HAWLEY AND BLANEY SNAG BONUS BUCK$ AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY;
RONCAGLIONE AND KAPALIN EARN CAREER FIRSTS TOO
by Brian Spaid
May 7, 2000
FRANKLIN, PA .... With sunny skies overhead despite the threat of isolated showers and thunderstorms, the action was fast and furious at Tri-City Speedway on Sunday night as Jimmy Hawley (Ashland Homes Super Sprints), Lou Blaney (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds), Ron Roncaglione (RE/MAX E Mods) and Russ Kapalin (Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars) captured feature event wins on the second night of racing in 2000. The entire four-star racing program was over by 9:35 p.m.
Hawley and Blaney left with large pay checks for the bank on Monday morning as each driver collected Bonus Buck$. Hawley, the defending Super Sprint champion at Tri-City, collected a total of $6,500 for the weekend, including $3,000 in Bonus Buck$ for winning at Sharon Speedway, Mercer Raceway Park and Tri-City on the same weekend. For his wins at Mercer and Tri-City, Blaney earned an extra $1,500 in Bonus Buck$.
Dave Murdick led the first two laps of the 20-lap Super Sprint feature. Hawley, who started fourth, raced the Dr. John and Debi Crawford No. CIII to victory leading the rest of the race. It was his first win of the season at Tri-City and the 12th of his career.
"The pressure is off," said a happy Hawley in victory lane. "This crew did an excellent job all weekend. Hats off to the team. We struggled a bit at the beginning of the year, but brought it all together. I'd like to thank the tracks for giving us this opportunity."
Behind the West Middlesex, Pa., racer, several drivers dueled for the top five spots. Brent Covell held second for several laps before Craig Rankin and Brian Ellenberger flew past him on the seventh and eighth circuits. Then, Covell spun in turn three ending a strong run and bringing out the fourth caution of the race.
On the restart, Ellenberger, who survived a wild flip at Sharon, moved into second, but could not challenge Hawley. New York star Craig Keel charged through the pack and passed Rankin on the 19th lap to finish third. Rankin and Tommy Quarterson rounded out the top five. Hawley and Jason Jacoby won the heats.
In one of the most stirring battles of the night, Blaney recovered from some midrace handling woes and passed Kevin Hoffman and Chris Schiffer with one lap remaining to score his second feature win in a row in the 21-lap DIRT Modified main.
"It's good to be in the winner's circle again," said Blaney after his 19th career DIRT Modified win at Tri-City. "Kevin and Chris are good racers and I just went for it after the restart. I was just lucky because the other two guys wrecked in front of us."
The wreck Blaney referred to involved Jim Weller and Jeff Hoffman. Before that incident, K. Hoffman led the race from the drop of the green flag aboard the Rapp Racing Bicknell No. 11R. He led the first 11 laps before Weller slipped underneath him in turn three to take the top spot. J. Hoffman passed his brother K. Hoffman for second on the 19th lap, then a caution flag was displayed for a wild incident involving Dave Murdick. While running sixth, Murdick's machine broke a water line. With hot fluid spewing on him, Murdick spun in turn three and jumped from the car, which rolled back down the banking in front of traffic. No one else was involved and Murdick was uninjured.
Now with two laps remaining, Weller led J. Hoffman on the restart. Racing into turn two, J. Hoffman dashed down low as Weller drifted from the high groove to the low groove. Without enough racing room, they collided and both spun. After the race both driver labeled it a racing accident.
This moved K. Hoffman back into first over Schiffer and Blaney. When the race resumed, Blaney used two quick inside moves in turns two and three to sweep into first as the crowd cheered wildly. The Hartford, Ohio, veteran raced on to the popular win over K. Hoffman, Schiffer, Kevin Bolland and Josh Skarzenski. Weller and Jim Rasey won the heat races.
Ron Roncaglione of Linesville, Pa., snared the win in the 15-lap E Mod feature for his first career victory at Tri-City. It was also Roncaglione's first regional win since 1998.
"What a race," exclaimed Roncaglione in victory lane beside his Fame Manufacturing No. 0. "Brent [Rhebergen] gave me room on the inside and I took it. My crew did a great job getting us to this point. It just feels good again to get back to the winner's circle."
Brian Felmlee led the first lap of the race before Roncaglione took command on the second lap. One lap later, last week's winner Rhebergen moved outside Roncaglione in turn two to lead the race. Roncaglione stayed glued to Rhebergen while a huge battle took place behind him. With all the action, the inevitable wreck occurred when Todd Roncaglione's car suddenly slowed in turn two, spun and collected five other cars in a melee on the fifth lap.
Rhebergen appeared ready to repeat, but R. Roncaglione moved back out front on the 11th lap. Rhebergen gradually slowed and dropped out of the race., while R. Roncaglione fended off the threat of Jeff Taylor over the final laps. Taylor wound up second over Mike Hess, who passed Bobby Powell for third on the final lap. Rich Stiffler rounded out the top five. Bootie Petsko and R. Roncaglione won the heats.
Russ Kapalin of Jefferson, Ohio, became the first Buckeye State racer to win a 15-lap Knox Auto Supply Stock Car regular main event at Tri-City. Kapalin earned his second triumph of the weekend after winning Friday night at Sharon, but his first career at Tri-City aboard his Kapalin-Cokor Racing Chevrolet No. R40. Kapalin started third and used a quick move on the inside of turn two to assume command on the first lap. After spinning out of the lead last week, Kapalin would not be denied this night as he led every circuit.
Behind him, the battles were furious for the remainder of the top five. By the halfway mark, Kapalin led Ron Iorio, 1996 track champ Doug Iorio, and sophomore racers Bruce Smith and Billy Beiter. On the 10th lap, R. Iorio blew an engine and fell from contention. Two laps later, Smith's strong run ended with overheating problems. Willie Aley then battled Beiter for third and took that position with two laps to go.
At the checkered flag, Kapalin was the winner over D. Iorio, Aley, Matt Cummings and Dave Ferringer. Cummings and Ferringer both drove under Beiter in turn three on the final circuit. Ferringer raced from the rear of the field after spinning on the third lap. Bobby Whitling, who suffered steering problems in the feature bringing out the first caution, D. Iorio and Smith won the heats. R. Iorio won the consolation event.
Next Sunday night May 14th, Tri-City Speedway celebrates Mother's Day with another four-star show of Ashland Homes Super Sprints, Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds, RE/MAX E Mods and Knox Auto Supply Stock Cars. In addition, the annual Powder Puff Stock Car race will be run.
Gates open next Sunday at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m. Adult grandstand admission is $10.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. JIMMY HAWLEY, 2. Brian Ellenberger, 3. Craig Keel, 4. Craig Rankin, 5. Tommy Quarterson, 6. Jason Jacoby, 7. Jarod Larson, 8. Phil Mott, 9. Brent Covell, 10. Mike Marano II, 11. Brian Hartzell, 12. David Scott, 13. Dave Murdick, 14. Bruce Powell.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. LOU BLANEY, 2. Kevin Hoffman, 3. Chris Schiffer, 4. Kevin Bolland, 5. Josh Skarzenski, 6. John Braymer, 7. Carl Murdick, 8. Del Rougeaux Jr., 9. Merle Mealy Jr., 10. Joe Crawford, 11. Jim Weller, 12. Randy Snider, 13. Pete Simpson, 14. Jeff Hoffman, 15. Dave Harbaugh, 16. Dave Murdick, 17. Jim Rasey. DNS: Jeremiah Shingledecker, Steve Barr.
E MODS (15 Laps): 1. RON RONCAGLIONE, 2. Jeff Taylor, 3. Mike Hess, 4. Bobby Powell, 5. Rich Stiffler, 6. C.W. Krause, 7. Kari Petrosky, 8. Brian Felmlee, 9. Shawn Shingledecker, 10. Bill Taylor, 11. Brent Rhebergen, 12. Ron Jaeger, 13. Holly Nelson, 14. Jim Abbott, 15. Todd Roncaglione, 16. Bootie Petsko, 17. Les Myers, 18. Ryan Snow. DNS: R.J. Peebles.
STOCK CARS (15 Laps): 1. RUSS KAPALIN, 2. Doug Iorio, 3. Willie Aley, 4. Matt Cummings, 5. Dave Ferringer, 6. Billy Beiter, 7. Brian Counselman, 8. David Atkinson, 9. Rick Hughes, 10. Craig McGinnis, 11. Mike Dolecki, 12. Bruce Smith, 13. Ron Iorio, 14. Ben Blake, 15. Bobby Whitling, 16. Michael Aley, 17. Leigh Wheeler, 18. Arthur Edwards, 19. Herb Gordon, 20. Dick Smith, 21. Doug Calvert, 22. Scott Carbaugh. DNS: Barry Wilson, Tom Vincent, James Mohnkern, Scott Peterson, Jamie Shetler, John Miller.
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 14 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars with Powder Puff Stock Car Races (Bill Emig Memorial Qualifier for DIRT Modifieds)
May 21 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars with Sligo Auto Salvage Demolition Derby (Scout Night)
May 28 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Stock Cars (DIRT Modified Kodiak Memorial)