ED LYNCH JR., JOE CRAWFORD, DAVE HESS JR. AND DARRELL BOSSARD TOP SEASON OPENER AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY;

DAVE PHILLIPS WINS THUNDERCAR INAUGURAL

by Brian Spaid

FRANKLIN, PA ... A clear and cool spring evening graced Tri-City Speedway for its 2003 season opener on Sunday night as Ed Lynch Jr. (NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints), Joe Crawford (Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds), Dave Hess Jr. (RE/MAX 1st Oil Country E Mods), Darrell Bossard (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Dave Phillips (Victory Lane Graphics Thundercars) visited victory lane for their first wins of the year at the Venango County half-mile oval.

Ed Lynch Jr. of Apollo, Pa., led every circuit of the 20-lap Super Sprint feature. Although 1997 track champion Bobby Clark made a valiant effort to catch him, Lynch would not be denied his fourth consecutive win in the class after winning the last three races last season. This ties a modern era record set in 2002 by track champion Rod George, who finished third.

"This car has six flips on it and we like to say it has nine lives," said Lynch about his trusty Indy Equipment J&J No. 2L. "The guys are getting the bugs worked out of the car and we're getting it better."

The win followed a flip on Friday night at Lernerville Speedway and a victory Saturday night at Sharon Speedway. It was also Lynch's 16th career victory at Tri-City, which broke a tie in the Super Sprint overall win list with his father, Ed Lynch Sr.

Lynch started on the outside pole and assumed command from the initial green flag. Rob Eyler held onto second until the 14th lap when Clark raced by him. George slipped under Eyler two laps later for third. Eyler held onto fourth at the finish over Jason Jacoby. The race was slowed by two three cautions.

Eyler and Lynch won the Super Sprint heats. Erin Crocker flipped in between turns one and two on the second lap of the first heat. Although the car suffered extensive damage, Crocker was uninjured and competed in the feature. It was Crocker's second appearance at the track. Ironically, during her inaugural race in 2002, she flipped in the same corner.

Joe Crawford of Polk, Pa., swept his heat race and the 20-lap DIRT Modified feature leading every lap to score a popular win. Starting on the outside pole, Crawford took immediate command. Peerless from the start, Crawford outdistanced the field by a over a full straightaway at one point as he raced on to his third career win at Tri-City in his Crawford Chiropractic/Fletcher's Artic Cat Sales & Service/John Roger Replacement Windows Bicknell No. 25.

"After we raced at Mercer last night, I told the crew we weren't going to race tonight because I had to get to work," said Crawford. "Then, this morning, I figured why not try it. I'm glad we decided to run now."

Tom Winkle scored a career best second place finish over Dave Schrader. Schrader held the second position until the 13th lap when Winkle made a move to the top of turn four to steal the position. Winkle, however, was no match for Crawford. Jim Rasey passed Mark Flick on the final lap to finish fourth. Flick wound up fifth. Flick and Crawford captured the DIRT Modified heats.

Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., won his first career 15-lap E Mod feature at Tri-City as he held off defending track champion Brent Rhebergen. Jeff Taylor led the first circuit before Rhebergen took command. On a fourth lap restart, Rhebergen elected to use the outside lane, which allowed Hess to move out front. From there, the 18-year-old phenom survived two caution periods to capture the win in his Pepsi-Cola Rocket No. 44H.

"They tell me it's tough to beat (Rhebergen) at this track," said Hess, who also won Saturday night at Stateline Speedway. "We finally got a chance to race here, and we were really please with the our run and the track."

Rhebergen finished second over Mike Samuelson, Mike Hess and Jim Frontz. Taylor dropped out of third on the final lap with mechanical problems. Dave Hess Jr. and Rhebergen won the E Mod heats.

Darrell Bossard of Centerville, Pa., won an exciting 15-lap Pro Stock main for his second win in a row after his victory last fall in the CSOnline Applefest 100. After Ron Iorio led the first seven laps, Gary Norman and Bossard blasted under Iorio for the lead off turn two. Norman led one circuit, then Bossard drove past him on the ninth lap. Bossard held off the two-time track champion for the remainder of the race for his fourth career win at Tri-City.

"After I crashed last night at Sharon Speedway, I owed the crew a win tonight," said Bossard in victory lane with his Bossard Crawford GM Store/Maloney Tool & Mold Chevrolet No. 22B.

Defending track champion Bobby Whitling finished third after starting near the rear of the field following a flat tire in his heat race and a win in the B main. Bruce Smith and Doug Iorio Sr. rounded out the top five. Danny Exley, Bossard and Jason Reagle were victorious in the Pro Stock heats. Whitling won the B main.

The new Thundercar division attracted three cars, but Dave Phillips of Franklin, Pa., and Jeff Manners put on a fine show exchanging the lead three times in the 10-lap race before Phillips captured his first career win in his Heffern Septic & Service Buick No. 00D. Manners finished second over Curt Bish.

"I'd really like to thank the track owners for starting this class," said Phillips. "It was a lot of fun out there tonight."

This coming Sunday May 4th, Tri-City Speedway will feature 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. ED LYNCH JR., 2. Bobby Clark, 3. Rod George, 4. Rob Eyler, 5. Jason Jacoby, 6. Mike Woodring, 7. Ricky Ferkel, 8. Gary Rankin, 9. Brent Matus, 10. Erin Crocker, 11. Butch Beasley, 12. Sheila Rankin, 13. Brent Covell, 14. Todd Bauer, 15. Scott Priester.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. JOE CRAWFORD, 2. Tom Winkle, 3. Dave Schrader, 4. Jim Rasey, 5. Mark Flick, 6. Dave Murdick, 7. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 8. Skip Moore, 9. Andy Priest, 10. Chanda Reitz, 11. Lenny Leibold Jr., 12. Carl Murdick, 13. Kevin Bolland, 14. Tom Mattocks Jr., 15. Del Rougeux Jr., 16. Lee Miller, 17. George Hobaugh.

E MODS (15 Laps): 1. DAVE HESS JR., 2. Brent Rhebergen, 3. Mike Samuelson, 4. Mike Hess, 5. Jim Frontz, 6. Butch Lambert, 7. Jamie Shetler, 8. Kevin Decker, 9. Kari Gasser, 10. Bill Thomas, 11. Shawn Domhoff, 12. Shawn Shingledecker, 13. Jeff Taylor, 14. Russ Dempsey, 15. Al Cressley, 16. Mike Potosky, 17. Matt Swanson, 18. Bobby Watt. DNS: Bruce Powell.

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

THUNDERCARS (10 Laps): 1. DAVE PHILLIPS, 2. Jeff Manners, 3. Curt Bish.