May 21, 2006

   FRANKLIN, PA  ... Despite cloudy, cool and windy conditions on Sunday night, Tri-City Speedway managed to defeat Mother Nature after days of rain in Western Pennsylvania as Bob Felmlee (4 Your Car Connection Super Sprints), Jeremiah Shingledecker (Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds), Brent Rhebergen (RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods), Doug Iorio II (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Bill Kluck Jr. (Klapec Auto Body Thundercars) captured feature wins at the Venango County half-mile oval. The weather conditions produced a tacky surface that produced incredible speeds and track records galore.

   In the 20-lap Super Sprint main, Bob Felmlee of Franklin, Pa., drove around the outside of point leader Rod George on the fifth circuit and held off the three-time and defending track champion for his first win of the season in his World of Wheels Maxim No. 6. It was Felmlee’s 22^nd career win at Tri-City.

   “I like the track a little rough, but it was a little too rough tonight,” joked Felmlee, who excels on a tacky and fast track. “Chad (Reitz) made a great call tonight with a different shock and tire. He won this race for us. We have a Charlie Fisher engine under the hood, which always runs well on a track like this”

   John Schuyler and Andy Priest led the field to the start of the race, but George used his fourth starting spot to vault to the front down the backstretch on the opening lap. Behind him, Felmlee used the outside cushion to race his way to the front. Following a restart on the fifth circuit, Felmlee drove from third to first and sailed away from the pack. George ran second while surprise visitor Greg Wilson moved into third. Wilson, who is the All Star Circuit of Champions point leader, was quick in his heat race, and was the talk of the night. However, a broken wing slowed his progress and caused him to pit under caution on the 14^th circuit. Wilson was never a factor after that. For Felmlee, however, the final restart was a challenge as George snuck under him entering the third turn. Felmlee held him off and raced to a 3.036-second win over George. Rookie Danny Holtgraver turned in a stellar performance with a career best third ahead of Todd Bauer and Andy McKisson. Felmlee and Wilson won the Super Sprint heat races. On the fifth lap of the second heat race, Wilson set a new track record at 14.824 seconds, which translates into a 121.425 mph average on the soft clay surface. The lap shattered the old record set in 1998 by Jeff Shepard at 15.107 seconds.

   Jeremiah Shingledecker of Polk, Pa., took the lead with three circuits left in the 21-lap DIRT Modified main, then raced home for his first win of the 2006 season. It was Shingledecker’s fourth career win at Tri-City aboard his Carmate Trailers/Quaker Steak & Lube Bicknell No. 37MD. The win was tempered by a violent flip at the finish line by his brother, Travis. The younger Shingledecker was uninjured, but his older brother stood in victory lane watching the safety crews place his teammate’s car on a tiltbed.

   “I hope it isn’t hurt too bad because it’s my backup car,” said Shingledecker. “Dean Pearson had a great run going and I have to congratulate him. He just got loose in the corner and I got under him. To finish first, you have to finish, and we had some troubles the first two weeks out this season. I’d also like to dedicate this win to my grandfather, Albert.”

   Pearson and Shingledecker started on the front row of the feature event, but Pearson was a man on a mission. He blasted into the lead while Shingledecker and Joe Crawford dueled for second. Those two changed lanes as they swapped second back and forth for several circuits. On the 10^th circuit, Pearson almost lost the lead went he drifted high in turn two, but Crawford, who was running second at the time, could not make a pass stick. As the laps wound down, Pearson’s car started to become loose. On the 18^th circuit, Shingledecker dove under Pearson in turn two to take command. Crawford followed one lap later. Then, on the final circuit, Crawford tried to find a hole under Shingledecker in turn one. To avoid a collision, Crawford spun and collected Pearson and Andy Priest ending fantastic runs for all three men. The accident extended the race distance by one lap. Shingledecker held off the charge of Dave Murdick over those last two circuits to claim the win by 0.770 seconds at the line. Point leader Kevin Bolland finished third ahead of Dave Schrader and Skip Moore. At the tail end of the pack, Travis Shingledecker was pinched into the front wall after contact with Rex King Jr., which caused the younger Shingledecker to flip hard at the finish line. Pearson and Jeremiah Shingledecker won the DIRT Modified heats. On the final circuit of his heat race, Pearson set a new DIRT Modified track record at 18.525 seconds for an average speed of 97.166 mph. Shingledecker topped that in the feature race, however. While running second on the fifth circuit, Shingledecker lapped the track in 18.499 seconds or 97.303 mph to set the new standard. Of note, mechanical woes sidelined Rex King before the start of the feature, which allowed Bolland to open more ground in the point chase.

   For the 42^nd time in his career, Brent Rhebergen of Clymer, N.Y., won the E Mod feature at Tri-City. Returning to the track as a weekly competitor, Rhebergen took advantage of the misfortune of defending track champion Matt Lux to score his first win of the season aboard Shawn Shingledecker’s Lucky Hills Golf Course/Madara Equipment Pierce No. 45S. It was Rhebergen’s first win at the track since August 15, 2004.

   “I’d like to thank the Shingledeckers for giving me this opportunity,” said Rhebergen. “We’ve still got a few bugs to work out of this car. I didn’t have anything to catch Lux. I don’t know what happened to him. You hate to win one by lucking into it, but we’ll take this one tonight.”

   David Atkinson and Evan Taylor led the field to the green flag in the 15-lap main event. Although Atkinson led the first circuit, three multi-car tangles on the frontstretch and in turn one marred the opening laps causing three cautions. Taylor led the second circuit, but Rhebergen took command on the third circuit. Behind him, Lux charged under Taylor on the sixth circuit to take second. He then started to close on Rhebergen. The two former track champions diced for the lead before Lux drove under Rhebergen in the second corner on the ninth circuit. Lux pulled away from Rhebergen and was clearly in command when his car suddenly slowed. On the 13^th circuit, Rhebergen drove back under Lux off the second corner to reassume the lead. As Lux fell off the pace, Rhebergen cruised to the win by 3.171 seconds. Taylor and Andy Sweetland earned their career best finishes at Tri-City with second and third. Russ Dunn and Shawn Shingledecker recovered from their involvement in the early tangles to round out the top five. Lux finished eighth after nearly winning the race. Lux and Shingledecker captured the E Mod heat races.

   After winning his first career feature at Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday night, Doug Iorio II of Kennerdell, Pa., led every circuit of the 15-lap Pro Stock feature at Tri-City to earn his second win of the weekend. It was Iorio’s first win of the season at Tri-City aboard his Gil Dahlstrom Iron & Metal Pontiac No. 28.

   “It’s great to be back in victory lane at Tri-City,” said Iorio. “We had a black cloud over us at Mercer, and we got rid of that last night. Now, we have our first two-win weekend. My mom and dad have done everything to put this deal together this season, and I need to thank them. I’d also like to thank the fans that came out tonight. It’s amazing that more people don’t come out on a night like this because, when it’s cool and cloudy, the track is extra fast.”

   Iorio and Bobby Whitling started on the front row by the luck of the draw, and Iorio was dominant from the start. Racing the top line around the track, Iorio pulled away from Whitling every lap. Behind the lead duo, Scott Myers was trying to fend off point leader Dave Ferringer. Then, Ferringer slowed on the 11^th circuit with a broken right rear wheel, which eliminated his chance at winning three features in a row. On the restart, Iorio was untouchable, however, Myers managed to squeeze under Whitling for second. At the finish, “The Kennerdell Kid” won by 1.053 seconds over Myers and Whitling. Rookie Bobby Sutley ran a stellar event to finish a career best fourth. Rod Laskey rounded out the top five. Iorio and Whitling won the Pro Stock heat races. Iorio broke the Pro Stock track record four times during his heat race setting the final mark on the seventh circuit at 21.612 seconds, which equates to 83.287 mph.

   Competing in only his third event, Thundercar rookie Bill Kluck Jr. of Oil City, Pa., drove like a veteran to capture his first career feature win. Kluck battled with Curt Bish Sr. for several circuits before he used a daring outside-to-inside move in turns one and two to grab the lead and win the 12-lap feature in his Grandview Auto Body/Precision Tool & Die Chevrolet No. 27.

   “This is my rookie season, and I can’t believe I won on my third night out,” said Kluck. “I’d like to thank Curt for racing me clean. I’m having a great time out here.”

   Jeff Manners took the lead at the start of the caution-free event. On the second circuit, however, Manners drifted wide in turn four, and Bish took command. Racing four-wide on the following circuit behind Bish, Kluck moved into second. Kluck gradually caught Bish, then they began a two-lap side-by-side duel for the lead. With Kluck racing the outside cushion, Bish occupied enough of the middle groove that it made Kluck work the topside next to the fence. On the eighth circuit, Kluck backed off entering turn one. Bish drifted wide to take Kluck’s lane, and the rookie pulled a veteran move diving under Bish to take the lead with the crowd on its feet. Bish remained on Kluck’s rear bumper the rest of the race, but Kluck would not be denied his first win. Bish settled for second followed by Bill Myers, Manners and Ed Deloe. Manners and Charlie McMillen won the Thundercar heats.

   Tri-City Speedway returns to action with a Memorial Day Weekend show next Sunday May 28^th as Rankin & Son Excavating presents the 3^rd Annual Dick Rankin Memorial. The highlight of the night will be the first race of the Schwab’s Ford Big Block Modified Challenge Series for the Schwab’s Ford DIRT Modifieds. It will also be the lone appearance of the season for the BRP Modified Tour 2006 in the Dick Rankin Memorial 30 paying $1,400-to-win. In addition, the 4 Your Car Connection Super Sprints, RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods, E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks and Klapec Auto Body Thundercars will be in action. 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. BOB FELMLEE, 2. Rod George, 3. Danny Holtgraver, 4. Todd Bauer, 5. Andy McKisson, 6. Greg Wilson, 7. Russ Sansosti, 8. Andy Priest, 9. John Schuyler, 10. Jeff Kasbee, 11. Gale Ruth. DNS: Brent Covell.

   DIRT MODIFIEDS (21 Laps): 1. JEREMIAH SHINGLEDECKER, 2. Dave Murdick, 3. Kevin Bolland, 4. Dave Schrader, 5. Skip Moore, 6. Chanda Reitz, 7. Chris Schiffer, 8. Rex King Jr., 9. Del Rougeux Jr., 10. Andy Priest, 11. Mike Turner, 12. Dean Pearson, 13. Travis Shingledecker, 14. Joe Crawford, 15. Lenny Leibold Jr., 16. Chris Hartman, 17. Jeremy Paup, 18. Dave Walters. DNS: Rex King, Russell King.

   E MODS (15 Laps): 1. BRENT RHEBERGEN, 2. Evan Taylor, 3. Andy Sweetland, 4. Russ Dunn, 5. Shawn Shingledecker, 6. Jim Frontz, 7. David Atkinson, 8. Matt Lux, 9. Russ Dempsey, 10. Mike Samuelson, 11. Jason Johns, 12. Arthur Edwards, 13. Dustin Fraley, 14. Carl McKinney, 15. Darrell Bossard, 16. Bruce Powell, 17. Mike Potosky.

   PRO STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. DOUG IORIO II, 2. Scott Myers, 3. Bobby Whitling, 4. Bobby Sutley, 5. Rod Laskey, 6. Chad Myers, 7. Rusty Kellogg, 8. Terry Wheeler, 9. Kevin Thompson, 10. Bob Sloss, 11. Joe Lockhart, 12. Jason Engles, 13. Denny Crawford, 14. Jeff Lockhart, 15. Jackson Humanic, 16. Matt Thomas, 17. Gary Proper, 18. Matt Keith, 19. Dave Ferringer.

   THUNDERCARS (12 Laps): 1. BILL KLUCK JR., 2. Curt Bish Sr., 3. Bill Myers, 4. Jeff Manners, 5. Ed Deloe, 6. Charlie McMillen, 7. Josh Seippel, 8. Gary Bedow, 9. Bill Winters, 10. John K. Miller II, 11. Kenny Alcorn, 12. Cody Manners, 13. John K. Miller, 14. Ken Klock, 15. Jon Huff. DNS: Joe Blake, Bill Hale, Jeremy Gates.

   UPCOMING EVENTS

   May 28 – Rankin & Sons Excavating Presents 3rd Annual Dick Rankin Memorial (Super Sprints, BRP Modified Tour 2006/Schwab’s Ford Big Block Modified Challenge Series, E Mods, William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series, Thundercars)

   June 4 – Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods (Fame RV Center E Series), Pro Stocks, Thundercars and Powder Puff Pro Stock Race

   June 11 – Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods, Pro Stocks, Thundercars and Spectator Races (Little League Night – All Little Leaguers in Uniform Receive Free Grandstand Admission)

   June 18 – Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds (Schwab’s Ford Big Block Modified Challenge Series 25 Laps, $1,200-to-win), E Mods (Victim’s Resource Center Ladies E Mod Charity Race), Pro Stocks, Thundercars and Lowry’s Auto Body Compact Car Demo Derby (Cranberry Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change Night)