LYNCH MAKES OVERNIGHT RUN FROM KNOXVILLE FOR TRI-CITY SPRINT WIN; SWARTZLANDER, RHEBERGEN AND CUMMINGS SCORE WINS TOO

by Brian Spaid

July 29, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

            FRANKLIN, PA  … After a week off for the SFX Wrenchead.com Motor Madness Monster Jam, Tri-City Speedway was back in action on a cool and cloudy Sunday night as Ed Lynch Jr. (Allegheny Land & Lumber Super Sprints), Brian Swartzlander (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds), Brent Rhebergen (RE/MAX E Mods) and Matt Cummings (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Cars) captured feature wins on Klasen Oil/Pennzoil and Shrine Night.

            After suffering motor troubles late in the 1200-Pound Nationals at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway, Ed Lynch Jr. and his team raced over 700 miles in 12 hours to make it back to Tri-City to test his car. In a race reminiscent of Bob Felmlee’s similar fete in 1998, the Apollo, Pa., driver cruised to his third win of the season and the tenth victory of his career at Tri-City.

            “I’m a little tired,” smiled Lynch next to his Howard Concrete J&J 2L in victory lane. “We wanted to check the motor because it started to run flat at Knoxville. It started to do it late in the race tonight too. We’ll have to check it out before this weekend’s race at Eldora Speedway (in Ohio).”

            Lynch started the 20-lap feature in the 11^th spot, and he moved into the top six by the second turn of the opening lap before the red flag waved after point leader Scott Bonnell spun in turn two and collected Rod George, who rolled over. George was uninjured, but his bid for three consecutive wins ended. Bonnell continued in the race and finished eighth.

            When the race restarted, David Scott blasted into the lead from the second row. Lynch moved into third behind Scott and Jarod Larson by the third lap. One lap later, Lynch slipped under Larson in the second turn. On the eighth lap, Lynch executed a masterful slide job past Scott in turn two.

Once out front, Lynch raced to a nearly half track advantage as he lapped all but the top five finishers. Scott placed second for his best run of the season. Larson, Mark Cassella and Jason Jacoby rounded out the top five. Lynch and George won the Super Sprint heats.

In a classic duel, Brian Swartzlander of Leechburg, Pa., held off Lou Blaney for his first victory at Tri-City since last June. Blaney started on the pole position and immediately took command of the 21-lap main. Swartzlander quickly moved into second and bided his time for the win. With five laps to go, Swartzlander challenged Blaney after a restart. The two veterans raced side-by-side for nearly two laps before Swartzlander secured the lead on the 16^th lap in his McCutcheon Enterprises Teo Pro Car No. 83.

            Not to be outdone, however, Blaney gave it one last shot on the final restart following Joe Crawford’s hit to the third turn wall. Blaney actually passed Swartzlander at the line with one lap to go. Swartzlander’s high groove worked to perfection off turn two though, and he reassumed command to grab his 15^th career win at Tri-City in a thrilling finish.

            “Lou is a great racer,” said Swartzlander. “He gives you room. He got away from me at the start, but I ran my line and waited. I decided to go for it with five to go, and I didn’t need that last yellow. We’ve been experimenting with this car for next week’s Super DIRT Modified Series race, and we’re real happy with it.”

Blaney finished second over defending track champion Kevin Bolland, Scott Gurdak and Jim Weller. Jeff Hoffman lost the point lead to Swartzlander. After a heat race accident caused damage to his new car, Hoffman started at the rear of the feature field with obvious motor problems in his backup car. He finished 14^th and now trails Swartzlander by 14 points after leading by 34 markers at the start of the night. The DIRT Modified heats went to Blaney and Kevin Hoffman.

In the 15-lap E Mod feature, Brent Rhebergen of Clymer, N.Y., overcame a broken rear end gear and carburetor problems early in the night to capture his eighth consecutive and ninth overall win of 2001. After the race, RE/MAX 1^st Oil Country increased the bonus money to $200 for any driver that beats Rhebergen while he is still running in the last three feature races of the season.

            “What can I say, this crew is unbelievable,” exclaimed Rhebergen. “We really need to keep focused next Sunday when the York Series is here and I think we’ll be able to win again.”

            Mike Potosky led the first two laps of the race while Rhebergen started eighth. On the third lap, Rhebergen’s Sharp Tool & Die/Bob Pierce Race Cars No. 69 worked under Potosky to claim the lead. By the halfway point, Todd Roncaglione and Mike Hess were running second and third, and desperately trying to catch Rhebergen.

            On a restart with four laps to go, Roncaglione hit the outside wall, which caused his rear tire to flatten. The point leader drifted off the pace, and Potosky vaulted past him and Hess to reclaim the runnerup slot. As Rhebergen dashed to another win, Potosky finished a career best second over Hess, Dale Applebee and Rick Robinson. In the E Mod heats, Hess, Rhebergen and Shawn Domhoff were the victors.

Matt Cummings of Cochranton, Pa., won a thrilling 16-lap E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Car feature for his first win since June 6, 1999. The race looked like rush hour traffic for the first half. With cars battling five-wide at one point, Cummings dueled with early pacesetter Brian Counselman. On the fourth lap, Cummings raced outside of Counselman in turn three to beat him to the line. Cummings then held off point leader Ron Iorio for his first win in two years in his Pennsylvania Limb & Brace Co. Chevrolet No. 7C.

            “It feels good,” said Cummings. “I was worried about Iorio when I went too high in turn two late in the race. He got under me, but my car really gripped the track down the backstretch. I just held my line and wanted to bring it home.”

            Iorio padded his point lead with a runnerup finish. Doug Iorio Sr. finished third over Jamie Shetler and Bobby Whitling. Gary Norman, Iorio Sr. and Whitling captured the Stock Car heats.

This coming Sunday August 5^th, Tri-City Speedway hosts the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Modified Series for the A. Crivelli Chevrolet/GMC 100. The Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds will be the highlight of the show as the 100-lap main event pays $6,000 to the winner. Tri-City’s DIRT Modified stars will try to hold off the best from the Northeast in the exciting century event, including past race winners Danny Johnson (1997), Brett Hearn (1998) and Doug Hoffman (1999). In addition, the York Triathlon E Mod Series makes its second visit of the 2001 season for the RE/MAX E Mods at the half-mile Venango County oval. Gates open at 4 p.m. and show starts at 6 p.m. with DIRT Modified time trials. Adult grandstand admission is $19.

            SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ED LYNCH JR., 2. David Scott, 3. Jarod Larson, 4. Mark Cassella, 5. Jason Jacoby, 6. Chad Hill, 7. Brent Covell, 8. Scott Bonnell, 9. Ed Etzel, 10. John Toth III, 11. Brian Hartzell, 12. Buddy Cochran, 13. Sheila Rankin, 14. Raymond Beasley, 15. Rod George. DNS: Gary Rankin.

            DIRT MODIFIEDS (21 Laps): 1. BRIAN SWARTZLANDER, 2. Lou Blaney, 3. Kevin Bolland, 4. Scott Gurdak, 5. Jim Weller, 6. Kevin Hoffman, 7. Jim Rasey, 8. Josh Skarzenski, 9. Skip Moore, 10. Chris Schiffer, 11. Del Rougeux Jr., 12. Les Myers, 13. George Hobaugh, 14. Jeff Hoffman, 15. Dave Schrader, 16. J.R. McGinley, 17. Harold Michaels, 18. Nick Ritchey, 19. Joe Crawford, 20. Dave Murdick, 21. Brian Fink, 22. Carl Murdick.

E MODS (15 Laps): 1. BRENT RHEBERGEN, 2. Mike Potosky, 3. Mike Hess, 4. Dale Applebee, 5. Rick Robinson, 6. Ron Roncaglione, 7. Mike Samuelson, 8. Kari Petrosky, 9. Shane Applebee, 10. Scott Stiffler, 11. Bob Craig, 12. Ron Loney, 13. Shawn Domhoff, 14. Richard Stiffler, 15. Shawn Shingledecker, 16. Bill Taylor, 17. Dean Ruth, 18. John Kellogg, 19. Jim Abbott, 20. Dale Fuller, 21. Todd Roncaglione, 22. Dave Hess Jr., 23. Jim Long, 24. Ron Jaeger, 25. Kevin Decker, 26. Bruce Powell.

STOCK CARS (16 Laps): 1. MATT CUMMINGS, 2. Ron Iorio, 3. Doug Iorio Sr., 4. Jamie Shetler, 5. Bobby Whitling, 6. Danny Exley, 7. Scotty Carbaugh, 8. Jim Green, 9. Jay Feely, 10. Rod Urey/Bob Sloss, 11. Scott Peterson, 12. Doug Calvert, 13. J.R. Ziegler, 14. Mike Miller, 15. Arthur Edwards, 16. John Shetler, 17. Jason Jones, 18. Brian Carothers, 19. Dick Pascorell, 20. Brian Counselman, 21. Gary Norman, 22. Lonny Blair, 23. Mike Dolecki, 24. Bob Garris, 25. Dave Ferringer. DNS: Bob Sloss, John Sutley, Glenn Pupino.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aug. 5  -  Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Modified Series A Crivelli Chevrolet/GMC 100

   (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds, $6,000-to-win) and York Triathlon

   E Mods Series

Aug. 12 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars with Venango County 4-H Fair One-

   on-One Spectator Races (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. Night)

Aug. 19 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (York Triathlon Sprint Series) (Sears

   Kids Night - Bicycle Races 12 and under, Helmets Required)