LARSON AND BLANEY LEAD OHIO INVASION AT TRI-CITY; POWELL

AND IORIO NAB FIRST CAREER WINS

by Brian Spaid

FRANKLIN, PA ... A large crowd filled the grandstands for Fan Appreciation Night on Sunday at Tri-City Speedway and they watched Jarod Larson (Ashland Homes Super Sprints), Lou Blaney (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds), Bobby Powell (RE/MAX E Mods) and Ron Iorio (Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars) score feature wins on Klasen Oil/Shrine Night at the half-mile Venango County oval. Beautiful weather conditions prevailed after weeks of either rain or the threat of rain.

Jarod Larson of Rock Creek, Ohio, was the class of the Super Sprint field as he dominated the 20-lap main event for the second time this season. Starting fifth, he quickly charged to the front of the pack and passed Brent Covell for the lead on the third circuit. At one point, Larson was a half track ahead of the field as he sped to victory in the Clemson Excavating J&J No. 47.

Covell ran a good race until after the halfway point when mechanical problems appeared to slow his car.

Jimmy Hawley finally passed Covell for second on the 12th lap and started to close the gap to Larson.

With no cautions to slow the race, however, Larson drove home for his second win of the weekend after a victory Friday night at Sharon Speedway. He also collected an extra $200 courtesy of Funtime Motorsports Bonus Program after a lucky fan picked him to win the race.

Hawley finished second about a straightaway behind Larson. Gale Ruth Jr., Tommy Quarterson and Mike Woodring rounded out the top five. Craig Rankin, who ran in the top five for most of the feature before he slowed with mechanical problems, and Larson won the heats.

Once again, Lou Blaney of Hartford, Ohio, left the crowd in awe after a last lap pass from third to first put him in victory lane in the 20-lap DIRT Modified feature for the fourth time in 2000. Kevin Bolland led the first two laps of the race while driving a car owned by Andy Nicols after his regular ride was sidelined due to engine problems.

Josh Skarzenski moved into the lead on a restart and pulled away from the field. Behind him, Bolland, Chris Schiffer, Joe Crawford and Rex King dueled for second.

King had a strong run as he moved by Schiffer for fourth on the eighth lap. Then, he got around Crawford for third one lap later. By the 11th lap, he passed Bolland for second, but there was still some distance to Skarzenski. On the 12th lap, however, Crawford spun in turn two and collected Schiffer to bring out the final caution of the race. Blaney barely missed the accident, which sent Schiffer to the pit area for repairs and cost him his point lead.

When racing resumed, Skarzenski led King and Blaney. King allowed the laps to wind down before he pressured Skarzenski for the lead. Blaney laid back waiting for an error in his Colonial Metal Products Blaney No. 10. It came on the final lap when Skarzenski and King drifted high in turn two while racing for the lead. Blaney shot under both drivers and gained command down the backstretch. King secured second and made a charge for the win in the final corner, but Blaney had the field covered in a crowd-pleasing victory, which was his 23rd DIRT Modified win at Tri-City. Skarzenski was a disappointed third followed by Bolland and Carl Murdick. Crawford and Blaney won the heat races.

Bobby Powell of Titusville, Pa., finally captured his first career E Mod feature win at Tri-City in the 15-lap main event.

Powell, who has 14 career Stock Car wins at the track, leads the point standings and has come close on several occasions to scoring a feature win. Rookie R.J. Peebles took the lead from his outside pole position and was poised for a major upset. Peebles fended off Holly Nelson for several laps before Powell used an inside pass in turn one to take second on a ninth lap restart. Another caution on the next lap drew Powell to Peebles. On the final restart, Powell charged around Peebles in turn two to take the lead.

Over the final five laps, Powell held off veteran Bob McCann for the win in his Bossard & Crawford/Rob Blair Motorsports No. B20. Peebles finished a career best third followed by Jeff Haefke and Nelson. Haefke, Bootie Petsko and Mike Hess won the heats. Hess ran in the top five in the feature, but more engine problems before the halfway point proved to be his demise. Petsko, who has two wins, crashed into the back of Mike Potosky on the second lap and was eliminated.

For several weeks, Ron Iorio of Kennerdell, Pa., knocked on the door of victory lane, and he finally put it all together for his first career win at Tri-City in the 15-lap Stock Car main. Sophomore driver Billy Beiter led the initial four laps of the race before Russ Dempsey moved to the front. By the fifth lap, Dempsey and Beiter led David Atkinson and Iorio, who started 11th. Three laps later, Iorio used a slick inside move in turn three to pass Beiter and Atkinson, and move to second. With five laps remaining, Dempsey led Iorio, Doug Iorio Sr., Atkinson and point leader Dave Ferringer.

R. Iorio tried several times to get by Dempsey, who ran the best race of his career. On the 13th lap, D. Iorio and Ferringer collided in turn two putting them at the rear of the field. On the restart, R. Iorio zipped past Dempsey to take the lead and the eventual win in his Ken Neely Lumber Chevrolet No. 55. Dempsey finished second followed by two-time track champion Gary Norman, Jamie Shetler and Brian Counselman. R. Iorio, Beiter and Ferringer won the heats while Counselman snared the consolation win.

During the evening, the fans enjoyed the first children's bike races of the season and demonstrations from area Zem Zem Shrine organizations.

Next Sunday night July 30th, Tri-City Speedway hosts Bonus Buck Weekend III on Selker Bros./Pennzoil Night with the Ashland Homes Super Sprints, Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds, RE/MAX E Mods and Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars. If a Super Sprint or DIRT Modified driver wins three feature races at Sharon Speedway, Mercer Raceway Park and Tri-City, then he will collect an extra $3,000. Two victories will earn the driver $1,500. In the Stock Car division, three wins equals $600 whereas two wins are worth $300. Drivers must compete at all three tracks to be eligible for the Bonus Buck$ Weekend prizes. In addition, the Super Sprints will compete for a guaranteed starting spot in the Chuck Marsh Memorial event to be held at Mercer Raceway Park. The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club (PCTC) Senior Series will be racing too, and defending PCTC Senior Series Champion Bill Wheeling will run a match race against his ex-son-in-law and FASCAR Late Model star Randy Dye of Daytona Beach, Fla. Adult grandstand admission is $10. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.

SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. JAROD LARSON, 2. Jimmy Hawley, 3. Gale Ruth Jr., 4. Tommy Quarterson, 5. Mike Woodring, 6. Craig Rankin, 7. Brent Covell, 8. Gary Rankin, 9. Buddy Cochran, 10. Brian Hartzell, 11. Sheila Rankin, 12. Jason Jacoby.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. LOU BLANEY, 2. Rex King, 3. Josh Skarzenski, 4. Kevin Bolland, 5. Carl Murdick, 6. Merle Mealy Jr., 7. Joe Crawford, 8. Del Rougeux Jr., 9. Dave Schrader, 10. Randy Snider, 11. Dave Reges, 12. Darrell Combs, 13. Chris Schiffer, 14. Rick Hoctor. DNS: Jim Rasey, Kevin Hoffman, Jeff Miller.

E MODS (15 Laps): 1. BOBBY POWELL, 2. Bob McCann, 3. R.J. Peebles, 4. Jeff Haefke, 5. Holly Nelson, 6. Dale Fuller, 7. Jim Myers, 8. Ryan Bright, 9. Herm Myers, 10. J.R. Mechling, 11. Ron Jaeger, 12. Mike Samuelson, 13. Mike Potosky, 14. Jim Abbott, 15. Shawn Shingledecker, 16. Rob Fuller, 17. Mike Hess, 18. Chuck Schell, 19. Bill Taylor, 20. Bootie Petsko. DNS: Brent Rhebergen, Gary McGregor, Kari Petrosky.

STOCK CAR A FEATURE (15 Laps): 1. RON IORIO, 2. Russ Dempsey, 3. Gary Norman, 4. Jamie Shetler, 5. Brian Counselman, 6. Scotty Carbaugh, 7. Rick Hughes, 8. Bob Sloss, 9. Dan Speer, 10. Glenn Pupino, 11. Everett Wade, 12. Doug Calvert, 13. Doug Iorio Sr., 14. John Sutley, 15. Dave Ferringer, 16. Chris Seaman, 17. David Atkinson, 18. Billy Beiter, 19. Scott Peterson, 20. Matt Cummings, 21. Mike Dolecki, 22. Danny Exley. DNQ: John K. Miller, Andy Miller, Arthur Edwards, Ben Blake, Craig McGinnis, Bob Garris, Doug Calvert, Tom Vincent, Bud Shontz.

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 30 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (Selker Bros. - Pennzoil Night)

(Bonus Bucks Weekend III) (Sprints Chuck Marsh Memorial Qualifier) (Pittsburgh

Circle Track Club Senior Series - Bill Wheeling v. Randy Dye Match Race)

Aug. 6 - Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Modified Series 2000 A.Crivelli

Chevrolet/GMC 100 ($6,000-to-win) and York Triathlon E Mod Series

Aug. 13 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (Galaxy Federal Credit Union Night)

(Tri-Track 2000 Sprints, $2,000-to-win) (DIRT Modified Rex King Memorial

Qualifier) (One-on-One Spectator Races)