CASSELLA SCORES EMOTIONAL SPRINT WIN AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY; BRAYMER, RHEBERGEN AND WHITLING ALSO WINNERS
by Brian Spaid
August 12, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRANKLIN, PA … It was a wild and crazy night at Tri-City Speedway on Sunday, but the gremlins disappeared long enough for Mark Cassella (Allegheny Land & Lumber Super Sprints), John Braymer (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds), Brent Rhebergen (RE/MAX E Mods) and Bobby Whitling (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Cars) to capture feature wins on Titusville Motor & Auction Co. and Litehouseauto.com Night.
The start of the show was delayed nearly one hour as track crews tried to repair problems with the caution lights. Then, rain showers fell for about 10 minutes during the heats. To top the night, just as the Stock Car main took the green flag, the lights in turns three and four went out, which further delayed the show by 20 minutes.
In an emotional victory lane, Mark Cassella of Weirton, W.Va., cried tears of joy as he won the 20-lap Super Sprint feature for his first victory since his near fatal USAC Sprint crash in June of 1997. He slipped by Jarod Larson on the eighth circuit, then used heavy lapped traffic to score the first career feature win for the Allegheny Land & Lumber/Covell Motorsports No. 91 team in the 20-lap Super Sprint feature. It was also Cassella’s first win ever at Tri-City.
“I needed this,” cried Cassella in victory lane. “I dedicate this win to my dad, Pete Cassella. I lost him just a few weeks ago. We’ve been beating our heads trying to get this car to work. Usually the track never comes around to us, and it did tonight.”
Larson started on the inside of second row and raced under Todd Bauer and Cassella to take the lead on the opening lap. Cassella continued to chase Larson into lapped traffic and used the outside lane on the backstretch to zip past Larson for the lead. Once out front, Cassella slowly opened ground away from Larson on the caution-free event. In midrace action, Daryl Stimeling slipped by Larson for second off turn four, but Larson returned the favor within one lap.
Fans also watched Rod George work through the pack. On the 15th lap, George was in fifth. He raced by David Scott for fourth on the 16th lap. Three laps later, George went under Stimeling in turn two for third. On the final lap, Larson blew a left rear tire coming off turn four, which allowed George to take second. In the end, Cassella topped George, Stimeling, Larson and Scott. George and Brent Matus won the Super Sprint heats.
With the BRP Modified Tour in action at Sportsman’s Speedway, John Braymer of Hermitage, Pa., led flag-to-flag in the 20-lap DIRT Modified main, which featured only nine cars. Braymer raced from third to first on the opening lap in his Integrated Fabrication & Machine Inc. Braymer No. 17. From there, Braymer went on to his eighth career win at Tri-City, and his first since 1987.
In a race that featured substitute drivers trying to gain show points for other competitors, Andy Priest drove Dave Schrader’s car to second after spinning on the opening lap to bring out the only caution of the race. Gary Risch Jr. finished a career best third in Brian Swartzlander’s car. Les Myers drove Jeff Hoffman’s car to fourth after he battled with Risch for second for most of the race. Priest came on strong to slip by both drivers over the last three laps. Chris Schiffer finished fifth. Priest won the sole DIRT Modified heat race.
Brent Rhebergen of Clymer, N.Y., started on the outside of the first row in the 15-lap E Mod main and cruised to his 10th consecutive win in the Finish Line Racing No. 69 owned by Bruce Steadman. It was Rhebergen’s 11th win of the season and the 12th of his career at Tri-City.
With a win next week, Rhebergen will tie Gus Linder’s record of 11 consecutive wins at Tri-City set in 1964.
Mike Hess proved to be the best of the rest after a race-long duel with Kevin Decker for second. Hess passed Decker on the eighth lap in turn one, but Decker tried valiantly to get back around Hess on several occasions. Over the final five laps, Hess pulled away from Decker, who finished a career best third.
Behind them, Rick Robinson and former Super Sprint racer Bruce Powell also dueled for fourth. They swapped the position about three times before Robinson settled into the spot at the finish. Powell rounded out the top five. Shawn Domhoff, Hess and Decker captured the E Mod heats.
Bobby Whitling of Seneca, Pa., was not fazed by the sudden darkness when the lights went out as the cars took the green flag. He waited patiently to pass defending track champion Dave Ferringer to win his sixth feature of the season and the 26th of his career at Tri-City.
Ferringer led the race from the start with Whitling in tow. On the 12th circuit, Whitling went to the outside lane to race Ferringer side-by-side. Two laps later, Whitling used the lapped car of Jay Feely to complete the winning pass in turn two.
“The outside was the only place I could go because Dave held the inside lane,” said Whitling. “It just so happened the lapped car was there. I knew if we got to him in a turn, I could beat Dave.”
Ferringer finished second to Whitling’s Ted Karns Specialty Construction Chevrolet Monte Carlo No. 7W. Andy Buckley stormed to third over the last half of the race followed by Gary Norman and Doug Iorio Sr. Whitling, Ferringer and Norman won the Stock Car heats. Feely won the consolation event.
Tom Willis of Titusville, Pa., won the Venango County 4-H Fair One-on-one Spectator Races in his 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier. Jason Beichner of Shippenville, Pa., won the truck division in a 1997 Dodge Ram pickup.
This coming Sunday August 19th, Tri-City Speedway features the Triathlon Super Sprint Series for the Allegheny Land & Lumber Super Sprints, which should attract a large field of the winged warriors. The Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds, RE/MAX E Mods and E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Cars will also be in action. It will also be Sears Kids Night at the Venango County half-mile oval, which means the final bike races of the season. Children ages 12 and under may compete in the bike races. Helmets are required. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission is $10.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. MARK CASSELLA, 2. Rod George, 3. Daryl Stimeling, 4. Jarod Larson, 5. David Scott, 6. Andy Priest, 7. Chad Hill, 8. Brent Matus, 9. Todd Bauer, 10. Jack Sodeman Jr., 11. Goob Schuller, 12. Jason Jacoby, 13. Gary Rankin, 14. Scott Bonnell, 15. Ray Bullis, 16. Brent Covell, 17. Joe Laugherty, 18. Phil Mott, 19. Brian Hartzell, 20. Sheila Rankin, 21. Charlie Holben, 22. Butch Beasley.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. JOHN BRAYMER, 2. Andy Priest, 3. Gary Risch Jr., 4. Les Myers, 5. Chris Schiffer, 6. Skip Moore, 7. Nick Ritchey, 8. Randy Chronister, 9. Doug Fleeger.
E MODS (15 Laps): 1. BRENT RHEBERGEN, 2. Mike Hess, 3. Kevin Decker, 4. Rick Robinson, 5. Bruce Powell, 6. Russ Dunn, 7. Holly Nelson, 8. Bob Craig, 9. Rich Stiffler, 10. Shawn Domhoff, 11. Larry Walters, 12. Ron Jaeger, 13. Scott Stiffler, 14. Dale Fuller, 15. Mike Samuelson, 16. Shawn Shingledecker, 17. Bob McCann, 18. Bill Taylor, 19. Jeff Johnson, 20. Todd Roncaglione, 21. Russ Dempsey, 22. Mike Hendrickson, 23. Herm Myers, 24. John Kellogg, 25. J.R. Mechling. DNS: Jim Frontz, Kari Petrosky, Ron Loney.
STOCK CARS (15 Laps): 1. BOBBY WHITLING, 2. Dave Ferringer, 3. Andy Buckley, 4. Gary Norman, 5. Doug Iorio Sr., 6. Ron Iorio, 7. Scotty Carbaugh, 8. Bob Sloss, 9. Jamie Shetler, 10. Gary Robinson, 11. Matt Cummings, 12. Scott Peterson, 13. Terry Kroner, 14. Tom Scott, 15. John Sutley, 16. Arthur Edwards, 17. Rod Urey, 18. John Shetler, 19. Jay Feely, 20. Kevin Thompson, 21. Doug Calvert, 22. Bob Garris, 23. Danny Exley, 24. Duane Grinnell. DNQ: Dick Pascorell, Marty Iorio, Bud Shontz, Mike Miller, Mike Dolecki, Lonny Blair, Jim Green, Jason Jones.
UPCOMING EVENT
Aug. 19 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (York Triathlon Sprint Series) (Sears
Kids Night - Bike Races 12 and under, Helmets Required)
Aug. 26 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (Points End!!)
Sept. 3 (Mon.) - Inaugural Victim’s Resource Center Labor Day Demo Derby (A Penn-Ohio
Demo Derbies Production) (Event starts at 2 p.m.)