ROD GEORGE, ANDY PRIEST AND JIM FRONTZ SCORE WINS AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY;

DARRELL BOSSARD GRABS FOURTH PRO STOCK MAIN IN A ROW;

ROBBY SWITZER NEWEST WINNER IN THUNDERCARS

by Brian Spaid

FRANKLIN, PA ... Despite a few brief showers and high winds during the evening, Tri-City Speedway was back in action on Sunday night as Rod George (NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints), Andy Priest (Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds), Jim Frontz (RE/MAX 1st Oil Country E Mods), Darrell Bossard (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Robby Switzer (Victory Lane Graphics Thundercars) visited victory lane on Mother's Day at the Venango County half-mile oval.

Defending track champion Rod George of Kittanning, Pa., led every circuit of the 20-lap Super Sprint feature to score his first win of the season at Tri-City. The victory ended the five-race win steak of runner-up Ed Lynch Jr. George also tallied his 17th career feature win at Tri-City, which ties him on the all-time Super Sprint win list with Lynch and Bob Felmlee.

The win came with some adversity, however. George and his crew worked on brake problems early in the night, and they got worse in the feature when the brake pedal broke off near the start. As a result, George drove the entire race without brakes. It did not hamper his efforts though. He took command from polesitter Jason Jacoby on the opening lap. Three cautions slowed the pace, and, as a result, George was able to avoid a significant amount of lapped traffic and the need for extensive use of brakes.

"(Crew chief) Rick (Libeccio) dialed the car in perfect and it was our kind of track tonight," said George in victory lane beside his Rodeway Inn/Kittanning Dairy Queen Gambler No. 4.

Following George and Lynch, Jacoby held off the late race charge of Brian Ellenberger, who thrilled the crowd despite a brief fire that appeared to wipe out his power steering during the race. Scott Priester was fifth. Lynch and Andy McKisson won the Super Sprint heats.

After suffering a bitter defeat last week, Andy Priest of New Castle, Pa., piloted Ted Hull's car to the winner's circle for the first time this season in the 20-lap DIRT Modified feature. On May 4th, Priest led the race until the 19th lap when the engine seized and he pulled aside to allow Del Rougeux Jr. to win the race. This time, Priest started on the pole position and led from the start with different results. Pacing every lap, he scored his third career win at Tri-City with Rougeux in second.

"It's good to start up front like that," said Priest. "We had trouble last week, but Ted's guys put it back together and I have to thank them for their efforts. This one's for my mom. I didn't get her a card, so this win's for her."

New York invader and 2002 Mr. DIRT Sportsman Champion Chad Brachmann was the first driver to challenge Priest for a couple of laps before Jim Rasey gave chase. Rougeux worked himself into the top five by the fifth lap, then charged into second by the eighth circuit. He was no match, however, for Priest's MPR Lumber/Bossard Crawford GM Store Dirt Wheels No. 41. In the end, Priest topped Rougeux, Rasey, point leader Joe Crawford and Brachmann, who made his first career start at Tri-City. Four cautions marred the race, including a five-minute red flag for rain. Rasey and Skip Moore captured the DIRT Modified heats.

While perennial race winner and point leader Brent Rhebergen spun once and dropped out after contact with another car, Jim Frontz of Cambridge Springs, Pa., drove to his first career win in the 15-lap E Mod feature. Frontz took the lead from Jeff Taylor on the third lap and was never headed despite four cautions.

"It's finally good to get a win," said Frontz in victory lane after a 2002 season that saw a lot of good runs end with bad luck. "We finally got some setup problems straightened out. Brent helped us out with that. I happy for (car owner) Scott (Bidwell) and all the guys on this team."

Jeff Taylor led the first two laps of the race before Frontz used a restart to race around the outside of the two-time York Triathlon champion. Once in the lead, Frontz gradually opened up a large advantage over the rest of the field in the Maloney Tool & Mold/Fame RV Center Pierce No. 3J. Taylor held off a strong charge from Mike Samuelson to finish second. Samuelson was third over Kari Gasser and Matt Swanson. Samuelson and Rhebergen won the E Mod heat races.

Darrell Bossard of Centerville, Pa., continued his winning ways as he captured the 15-lap Pro Stock feature for a record tying fourth win in a row. It was his third of the season at Tri-City, with the fourth win dating back to the 2002 CSOnline Applefest 100. After winning Friday night at Raceway 7, Bossard is now on a six-race win streak on area race tracks.

Bossard started on the outside pole position after winning the second heat race in his Bossard Crawford GM Store/Maloney Tool & Mold Chevrolet No. 22B. He outgunned polesitter Russ Coyne on the opening lap, then withstood five caution periods to grab his sixth career win at Tri-City. On the last restart, Bossard used a tactical outside cushion power move to pull ahead of runner-up Bobby Whitling and cruise to the win over the last three laps.

"I learned that move at another place, and I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve," said Bossard. "We're just having some good luck right now and the crew is doing a great job. You can't ask for more when you start up front."

Whitling finished second after a long duel with Jason Reagle. Whitling actually lost the position to Reagle on the sixth lap before a caution nullified the pass under Tri-City's scoring rules. Reagle never had another chance to slip past Whitling. Andy Thompson and Danny Exley rounded out the top five. Coyne, Bossard and Whitling were victors in the Pro Stock heats. Rookie driver Shawn Smith won the B Main in his second night aboard a Pro Stock.

Robby Switzer of Kennerdell, Pa., made his racing debut a successful one as he captured the 12-lap Thundercar feature in his Switzer Pisa Pizza Chevrolet No. 97. Switzer took the lead from last week's winner Jeff Manners when Manners lost a tire on the fifth lap. Switzer then held off Matt Keith for the win. Joe Blake was third. Curt Bish and Manners rounded out the top five despite each falling out of the race.

Tammy Powell of Cochranton, Pa., drove through the pack twice to win the eight-lap Powder Puff Pro Stock race at the end of the night.

This coming Sunday May 18th, Tri-City Speedway features another five-star racing program of the NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints, Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds, RE/MAX 1st Oil Country E Mods, E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks and Victory Lane Graphics Thundercars. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission will be a family friendly $10.

SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ROD GEORGE, 2. Ed Lynch Jr., 3. Jason Jacoby, 4. Brian Ellenberger, 5. Scott Priester, 6. Andy McKisson, 7. Phil Mott, 8. Gary Rankin, 9. Butch Beasley, 10. Brent Matus, 11. Sheila Rankin, 12. Chris Matthews, 13. Bob Altmeyer.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. ANDY PRIEST, 2. Del Rougeux Jr., 3. Jim Rasey, 4. Joe Crawford, 5. Chad Brachmann, 6. Tom Winkle, 7. Skip Moore, 8. Dave Murdick, 9. Chanda Reitz, 10. Kevin Hoffman, 11. Tom Mattocks Jr., 12. Dave Schrader, 13. Nick Ritchey, 14. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 15. Garrett Krummert, 16. Carl Murdick, 17. Jay Priest, 18. Jeremy Paup, 19. George Hobaugh, 20. Lenny Leibold Jr., 21. Lee Miller, 22. Steve Barr.

E MODS (15 Laps): 1. JIM FRONTZ, 2. Jeff Taylor, 3. Mike Samuelson, 4. Kari Gasser, 5. Matt Swanson, 6. Kevin Decker, 7. Butch Lambert, 8. Russ Dempsey, 9. Shawn Shingledecker, 10. Al Cressley, 11. Jamie Shetler, 12. Brent Rhebergen, 13. Mike Potosky, 14. Shawn Domhoff. DNS: Bruce Powell.

STOCK CARS (15 Laps): 1. DARRELL BOSSARD, 2. Bobby Whitling, 3. Jason Reagle, 4. Andy Thompson, 5. Danny Exley, 6. Dave Ferringer, 7. Ron Iorio, 8. Gary Norman, 9. Jason Johns, 10. Russ Coyne, 11. Rod Laskey, 12. Doug Calvert, 13. Ben Blake, 14. Scott Peterson, 15. Scott Myers, 16. Lonny Blair, 17. Rusty Kellogg, 18. Shawn Smith, 19. Arthur Edwards, 20. Doug Iorio Sr., 21. Bill Exley Jr., 22. Bud Shontz, 23. Bret McCarthy, 24. Joe Lockhart. DNQ: Dave Gadley, Joe Drusko, Matt Thomas, Bob Bean, Rick Lanigan, John Sutley, Ray Bailey.

THUNDERCARS (12 Laps): 1. ROBBY SWITZER, 2. Matt Keith, 3. Joe Blake, 4. Curt Bish, 5. Jeff Manners, 6. Dave Gottschalk.

POWDER PUFF STOCK CARS (12 Laps): 1. TAMMY POWELL, 2. Heather Quigley, 3. Kandi Shontz, 4. Erica Calvert, 5. Nancy Ferringer, 6. Charity Blair.