RUSSELL KING WINS DICK RANKIN MEMORIAL AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY; BOB FELMLEE, SHAWN SHINGLEDECKER, DOUG IORIO II AND JOSH SEIPPEL ALSO TRIUMPH
by Brian Spaid

May 28, 2006

   FRANKLIN, PA  ... Hot weather conditions dominated the action on Sunday night at Tri-City Speedway as Rankin & Son Excavating presented the 3^rd Annual Dick Rankin Memorial. Russell King scored the win in the 30-lap BRP Modified Tour/Schwab’s Ford Big Block Modified Challenge Series event. Other winners included Bob Felmlee (4 Your Car Connection Super Sprints), Shawn Shingledecker (RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods), Doug Iorio II (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Josh Seippel (Klapec Auto Body Thundercars). Iorio captured the first William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series race of the season at the Venango County half-mile oval.

   Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, captured his first career BRP Modified Tour win as the 17-year-old phenom led every circuit of the Dick Rankin Memorial in his King Bros. Feed & Supply Bicknell No. 56. Taking command of the race at the start, King initially fended off the stiff challenges of Jeremiah Shingledecker before he held off the late-race charge of his father, Rex King. The win was King’s second career DIRT Modified victory at Tri-City. It was also the second race on the Schwab’s Ford Big Block Modified Challenge Series between Tri-City and Lernerville Speedway.

   “It feels great to win a big race like this against these guys,” said King. “Jeremiah was real tough. I went high that one time and he was there and Dad got under both of us. I thought the race was over, but that caution saved me. I’ve got to thank that guy. I never raced against Dick Rankin, but I watched my dad race him and he always seemed like a nice guy.”

   Mark Flick and Shingledecker started on the front row, but King used his third starting spot to dash under both drivers off turn two on the first circuit to take the lead. With King on the inside and Shingledecker on the outside, the two diced for the lead. At the start, Rex King tangled with another competitor and bounded through turn two. He maintained control of the car and ran sixth for most of the first third of the race. The elder King then charged forward. By the 14^th circuit, he raced under Shingledecker for second in turn two. Two laps later, Shingledecker returned the favor, but Rex King responded and raced back under Shingledecker on the 21^st circuit. As the cars drove into turns one and two, Russell King drifted high and Shingledecker collided with the leader. Rex King then drove under both of them to take command, but the pass was nullified due to a spin by Jim Rasey. As a result of the caution, Russell King resumed command of the race.

After the restart, Shingledecker again passed Rex King, but King secured the second position by the 23^rd circuit. Rex King then charged after his son, but the teenage sensation would not be denied the biggest victory of his career winning by 0.482 seconds. Rex King finished second followed by Kevin Bolland, who made a late-race charge of his own. Shingledecker and Joe Crawford rounded out the top five. Brian Swartzlander, Rex King, Del Rougeux Jr. and Bolland won the DIRT Modified heat races. Lernerville Speedway promoter Gary Risch Jr. won the B Main, which was needed to sort out the 36-car field.

   Bob Felmlee of Franklin, Pa., won his second consecutive Super Sprint feature after a stirring duel with Andy Priest. In the closing laps of the 21-lap event, Felmlee and Priest dueled side-by-side and wheel-to-wheel amidst lapped traffic before Felmlee secured the number one spot. From there, despite some on-track bumping and banging under caution, the two-time track champion scored his second win of the season and his 23^rd career feature win at Tri-City, which ties him for fourth on the overall win list with Ed Lynch Jr.

   “That was a great battle,” said a tense Felmlee in victory lane with his World of Wheels Maxim No. 6. “I got past Andy with that lapped car, and we never touched. The crew and our whole team did an awesome job tonight.”

   Gale Ruth and Russ Sansosti led the field to the initial start, and Sansosti led the first three circuits of the race. Then, Priest drove under Sansosti off turn four at the completion of the fourth circuit. Felmlee, who started seventh, took the second position on the 10^th circuit. Then, the chase was on. Felmlee initially drove under the lapped car of Bud Watt in turn two to take the lead on the 11^th circuit, but Felmlee and Watt tangled bumpers and Priest escaped that onslaught. Felmlee freed himself and lost second momentarily. He continued to pressure Priest trying the outside lane every time. Finally, on the 18^th circuit, Watt entered the picture again. Using the outside lane, Felmlee drove around Watt and Priest to take the lead. Priest did not want to be denied his first-ever Super Sprint win and charged back under Felmlee down the backstretch. By the completion of the 19^th circuit, Felmlee had a firm grip on the lead and stole Priest’s inside line. Ruth spun in front of the duo with less that a lap to go, which extended the race by an extra circuit. However, the outcome was never in doubt once Felmlee took command. Priest finished second behind Felmlee by 1.518 seconds. Brent Covell, Jason Jacoby and Andy McKisson rounded out the top five. Todd Bauer and McKisson won the Super Sprint heats.

   Shawn Shingledecker of Franklin, Pa., followed in the footsteps of his part-time teammate Brent Rhebergen in the 15-lap E Mod main. One week ago, Rhebergen scored the feature win. This week, Shingledecker led every circuit of the race in his Main Auto Parts/Pennewell Sandblasting & Painting Pierce No. 54S to score his second career feature win at Tri-City. It was his first win of the season. His last victory occurred in 2004.

   “Jeff Taylor made it real tough at the beginning of that race because he was there the whole time,” said Shingledecker. “I started to get a little loose at the end, but it was because of my nerves. I was counting down the laps to try and win this race.”

   Starting from the outside pole position, Shingledecker took the lead from Taylor. For several circuits, Taylor challenged Shingledecker using the outside groove of the half-mile. There were times it appeared Taylor had the lead, but Shingledecker led when it counted every lap across the start-finish line. Todd Roncaglione and Mike Potosky were also part of the action before Potosky dropped out with mechanical problems on the ninth circuit under caution. Roncaglione gave a late-race charge of his own. On the 12^th circuit, Roncaglione worked under Taylor and set his sights on Shingledecker. He closed on the local hotshoe, but ran out of laps to mount a substantial challenge as Shingledecker won by 0.196 seconds. Behind Shingledecker and Roncaglione came Taylor, Carl McKinney and Dale Applebee. Roncaglione, Jim Frontz and Hugo Litwiler captured the E Mod heats.

   Doug Iorio II of Kennerdell, Pa., scored his second consecutive win in the Pro Stock division as he captured the 20-lap Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series race in his Gil Dahlstrom Iron & Metal Pontiac No. 28. Taking the lead from Bobby Whitling on the fourth circuit, Iorio was never seriously challenged despite a race plagued with eight cautions.

   “I thought I’d go to the high side at the start of the race, and it worked,” said Iorio, who won his fifth career feature at Tri-City. “Our team is really starting to gel and it shows in our on-track performance.”

   Scott Myers and Whitling led the field to the initial start with Whitling wrestling the lead from Myers. While most of his competitors hugged the bottom groove, Iorio went to the high side of the half-mile oval. By the fourth circuit, he raced by Whitling for the lead. Whitling held onto second for most of the race distance while Myers dueled with Mike Pegher Jr. and Butch Lambert during the first half of the race. Two drivers emerged as headliners other than Iorio in the waning laps. First, Rod Laskey used the outside cushion to drive around the competition. Despite smoke billowing out of his car over the last two circuits, Laskey thrilled the crowd and finished second. The other driver was Gerry Bruce. Hot off his first-ever USAR Hooters Cup Series start at Jennerstown Speedway, Bruce spun on the fourth circuit and recovered to finish third. Whitling and Myers rounded out the top five. Bob Sloss, Iorio and Dave Ferringer won the Pro Stock heats.

   Josh Seippel of Franklin, Pa., raced side-by-side with 2003 track champion Jeff Manners over the final two circuits of the 12-lap Thundercar feature and held him off to earn his first win of the season. It was Seippel’s second career win at Tri-City in his Paint Medics/Shook’s Garage Chevrolet No. 84.

   “That was a good race against one of the toughest competitors out here,” said Seippel. “I just raced him hard all the way to the end.”

   Like King and Shingledecker, Seippel led the entire distance in the Thundercar main. For most of the race, polesitter Charlie McMillen held off Manners for second. On the ninth circuit, Manners drove under McMillen for the runner-up position in turn two. He quickly caught Seippel, but could not pass the sophomore sensation. Racing the inside groove, Manners appeared quickest off turn two as he dueled with Seippel. Each time, however, Seippel led when it counted, including the final circuit. Coming to the checkered flag, Manners tried valiantly to take the win, but it was to no avail. McMillen finished a career-best third over last week’s winner Bill Kluck Jr. and Regina Deloe. Manners and Bill Myers won the Thundercar heats.

   As the summer season draws near, Tri-City Speedway will be back in action next Sunday June 4^th as 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 will be in action. The E Mods will run the first Fame RV Center E Series race of the season. In addition, after a rainout on May 14^th, the annual Powder Puff Pro Stock event will be held. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission will be a family friendly $11.

SUPER SPRINTS (21 Laps): 1. BOB FELMLEE, 2. Andy Priest, 3. Brent Covell, 4. Jason Jacoby, 5. Andy McKisson, 6. Todd Bauer, 7. Rod George, 8. Rob Eyler, 9. Russ Sansosti, 10. Brent Matus, 11. Riki Likowski, 12. Butch Beasley, 13. Bud Watt, 14. Gale Ruth, 15. Jody Keegan. DNS: Jeff Kasbee.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (30 Laps): 1. RUSSELL KING, 2. Rex King, 3. Kevin Bolland, 4. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 5. Joe Crawford, 6. Dave Murdick, 7. Del Rougeux Jr., 8. Chris Schiffer, 9. Brian Swartzlander, 10. Chanda Reitz, 11. J.R. McGinley, 12. Dave Schrader, 13. Keith Swartzlander, 14. Rob McClimans, 15. Jeremy Paup, 16. Rodney Beltz, 17. Lenny Leibold Jr., 18. Mark Flick, 19. Jim Rasey, 20. Andy Priest, 21. Gary Risch Jr., 22. Tom Winkle, 23. Skip Moore, 24. Mike Turner, 25. Tommy Mattocks Jr., 26. Rick Hall. DNQ: Carl Murdick, Matt Baker, Chris Hartman, Jason Reagle, Dave Walters, Dean Pearson, Doug Fleeger, Ed Alcorn, Gary Rankin, Rex King Jr.

E MODS (15 Laps): 1. SHAWN SHINGLEDECKER, 2. Todd Roncaglione, 3. Jeff Taylor, 4. Carl McKinney, 5. Dale Applebee, 6. Mike Samuelson, 7. David Atkinson, 8. Jamie Shetler, 9. Ron Roncaglione, 10. Fred Bratchie, 11. Dave Willoughby, 12. Jim Frontz, 13. Kevin Miller, 14. Bruce Powell, 15. Darrell Bossard, 16. Tim Henrich, 17. Andy Buckley, 18. Andy Sweetland, 19. Butch Lambert, 20. Dustin Fraley, 21. Chip Mahood, 22. Dana Wellington, 23. Arthur Edwards, 24. Mike Potosky, 25. Russ Dempsey, 26. Jason Johns, 27. Evan Taylor, 28. Hugo Litwiler.

PRO STOCKS (20 Laps): 1. DOUG IORIO II, 2. Rod Laskey, 3. Gerry Bruce, 4. Bobby Whitling, 5. Scott Myers, 6. Mike Pegher Jr., 7. Butch Lambert, 8. Jason Fosnaught, 9. Mike Miller, 10. Jason Engles, 11. Terry Wheeler, 12. Terry Young, 13. Bobby Sutley, 14. Jeff Lockhart, 15. John Winters, 16. Rusty Kellogg, 17. Joe Lockhart, 18. Matt Keith, 19. Bob Sloss, 20. Dave Ferringer, 21. Gary Proper, 22. Matt Thomas, 23. Denny Crawford, 24. Carlos Aponte, 25. Greg Beach. DNS: Chad Myers, Dave Shook.

THUNDERCARS (12 Laps): 1. JOSH SEIPPEL, 2. Jeff Manners, 3. Charlie McMillen, 4. Bill Kluck Jr., 5. Regina Deloe, 6. Gary Bedow, 7. Andy Miller, 8. Joe Blake, 9. John K. Miller II, 10. Bill Winters, 11. Kenny Alcorn, 12. Bill Hale, 13. Cody Manners, 14. John K. Miller, 15. Curt Bish Jr., 16. Curt Bish Sr., 17. Dave Airgood Jr., 18. Bill Myers, 19. Ed Deloe. DNS: Ken Klock. 

   UPCOMING EVENTS

  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)

   June 25 – Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods, Pro Stocks, Thundercars and Pittsburgh Circle Track Senior Series Pro Stocks (WDDH 97.5 The Hound Night)