Scott, Blaney, Hess and Lux triumph on holiday night at Tri-City Speedway

by Brian Spaid

July 2, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FRANKLIN, PA .... After three consecutive weeks of rainy weather, Tri-City Speedway was blessed with glorious sunshine on Sunday evening as David Scott (Ashland Homes Super Sprints), Lou Blaney (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds), Mike Hess (RE/MAX E Mods) and Matt Lux (Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars) captured feature events and the crowd was awed by the Giant Eagle Fireworks Extravaganza in honor of Independence Day.

David Scott of Garland, Pa., won his second Super Sprint 20-lap feature of the season. It was Scott's second triumph of the weekend after Super Sprint and Late Model feature wins at Lernerville Speedway on Friday night. He also collected an extra $200 bonus courtesy of Funtime Motorsports after a fan selected Scott to win the feature.

"This is just unbelievable to have won two times at Tri-City," said Scott. "We've had an excellent weekend. I was a little worried about Craig (Rankin), but I just stayed focused. My crew did a great job once again."

Phil Mott led the first three laps of the race before the caution flag was displayed twice, first for Todd Bauer's collision with the second turn guard rail and second for Brent Covell's spin in the same turn. It was the only time the race was slowed. After the second restart, Scott put his NW Penn Auctions Maxim No. 3D out front. Craig Rankin and Tommy Quarterson quickly dispatched Mott behind them, but neither driver was a match for Scott. Rankin and Quarterson finished second and third in the fast event.

Behind them, Mott, Craig Keel and Ed Lynch Jr. engaged in a spirited battle for fourth for most of the second half of the race. At one point, Lynch clouted the frontstretch wall, but he held on to finish fourth ahead of Mott. Rankin and Scott won the heats.

Lou Blaney of Hartford, Ohio, thrilled the crowd with another last lap pass to score his third Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modified feature win of the season. For the second DIRT Modified main in a row, Joe Crawford was denied victory on the final lap as Blaney passed him off turn four for the victory. On June 4, Brian Swartzlander used the same move to defeat Crawford.

Merle Mealy Jr. of Tionesta appeared to be on his way to an upset win as he led the first 11 laps of the race holding off veteran Carl Murdick. The race was halted on the seventh circuit when Kevin Bolland, who was driving Steve Solari's car after his primary racer suffered motor problems over the weekend, spun in turn three while running fifth and collected Jim Weller in a hard crash. Mealy still held the advantage after the restart, but the competition grew tough behind him.

On a 12th lap restart following a turn two spin by Jeff Miller, Crawford dashed into the lead using the outside groove to slip around Mealy in turn two. Crawford pulled away from the pack while Kevin Hoffman and Blaney worked their way past Mealy for second and third. Crawford was headed to his first win in four years when Miller spun again with two laps remaining. This allowed Hoffman and Blaney to close on his back bumper.

On the restart, Blaney first drove under Hoffman in turn two to grab second. On the final lap, Blaney dashed under Crawford in turn one. Crawford held him off until the final corners when Blaney charged by him for his 20th career DIRT Modified win at Tri-City. The crowd roared its approval as Blaney crossed the finish line in his Colonial Metals Blaney No. 10. Crawford was a disappointed second over Hoffman, John Braymer and Mealy. Josh Skarzenski and Crawford won the heats. Skarzenski started the night as the point leader, but never made the feature due to a broken fuel belt.

In the 15-lap E Mod Midseason Championship, Mike Hess of Waterford, Pa., drove his Pepsi Racing Laser Chassis No. 44 to his first career win at Tri-City. Hess becomes the sixth different E Mod feature winner this season and took the point lead from Bobby Powell in the process.

Powell and Hess started on the front row, but Powell seemed to slow at the green flag and Hess jumped into an immediate lead. By the fifth lap, Brent Rhebergen was up to second, but he could not close on Hess. Only one caution slowed the race, and Hess simply dominated.

Behind him, Rhebergen held off Todd Roncaglione for the distance. Bill Watson charged through the field to pass Larry Kugel, who was substituting for Kari Petrosky, and Powell late in the race. Watson finished fourth ahead of Powell. Roncaglione, Watson, Bill Hanna and Ron Roncaglione won the heats. Jeff Taylor captured the B Main.

Matt Lux of Rocky Grove, Pa., was the top local runner as he snagged the win in the 15-lap Stock Car main after a late race pass of Ron Iorio. At the start of the race, Russ Dempsey jumped into the lead in turn one, but Iorio used a good starting spot to his advantage and took the number one position by the end of the first lap.

The battle behind Iorio was tense as Danny Exley, Rick Hughes, Ben Blake, Lux and two-time track champion Gary Norman raced wheel-to-wheel for the top five spots. Iorio led over Exley and Hughes while Norman and Lux kept the crowd on their feet dueling for fourth place. Lux secured the spot by the eighth lap and moved past Hughes shortly thereafter.

Lux used a good handling Jez Cooling & Heating/Dulaney's Garage Chevrolet No. 21 to catch Exley for second on the 13th lap. Then, the event's only caution flag waved when Matt Cummings spun in turn two. This allowed Lux to close the gap to Iorio. On the restart, Lux used an outside move by Iorio to take the lead. He raced on to his seventh career win at Tri-City over Iorio, Exley, Norman and Dave Ferringer of Cochranton. Hughes and Blake ended their strong runs with a crash in turn four on the final lap. Blake, Ferringer, Lux and Iorio won the heats.

The nightcap was the 15-lap Stock Car B Feature, which was won by Mike Miller of Chicora, Pa. Russ Kapalin took command of the race on the second lap and was destined for victory when the engine soured aboard his racer. Miller slipped past Kapalin with two laps left and scored the win. Kapalin held on for second followed by Kevin Thompson, Terry Feely and Tom Vincent. The race was punctuated by Everett Wade's rollover in turn one on the ninth lap. He was uninjured.

Next Sunday night July 9th, Tri-City Speedway will feature another four-star racing program on Knox Auto Supply Night. The Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars will be highlighted throughout the evening with their Midseason Championship and autograph session, as well as the 2nd Annual Anchor Village Stock Car Pit Crew Competition. The second Powder Puff Stock Car Race of the season will also be run. As usual, the Ashland Homes Super Sprints, Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds and RE/MAX E Mods will be part of the card. It will also be Little League Night at the track with all Little Leaguers in uniform admitted to the grandstand free of charge. Gates open Sunday at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.

SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. DAVID SCOTT, 2. Craig Rankin, 3. Tommy Quarterson, 4. Ed Lynch Jr., 5. Phil Mott, 6. Craig Keel, 7. Brian Ellenberger, 8. Jarod Larson, 9. Chad Hill, 10. Jason Jacoby, 11. Scott Bonnell, 12. Bruce Powell, 13. Brent Covell, 14. Brian Hartzell, 15. Larry Lamey, 16. Todd Bauer.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. LOU BLANEY, 2. Joe Crawford, 3. Kevin Hoffman, 4. John Braymer, 5. Merle Mealy Jr., 6. Chris Schiffer, 7. Carl Murdick, 8. Jim Rasey, 9. Dave Murdick, 10. Dave Schrader, 11. Del Rougeux Jr., 12. Chuck Kennedy, 13. Randy Snider, 14. Andy Nicols, 15. Pete Simpson, 16. Jeff Miller, 17. Darrell Combs, 18. Chanda Reitz, 19. Kevin Bolland, 20. Jim Weller, 21. Rich Watson. DNS: Josh Skarzenski.

E MODS (15 Laps): 1. MIKE HESS, 2. Brent Rhebergen, 3. Todd Roncaglione, 4. Bill Watson, 5. Bobby Powell, 6. Larry Kugel, 7. Ron Roncaglione, 8. Holly Nelson, 9. Bob McCann, 10. Scott Stiffler, 11. Jeff Taylor, 12. Bill Taylor, 13. Bootie Petsko, 14. Bill Hanna, 15. R.J. Peebles, 16. Jeff Haefke, 17. Ron Jaeger, 18. Jeff Johnson, 19. Mike Petosky, 20. Dale Fuller, 21. Chuck Schell, 22. Scott Jones, 23. Ryan Snow, 24. Mike Hendrickson. DNQ: Jim Abbott, Tom Harris, Scott Weaver, Shawn Shingledecker, Steve Haefke, Roger Frost, Jim Long, JR Mechling, Jake Miller, Dave Ferry.

STOCK CARS (15 Laps): 1. MATT LUX, 2. Ron Iorio, 3. Danny Exley, 4. Gary Norman, 5. Dave Ferringer, 6. Bruce Smith, 7. Rich Allen, 8. Russ Dempsey, 9. Doug Iorio Sr., 10. Michael Aley, 11. Brian Counselman, 12. David Atkinson, 13. Jamie Shetler, 14. Tim Deutsch, 15. Jerry Flavell, 16. Matt Cummings, 17. Doug Calvert, 18. Bob Sloss, 19. Rick Hughes, 20. Ben Blake, 21. Glenn Pupino, 22. Mike Dolecki. DNS: Bobby Whitling.

STOCK CARS B FEATURE (15 Laps): 1. MIKE MILLER, 2. Russ Kapalin, 3. Kevin Thompson, 4. Terry Feely, 5. Tom Vincent, 6. Arthur Edwards, 7. Chris Seaman, 8. Dale McGinnis Sr., 9. Herb Gordon, 10. Dave Phillips, 11. Scott Carbaugh, 12. Andy Thompson, 13. Everett Wade, 14. Scott Peterson, 15. John Sutley, 16. Bob Garris, 17. Andy Miller, 18. Dick Smith, 19. James Mohnkern, 20. Bud Shontz. DNS: Billy Beiter, Adam Aley, No. 911, Craig McGinnis.

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 9 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (Knox Auto Supply Night) (Stock

Car Midseason Championship and Autograph Night) (2nd Annual Anchor Village

Stock Car Pit Crew Competition) (Powder Puff Stock Car Races) (Little League Night)

July 16 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (RE/MAX and Titusville Motor &

Auction Co. Night) (Super Sprint and DIRT Modified Midseason Championships and

Autograph Night) (Sligo Auto Salvage Demolition Derby)

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)