JAROD LARSON, REX KING, CHAD RUHLMAN, SHAWN SHINGLEDECKER, JASON ENGLES, DON BLAKE JR. AND ROBBY SWITZER WIN ON A BIG NIGHT OF RACING AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY
by Brian Spaid
August 1, 2004
FRANKLIN, PA � After a rainy weekend, beautiful weather graced Tri-City Speedway on Sunday night for the track�s biggest show to date as Chad Ruhlman (Bossard Crawford Late Models), Jarod Larson (Northpointe Automotive Super Sprints), Rex King (Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds), Shawn Shingledecker (RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods), Jason Engles (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Don Blake Jr. and Robby Switzer (Victory Lane Graphics Thundercars) won the feature events on Goss Gas/Lincoln Welders Night at the Venango County half-mile oval.
In the division�s first appearance at Tri-City in 2004, Chad Ruhlman of Bemus Point, N.Y., won the 20-lap Late Model feature collecting $2,000. Leading every circuit, Ruhlman earned his first career win at Tri-City. It was his second big win in a row after a $5,000 triumph the previous Sunday at Gamblers Raceway Park in Clearfield, Pa.
�I�m proud of the entire team,� said Ruhlman in victory lane beside the Fredres Motorsports Rocket No. 87R. �We�ve had some real good runs lately. Tonight, we ran well, and I�d really like to see Tri-City run our cars more often.�
After an aborted start for a first turn spin, 1999 CSOnline Applefest 100 winner Matt Lux and Ruhlman led the 22-car field to the green flag, and Ruhlman immediately assumed command of the race. Alan Dellinger jumped into second and chased Ruhlman the entire distance, which was interrupted by three cautions in the first five circuits. Late in the race, Dellinger almost caught Ruhlman in lapped traffic, but the Empire State racer weaved his way through the backmarkers to stave off the challenges of the former DIRT Modified and E Mod feature winner. Dellinger finished second over Todd Andrews, Brent Rhebergen and Dick Barton. Barton battled with Rick Briggs for fifth over the final five laps. Briggs took the spot with three laps to go. He held it until the final circuit when Barton managed to regain the position. Briggs earned an extra $150 from Bossard Crawford as the race�s hard charger. Dellinger and Robbie Blair scored wins in the Late Model heats. Blair, the 1997 track champion, was running third in the feature when he dropped out on the ninth circuit.
In his most amazing triumph at Tri-City, Jarod Larson of Rock Creek, Ohio, spun out of the lead on the 14th circuit of the 20-lap Super Sprint feature, but later recovered to capture his fourth win of the season. The amazing �spin and win� was Larson�s seventh career victory at Tri-City, and solidified his hold on the race for the track title in his Clemson Excavating/Mark Thomas Ford Eagle No. 47.
�I was in lapped traffic, and I didn�t think the car in front of me would turn in, and he did,� said an exuberant Larson about the spinout. �I had to either spin or take him out. When I went around I saw no one was there and I stood on it, but I lost the lead. I got back it back on that late restart. By then, I was so pissed off about losing the lead that I didn�t care if I put it in the fence.�
Kiel Woodburn led for the first two corners of the race before Todd Bauer raced around him into first. One lap later, Larson zoomed by Bauer and stretched out to a huge lead. At the halfway point, Larson led Bauer and Jimmy Weller III. With his rear brakes glowing hot, Larson diced through lapped traffic when he suddenly spun in the second turn. Bauer and Weller went past him, and it appeared that Larson�s chance at victory was over. Then, Jason Jacoby lopped in turn two with five laps to go. On the restart, Weller tried to race under Bauer into turn one, while Larson simply blasted around both of them in the high groove. With that, Larson completed his comeback win leading the last four laps of the race. Weller finished second while Rod George moved by Bauer for third at the completion of the 19th circuit. Bauer and Rob Eyler rounded out the top five. George and Eyler won the Super Sprint heats.
Rex King of Bristolville, Ohio, captured his second consecutive 20-lap DIRT Modified feature win in his King Bros. Ready Mix/ALLTEL/Cintas Uniform Bicknell No. 65. Although King is in a heated battle with Andy Priest to win the track title, he was unable to gain on Priest in the chase for the championship because Priest won his heat and finished second in the feature behind King.
�I don�t worry about point races,� said King in victory lane. �If you do that, you lose focus and you don�t pay attention to the performance of the car. We�re real happy to be here after the bad heat race run we had. That �invert six� to lineup the feature really helped us.�
King and Joe Crawford led the field at the start, and King quickly established that he was the man to beat. Priest made a charge as well. Using the outside groove, Priest dashed by Crawford and Del Rougeux Jr. to second. Although it appeared as if Priest might catch King, the real mid-race challenger was Josh Skarzenski. Using the low groove, Skarzenski raced from fifth to second between the 10th and 13th laps. As he dueled with King for the lead, a caution on the 14th circuit ended his fine run. Priest reassumed the runner-up slot on the restart. In the end, he was still no match for King, who scored his second win of the season and the fifth of his career at Tri-City. Priest finished second over Skarzenski. Rougeux passed Crawford for fourth on the final lap relegating Crawford to fifth. Priest and Jim Weller captured the DIRT Modified heat races.
Shawn Shingledecker of Franklin, Pa., accomplished the near impossible in the 15-lap E Mod feature as he defeated two-time defending track champion and 39-time feature winner Brent Rhebergen. Holding off Rhebergen for nearly the entire race, Shingledecker won his first career feature at Tri-City aboard his Main Auto Parts Pierce No. 54s.
"It's taken us five years to get to victory lane at Tri-City, and I'm really happy," said Shingledecker, who also has two feature wins this season at Sharon Speedway. �I�d like to thank everybody for helping me get here.�
Rick Robinson took command of the race at the start. He led the first two laps, then suddenly dropped out of the race under caution. This elevated Shingledecker to the lead over point leader Jim Frontz. On the restart, Rhebergen, who was running fourth, used the low groove to bolt into second before another caution. As the fans waited for the inevitable pass for the lead, Shingledecker held his own against Rhebergen on the restart. For the last 12 laps of the race, Rhebergen threw every move in the book at the leader, but Shingledecker fended off all challenges to score the popular win. Rhebergen finished second. Matt Lux piloted a team car to Frontz and used the outside cushion on the final circuit to race around Frontz into third. Frontz and Alan Dellinger rounded out the top five. Lux collected an extra $75 from Bossard Crawford as the race�s hard charger. Rhebergen and Dellinger each earned top five finishes in the Late Models and E Mods. Rhebergen and Shawn Domhoff won the the E Mod heats.
In a stunning upset, former DIRT Modified driver Jason Engles of Rocky Grove, Pa., captured his first career feature win in the 15-lap Pro Stock feature. Competing in only his second night in the car, which was recently purchased from veteran Bob Sloss, Engles led every lap of the non-stop event in his Hepler Roofing & Siding/R.K. Virgile Scrap Metals Chevrolet No. 707.
�This feels great," said Engles. "I'd like to thank my dad, Tom Harry, Bob Sloss and my entire family. It's great to finally win my first race, especially at my hometrack."
Engles led from the pole position while Doug Iorio II initially chased him. Behind the duo, drivers diced for numerous positions. With five circuits completed, Dave Ferringer was running third over Rusty Kellogg and Bobby Whitling. Within the next three circuits, more moves found Whitling in fourth over Jason Johns. All the while, Engles consistently turned laps around the half-mile. The Iorio team�s bad luck continued when the young rookie dropped out on the ninth circuit. Ferringer then closed slowly on Engles, but it was to no avail. Engles cruised to a popular victory over Ferringer, Whitling, Johns and Bruce Smith, who ran a determined race. After a heat race crash, the point leader won the B Main win, then climbed to fifth without a caution. He earned $75 as the hard charger of the race courtesy of Bossard Crawford. The effort also allowed him to maintain the point lead over Whitling in a tight title chase. Whitling, Kellogg and Ferringer won the Pro Stock heats. Smith won the B Main.
In the rain-delayed 12-lap Thundercar feature, Don Blake Jr. of Titusville, Pa., collected his sixth win of the season in his Monaco Cycle Sales/Townville Auto & Equipment Chevrolet No. 43. Combined with a DNF for Robby Switzer of Kennerdell, Pa., Blake built a cushion in his efforts to secure the point title with his seventh career win.
�The track was a little slick at the start,� said Blake. �I almost crashed in the corner. We made it though.�
Kevin Cooper led the first circuit before Blake moved around him in the second turn. Typical of his performance throughout the season, once Blake was in front, he opened an advantage over the rest of the field. Only three cautions slowed the race, including one on the ninth circuit when Switzer clocked the water barrels along the end of the wall in turn two. The incident knocked Switzer out of the race. At the checkers, Blake was the winner over Cooper and Regina Deloe, who ran a career best third. Joe Blake and Curt Bish Sr. rounded out the top five.
Switzer recovered in the 13-lap nightcap feature for the Thundercars. In a heartbreaker for Bish Sr., who is still searching for his first career win at Tri-City, Switzer used an uncharacteristic inside move off the final turn to score his fourth win of the season in his B&M Floor & Sealy Bedding/Switzer Pisa Pizza Chevrolet No. 97. It was Switzer�s 10th career win at Tri-City.
�I knew with that DNF in the first race, I had to do well in this one,� said Switzer. �The inside groove worked well for me tonight. The team did a great job to get us here.�
Curt Bish Jr. led the first three circuits before his father moved out front with an inside move in turn two. The Bish team paced the field until Switzer swiped second with a three-wide move on the sixth circuit as he battled with Bish Jr. and Deloe. Bish Jr. later survived a violent barrel roll in turn four with one lap to go, which added an extra circuit to the race. On the restart, Bish Sr. drifted high in the corners. He managed to hold off Switzer each time until the final corner when Switzer dove under Bish Sr. and snared the win. Bish Sr. was a disappointed second over Blake, Deloe and Carl Feely.
Tri-City Speedway continues with its 50th Anniversary season next Sunday August 8th with a five-star racing program that includes 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 on Racers for Tots/Kids Night. Fans are encouraged to bring a new toy to the track as a donation to Racers for Tots, which provides toys to needy children for Christmas. Children ages 12 and under will be able to compete in the Snyder of Berlin bike races on the frontstretch during a planned intermission. Helmets are required. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission will still be $10.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. JAROD LARSON, 2. Jimmy Weller III, 3. Rod George, 4. Todd Bauer, 5. Rob Eyler, 6. Mike Kaminski, 7. John Schyler, 8. Jason Jacoby, 9. Kiel Woodburn, 10. Scott Groves, 11. Jeff Kasbee, 12. Paul Kish, 13. Sheila Rankin, 14. Bud Watt, 15. Butch Beasley.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. REX KING, 2. Andy Priest, 3. Josh Skarzenski, 4. Del Rougeux Jr., 5. Joe Crawford, 6. Chris Schiffer, 7. Kevin Bolland, 8. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 9. Chanda Reitz, 10. Jim Weller, 11. Chad Reitz, 12. Skip Moore, 13. Dave Schrader, 14. Russell King, 15. Tommy Kristyak, 16. Jeremy Paup, 17. Carl Murdick, 18. Conny Allen, 19. Gary Risch Sr.
LATE MODELS (20 Laps): 1. CHAD RUHLMAN, 2. Alan Dellinger, 3. Todd Andrews, 4. Brent Rhebergen, 5. Dick Barton, 6. Rick Briggs, 7. Matt Lux, 8. Darrell Bossard, 9. Mickey Wright, 10. Wally Fox, 11. Rick Isadore, 12. Keith Zimmerman, 13. Tony Lombardi, 14. Dave Hoffman, 15. Lou Gentile, 16. Dwayne Pond, 17. Chevy Scott, 18. Pete Alspaugh, 19. Todd Roncaglione, 20. Stephen Hollabaugh, 21. Nick Jones, 22. Robbie Blair. DNS: Chris Lechner.
E MODS (15 Laps): 1. SHAWN SHINGLEDECKER, 2. Brent Rhebergen, 3. Matt Lux, 4. Jim Frontz, 5. Alan Dellinger, 6. Mike Potosky, 7. Mike Samuelson, 8. Kari Gasser, 9. Jamie Shetler, 10. Bobby Watt, 11. Butch Lambert, 12. Bob Williams, 13. Darrell Bossard, 14. Steve Haefke, 15. Russ Dempsey, 16. Bootie Petsko, 17. Al Crocker, 18. Jeff Hassay, 19. Chip Mahood, 20. Brian Guzowski, 21. Rick Robinson, 22. Shawn Domhoff. DNS: Bruce Powell.
PRO STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. JASON ENGLES, 2. Dave Ferringer, 3. Bobby Whitling, 4. Jason Johns, 5. Bruce Smith, 6. Rusty Kellogg, 7. Scott Myers, 8. Doug Iorio, 9. Mike Clark, 10. Gerry Bruce, 11. Joe Lockhart, 12. Dave Willoughby, 13. Doug Calvert, 14. Gary Robinson, 15. Denny Crawford, 16. Matt Keith, 17. Matt Thomas, 18. Ronnie Davis, 19. Arthur Edwards, 20. Bob Bean, 21. Gary Sullivan, 22. Tom Scott, 23. Doug Iorio II. DNS: Russ Kapalin, Dave Shook. DNQ: John Sutley, Don Bauer, Russ Coyne, Sean Shook.
THUNDERCARS FEATURE NO. 1 (Rain Delayed from 7/25/04) (12 Laps): 1. DON BLAKE JR., 2. Kevin Cooper, 3. Regina Deloe, 4. Joe Blake, 5. Curt Bish Sr., 6. Curt Bish Jr., 7. Dave Phillips, 8. Chad Myers, 9. Carl Feely, 10. Jeff Manners, 11. Josh Seippel, 12. Robby Switzer, 13. Gary Ross, 14. John K. Miller II, 15. Wearne Cook, 16. John K. Miller, 17. Jesse Deloe. DNS: Carl Ealy.
THUNDERCARS FEATURE NO. 2 (12 Laps): 1. ROBBY SWITZER, 2. Curt Bish Sr., 3. Don Blake Jr., 4. Regina Deloe, 5. Carl Feely, 6. Jeff Manners, 7. Chad Myers, 8. Wearne Cook, 9. Kevin Cooper, 10. Jesse Deloe, 11. Josh Seippel, 12. Matt Zinz, 13. John K. Miller, 14. Dave Gottschalk, 15. Curt Bish Jr., 16. Joe Blake, 17. Gary Ross. DNS: Kenny Alcorn, John K. Miller II, Dave Phillips.