ROD GEORGE WINS NO. 6 OF SUPER SPRINT SEASON AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY

KEVIN BOLLAND WINS AGAIN IN DIRT MODS

BRENT RHEBERGEN TOPS E MODS

BOBBY WHITLING NOTCHES DETROIT IRON SERIES STOCK CAR MAIN

by Brian Spaid

FRANKLIN, PA ... Another hot night matched the on-track action at Tri-City Speedway on Sunday as Rod George (NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints), Kevin Bolland (Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds), Brent Rhebergen (RE/MAX E Mods) and Bobby Whitling (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Cars) picked up feature wins at the half-mile Venango County oval. Whitling's win came in the second race of the 2002 Anderson Bldg. Detroit Iron Stock Car Series at Tri-City.

Point leader Rod George of Kittanning, Pa., raced to his sixth Super Sprint win of 2002, and tied the modern record for the most divisional wins in a season set by Bobby Clark in 1997. George took the lead from Brian Ellenberger on the sixth lap of the 20-lap Super Sprint main, and was unfazed by a late race caution that allowed his foes to close a huge lead.

"I knew Lynch was back there and he's always tough," said George beside his Delp Family Powder Coating/Kittanning Dairy Queen Gambler No. 4. "He beat us Friday night at Lernerville, so I guess it was our turn tonight. The chemistry on this team is fantastic. My crew chief, Ron Libecco, is doing a great job and we had an engine in the car from Dr. John Crawford tonight."

Goob Schuller led the first three laps of the main event before Ellenberger secured the top spot with a slide job off turn four on the fourth circuit. George quickly moved into second, then drove under Ellenberger off turn four on the sixth circuit to take command.

A caution at the halfway mark for a Rob Eyler spin slowed the pace, but George opened up a huge lead after the restart. Ed Lynch Jr. moved into second on the 12th lap, and could not catch George. When fourth place Daryl Stimeling stopped in turn three with only three laps left in the race, the caution slowed George's pace and allowed Lynch and Ellenberger to restart on his back bumper. They were no match for George, however, who raced on to his third win in a row and the 15th victory of his career at Tri-City. Since the track reopened in 1996, only Clark (1997) and Bob Felmlee (1999) have won three consecutive Super Sprint features.

Lynch finished second for the third week in a row with Ellenberger in third. Second generation racer Ricky Ferkel placed a career best fourth after a strong run. Jason Jacoby barely edged Chad Hill at the line for fifth. Lynch and Kevin Andrusky captured the heat race wins in the Super Sprints.

Kevin Bolland of New Brighton, Pa., led every circuit of the 20-lap DIRT Modified main to grab his second feature win of the season in his Cintas Uniforms/Brighton Hot Dog Shoppes Bicknell No. 777. Bolland started on the pole position and was virtually unchallenged by runnerup Josh Skarzenski. It was Bolland's sixth career win at Tri-City, and the 1985 and 2000 track champion won the race with a small block under the hood.

"We had problems with our big block engine a couple of weeks ago," noted Bolland. "The small block engine worked well. When I saw someone under me early in the race, I just knew to hug the bottom groove tonight. Everyone on this team does a great job and they deserved this win."

Bolland and Skarzenski started on the front row. After two early cautions before one lap was scored, the field finally settled into a rhythm with Bolland in the lead over Skarzenski and two-time feature winner Andy Priest. While Bolland and Skarzenski ran their own race, Priest tried to fend off Kevin Hoffman, last week's winner Del Rougeux Jr., and Alan Dellinger. A caution on the ninth lap for debris was the only time the race was slowed, and Dellinger charged into third on the next circuit when Priest nailed the inside berm in turn two and nearly spun into Hoffman and Rougeux. One lap later, Priest was out of the race.

From there, it was a literal freight train to the finish with Bolland the winner over Skarzenski, Dellinger, Rougeux and Hoffman, who just nipped Jim Weller at the wire for fifth. Weller recovered from a spin on the opening lap to finish sixth. Rookie Jim Bickerstaff Jr., Priest and Weller won the DIRT Modified heats.

It took Clymer, N.Y., hotshoe Brent Rhebergen only four laps to march from ninth to first in the 15-lap E Mod main aboard Bruce Steadman's Sharp Tool & Die Pierce No. 69. Once out front, he held on for his sixth win in a row at Tri-City despite seven caution periods that slowed the race. It was Rhebergen's seventh victory of the season and his 19th career win at the track.

"The tires sealed over early in the race," said Rhebergen. "I knew Rick Robinson liked the top groove and that's where we needed to be. Once I got there, the cautions hurt us a little because the tires lost traction. It'd take a couple of laps for the tires to heat up and they still carried us to victory."

Butch Lambert took the lead at the start and managed to pace the first lap before Robinson slipped past him in turn two. By the second lap, Rhebergen was running in fourth. Two laps later, following the second restart of the race, Rhebergen used the inside lane to beat Robinson into the first and second turns. He carried momentum around the inside to lead by the end of the fourth circuit.

Although the cautions slowed Rhebergen's pace, he would not be denied the win. Bruce Powell moved into second at the halfway mark and had two chances to race under Rhebergen on restarts, but he could not make the pass. Powell wound up in second over Robinson, Matt Swanson and Shawn Shingledecker. Lambert was running fifth with four laps left when mechanical woes ended his run. Mike Potosky and Rhebergen were victorious in the E Mod heat races.

Bobby Whitling of Seneca, Pa., scored the 29th Stock Car feature win of his career at Tri-City as he overcame the stout challenges of Jason Reagle to capture the 20-lap Detroit Iron Series event. Reagle swept into the lead with five laps to go and appeared to be on his way to victory before a late race caution allowed Whitling to close in and pass Reagle with two laps to go to grab the win in his Ted Karns Specialty Construction Chevrolet No. 7W.

"It's a good thing that caution came out because Jason had me beat tonight," said Whitling after his second win this season. "After the restart, I was able to pass him and take his line. I'd like to thank the entire crew for their effort because the competition is so strong now."

Gary Norman and Danny Exley started on the front row, and Norman jumped into the lead at the start. On the third circuit, Exley used a strong outside surge to pass Norman for first. Exley's lead lasted one lap before he suddenly slowed in front of the field in turn four ending a promising run. Exley stopped in turn one and brought out a caution.

On the restart, Norman was again in the lead over Doug Iorio Sr., Andy Buckley and Whitling. Whitling quickly disposed of Buckley and Iorio to challenge Norman. He took the lead from Norman on the seventh lap. He continued to race in the bottom groove holding off Norman and Iorio lap after lap.

Behind them, Reagle found the top groove was the fast way around the track, and he used the cushion to march to the front. He passed Iorio for third on the 14th lap. One lap later, Reagle surprised Norman and Whitling and gained command of the race. Before another lap could be scored, however, Rick Hughes snapped a water line spraying fluid all over the first and second turns to bring out the second and final caution of the race.

After the restart, Whitling pressured Reagle and reassumed command with an inside move in turn two on the 18th lap. Taking away Reagle's line, Whitling raced on to his second win of the weekend after scoring a last lap victory Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park. Reagle finished second over Bruce Smith, who made a late race charge into the top five using the outside lane. Norman and Iorio rounded out the top five. Exley, Iorio and Whitling won the Stock Car heats. David Atkinson won the B Main. The next Anderson Bldg. Detroit Iron Stock Car Series event occurs on Sunday August 4th in conjunction with the Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series 100-lap special for the DIRT Modifieds.

This coming weekend there will be no racing at Tri-City Speedway as the track hosts its Extreme Machine Weekend on Saturday July 13th and Sunday July 14th. The event features the Monster Trucks presented by Schwab's Ford. Leading the Monster Truck contingent will be the popular Bigfoot. In addition, World of Wheels presents the wild FreestyleMX champion riders as they ready for the wild motocross competition of ESPN's X Games in Philadelphia next month. Fred Sibley's Coors Beer Wagon Jet Truck and Dr. Pyro's thrilling pyrotechnics will be part of the action on each night. A pit party will precede each event from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. The action starts each night at 6 p.m.

Racing will return to Tri-City Speedway on Sunday July 21st, as the half-mile oval features a four-star show of the NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints, Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds, RE/MAX E Mods and E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Cars on Selker Bros. Pennzoil Night. The second Lowry Auto Wrecking Demo Derby of the season will close out the night. It will be Scout Night at the track, and all Boy and Girl Scouts in uniform will receive free grandstand admission. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission will be $10.

SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ROD GEORGE, 2. Ed Lynch Jr., 3. Brian Ellenberger, 4. Ricky Ferkel, 5. Jason Jacoby, 6. Chad Hill, 7. Goob Schuller, 8. Kevin Andrusky, 9. Gary Rankin, 10. Andy McKisson, 11. Rob Eyler, 12. Gregg McCandless, 13. Ray Bullis, 14. Brian Hartzell, 15. Chris Matthews, 16. Butch Beasley, 17. Paul Kish, 18. Dwight Kingry, 19. Daryl Stimeling, 20. Brent Matus.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. KEVIN BOLLAND, 2. Josh Skarzenski, 3. Alan Dellinger, 4. Del Rougeux Jr., 5. Kevin Hoffman, 6. Jim Weller, 7. George Hobaugh, 8. Dave Murdick, 9. Chris Schiffer, 10. Les Myers, 11. Chanda Reitz, 12. Nick Ritchey, 13. Skip Moore, 14. John Braymer, 15. Gerry Bruce, 16. Jim Bickerstaff Jr., 17. Joe Crawford, 18. Carl Murdick, 19. Jim Weller III, 20. Brian Fink, 21. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 22. Andy Priest, 23. Chad Reitz, 24. Mike Lutz. DNS: Dave Schrader, Dean Pearson, Rob Kristyak.

E MODS (15 Laps): 1. BRENT RHEBERGEN, 2. Bruce Powell, 3. Rick Robinson, 4. Matt Swanson, 5. Shawn Shingledecker, 6. Ron Jaeger, 7. Tim Rater, 8. Kari Petrosky, 9. Frank Brocious, 10. Tink Mealy, 11. Mike Samuelson, 12. Butch Lambert, 13. Herm Myers, 14. Russ Dempsey, 15. Mike Potosky, 16. Jim Abbott. DNS: Shawn Domhoff.

STOCK CARS (20 Laps): 1. BOBBY WHITLING, 2. Jason Reagle, 3. Bruce Smith, 4. Gary Norman, 5. Doug Iorio Sr., 6. Scotty Carbaugh, 7. Andy Buckley, 8. Ron Iorio, 9. Darrell Bossard, 10. Dave Ferringer, 11. Tom Scott, 12. Gary Sullivan, 13. Bret McCarthy, 14. Ben Blake, 15. Mike Miller, 16. Jason Johns, 17. Lonny Blair, 18. John Sutley, 19. Doug Calvert, 20. Rick Hughes, 21. David Atkinson, 22. Billy Beiter, 23. Danny Exley, 24. Jamie Shetler. DNQ: Brian Hurt, Dave Gadley, Rusty Kellogg, Ray Bailey, Dick Pascorell, Russ Coyne, Arthur Edwards, Rod Laskey.