RON SMOKER INVADES TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY AND WINS MOD MADNESS V;
ALAN DELLINGER AND ANDY PRIEST ALSO WINNERS
by Brian Spaid
FRANKLIN, PA … Another warm and sunny autumn evening graced Tri-City Speedway on Sunday night for the Mod Madness V NorthPointe Automotive 150, and Ron Smoker invaded and won the Kodiak Memorial/BRP Modified Tour 50 for the DIRT Modifieds. In other action, Alan Dellinger won the York Triathlon E Mod Series Myrgo All-Star 50 for the RE/MAX E Mods, and Andy Priest scored the win in the NorthPointe Automotive 50 for the Sportsman Modifieds.
In only his third career race at Tri-City, Ron Smoker of Hamburg, N.Y., battled with Kevin Bolland for most of the 50-lap DIRT Modified feature before Smoker secured the number one position during the late stages of the race. Weaving through lapped traffic, Smoker used the low groove to perfection and won his first career feature at Tri-City collecting $3,000 for the win in his Mullen Industrial Tire Teo Pro Car No. 62R.
“Running the Super DIRT Modified Series race here in August helped us tonight,” said Smoker, who will represent Tri-City in the Eckerd Syracuse 300 in October after winning the guaranteed starting spot at the track last month. “We learned that the track would slicken up late in the race. Bolland was strong on the top, but I knew the low groove was the place to be, so I stuck to my plan and stayed there the whole race. Tri-City’s a great facility and the drivers are good to run against.”
Three-time defending Mod Madness winner Jeff Hoffman took the lead from the pole position, but immediately faded with an ill-handling car as Jim Weller assumed command on the second circuit. Weller paced the field until the ninth circuit when Bolland swept to the high side and raced to the front of the pack. Smoker moved into second one lap later. Then, a red flag on the 12th lap slowed the race as Lou Blaney nearly flipped off turn two after hitting a stalled Lee Miller. Hoffman, John Braymer and Scott Gurdak were also involved in the accident.
On the restart, Bolland led Smoker, Weller, Dave Murdick and Joe Crawford. For the next 20 laps, Bolland and Smoker battled nearly side-by-side. Smoker officially gained command of the race on the 23rd circuit, but Bolland would not be deterred. After a fuel stop on the 30th lap, Bolland’s tire seemed to fade as Smoker distanced himself from the 2000 Tri-City DIRT Modified track champion.
In the end, Smoker was a half straightaway ahead of Bolland followed by Weller and Murdick, who exchanged that position twice during the race. Brian Swartzlander finished fifth while driving a backup car owned by Jeff Hoffman. Jeff Schaffer, Del Rougeux Jr., Kevin Hoffman, Josh Skarzenski and Mod Masters 2001 winner Dave Schrader. Unofficially, Murdick won the BRP Modified Tour 2001 championship by two points over Bolland. Swartzlander and Tim Doran won the DIRT Modified B Mains.
Alan Dellinger of Niles, Ohio, also known as Jim Dandy Jr., raced to his sixth career E Mod feature win at Tri-City in Chad McClellan’s 84 Lumber No. 119 thereby ending Brent Rhebergen’s 10-race win streak in the RE/MAX E Mod division. It was Dellinger’s first Mod Madness E Mod victory, and he became the fifth different winner of the event.
“We chose a hard right rear tire and it worked beautifully,” smiled Dellinger in victory lane after his 20th career York Triathlon E Mod Series win. “This car didn’t work at all yesterday, so we talked it over last night and came up with some ideas that worked tonight.”
Rhebergen took the lead on the opening circuit, and appeared to be on his way to a momentous win. With the victory, Rhebergen would tie the consecutive win mark set in 1964 by Super Sprint driver Gus Linder, who won 11 features in a row. Behind Rhebergen, defending race winner and two-time York Triathlon Series Champion Jeff Taylor stayed glued to the leader’s rear bumper. Chuck Kennedy ran a steady third while Larry Kugel and Logan Dernoshek were close behind.
The first 25 laps ran caution-free to the midrace fuel stop, and the crowd watched Dellinger run from the 15th spot into the top five. On the 14th lap, Dellinger worked under Dernoshek in turn one. Seven laps later, Dellinger also used the low groove to slip by Kugel for fourth. After the midrace restart, Dellinger used the low side to pass Kennedy for third off turn four. Over the next two circuits, he worked under Taylor to move into second setting his sights on Rhebergen.
Rhebergen’s winning run came to a bitter end on the 40th lap. Three quick cautions slowed the pace, and Rhebergen’s car was running tight on the bottom of the track. As he swung into the third turn, his car hit a patch of oil and spun out from under him. With the amazing turn of events, Rhebergen’s streak was over and Dellinger was the new leader.
Over the final ten laps, Taylor tried to make several moves past Dellinger, but the Buckeye State veteran would not be deterred. Taylor finished second over Kennedy, Kugel and Randy Hall, who moved from ninth to fifth over in the last ten laps of the race. Dellinger and Carl McKinney captured the E Mod B Mains, which were run at the start of the show.
In the nightcap, Andy Priest of New Castle, Pa., recovered from an early spin and captured his third career Mod Madness Sportsman Modified feature win in the NorthPointe Automotive 50. Driving Ted Hull’s MPR Lumber Troyer No. 41, the victory was Priest’s fourth career Sportsman Modified win at Tri-City.
“We got tangled up with another car there early in the race,” said Priest. “I just kept telling myself to save my tires and we came back through the pack.”
Rick Ryder led the first two laps of the race, which were punctuated by three cautions. One of those cautions occurred when Priest, who was running fourth, was hit by Mercer Raceway Park champion Steve Young. Both drivers were sent to the rear of the field, which allowed the fans to watch two of the faster Sportsman Modifieds work through the pack.
Gary Smoker gained command of the race on the fourth lap and remained the leader until the 40th circuit. With Bill Adams giving him a run for the money, Smoker ran hard and slowly used up his tires. Priest caught both drivers and made a three-wide pass for the lead. Adams followed Priest by Smoker, but Smoker recovered to take second back on the next lap.
By then, it was too late as Priest raced on to the win. Smoker finished second over Steve Young, who used the outside lane in his run to the front. Adams and D.J. Schrader rounded out the top five.
The final event of the 2001 season will be held on Saturday September 29th as the E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating compete in the 5th Annual CSOnline Applefest 100. The event pays $1,100 to the winner and $1,000 in lap money will be awarded as well. Qualifications and the Anderson Builders Inc. $1,000 Dash will precede the 100-lap event. The final Lowry Auto Wrecking Demolition Derby of the season will end the show. Gates open at 2 p.m. and racing starts at 4 p.m. Adult grandstand admission is $10. The American Red Cross Great Truck Event will be held at noon.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (50 Laps): 1. RON SMOKER, 2. Kevin Bolland, 3. Jim Weller, 4. Dave Murdick, 5. Brian Swartzlander, 6. Jeff Schaffer, 7. Del Rougeux Jr., 8. Kevin Hoffman, 9. Josh Skarzenski, 10. Dave Schrader, 11. Jeff Hoffman, 12. George Hobaugh, 13. Tim Doran, 14. Jim Rasey, 15. Harold Michaels, 16. Rex King, 17. Joe Crawford, 18. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 19. Skip Moore, 20. Jim Weller III, 21. Chris Schiffer, 22. Brian Fink, 23. Dave Harbaugh, 24. Rob Kristyak, 25. Rodney Beltz, 26. Gerry Bruce, 27. Scott Gurdak, 28. Lou Blaney, 29. John Braymer, 30. Lee Miller. DNQ: Carl Murdick, J.R. McGinley, Nick Ritchey, Mike Lutz, Eddie Fuller, Tommy Marshall III, Steve Barr, Rob Curtis, Tom Mattocks Jr., Rick Kress, Dave Reges, Ted Ryan.
E MODS (50 Laps): 1. ALAN DELLINGER, 2. Jeff Taylor, 3. Chuck Kennedy, 4. Larry Kugel, 5. Randy Hall, 6. Todd Roncaglione, 7. Kevin Decker, 8. Mike Hess, 9. Carl McKinney, 10. Ron Roncaglione, 11. Andy Teno, 12. Brent Rhebergen, 13. Shawn Shingledecker, 14. Rich Stiffler, 15. Logan Dernoshek, 16. Mike Samuelson, 17. Ron Jaeger, 18. Rick Robinson, 19. Russ Dempsey, 20. Jim Abbott, 21. Arlen Coy, 22. Chuck List Sr., 23. Bob McCann, 24. Jeff Sharp, 25. Bill Taylor, 26. Scott Stiffler, 27. Fred Bratchie, 28. Bob Diver, 29. Kari Petrosky, 30. Jeff Rudrick. DNQ: Dave Hess Jr., Dale Charlier, Daryl Stimeling, Jeff Bametzieder, Hugo Litwiler, Dale Fuller, Mike Potosky, Shawn Uhler, John Kellogg, Ron Loney, Craig Switzer.
SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS (50 Laps): 1. ANDY PRIEST, 2. Gary Smoker, 3. Steve Young, 4. Bill Adams, 5. D.J. Schrader, 6. Al Priester, 7. Jerry Schaffer, 8. John Buchanan, 9. Scott Kay, 10. Chanda Reitz, 11. Gerry Bruce, 12. John Confer, 13. Fred Sasse, 14. Mike Gibson, 15. Randy Rodemoyer, 16. Rick Ryder, 17. Allen Ferry, 18. J.D. Whitman, 19. Kevin Latshaw, 20. Darrell Combs, 21. Ron Sasse, 22. Zack Moran. DNS: Jim Slater, Joe Gibson, David Cogswell.