend off Justin Carlson and Alan Dellinger. Carlson was eliminated from contention after a spin that collected front runner Dave Willoughby with two laps to go. On the restart, Potosky drifted too high off turn two, which opened the door for several cars to pass him. At the checkered flag, Shingledecker topped Powell, who scored a well-deserved second place finish after struggling the last few years. Russ Dunn finished third over Dennis Lunger Jr. and Dellinger. Potosky wound up seventh behind 2000 track champion Bobby Powell. Willoughby, Dellinger and Carlson won the E Mod heats. On May 25, 2003, Rod Laskey of Seneca, Pa., won his first career Pro Stock feature. Many were surprised that it took almost him four years to win his second. After a five-lap, side-by-side duel with Leigh Wheeler, Laskey parlayed a strong outside charge off turn two on the last lap to score his second career feature win at Tri-City. “I’ve got to thank my family and crew for putting up with me all winter,” said Laskey beside his Specialty Tool Products/Anderson Physical Therapy Chevrolet No. 1R in victory lane. “I was nervous racing with Leigh. The Wheelers are good racers, and I was trying to find the right line. I got that bite on the last lap, and I’m really happy to get this win in the first race.” Danny Exley took the lead on the opening lap from the pole position, but Laskey was right there to challenge him. On the second lap, Laskey charged under Exley in turns three and four to take the lead. Two laps later, Wheeler moved into second. Wheeler almost eliminated himself from contention when he jumped a restart on the fourth circuit, and suddenly slowed. The ensuing melee collected six cars, but Wheeler emerged unscathed. With five laps to go, Wheeler worked his way under Laskey, but could not complete the pass. Wheeler held his ground in the low groove and managed to lead Laskey at the line for the next four laps. On the 15th and final lap, Wheeler went into turn one a little harder trying to move Laskey up the track. The two never touched, and Laskey charged off the topside of turn two. The momentum powered him past Wheeler and allowed Laskey to hold him off at the finish by 0.166 seconds. Wheeler scored a career best second over Doug Iorio II, Dave Ferringer and rookie Bobby Sutley. Gerry Bruce and Iorio won the Pro Stock heat races. Charlie McMillen of Oil City, Pa., captured his first career feature win in the 12-lap Thundercar feature. Starting on the pole position, he piloted the McMillen Racing Chevrolet No. 61M to victory lane holding off the talented Regina Deloe for the maiden victory. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said McMillen. “I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to race tonight, let alone win a heat and a feature.” McMillen took the lead at the start, but Josh Seippel was right on his back bumper after the first circuit. When Seippel slowed and caused a caution on the second lap, Joe Blake moved into the runner-up position. Blake could not hold off Deloe, however. Once she passed Blake, Deloe charged after McMillen, who held her off the remainder of the distance. On the final circuit, McMillen drifted wide at both ends of the track and Deloe came close to taking the lead. At the finish, however, McMillen triumphed over Deloe. Curt Bish Sr. overcame a mid-race penalty for jumping a restart to finish third followed by Blake and Andy Miller. Curtis E. Bish and McMillen captured the Thundercar heats. It was Bish’s first career heat race win. At the start of the night, six legendary drivers were honored for their successful racing endeavors in the 1950s and 1960s. They included Gus Linder, Dick Bailey, Henry Jacoby, Dick Cotterman, Cal Hull and Bill Wheeling. Former Tri-City Public Relations Directors, George Stroupe and Bob Graham, organized the event, which featured autograph sessions at the track and the McDonald’s Restaurant in Franklin. State Representative Scott Hutchinson distributed special awards to the drivers. State Senator Mary Jo White also presented awards to Tri-City Co-Promoters Mike Graham and Roger Crick. Tri-City Speedway will be back in action next Sunday May 6th with a five-star racing program of action that includes the 4 Your Car Connection Super Sprints, Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds, RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods, E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks and Klapec Auto Body Thundercars. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission will be a family friendly $11.
SUPER
SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ROD GEORGE, 2. Todd Bauer, 3. Bob Felmlee, 4.
Brent Covell, 5. Cory Good, 6. John Schuyler, 7. Gary Rankin, 8. Russ
Sansosti, 9. Scott Rodgers. E MODS (15 Laps): 1. SHAWN SHINGLEDECKER, 2. Bruce Powell, 3. Russ Dunn, 4. Dennis Lunger Jr., 5. Alan Dellinger, 6. Bobby Powell, 7. Mike Potosky, 8. Jim Frontz, 9. Ron Roncaglione, 10. Jeff Walters, 11. Bobby Whitling, 12. Carl McKinney, 13. Dana Wellington, 14. Jim Turley, 15. Gary Sullivan, 16. Quincy Turner, 17. Chip Mahood, 18. Tim Engles, 19. Jeff Deeter, 20. Jim Glass, 21. Ronnie Boardman, 22. Ed Wilson, 23. Dave Willoughby, 24. Justin Carlson, 25. Butch Lambert, 26. Arthur Edwards. DNS: Jason Johns, David Atkinson, Bill Thomas. PRO STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. ROD LASKEY, 2. Leigh Wheeler, 3. Doug Iorio II, 4. Dave Ferringer, 5. Bobby Sutley, 6. Joe Lockhart, 7. Russ Coyne, 8. Matt Thomas, 9. Jackson Humanic, 10. John Winters, 11. Jeff Manners, 12. Don Kramer, 13. Danny Exley, 14. Matt Keith, 15. Gerry Bruce, 16. Dick Pascorell, 17. Jeff Lockhart, 18. Denny Crawford, 19. Bill Kluck Jr., 20. Chris Haines. DNS: Rusty Kellogg, Randy Wyant. THUNDERCARS (12 Laps): 1. CHARLIE McMILLEN, 2. Regina Deloe, 3. Curt Bish Sr., 4. Joe Blake, 5. Andy Miller, 6. John K. Miller II, 7. John K. Miller, 8. Bill Winters, 9. Fred Schultz, 10. Bill Myers, 11. Greg Myers, 12. Jon Huff, 13. Bill Baker, 14. Cody Manners, 15. Ed Deloe, 16. Chadd Uber, 17. Patrick Fielding, 18. Kenny Alcorn, 19. Josh Seippel, 20. Curtis E. Bish, 21. Curt Bish Jr., 22. Jason Swartz. DNS: Bill Hale.
UPCOMING
EVENTS May 13 – Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods, Pro Stocks, Thundercars and Powder Puff Pro Stock and Thundercar Races May 20 – Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods, Pro Stocks (William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series) and Thundercars May 27 – Rankin & Sons Excavating Presents 4th Annual Dick Rankin Memorial (Super Sprints, BRP Modified Tour 2007/Schwab’s Ford Big Block Modified Challenge Series, E Mods, Pro Stocks, Thundercars) |