HOFFMAN WINS RACE, BUT SWARTZLANDER WINS THIRD DIRT MOD TITLE AT TRI-CITY
RANKIN AND WHITING REPEAT WINNERS
by Brian Spaid
FRANKLIN, PA .... With beautiful, sunny weather gracing the track, Tri-City Speedway hosted its final regular season show of 1999 on Sunday night as Craig Rankin (CarMate Trailer Super Sprints), Jeff Hoffman (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds) and Bobby Whitling (Knox Auto Supply Pure Stocks) scored feature event wins on United Way of Venango County Night. With his fifth place finish, Brian Swartzlander of Leechburg, PA became the 1999 DIRT Modified Champion and will collect $3,000 from DIRT Motorsports in November. Last week, Jimmy Hawley of West Middlesex, PA was declared the Super Sprint Champion and Whitling collected the Pure Stock Champion laurels.
The 21-lap DIRT Modified main began with Andy Priest at the head of the pack. On the third lap, Jeff Hoffman of Franklin, PA passed Priest for the lead. However, Priest managed to get back around Hoffman. His stint out front only lasted another lap before Hoffman slipped underneath Priest in turn three. Once out front, Hoffman was unstoppable despite seven caution periods that slowed the race. In fact, a late yellow flag extended the race to 21 laps. Hoffman's win was his third of the season and the 14th of his career at Tri-City. Behind Hoffman, Priest was trying to hold off Del Rougeaux Jr., Dean Pearson and Josh Skarzenski for the second position. Unfortunately, by the end of the race, all three of the latter drivers were eliminated from competition by mechanical problems. On the 10th circuit, Jim Weller moved into third and set his sights on Priest. Over the next six laps, Priest and Weller engaged in a crowd-pleasing, side-by-side duel for the runnerup position. By the 16th lap, Weller secured second, but could not catch Hoffman. Priest wound up third ahead of last week's winner Scott Gurdak, who moved past Brian Swartzlander on a late-race restart. Swartzlander finished fifth. Hoffman and Swartzlander won the heat races.
"We did what we needed to do, but we just came up short," said a dejected Hoffman in victory lane next to his Hoffman Door Co. Troyer No. 00.
"We're happy to win the feature and we'll take it. Congratulations to Brian and his team." Afterwards, Swartzlander detailed that he barely finished the race.
"Jeff almost won himself a championship," smiled Swartzlander, who only defeated Hoffman by 10 points. "The fuel pressure dropped near the end and I didn't think the car would make it the distance. On the last lap, the car stalled off turn two and I thought it was over. Then, it picked back up and we barely made it."
Swartzlander earned $3,000 from DIRT Motorsports for his third consecutive Tri-City DIRT Modified Championship. He will collect the money at the DIRT Banquet to be held in November at the Hotel Syracuse.
In the 20-lap Super Sprint main, Craig Rankin of Clarion, PA took command of the race after early pacesetter Phil Mott faltered. Mott led at the start from the outside pole position. At the completion of the second lap, Brent Covell and Gary Kriess Jr. made contact in turn three and Kriess flipped. He was uninjured and both cars were towed off the track.
When racing resumed, Mott was still the leader. On the restart, Bruce Powell dove under second place runner Gale Ruth Jr. to steal the position off turn two as Rankin went to the outside off the corner into third. Coming around to complete the third lap, Rankin sped around Powell for second. Rankin then gave chase to Mott. On the seventh lap, Mott relinquished the lead when he spun in turn two. He fell back to sixth and tried to recover, but hit the turn two wall only two circuits later.
Rankin dominated the race from that point in his Ashland Homes Maxim No. 77. He cruised to his fifth win of the season and the ninth of his career at Tri-City. Powell was second at the line for his best career finish at the half-mile Venango County oval. Tommy Quarterson placed third followed by Ruth and Jamie Smith. Quarterson and Rankin won the heats.
The 15-lap Pure Stock feature turned into a race of attrition for a number of drivers. Jerry Huff was the early leader of the race, but Danny Exley passed him for the lead on a seventh lap restart. Exley only led for one circuit before a blown right rear tire forced him to the pits. Huff gained control again and was leading when his car suffered a mechanical failure on the ninth lap. This moved Whitling into first and he raced to his ninth win of season setting a new track record for most wins in a single season in the Pure Stocks. He also tied Gary Norman's record of 15 career feature wins in the division.
Rookie Bruce Smith appeared to be on his way to a second place finish when his right rear tire came off in turn four on the 13th lap. David Atkinson took second at that time, but Matt Lux used a last lap pass to secure the runnerup spot at the finish. Atkinson was third matching the run he had last week. Dave Ferringer finished fourth after suffering a flat tire early in the race. Rookie Billy Beiter earned a career best fifth place finish. Lux, Whitling and Matt Cummings won the heats and Ben Blake triumphed in the consolation. Of note, with his heat race victory and second place finish in the feature, Lux finished second in the final point standings by one point over Ferringer.
Next Sunday night September 5, Tri-City Speedway begins a four-race, special Fall Schedule with Mod Madness III. The highlight of the show will be a 50-lap DIRT Modified event paying $2,000 to the winner. In addition, the York Triathlon Stahl E Mod Series will make its second appearance of 1999 at the half-mile Venango County oval. Rounding out the card will be a complete show of Sportsman Modifieds and 6 Cylinder Modifieds. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.
The following Saturday September 11, the biggest event of the season will be held as the Pennzoil Racing Series presents the Stoops Freightliner USAC Sprint Car Series Oil Region Classic. This will be the first wingless USAC Sprint Car event in Western Pennsylvania in nearly 20 years. In addition, the York Triathlon Stahl E Mod Series and Sportsman Modifieds will be part of the program. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 7:00 p.m.
On Saturday September 18, the first-ever ARCA Lincoln Welder Truck Series race will be run at Tri-City. In their inaugural season, the ARCA Trucks will thrill the crowd in a 50-lap race. The Pure Stocks will also be running an Applefest 100 Qualifier. The winner will earn a guaranteed starting spot for the 100-lap season-ending event. The Back-to-School Bus Races will complete the program. Gates open at 12:00 p.m. and racing starts at 7:00 p.m.
To conclude the season, on Saturday October 2, the Pure Stocks will be featured in the Applefest 100 III. Run in conjunction with the annual Applefest celebration in nearby Franklin, the 100-lap race will pay $1,000 to the winner. The final Sligo Auto Salvage Demolition Derby will be conclude the show and the season. Gates open at 2:00 p.m. and racing begins at 4:00 p.m.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. CRAIG RANKIN, 2. Bruce Powell, 3. Tommy Quarterson, 4. Gale Ruth Jr., 5. Jamie Smith, 6. David Scott, 7. Jack Sodeman Jr., 8. Scott Bonnell, 9. Jason Jacoby, 10. Mike Roxberry, 11. Todd Bauer, 12. Mike Marano II, 13. Phil Mott, 14. Brent Covell, 15. Gary Kriess Jr.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (21 Laps): 1. JEFF HOFFMAN, 2. Jim Weller, 3. Andy Priest, 4. Scott Gurdak, 5. Brian Swartzlander, 6. Chris Schiffer, 7. Tommy Kristyak, 8. Jason Engles, 9. Danny Perrett, 10. George Hobaugh, 11. Rich Ferguson, 12. Bobby Hoffman, 13. Randy Myers, 14. Josh Skarzenski, 15. Kevin Hoffman, 16. Dean Pearson, 17. Tim Engles, 18. Del Rougeaux Jr., 19. Jeff Miller, 20. Dave Reges.
PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. BOBBY WHITLING, 2. Matt Lux, 3. David Atkinson, 4. Dave Ferringer, 5. Billy Beiter, 6. Jamie Shetler, 7. Jay Feely, 8. Barry Wilson, 9. Tom Scott, 10. Arthur Edwards, 11. Rick Hughes, 12. Matt Cummings, 13. Joe Drusko, 14. Bud Shontz, 15. John K. Miller II, 16. Frank Burdette, 17. Mike Dolecki, 18. Bruce Smith, 19. Dan Speer, 20. Ben Blake, 21. Danny Exley, 22. Jerry Huff, 23. Tom Vincent, 24. Earl Van Valkenberg. DNQ: Bob Sloss, John K. Miller, Craig McGinnis, Mike Miller, Dale McGinnis Sr.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Sept. 5 - Mod Madness III (DIRT Modifieds (50 Laps, $2,000-to-win), York Triathlon Stahl E Mod Series, Sportsman Modifieds and 6 Cylinder Modifieds)
Sept. 11 - USAC Sprint Car Series Pennzoil Oil Region Classic, York Triathlon Stahl E Mods Series and Sportsman Modifieds (Saturday Night Event)
Sept. 18 - ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series, Pure Stocks Applefest 100 Qualifier and Back-to-School Bus Races (Saturday Night Event)
Oct. 2 - Pure Stocks Applefest 100 III and Demo Derby (Saturday Afternoon Event)
Oct. 16 - 5th Annual Automotive & Racer's Flea Market (Gates Open at 9:00 a.m.)