KEVIN BOLLAND SHOCKS DIRT MODS AT CHARLOTTE
by Brian Spaid

 April 5, 2003

            Kevin Bolland captured the biggest win of his career Saturday night when he won the second race of the Super DIRT Modified Series Eckerd 100 at The Dirt Track at Loew’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.

            Combined with his fourth place finish in the first race, Bolland collected $7,000 for his efforts. The New Brighton, Pa., driver was the 1985 and 2000 DIRT Modified champion at Tri-City Speedway.

            Bolland led the first 16 circuits of the first 50-lap race of the Eckerd 100. Steve Paine of Waterloo, N.Y., then took command of the event and roared to his first win of the 2003 season. Paine, who won the 2001 Super DIRT Modified Series race at Tri-City, topped Billy Decker, Doug Hoffman, Bolland and Tim Fuller for the $5,000 win. Bolland earned $2,000 for that finish.

            Starting on the pole position in the second race, Bolland led every lap to score the win in his Bicknell DIRT Modified No. 777. The race was extended to 53 laps due to a late caution, but Bolland was unfazed earning $5,000 for his first career Super DIRT Modified Series victory. Decker, Hoffman, Fuller and Brett Hearn rounded out the top five.

            The win awarded Bolland a guaranteed starting spot for the Eckerd 200 to be held in October at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, N.Y.

            Among other local racers, four-time Tri-City DIRT Modified champion Brian Swartzlander of Leechburg, Pa., finished 12^th in the first race, but placed 26^th in the second race after a fourth lap accident eliminated him from competition. The 2002 BRP Modified Tour champion Ron Smoker of Hamburg, N.Y., finished sixth and eight respectively. The Hubbard, Ohio, father-son team of Jim and Jimmy Weller failed to qualify for the race as did Harrisville, Pa., racer Dean Pearson.