BRENT RHEBERGEN WINS 2006 TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY HARD CHARGER AWARD
by Brian Spaid

August 27, 2006

   FRANKLIN, PA …. Brent Rhebergen of Clymer, N.Y., not only earned the 2006 E Mod championship, he also captured the 2006 Maloney Tool & Mold Hard Charger Award at Tri-City Speedway.

   Passing points for the Maloney Tool & Mold Hard Charger Award were accumulated in each feature for 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. A driver earns one point for each position advanced in the final finishing order from that driver’s official starting spot.  For example, a driver that started twelfth and won the feature earned 11 Hard Charger points.  The points for all divisions were grouped as one set, which meant drivers competed against their fellow competitors in all five classes.

   Rhebergen became the first E Mod driver in track history to win the Maloney Tool & Mold Hard Charger Award. He topped 2001 award winner and DIRT Modified hotshoe Del Rougeux Jr. by one point (61-60). Another E Mod driver Mike Samuelson (53 points) finished third followed by Thundercar track champion Jeff Manners (50) and DIRT Modified driver Andy Priest (45).

   Maloney Tool & Mold of Meadville, Pa., posted $1,500 for the top five finishers in the Hard Charger points. Rhebergen will earn $500 for his efforts with Rougeux ($400), Samuelson ($300), Manners ($200) and Priest ($100) also to receive cash awards at the 2006 Tri-City Speedway Banquet on January 6th.

   Past winners of the Maloney Tool & Mold Hard Charger Award include Pro Stock drivers Dave Ferringer (1998 and 2005), Bobby Whitling (1999) and Doug Iorio (2003), DIRT Modified drivers Lou Blaney (2000) and Rougeux (2001), and Super Sprint ace Ed Lynch Jr. (2002). 

   Tri-City Speedway is owned and operated by Roger and Susie Crick and Mike and Margaret Graham. They have promoted Sunday night racing at the popular facility since they reopened it in 1996. The Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods, Pro Stocks and Thundercars race each week at the Venango County half-mile dirt oval. Tri-City is located seven miles north of Franklin, Pa., off State Route 417.