HAWLEY, SCHIFFER AND LUX TOP MIDSEASON DOGS AT TRI-CITY; PETSKO REPEATS IN E MODS
by Brian Spaid
July 16, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRANKLIN, PA ....Although rain showers delayed the start of the racing program until 7:15 p.m., Tri-City Speedway was back in action Sunday night finally beating the wet weather. Jimmy Hawley (Ashland Homes Super Sprints), Chris Schiffer (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds), Bootie Petsko (RE/MAX E Mods) and Matt Lux (Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars) won feature events on RE/MAX/Titusville Motor & Auction Co./Knox Auto Supply Night at the half-mile Venango County oval.
Jimmy Hawley completed a comeback from injuries he suffered in a flip at Limaland (Ohio) Speedway three weeks ago to capture the 20-lap Super Sprint Midseason Championship. It was Hawley's second feature win of the season at Tri-City in Dr. John Crawford's J&J No. CIII. It also marked his 12th career win at the track for the West Middlesex, Pa., racer, and his second of the weekend after a $2,000 win on Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park.
"It's too bad Craig (Rankin) and Jarod (Larson) dropped out of the race because we would have had a great battle for the win," said the 1999 Tri-City Super Sprint champion. "We have a great team and running with the All Stars has picked up our pace a great deal."
Rankin started on the pole and jumped into an early lead over Larson. Hawley moved into third by the seventh lap and gave chase to the frontrunners. Rankin was way out front on the superb, tacky track, but disaster struck on the same lap Hawley grabbed third place. Brent Covell flipped in turn three causing Paul Long to spin. Rankin could not stop when he came upon the accident and slid into Long damaging his front suspension. Then, under the red flag, Larson's car caught fire melting a tire. Neither Covell nor Larson were injured, and Larson returned to action.
These incidents put Hawley in the lead to stay. He scored the win by a large margin over Tommy Quarterson. David Scott had third place in hand until he spun in turn three on the final circuit. As a result, Bruce Powell finished third in his best run of the season over Jason Jacoby and Arnie Kent. Scott, Hawley and Scott Bonnell won the heats for the 21-car field.
Chris Schiffer of Franklin, Pa., proved victorious in the 20-lap DIRT Modified Midseason Championship after a stirring duel with point leader Kevin Bolland. At the start of the race, Bolland assumed command before Tim Engles spun on the frontstretch. Bolland still held the lead over Schiffer and Josh Skarzenski on the restart. They remained in that order, however, halfway into the event, Bolland's car started showing a trail of smoke indicating an engine problem.
On the 15th lap, Schiffer dashed under Bolland off turn four and led at the line, but Bolland used the lapped car of Andy Nicols as a pique to retake the lead entering turn one. Bolland's advantage disappeared when until his engine gave out two laps later. Schiffer and Skarzenski made it past Bolland in turn three, but Joe Crawford was tagged by the slowing Bolland and spun ending another strong run for him.
Schiffer led the rest of the way in his Schiffer Excavating/Klasen Oil/Prichard's Auto Sales Troyer No. 7S. It was his first win of the season and his seventh career win at Tri-City. Skarzenski was second followed by Kevin Hoffman, Carl Murdick and John Braymer. Jim Weller, Jason Engles and Dave Schrader captured the heat race victories in the 25-car field.
Bootie Petsko of Brookfield, Ohio, won his second 15-lap RE/MAX E Mod feature of the season becoming the first repeat winner in 2000. Petsko started fifth, but used a quick inside move past the front of the field by the end of the first lap in order to assume command. Petsko dominated from that point in his DAF Racing Products No. 00.
Behind him, Bobby Powell had a good duel with Todd Roncaglione for second, but Powell held him off to increase his point lead. Brent Rhebergen passed Roncaglione for third late in the race and Mike Petosky wound up fifth. In the heat races, Larry Kugel (substituting for Kari Petrosky), Todd and Ron Roncaglione were the winners over the 25-car field.
Matt Lux of Rocky Grove, Pa., captured his third win of the season in the 15-lap Stock Car Midseason Championship in what proved to be a three-man race. Point leader Dave Ferringer started on the pole and led the field at the start. Meanwhile, defending champion Bobby Whitling passed outside polesitter Ron Iorio for second off turn two. Before Whitling could mount a challenge to Ferringer, mechanical problems forced him to a stop in turn two and his race was done.
This left Ferringer, Iorio and Lux to battle for the win. Ferringer continued to lead until the sixth lap when Iorio and Lux used the inside groove to pass him. Lux remained glued to Iorio waiting for a mistake. When Iorio drifted high in turn two on the 10th circuit, Lux dashed under him in his Jez Cooling and Heating/Dulaney's Garage Chevrolet No. 21. Once out front, Lux raced on to his eighth career win at Tri-City. Iorio finished second followed by Ferringer, Matt Cummings and Bob Sloss. Lux, Andy Buckley, Rick Hughes and Gary Norman won the heat races for the 43-car field. Gary Miller Jr. of Mercer won the 15-lap Stock Car B Feature after a great battle with David Atkinson, Russ Dempsey and Dick Pascorell. Following those four drivers, Dave Phillips rounded out the top five.
At the end of the evening, Jesse Deloe of Cranberry, Pa., won the second Sligo Auto Salvage Demolition Derby of the season over a field of 37 cars.
Next Sunday night July 23rd, Tri-City Speedway hosts Fan Appreciation and Kids Night with a full slate of Ashland Homes Super Sprints, Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds, RE/MAX E Mods and Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars on Klasen Oil and Shrine Night. Kids bike races will be held for children ages 12 and under as Titusville Motor & Auction Co. will sponsor two bike giveaways. For Fan Appreciation Night, adult and senior citizen grandstand admission will be reduced to $5. All students and children age 17 and under will be admitted free of charge to the grandstand. Rain checks from July 9th will be accepted, however, no refunds are available. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. JIMMY HAWLEY, 2. Tommy Quarterson, 3. Bruce Powell, 4. Jason Jacoby, 5. Arnie Kent, 6. Andy McKisson, 7. Jeff Weaver, 8. Gale Ruth Jr., 9. Jarod Larson, 10. David Scott, 11. Skip Dougherty, 12. Phil Mott, 13. Mike Marano II, 14. Nathan Hines, 15. Brian Hartzell, 16. Chad Hill, 17. Craig Rankin, 18. Brent Covell, 19. Paul Long, 20. Chris Matthews, 21. Scott Bonnell.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. CHRIS SCHIFFER, 2. Josh Skarzenski, 3. Kevin Hoffman, 4. Carl Murdick, 5. John Braymer, 6. Andy Priest, 7. Merle Mealy Jr., 8. Lonny Riggs, 9. Del Rougeux Jr., 10. Joe Crawford, 11. Pete Simpson, 12. Andy Nicols, 13. Darrell Combs, 14. Dave Schrader, 15. Kevin Bolland, 16. George Hobaugh, 17. Jason Engles, 18. Jim Weller, 19. Rob Kristyak, 20. Scott Gurdak, 21. Jeff Miller, 22. Tim Engles. DNS: Dave Harbaugh, Adam Seigel, Jim Rasey.
E MODS (15 Laps): 1. BOOTIE PETSKO, 2. Bobby Powell, 3. Brent Rhebergen, 4. Todd Roncaglione, 5. Mike Petosky, 6. Richard Stiffler, 7. Holly Nelson, 8. Jim White Jr., 9. Bill Taylor, 10. Steve Haefke, 11. Larry Kugel, 12. Dale Fuller, 13. Ryan Bright, 14. Mike Samuelson, 15. Ron Jaeger, 16. Shawn Shingledecker, 17. Jim Myers, 18. Steve Artrip, 19. Carl McKinney, 20. Ron Roncaglione, 21. Mark Willison, 22. Jim Abbott, 23. Jim Frontz. DNS: Mike Hess, R.J. Peebles.
STOCK CAR A FEATURE (15 Laps): 1. MATT LUX, 2. Dave Ferringer, 3. Ron Iorio, 4. Matt Cummings, 5. Bob Sloss, 6. Danny Exley, 7. Shawn Hooks, 8. Russ Kapalin, 9. Jamie Shetler, 10. Rick Hughes, 11. Doug Iorio Sr., 12. Brian Counselman, 13. Michael Aley, 14. Ben Blake, 15. Tom Scott, 16. Andy Buckley, 17. Bobby Whitling, 18. Mike Dolecki, 19. Willie Aley, 20. Billy Beiter, 21. Gary Norman, 22. Bruce Smith.
STOCK CAR B FEATURE (15 Laps): 1. GARY MILLER JR., 2. David Atkinson, 3. Russ Dempsey, 4. Dick Pascorell, 5. Dave Phillips, 6. Everett Wade, 7. Craig McGinnis, 8. John Sutley, 9. Bud Shontz, 10. Arthur Edwards, 11. Ray Yuran, 12. Scott Peterson, 13. John K. Miller, 14. Herb Gordon, 15. Chris Hanes, 16. Dale McGinnis Sr., 17. Doug Calvert, 18. Dick Smith, 19. Scotty Carbaugh, 20. Tom Vincent. DNS: Bob Garris.
UPCOMING EVENTS
July 23 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (Klasen Oil - Shrine Night) (Fan Appreciation Night: $5 Adult and Seniors Admission - Kids Night: Bike Races and Children 12 and Under Free Admission)
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