HOFFMAN WINS THIRD MOD MADNESS IN A ROW AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY;

TAYLOR, PRIEST AND GENTILE ALSO TOP DOGS

by Brian Spaid

FRANKLIN, PA ... Cold temperatures greeted race fans Sunday night at Tri-City Speedway, but the on-track action was hot for the Mod Madness IV A. Crivelli Chevrolet/GMC 150. Jeff Hoffman was the big winner capturing $3,000 and the Kodiak Memorial 50 for the Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds. Other feature winners included Jeff Taylor (York Triathlon Stahl E Mods), Andy Priest (Sportsman Modifieds) and Lou Gentile (6 Cylinder/Unlimited 358 Modifieds).

Jeff Hoffman of Franklin, Pa., led the final six laps of the 50-lap Kodiak Memorial DIRT Modified main to win his third Mod Madness win in a row. It was Hoffman's 16th career win at Tri-City and his first of the year at the Venango County half-mile oval.

"We ran well tonight," said Hoffman in victory lane beside his Hoffman Door Troyer No. 00. "Jim (Rasey) was strong and he just started to drift up in the turns. He left some room underneath and it was a clean race." Rex King jumped into the early lead from his pole position. Lou Blaney ran second during the first ten laps before Rasey moved past for the spot. On the 12th circuit, the wildest wreck of the night occurred as Andy Priest slowed in the backstretch and collected four other cars. Priest did a pirouette in midair, but landed on all fours. He was uninjured.

On the restart, King continued to pace Rasey, track champion Kevin Bolland, Blaney and Lonny Riggs. King suddenly slowed with oil pressure problems on the 21st lap. This moved Rasey into first. Then, on the 24th lap, Blaney's driveshaft broke and he slowed in turn two. He suffered a bruised leg in the incident, but was otherwise uninjured.

By now, Hoffman, who fell back to eighth place at one point of the race, had quickly worked his way forward. Rasey led Bolland, Riggs and Hoffman on the restart after Blaney's incident. Within two laps, Hoffman was running second and commenced his chase for the win.

Rasey ran consistent lap times and paced Hoffman by several car lengths. However, Rasey's car began to falter with less than ten laps to go. Waiting for the right moment, Hoffman found room on the inside lane under Rasey in the third turn on the 44th lap. With the move, Hoffman sealed his superiority as a top winner of extra distance events at Tri-City. Bolland passed Rasey with two laps left in the race to finish second. Rasey wound up third over Lonny Riggs and Josh Skarzenski. Dean Pearson won the consolation race that started the evening.

Jeff Taylor of Blairsville, Pa., finally captured his first career E Mod feature at Tri-City in the 40-lap York Triathlon Stahl E Mod event. He inherited the hard fought win after attrition gradually wiped out all the leaders in front of him.

Mike Hess led the first lap and suddenly dropped out. Chuck Kennedy then led until the 29th lap when he slowed in the backstretch. Herm Myers assumed the lead, but a flat tire sent him pitside on the 32nd lap. Larry Walters was in front for two laps before he too went to the pits for service. Thus, on the 34th lap, Taylor became the fifth and final leader of the race.

Taylor survived three late cautions in his Taylor Service Inc. No. 3 to score the $800 victory. Jim Frontz finished second over impressive runs for Ron Jaeger, Bill Taylor and Chuck List Sr. Ten cautions slowed the action, with six of them coming in the final ten laps. Jaeger and Bill Watson won the B mains and Chuck Kennedy captured the Coy Bros. Trucking Dash.

Andy Priest of New Castle, Pa., finished an excellent season for Ted Hull's MPR Lumber Troyer No. 41. Hull's car visited victory lane for the 16th overall time in 2000 at the end of the 30-lap Sportsman Modified feature. The victory was Priest's third Sportsman Modified win at Tri-City and earned him $600.

Bill Adams led the first two laps of the race before Dean Pearson, who was driving Gary Bollinger's car, grabbed the lead. Priest immediately moved into second place and took command of the race from Pearson with an inside move off turn four on the seventh lap. It appeared Pearson might be able to challenge Priest, but a crash with the lapped car of Dave Myers on the 11th lap eliminated Pearson's chances at victory. From there, Priest was never challenged. He defeated Chanda Reitz, Pearson (who raced back through the field after his accident), Gerry Bruce and John Confer.

Matching Hoffman's record, Lou Gentile of Youngstown, Ohio, captured his third consecutive Mod Madness win in the 6 Cylinder/Unlimited 358 Modified 30-lap feature. Gerry Bruce, who drove in two divisions, led from the start of the race, but Gentile established himself as an immediate threat for victory by grabbing second. On the fifth lap, Bruce suddenly slowed in turn two and Gentile took command.

Gentile seemed to have a comfortable run until late in the race when lapped traffic became a factor. Dodging lapped cars while Mike Stine challenged him from behind, Gentile weaved his way through the pack and raced on to the $600 win. Stine finished second over Gregg McCandless, Andy Nicols and Bruce.

The final race of the 2000 season will be held on Saturday September 30 as the Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars take center stage for the 4th Annual Applefest 100 paying $1,000-to-win. The Anchor Village Stock Car Pit Crew Competition will also be part of the show, which will conclude with a huge Sligo Auto Salvage Demolition Derby. The day will begin with the American Red Cross Ugly Truck Event to be held in the oak grove near the Coors Pavilion at noon. Grandstand gates open at 2 p.m. and racing starts at 4 p.m. for the twilight program. Adult grandstand admission is $10.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (50 Laps): 1. JEFF HOFFMAN, 2. Kevin Bolland, 3. Jim Rasey, 4. Lonny Riggs, 5. Josh Skarzenski, 6. Steve Young, 7. Kevin Hoffman, 8. Joe Crawford, 9. Jeff Schaffer, 10. J.R. McGinley, 11. Adam Siegel, 12. Tommy Marshall III, 13. John Braymer, 14. Rex King, 15. Lou Blaney, 16. Rick Hall, 17. George Hobaugh, 18. Del Rougeux Jr., 19. Dean Pearson, 20. Andy Priest, 21. Dave Schrader, 22. Jason Engles, 23. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 24. Chris Schiffer. DNQ: Tim Engles, Carl Murdick, Rich Ferguson, Scott Ripper, Jim Faas, Dave Murdick, Andy Nicols.

YORK TRIATHLON STAHL E MODS (40 Laps): 1. JEFF TAYLOR, 2. Jim Frontz, 3. Ron Jaeger, 4. Bill Taylor, 5. Chuck List Sr., 6. Rich Logan, 7. Mike Anderson, 8. Bill Watson, 9. Tink Mealy, 10. Herm Myers, 11. Bob McCann, 12. Andy Teno, 13. Larry Walters, 14. Jim Myers, 15. Matt Swanson, 16. Holly Nelson, 17. Kasey Allen, 18. Jim White Jr., 19. Tim Rhodes, 20. Mark Willison, 21. Chuck Kennedy, 22. Dale Fuller, 23. Mike Hess, 24. Ron Roncaglione, 25. Kari Petrosky, 26. Bootie Petsko. DNQ: Rick Prosser Jr., Jack Andrew, Jim Abbott, Ryan Bright, Carl McKinney, Hugo Litwiler, Kenny Hall, Bob Williams, Dale Applebee, Shawn Domhoff, Scott Weaver, Bobby Powell, Mike Petosky, Ron Loney, Steve Artrip, Frank Brocias, Gary Eicher, Russ Dunn, Shawn Shingledecker, Brent Rhebergen, Ryan Snow, Scott Jones, Mike Samuelson, Jimmy Long, Chris Peterson.

SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS (30 Laps): 1. ANDY PRIEST, 2. Chanda Reitz, 3. Dean Pearson, 4. Gerry Bruce, 5. John Confer, 6. Dave Shook, 7. J.D. Whitman, 8. Dave Schrader Jr., 9. Bob Young, 10. Fred Sasse, 11. John Buchanan, 12. Jim Slater, 13. Dave Myers, 14. Gary Smoker, 15. Joe Gibson, 16. Steve Young, 17. Allen Ferry, 18. Bill Adams, 19. Rick Ryder, 20. Barry Bulfone, 21. Floyd Matthews. DNS: Tom Mattocks Jr., Andy Paden.

6 CYLINDER/UNLIMITED 358 MODIFIEDS (30 Laps): 1. LOU GENTILE, 2. Mike Stine, 3. Gregg McCandless, 4. Andy Nicols, 5. Gerry Bruce, 6. Jeff Schaffer, 7. Harold Michaels, 8. Conny Allen, 9. Rick Kress, 10. George Sankey, 11. Kenny Hardy, 12. Mark McEwen, 13. Steve Barr, 14. Ed Alcorn, 15. Marty Kristyak, 16. Jerry Schaffer, 17. Jerry Bowser, 18. Randy Ferguson. DNS: Bill Adams.

UPCOMING EVENTS

FALL SEASON:

Sept. 30 - 4th Annual Applefest 100 (Stock Cars 100 Laps, $1,000-to-win) (Anchor Village Stock

Car Pit Crew Competition) (American Red Cross Ugly Truck Contest) (Sligo Auto

Salvage Demolition Derby) (Gates Open: 2:00 p.m.; Race Time: 4:00 p.m.) (Raindate Sun. Oct. 1)

Oct. 14 - 6th Annual Automotive & Racer's Flea Market (9 a.m. to ??)