JASON REAGLE WINS 9TH ANNUAL CSONLINE APPLEFEST 100 AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY; CRAIG KOTELES INVADES AND WINS THUNDERCAR APPLE CORE 20
by Brian Spaid

September 11, 2005

   FRANKLIN, PA  …  Tri-City Speedway concluded its 2005 season with beautiful weather on Sunday evening as Jason Reagle captured the 9th Annual CSOnline Applefest 100 for the E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks. It was first win in the event. He collected a race record $2,880 in prize money in the finale of the William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series.

   In other action, Craig Koteles won the 3rd Annual Apple Core 20 for the 4 Your Car Connection Thundercars at the half-mile Venango County oval. At the time gates opened, the track celebrated its first-ever wedding as Gina Thomas and Curt Bish Jr., a Thundercar driver, were married. The track also honored the victims of September 11th with a pre-race ceremony before the CSOnline Applefest 100. The racers held American flags and completed a four-abreast pace lap.

   After purchasing a car driven by former track champion Ron Iorio early in the season, Jason Reagle of Oil City, Pa., came alive. He captured two feature wins this season in his R.K. Virgile Scrap Metals/Lowry Auto Wrecking Pontiac No. Triple 8. Heading into the CSOnline Applefest 100, Reagle’s team had its back to the wall. Following an engine failure in the Oil Region Labor Day Classic, his crew worked overtime in the days before this event. In the end, all the hard work paid off.

   Leading the last 52 laps of the 100-lap race, Reagle fought hard with Bobby Whitling, a three-time winner of the race. In the last 10 circuits, Whitling tried twice to get under Reagle in lapped traffic, but Reagle shut the door on him. On the final lap, Whitling took the outside lane and nearly pulled off a stunning victory. At the line, Reagle won by .064 seconds in the closest finish in race history.

   “The motor broke last week,’ said Reagle after his third win of the season. “We got the block back on Friday and the boys worked all weekend to get her together. I got slowed a little in lapped traffic, and I knew Bobby was there. In a race like this, you have to block those moves. This is a big win.”

   For the first time in his career, Whitling was winless in an entire season at Tri-City. Despite ending that nine-year win streak, he continued his stellar performances in this event with a runner-up finish that also earned him some extra cash for leading 39 laps. It was Whitling’s eighth top ten finish in nine events.

   “Jason did a good job holding his line,” said Whitling. “On the last lap, he took the low line from me. I went high and it almost worked. I wish I had gone up there a lap or two earlier. I could have won this race if I did.”

   Whitling and Doug Iorio II started on the front row of the event, and Iorio II took the lead at the start of the race. Iorio II paced the first nine circuits before Whitling was able to race under him to take the lead. By the 15th circuit, Whitling led over Iorio II, track champion Gerry Bruce, Jason Engles and Andy Buckley.

   As the race neared the quarter mark, Iorio II battled with Whitling again. Iorio II was able to drive around Whitling on the 26th circuit to take command again. Iorio II’s lead was short-lived. Whitling charged back under him on the 28th circuit. Two laps later, Bruce’s fine run ended when the rear end appeared to blow. That moved defending race winner Dave Ferringer into third over Reagle and Buckley. It was the first time Reagle entered the top five as he raced around Buckley following Bruce’s departure.

   Reagle then marched forward. On the 40th circuit, he flew under Ferringer into third off turn four. Three laps later, he used the outside line to pass Iorio II for the second position. On the 49th lap, Reagle used the same outside line to work around Whitling off turn two. He battled Whitling all the way around to finally secure a lead he would never relinquish. It included a $100 bonus courtesy of William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning for leading the 50th lap.

   While Reagle and Whitling raced out front, Ferringer battled with Iorio II for third. On the 52nd lap, Ferringer took that spot away. Ten laps later, Iorio II’s race came unglued as mechanical problems forced him into the infield just past the start-finish line. In the end, Iorio II led 11 laps. One lap later, Engles also dropped from contention. This left Wheeler and Buckley in fourth and fifth.

   Out front, Whitling slowly closed on Reagle in lapped traffic. With 30 laps to go, Whitling was all over Reagle’s back bumper for the lead. Suddenly, on the 75th lap, rookie Jeff Lockhart blew an engine directly in front of the leaders entering the first corner. Reagle ran into the back of Lockhart sending the rookie high while Whitling hit the liquid on the track and nearly crashed into the first turn wall. Another brief caution on the 81st lap set the stage for the final run to the checkered flag.

   Over the last 15 circuits, while Reagle and Whitling dueled out front, the rest of the top five was a heated battle. Ferringer, operating on seven cylinders the last two-thirds of the race, barely held off Buckley and Wheeler, who dueled for fourth. In lapped traffic on the 91st lap, Whitling tried to dive under Reagle, but Stan Woomer’s lapped car prevented the move in turn three as Reagle slammed the door hard to retain command. One lap later, Buckley faltered in turn three and pulled off the track, which caused a huge traffic jam in the corner. After the cars weaved their way through the near carnage, Scott Myers and Jason Johns were running fourth and fifth.

   It was obvious that Whitling was faster than Reagle in the turns, but no one was certain whether Whitling could pull off the victory. With two laps to go, the crowd stood and cheered the two drivers on as they raced side-by-side in turn two, Reagle up high and Whitling down low. As the cars took the white flag, Reagle suddenly changed lanes and drove the bottom of turns one and two. That forced Whitling up high. Using the cushion in the final corners, Whitling was able to draw alongside Reagle. At the line, Reagle won by half-a-car length over Whitling. Ferringer finished third followed by Myers and Johns. Those three drivers scored top five finishes in this race for the second year in a row.

   After starting 14th and scoring the win, Reagle also received the $100 Hard Charger Award in Memory of Todd Donovan by Darrell Bossard Racing, which padded his winnings.

   Andy Thompson was named the Atkinson Fire Safety Rookie of the Race with his 10th place finish, which earned Thompson $100. He also received an extra $50 from Eagle Hoist & Winch for running 17th on the 17th circuit. Darryl Robison collected $100 from Eagle Hoist & Winch as the 17th place car at the finish.

   A total of five cautions slowed the race for a total of 15 laps. Those incidents all involved minor spins or stoppages.

   Russ Coyne set fast time during time trials with a lap of 22.508 seconds. Coyne collected an extra $50 from Tri-City Speedway for fast time. Jeff Broniszewski and Myers each collected $50 courtesy of Seigworth Road Supply for the Best Appearing Overall Car and Best Appearing Local Car respectively. In addition, Ferringer received a special $100 award from Seigworth Road Supply for the Best Appearing Car of the Season at Tri-City Speedway.

   Whitling, Bruce, Iorio II and Engles captured the Pro Stock heats for the 43-car field. Rusty Kellogg and Mike Pegher Jr. won the B Mains.

   Whitling won the Bazell Oil Dash, which paid a purse of $300. As a result, Whitling earned the pole position for CSOnline Applefest 100. It was Whitling’s fifth win in the dash event, which consists of the heat race winners and determines the starting lineup of the race.

   Tim Folmer of Robinson Township, Pa., won the 15-lap Edward Jones Investments/Dr Howard H. Kirtland Non Qualifiers B Feature. Taking the lead on the seventh lap, Folmer was able to open enough ground on the field that eventual runner-up Mike Clark was unable to catch him. Broniszewski finished third over Tom Scott and Matt Thomas. Folmer collected $500 for the win.

   In the Thundercar Apple Core 20, Craig Koteles of South Park, Pa., led every lap to earn his first career win at Tri-City. The Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway regular was no match for the competition in his Deck King of America “Gray Ghost” Chevrolet No. 1K.

   “I redeemed myself because, last night (at PPMS), I led 11 of 12 laps and lost the race,” said Koteles. “It was a good race, a fast track, and it was a great show. I’d like to thank all the fans that came out to support this event for all us little guys.”

   While Koteles raced at the head of the pack, the battle for second was wild. At first, defending race winner Jeff Manners held the spot until he spun in the backstretch on the third circuit. That moved Curt Bish Sr. into the position. He looped it in the second turn on the fifth circuit. With Manners and Bish out of contention, Ed Deloe assumed the position. He battled with Joe Blake for many laps as the two traded the spot on the track numerous times. In the end, another PPMS regular, Ian Tomei, charged under them both to take runner-up honors. Deloe, Blake and Curt Bish Jr. rounded out the top five.

   Koteles and Manners won the Thundercar heats. Tom Kistler struck the turn four guard rail during the first heat race and was knocked unconscious. Kistler, who regained consciousness, was removed from his car by the track safety crew and transported to UPMC Northwest. He was later released uninjured.

   At the end of the night, Josh Blake of Titusville, Pa., won the 22-car Lowry Auto Wrecking Compact Car Demolition Derby.

  With the racing season now concluded, attention shifts to the 10th Annual Tri-City Speedway Banquet, which will take place on Saturday January 7, 2005, at the Rocky Grove Fire Hall. Ticket information will be announced in the coming weeks. In addition, news will be released about Tri-City’s 2006 racing season.

   9th ANNUAL CSONLINE APPLEFEST 100 DETROIT IRON PRO STOCK SERIES RACE SUMMARY

   Heat 1: 1. Bobby Whitling, 2. Dave Ferringer, 3. Scott Myers, 4. Russ Coyne.

   Heat 2: 1. Gerry Bruce, 2. Jason Johns, 3. Butch Lambert, 4. Denny Crawford.

   Heat 3: 1. Doug Iorio II, 2. Andy Buckley, 3. Bob Sloss, 4. Jason Reagle

   Heat 4: 1. Jason Engles, 2. Terry Wheeler, 3. Rod Laskey, 4. Stan Woomer

   Dash: 1. Bobby Whitling, 2. Doug Iorio II, 3. Jason Engles, 4. Gerry Bruce

   B Main 1: 1. Rusty Kellogg, 2. Darryl Robison, 3. Dave Willoughby, 4. John Winters

   B Main 2: 1. Mike Pegher Jr., 2. Jeff Lockhart, 3. Andy Thompson, 4. Charlie DiLoreto

   Non-Qualifiers B Feature (15 Laps): 1. TIM FOLMER, 2. Mike Clark, 3. Jeff Broniszewski, 4. Tom Scott, 5. Matt Thomas, 6. Larry Root, 7. Adam Fulton, 8. Bret McCarthy, 9. Ronnie Davis, 10. Aaron Fraser, 11. Dick Pascorell, 12. Jamie Duncan. DNS: Craig Fraser, Pat Hanley, Joe Lockhart, Gary Proper, Bill Wheeling, Chris Seaman, Gary Sullivan.

   CSONLINE APPLEFEST 100 (100 Laps): 1. JASON REAGLE, 2. Bobby Whitling, 3. Dave Ferringer, 4. Scott Myers, 5. Jason Johns, 6. Terry Wheeler, 7. Russ Coyne, 8. Rod Laskey, 9. Rusty Kellogg, 10. Andy Thompson, 11. Charlie DiLoreto, 12. John Winters, 13. Andy Buckley, 14. Dave Willoughby, 15. Stan Woomer, 16. Jeff Lockhart, 17. Darryl Robison, 18. Doug Iorio II, 19. Jason Engles, 20. Mike Pegher Jr., 21. Bob Sloss, 22. Gerry Bruce, 23. Butch Lambert, 24. Denny Crawford.

   THUNDERCARS APPLE CORE 20 (20 Laps): 1. CRAIG KOTOLES, 2. Ian Tomei, 3. Ed Deloe, 4. Joe Blake, 5. Curt Bish Jr., 6. Josh Seippel, 7. Regina Deloe, 8. Charlie McMillen, 9. John K. Miller II, 10. Gary Bedow, 11. Duane Botelho, 12. Bill Winters, 13. Curt Bish Sr., 14. Jeff Manners, 15. Patrick Fielding, 16. John K. Miller. DNS: Dan Slagle, Matt Gibson, Tom Kistler.

   UPCOMING EVENTS

   Jan. 7, 2006 – Tri-City Speedway 2005 Season Banquet (Rocky Grove Fire Hall)