LOU BLANEY WINS MOD TOUR RACE AT TRI-CITY;
LYNCH AND RHEBERGEN REPEAT IN SPRINTS AND E MODS;
COUNSELMAN WINS FIRST IN STOCKS
by Brian Spaid
FRANKLIN, PA ... A capacity crowd filled Tri-City Speedway on a sunny and warm Sunday night, and they watched Lou Blaney race to victory in the 30-lap BRP Modified Tour 2001 event for the Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds. In other action, Ed Lynch Jr. (Allegheny Land & Lumber Super Sprints), Brent Rhebergen (RE/MAX E Mods) and Brian Counselman (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Cars) captured feature events. The RE/MAX 1st Oil Country Fan Appreciation Night offered free grandstand admission and featured the rain-delayed main events from June 10. There were no heat races in any divisions.
Lou Blaney of Hartford, Ohio, showed that skill and experience are sometimes the key as he led every lap of the 30-lap BRP Modified Tour race. After starting on the pole position, he was unchallenged as he raced to his 24th career DIRT Modified feature win at Tri-City. It was also his second win of the season at the Venango County half-mile oval.
"We had a good car tonight," said Blaney, who signed autographs for nearly an hour after the race. "The track was good and fast, and I'm happy to be here again after winning at Sharon Speedway on Friday."
Jim Rasey challenged Blaney over the first half of the race. The Buckeye State racer would get close to Blaney, but could never make a move. Behind Blaney and Rasey, defending track champion Kevin Bolland, Dave Murdick and Brian Swartzlander ran in that order. Swartzlander nabbed fourth on the 16th lap. After a restart on the same lap, Rasey faded quickly. First, Bolland slipped past in turn two. One lap later, Swartzlander made the same move for third. Another circuit and another pass put Murdick fourth and Rasey fifth. Scott Gurdak continued Rasey's backward march on the 20th lap and moved into the top five.
The remainder of the race, the Colonial Metals/Troy Alan Chevrolet Blaney No. 10 maintained a half straightaway advantage over Bolland. Swartzlander tried to pass Bolland a couple of times, but the inside groove was well-protected by Bolland.
At the line, Blaney topped Bolland, Swartzlander, Murdick and Gurdak. Rasey wound up sixth ahead of Jeff Hoffman, Les Myers, Jim Weller and Del Rougeux Jr.
The race was punctuated by an opening lap crash off turn two. Jeff Schaffer spun in front of the pack and started a 12-car melee that bent several machines. No one was injured in the wild crash, including Ed Fuller, whose car first tipped on its side, then righted itself onto all four wheels.
Like Blaney, Ed Lynch Jr. of Apollo, Pa., started on the pole position of the 20-lap Super Sprint feature and simply dominated. Lynch led every lap of the race and cruised to his second win of the season and the ninth of his career at Tri-City aboard his Howard Concrete Products J&J No. 2L.
"Tonight, you had to race the track," noted Lynch. "When it's slick, you can guess wrong on the setup and fall back. We got it working tonight, and it feels good to win after Friday's race at Lernerville when we lost with only two to go."
While Lynch led with ease, Rod George held onto second place for the entire race aboard a car normally driven by Ray Bullis. George started on the front row with Lynch, but was no match. George actually had to fight off the challenges of three drivers. Mark Spence battled with George until the sixth circuit when he spun in turn two. On the restart, point leader Scott Bonnell hopped George's right rear tire and took a tumble in turn one. He was uninjured.
In the end, George held off Mark Cassella for second. Cassella grabbed third on the eighth lap and closed on George several times. On the final circuit, Cassella had an opportunity to pass George in lapped traffic, but the opening closed off turn four. Chad Hill and Jarod Larson rounded out the top five.
Brent Rhebergen of Clymer, N.Y., was the class of the field once again in the 15-lap E Mod feature. Rhebergen collected his fourth win in a row, which established a new record in the division. He also won his sixth career E Mod feature at Tri-City, which makes him the top E Mod winner at the track.
Kevin Decker led the first five laps of the race before Todd Roncaglione took control. Rhebergen slipped under Roncaglione on the ninth lap and raced away from the field in his Sharp Tool & Die, Bruce Steadman-owned No. 69. Roncaglione, Decker, Dale Applebee and point leader Bob McCann rounded out the top five. Only one caution slowed the race on the first lap.
Brian Counselman of Cochranton, Pa., earned a hard fought first career Stock Car feature win in his Peterson Bros./Chuck Towne Chevrolet No. 3C. Starting on the front row, Counselman had to first fend off Doug Iorio Sr. in the 15-lap affair. On the fifth lap, Danny Exley moved into second and applied pressure to Counselman. Exley tried to pass him in turn four at the halfway mark, but contact between the two racers forced Exley to the pits under caution one lap later. The yellow waved after Bobby Whitling, Dave Ferringer and Bob Sloss crashed in turn four while all running in the top ten.
Over the final four laps, Counselman held off Iorio to snare the victory. Matt Cummings finished third over Mike Work and Jamie Shetler.
Cummings won a special six-lap Stock Car dash sponsored by Anderson Building Inc. Cummings topped Counselman, Iorio, Shetler, Scotty Carbaugh and Work in the event.
Joe Blair of Warren, Pa., won a wild 12-lap End-of-School Bus Race. Heavy contact with race leader Bill Gordon nearly sent both buses into the infield with less than three laps left. Blair held on, however, to capture his first win at Tri-City.
In the nightcap, school teacher Teri Rose of Rocky Grove, Pa., nearly lapped the field to win the 10-lap Powder Puff Bus Race.
This coming Sunday July 1st, Tri-City Speedway celebrates Independence Day with a four-star show of Allegheny Land & Lumber Super Sprints, Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds, RE/MAX E Mods and E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Cars. In addition, the Giant Eagle/Edward Jones Investments Fireworks Extravaganza will light the night sky courtesy of Cartwright Fireworks. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ED LYNCH JR., 2. Ray Bullis, 3. Mark Cassella, 4. Chad Hill, 5. Jarod Larson, 6. Brent Covell, 7. Mark Spence, 8. Jason Jacoby, 9. Gregg McCandless, 10. Ed Etzel, 11. Brian Hartzell, 12. Sheila Rankin, 13. Raymond Beasley, 14. Donny Minor, 15. Scott Bonnell, 16. Gary Rankin, 17. Ben Moore. DNS: Mike Lutz, Brian Ellenberger, Mike Woodring, Jerrod Hull, Jody Keegan, David Scott
BRP MODIFIED TOUR 2001 (30 Laps): 1. LOU BLANEY, 2. Kevin Bolland, 3. Brian Swartzlander, 4. Dave Murdick, 5. Scott Gurdak, 6. Jim Rasey, 7. Jeff Hoffman, 8. Les Myers, 9. Jim Weller, 10. Del Rougeux Jr., 11. Jeff Schaffer, 12. Kevin Hoffman, 13. John Braymer, 14. Chris Schiffer, 15. Joe Crawford, 16. Josh Skarzenski, 17. Carl Murdick, 18. Rodney Beltz, 19. Dave Schrader, 20. Skip Moore, 21. George Hobaugh, 22. Rick Hoctor, 23. Rex King, 24. Brian Fink, 25. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 26. Ed Fuller.
E MODS (15 Laps): 1. BRENT RHEBERGEN, 2. Todd Roncaglione, 3. Kevin Decker, 4. Dale Applebee, 5. Bob McCann, 6. Mike Samuelson, 7. Rick Robinson, 8. Mike Petosky, 9. Shawn Domhoff, 10. Jim White Jr., 11. Kari Petrosky, 12. Jeff Haefke, 13. Shawn Shingledecker, 14. Dave Ferringer, 15. Bill Taylor, 16. Jim Abbott, 17. R.J. Peebles, 18. Ron Jaeger, 19. Mike Hess. DNS: Holly Nelson, Tim Henrich, Ron Loney, Rich Jaeger.
STOCK CARS (15 Laps): 1. BRIAN COUNSELMAN, 2. Doug Iorio Sr., 3. Matt Cummings, 4. Mike Work, 5. Jamie Shetler, 6. Scotty Carbaugh, 7. Ron Iorio, 8. Arthur Edwards, 9. Doug Calvert, 10. Bob Sloss, 11. Dave Ferringer, 12. Rod Urey, 13. Jay Feely, 14. Lonny Blair, 15. Danny Exley, 16. Bobby Whitling, 17. Mike Miller, 18. Gary Norman, 19. Dick Pascorell, 20. John Sutley, 21. Don Baughman, 22. John Shetler, 23. Jim Green, 24. Scott Peterson, 25. Mike Dolecki, 26. Bob Garris, 27. Jason Jones. DNS: Billy Beiter, Russ Kapalin, Glenn Pupino, Tim Zuschlag, David Atkinson, Duane Grinnell.
END-OF-SCHOOL BUS RACE (12 Laps): 1. JOE BLAIR, 2. Bill Gordon, 3. Dave Fairfield, 4. John Gordon, 5. Russ Coyne.
POWDER PUFF BUS RACE (10 Laps): 1. TERI ROSE, 2. Terry Thomas, 3. Mary Blair.