JAROD LARSON CLINCHES SUPER SPRINT TITLE AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY WHILE ROD GEORGE, KEVIN BOLLAND, CARL McKINNEY, BOBBY WHITLING AND CURT BISH JR. SCORE FEATURE WINS

by Brian Spaid

August 22, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FRANKLIN, PA ... As the end of the 50th Anniversary Season nears, Tri-City Speedway hosted another thrilling Sunday night of racing action under sunny and warm weather conditions, and Rod George (Northpointe Automotive Super Sprints), Kevin Bolland (Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds), Carl McKinney (RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods), Bobby Whitling (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Curt Bish Sr. (Victory Lane Graphics Thundercars) captured feature wins on Buyers Fair/Pennzoil Night at the Venango County half-mile oval.

Jarod Larson of Rock Creek, Ohio, clinched the 2004 Super Sprint track championship with his third place feature finish. It was Larson�s first career title at Tri-City. The Buckeye State star is a five-time champion at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio.

�We struggled after wrecking here in 2000 when I broke my back,� said Larson, who stopped in victory lane after the race and received loud applause from the fans. �I got behind the eight-ball after that, and just struggled here. Now, to win five races and the track title means a lot. We didn�t have the right setup tonight, but we�ll take this finish.�

Rod George of Kittanning, Pa., led every circuit of the 20-lap, caution-plagued Super Sprint feature. It was the third win of the season for the two-time defending track champion. It was also his 28th career feature win at Tri-City, which ties him with the legendary Lou Blaney for the most wins on the half-mile track, which was expanded from a quarter-mile oval in 1969.

�The cautions get you out of rhythm a little, but the track was great tonight,� said George beside his Mike Wilt Racing Gambler No. 4. �Congratulations to Jarod. He deserves the championship. He came in here this year and kicked our butts. I don�t know how he did it, but he�ll make a great champion.�

Although four cautions slowed the race over the first four laps, George immediately established himself as the man to beat. Todd Bauer led the field into turn one at the original start and George circled around the outside of Bauer to snag the lead off turn two. From Jimmy Weller III�s spin in turn two to a turn three accident that knocked Jason Jacoby, Jody Keegan and Rob Eyler out of the race, the drivers struggled to get the first four circuits in the books. Once they settled in, the final 16 circuits were run caution-free. George set a blistering pace while Andy McKisson finished second. McKisson held off the stout challenges of Larson a few times and the 2004 track champion settled for third. Bauer finished fourth while Weller recovered from his opening lap spin to finish fifth. Newcomer Bill Shaw and Larson won the Super Sprint heats.

Kevin Bolland of New Brighton, Pa., scored his second win of the 2004 season in the 20-lap DIRT Modified feature. Taking advantage of the outside lane on an eighth lap restart, Bolland assumed command of the race from early leader Dave Schrader and marched to his 17th career feature win at Tri-City aboard his Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe Bicknell No. 777. Bolland also won an extra $100 in the final Coors DIRT Modified Bonus Bucks event of the season.

�We�ve struggled some this season,� noted Bolland. �We got passed last night at Sharon by Ron Smoker on the last lap and we shouldn�t have lost. We found out we had a flat tire. A couple of weeks ago here, we suffered mechanical problems after winning our heat. It�s good to win tonight after last night. I just took each car one at a time.�

Schrader led the race from the pole position and fought off the stiff challenges of Josh Skarzenski for the first six circuits. Bolland moved forward quickly and used an outside pass off turn four to race into second before the second caution of the race. On the restart, Schrader elected to take the inside of the front row, which worked well for Bolland, whose car ran superb on the outside cushion. Once out front, Bolland was unchallenged despite a late caution that closed the field. Defending track champion Del Rougeux Jr. finished second while Schrader held onto third. He fended off Skarzenski and Andy Priest, who rounded out the top five. Priest maintains a 70-point lead over Rex King in their battle for the 2004 track title heading into the final point race. Priest and Jeremiah Shingledecker captured the DIRT Modified heat races.

Carl McKinney of Cranberry Township, Pa., won his first career E Mod feature at Tri-City as he captured the 20-lap E Series race. McKinney, who is the defending track champion at Sharon Speedway, held off division point leader Mike Potosky in a stellar battle for the win. With his runner-up finish, Potosky won the three-race Tri-City E Series title. McKinney, however, was all smiles after the $500 win in his Reimanns Marine Service Throwin� Dirt No. 6M.

�The first few times I raced here, my car was terrible,� said McKinney. �Then, one night, I raced from the rear of the pack to third in one of the old York Triathlon events. I thought that I�d better stick to that setup each time I raced here and it works. Racing with Mike lap after lap seemed like forever. He�s a great driver and that was a fun race.�

Jeff Haefke led at the start of the race before the driveshaft snapped on Brent Rhebergen�s car putting the perennial race winner into the pit area after only one lap. After the resumed, Potosky took the lead off turn four on the second circuit. Three laps later, McKinney moved into second. Over the last half of the race, they dueled side-by-side for several laps. McKinney actually took the lead on the 12th circuit, but Potosky nosed ahead of him several times around the track during each lap thereafter until a caution with three laps to go briefly stopped them. Over the final circuits, Potosky threw every move he could at McKinney and was forced to settle for second. Shawn Shingledecker finished third over Haefke, Matt Lux and Jim Frontz. Rhebergen and Potosky won the E Mod heats. With his heat race win and second place feature finish, Potosky heads into the final point race with a 12-point advantage over Shingledecker. Frontz is only two more points in arrears.

Bobby Whitling of Seneca, Pa., survived two transmission scares to lead every circuit of the 15-lap Pro Stock feature. On the fifth and 13th circuits, Whitling�s car popped out of gear and caused him to slow. He survived the incidents to score his fifth win of the season and the 37th of his career at Tri-City in his Ted Karns Specialty Construction Chevrolet No. 7W. Point leader Bruce Smith finished second and the two rivals head into the final point race with Smith only nine points ahead of Whitling.

�I knew all those guys were back there,� said Whitling in reference to the racers trying to chase him down. �The transmission just popped out of gear, so we�ll check it over before next week. I�m just glad to win. We want to win races. The points will come.�

Whitling and Smith started on the front row, and Whitling jumped into the lead at the start. Smith drifted wide in turn two on the second circuit, and Dave Ferringer and Jason Engles drove by him. Smith then spent the rest of the race trying to get back into a position to preserve his point lead. Although he managed to get back around Engles when the rookie Pro Stock racer suffered a flat tire, Smith had a harder time fighting off veteran Rusty Whitmore, who was a substitute driver for Rusty Kellogg. While running third, Whitmore spun out of contention on the 11th circuit. After the restart, Ferringer drifted wide in turn two, and Smith climbed back into second for the finish. Ferringer finished third. Doug Iorio II and Scott Myers finished fourth and fifth after they drove by Bob Sloss on the final circuit off turn four. Sloss was the substitute driver for Jason Johns. Whitling and Smith won the Pro Stock heat races.

After 10 feature wins at Mercer Raceway Park this season, Curt Bish Sr. of Titusville, Pa., was feeling unlucky at Tri-City Speedway. He finally overcame adversity to capture his first career win at the track in the 12-lap Thundercar feature aboard his Dennis Baker Construction/Deet�s Sugar Shack Chevrolet No. 00. Bish, whose son has two victories at Tri-City, has tried to score that elusive first win for the last two seasons.

�This win means everything to me,� said the emotional Bish. �To finally win here at my hometrack, this makes my entire season. It�s the biggest win of all.�

After an aborted start, Bish took the lead from the pole position and never relinquished it for the rest of the race, which ran caution-free. While he led, the other racers behind him shifted positions each lap. Rookie Chad Myers ran second the entire event to match his career-best finish. Defending track champion Jeff Manners finished third ahead of Kevin Cooper and Robby Switzer. Point leader Don Blake Jr. suffered a flat tire on the second circuit, which forced him to the pit area. He maintained his point lead over Switzer, however, as the duo heads into the final point race next week.

Tri-City Speedway continues with its 50th Anniversary season next Sunday August 29th with the final five-star racing program of the 2004 campaign on Fan Appreciation Night. Point races will conclude for the Northpointe Automotive Super Sprints, Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds, RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods, E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks, and Victory Lane Graphics Thundercars. It is also Twin State Auto Racing Fan Club and Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Night. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission will be $5 for this event. Students and children 15 years of age and under will receive free grandstand admission.

SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ROD GEORGE, 2. Andy McKisson, 3. Jarod Larson, 4. Todd Bauer, 5. Jimmy Weller III, 6. Scott Groves, 7. Dr. Bob Altmeyer, 8. Rod Maxwell, 9. Bill Shaw, 10. Kiel Woodburn, 11. John Schyler, 12. Butch Beasley, 13. Jeremy Keegan, 14. Bill Kiley, 15. Dan Kuriger, 16. Bill Jones, 17. Russ Sansosti, 18. Jody Keegan, 19. Jason Jacoby, 20. Rob Eyler.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. KEVIN BOLLAND, 2. Del Rougeux Jr., 3. Dave Schrader, 4. Josh Skarzenski, 5. Andy Priest, 6. Jim Weller, 7. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 8. Chanda Reitz, 9. Chris Schiffer, 10. Joe Crawford, 11. Chad Reitz, 12. Rex King, 13. George Hobaugh, 14. Jeremy Paup, 15. Conny Allen, 16. Russell King, 17. Les Myers, 18. Rodney Beltz, 19. Carl Murdick, 20. Mike Miller (DISQ).

E SERIES-E MODS (20 Laps): 1. CARL McKINNEY, 2. Mike Potosky, 3. Shawn Shingledecker, 4. Jeff Haefke, 5. Matt Lux, 6. Jim Frontz, 7. Mike Samuelson, 8. Ron Roncaglione, 9. Bruce Powell, 10. Aurie Weaver, 11. Al Crocker, 12. Shawn Domhoff, 13. Jamie Shetler, 14. Dan Ames, 15. Herm Myers, 16. Russ Dempsey, 17. Brent Rhebergen, 18. Chip Mahood.

PRO STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. BOBBY WHITLING, 2. Bruce Smith, 3. Dave Ferringer, 4. Doug Iorio II, 5. Scott Myers, 6. Bob Sloss, 7. Gerry Bruce, 8. Matt Keith, 9. Jason Engles, 10. Arthur Edwards, 11. Rod Laskey, 12. Rusty Whitmore, 13. Matt Thomas, 14. Doug Calvert, 15. John Sutley, 16. Tom Scott, 17. Bob Bean, 18. Sean Shook, 19. Bob Garris, 20. Doug Iorio. DNS: Joe Lockhart, Denny Crawford.

THUNDERCARS (12 Laps): 1. CURT BISH SR., 2. Chad Myers, 3. Jeff Manners, 4. Kevin Cooper, 5. Robby Switzer, 6. Wearne Cook, 7. Joe Blake, 8. Curt Bish Jr., 9. Regina Deloe, 10. Carl Feely, 11. John K. Miller II, 12. Dave Phillips, 13. Josh Seippel, 14. Gary Ross, 15. John K. Miller, 16. Don Blake Jr.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aug. 29 - Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods, Pro Stocks and Thundercars (Points End)(Fan Appreciation Night - Reduced Grandstand Admission)(Pittsburgh Circle Track Club/Twin State Auto Racing Fan Club Night)

Sept. 5 � Oil Region Labor Day Classic (BRP Modified Tour: Schwab�s Ford Kodiak Memorial; Bossard Crawford/Hover Racing/Bert Transmission MACS Late Models �The Return�; Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series CSOnline Applefest 100 Qualifier)

Sept. 12 � 8th Annual CSOnline Applefest 100 (Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series � $13,200 purse; $1,500-to-win); Thundercars Apple Core 20; Lowry Auto Wrecking Compact Car Demo Derby (Gates Open at 2 p.m.; Racing Starts at 4 p.m.)