ROB EYLER, REX KING, JIM FRONTZ, BOBBY WHITLING AND BILL MYERS TRIUMPH AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY
by Brian Spaid

June 10, 2007

   FRANKLIN, PA  ... Warm and sunny conditions greeted fans and racers at Tri-City Speedway on Sunday evening as Rob Eyler (4 Your Car Connection Super Sprints), Rex King (Schwab’s Ford DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds), Jim Frontz (RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods), Bobby Whitling (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Bill Myers (Klapec Auto Body Thundercars) at the Venango County half-mile oval on WDDH 97.5 “The Hound” Night. Whitling won the first William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series race of the 2007 season.

   Rob Eyler of Franklin, Pa., parlayed his outside front row starting spot into a green-to-checkered run winning the 20-lap Super Sprint feature for his first win of the season. The victory was not easy, however, as Rod George hounded Eyler most of the race nearly pulling off a couple of passes for the lead. In the end, Eyler triumphed in his White Heating/World of Wheels Maxim No. 5A for his fourth career win at Tri-City.

   “We couldn’t catch Rod a couple of weeks back, and I didn’t want him to get by me tonight,” said Eyler. “I saw him there a couple of times, but I just kept my foot to the floor. We had the car loaded down and the high side of the track worked well tonight. It was an excellent job by my entire crew.”

   Danny Holtgraver and Eyler started on the front row of the feature, and Eyler jumped into an immediate lead. George and Bob Felmlee fell right into second and third. Felmlee remained a steady third for the duration, but George hugged his patented low side of the track as he reeled in Eyler. Lapped traffic slowed his efforts at times, and Eyler was able to hold off each of George’s advances. With his right front tire lifting off the track on the straights, Eyler’s momentum carried him hard and high into the corners, and he cruised to the win over the final laps. George finished second. Felmlee held off Brian Ellenberger for third. Jody Keegan rounded out the top five. Felmlee and George won the Super Sprint heats.

   Rex King of Bristolville, Ohio, scored his first win of the season at Tri-City in the 20-lap DIRTcar Big Block Modified feature. Taking the lead on the third circuit from Del Rougeux Jr., King raced home to his second win of the weekend after a victory Saturday night at Sharon Speedway aboard his King Bros./Cortland Bank Bicknell No. 65.

   “The engine was getting a little hot, but we’re really starting to roll,” said King after his 11^th career win at Tri-City. “I and my boys surround ourselves with good people and good sponsors, and that’s what makes this team run well. At the start, Del was running up high, and then he went to the bottom. That high side looked real nice, and I had to go up there to run.”

   King and Rougeux started on the front row of the main event. The two drivers battled at Sharon for that win, and continued their duel at Tri-City. Rougeux led the first two laps before King rocketed by the two-time track champion on the third circuit. Two laps later, point leader Jeremiah Shingledecker used the same outside lane to drive past Rougeux into second. Shingledecker reeled in King, then slammed the outside retaining wall and water barrels in the second corner. The damage was severe and knocked Shingledecker out of the race. Once Shingledecker was forced pitside, King cruised home to the win. Rougeux dropped out with mechanical problems on the 17^th circuit, which moved Russell King into a second place finish behind his father. Kevin Bolland, Jim Rasey and Chris Schiffer rounded out the top five. King and Rougeux won the DIRTcar Big Block Modified heat races.

   For the second time his season, Jim Frontz of Cambridge Springs, Pa., captured the win in the 15-lap E Mod feature event. Driving his Finck Tire/French Creek Valley Tool Pierce No. 3J, Frontz took the lead from Al Cressley on the third circuit. He then held off Cressley the rest of the race for his fifth career win at Tri-City.

   “This car ran well on the bottom tonight,” said Frontz. “That car Al drove is really fast, so I was concerned about him. I’ve just got to thank all the sponsors and people that helped me get here.”

   Butch Lambert and Chip Mahood started on the front row of the main event, but Cressley drove under both of them to take the lead. Driving as a substitute pilot for point leader Carl McKinney, Cressley ran the best race of his career at Tri-City. Frontz managed to squeeze his way under Cressley in turns three and four to nudge ahead on the third circuit. Although the record book shows that Frontz led the rest of the race, Cressley was on his rear bumper the entire time to the extent that they even ran similar lap times. In the end, Frontz topped Cressley. Shawn Shingledecker finished third. After a great side-by-side duel over the least couple of laps, Butch Lambert nosed out Bobby Whilting for fourth at the line. Whitling and Jason Johns captured the E Mod heats.

   Bobby Whitling of Seneca, Pa., returned to his roots as he captured the 20-lap Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series race. Taking the lead from Rod Laskey on the 10^th circuit, Whitling roared to his first Pro Stock win of the season in his E&K Equipment/Double Play Sports Bar Chevrolet No. 7W. It was Whitling’s 43^rd career Pro Stock feature win at Tri-City.

   “I love running these cars here,” said the three-time and defending Pro Stock track champion. “We’ve focused most of our attention on the E Mod this season, but we’ll run these Detroit Iron races and the Applefest 100. Tonight, the tires just fired and this car took off.”

   Dave Ferringer outdueled Jackson Humanic to take the early lead of the race. Laskey hounded Ferringer on two restarts before he was able to take the low side under Ferringer for the lead on the third circuit. Two laps later, Ferringer reassumed command of the race as he raced around the outside of Laskey off turn four. Ferringer’s car suffered from a major push, and that allowed Laskey and Whitling to work their way under him on the eighth lap. Laskey was out front again, but not for long. Whitling raced outside Laskey off turn four to take the lead. Three cautions on the 11^th lap slowed the race to a crawl, and led to a total of six cautions. After the final incident, the race was non-stop and Whitling opened a huge advantage on the field. Doug Iorio II moved into second on the 13^th circuit, but he could not close the gap to Whitling. In the end, Iorio finished second over Jason Reagle, Laskey and Humanic. Iorio, Gerry Bruce and Whitling won the Pro Stock heats.

   Bill Myers of Seneca, Pa., captured his second win in a row in the 12-lap Thundercar feature. Dueling with point leader Charlie McMillen the entire race, Myers exchanged the lead with him twice before he secured the first spot and his third career win in his Color Tek/R.K. Virgile Scrap Metals/Corner Pocket Bar Chevrolet No. 43M.

   “I’d like to put to rest these rumors about me and Charlie,” said Myers. “I didn’t intentionally take him out during our last race. We talked earlier tonight, and put that behind us. We had a great race tonight.”

   McMillen led from his pole position before Myers challenged. Working under McMillen off turn two, Myers took the lead on the fourth circuit. McMillen made every move in the book to race under Myers. Finally, a pass stuck, and McMillen led the ninth circuit. One lap later, however, Myers worked back around McMillen and took the lead for good. At the finish, McMillen was second followed by Josh Seippel, Ed Deloe and Patrick Fielding, who earned his best career feature finish. Deloe and Jon Huff won the Thundercar heats. Curt Bish Sr. survived a wild rollover in turn three during the hot laps at the start of the evening.

   At the conclusion of the night, Tim Brown of Grand Valley, Pa., (Cars) and Andy Cavanaugh of Rouseville, Pa., (Trucks) won the One-on-One Spectator Races.

   Tri-City Speedway celebrates Father’s Day next Sunday June 17^th with the 6^th Annual PPC Violence Free Network Ladies Charity Race, which features the E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks this season.  The 4 Your Car Connection Super Sprints, Schwab's Ford DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods, and Klapec Auto Body Thundercars will round out the show, which will not include regular weekly Pro Stock competition.  The E Mods will run the first 20-lap Allegheny Toyota E Series of 2007. That event was rained out on June 3^rd.  The Cranberry Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change Night will end with the first Lowry Auto Wrecking Compact Car Demo Derby of the season. 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. ROB EYLER, 2. Rod George, 3. Bob Felmlee, 4. Brian Ellenberger, 5. Jody Keegan, 6. John Schuyler, 7. Andy McKisson, 8. Brent Covell, 9. Danny Holtgraver, 10 J. R. Stewart, 11. Gale Ruth Jr., 12. Mary Anne Williams, 13. Brett Matus, 14. Bud Watt, 15. Bill Jones Jr., 16. Russ Sansosti, 17. Mark Whitebread.

   DIRTcar BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. REX KING, 2. Russell King, 3. Kevin Bolland, 4. Jim Rasey, 5. Chris Schiffer, 6. Dave Schrader, 7. Skip Moore, 8. Steve Pedley, 9. Carl Murdick, 10. Del Rougeux Jr., 11. Dave Murdick, 12. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 13. Rex King Jr., 14. Mike Turner.

   E MODS (15 Laps): 1. JIM FRONTZ, 2. Al Cressley, 3. Shawn Shingledecker, 4. Butch Lambert, 5. Bobby Whitling, 6. Mike Samuelson, 7. Tim Engles, 8. Jeff Walters, 9. Evan Taylor, 10. Chip Mahood, 11. Gary Sullivan, 12. Jonathan Taylor, 13. Jeff Deeter, 14. Jason Johns, 15. Arthur Edwards, 16. Robert Double, 17. Shawn Domhoff, 18. Jared Domhoff.

   PRO STOCKS (20 Laps): 1. BOBBY WHITLING, 2. Doug Iorio II, 3. Jason Reagle, 4. Rod Laskey, 5. Jackson Humanic, 6. Gerry Bruce, 7. Andy Buckley, 8. Denny Crawford, 9. Matt Thomas, 10. Dave Ferringer, 11. Bobby Sutley, 12. Danny Exley, 13. Don Kramer, 14. Jeff Manners, 15. Terry Wheeler, 16. Randy Wyant, 17. Joe Lockhart, 18. A.J. Macquarrie, 19. Bill Kluck Jr., 20. Chris Haines, 21. Jeff Lockhart, 22. Dick Pascorell, 23. Matt Keith, 24. Craig Kamicker, 25. Russ Coyne.

   THUNDERCARS (12 Laps): 1. BILL MYERS, 2. Charlie McMillen, 3. Josh Seippel, 4. Ed Deloe, 5. Patrick Fielding, 6. Curtis E. Bish, 7. Regina Deloe, 8. Cody Manners, 9. John K. Miller II, 10. Greg Myers, 11. Jon Huff, 12. Joe Blake, 13. Ink Raup, 14. Bill Winters, 15. John K. Miller, 16. Kenny Alcorn, 17. Bill Baker, 18. Fred Schultz, 19. Jason Swartz. DNS: Curt Bish Sr.

   UPCOMING EVENTS

   June 17 – Super Sprints, DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, E Mods, Thundercars, PPC Violence Free Network/Family Services Ladies Pro Stock Charity Race, and Lowry Auto Wrecking Compact Car Demo Derby (Cranberry Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change Night)

   June 24 – Super Sprints, DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, E Mods, Pro Stocks (William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series) and Thundercars (Kids Night Bike Races)(Fisher & Father Night)(Red Express Customer Appreciation Night)

   July 1 – Super Sprints, DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, E Mods (Allegheny Toyota E Series), Pro Stocks and Thundercars (Edward Jones Investments Fireworks Extravaganza by Cartwright Fireworks)

   July 3 – “The Freedom Fifty” Featuring All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints and Limited Sprints