CRAIG RANKIN, SCOTT GURDAK AND BOBBY WHITLING TOPS AT TRI-CITY; JIMMY HAWLEY AND
WHITLING CLINCH TRACK TITLES
FRANKLIN, PA .... Under partly sunny skies, Tri-City Speedway hosted another night of dirt track racing action on Sunday night as Craig Rankin (CarMate Trailer Super Sprints), Scott Gurdak (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds) and Bobby Whitling (Knox Auto Supply Pure Stocks) won the feature events on Knox Auto Supply Night. With his second place finish, Jimmy Hawley of West Middlesex, PA clinched the 1999 Super Sprint track championship, which was his first at Tri-City. Whitling also secured his first career Pure Stock track title at the half-mile Venango County oval.
The 20-lap Super Sprint feature began with a couple of incidents. The initial start was punctuated with a wild flip by former Empire Super Sprint Champion Craig Keel. While dicing for position, Keel hopped a wheel of another competitor and tumbled in turn two collecting his teammate and fellow New Yorker George Ely. Neither driver was injured. Then, after the completion of one lap, Jimmy Hawley spun his car in turn four causing another yellow. Gale Ruth Jr. led from his pole position, but Bruce Powell sped past Ruth for the lead on third circuit. Powell raced at the front of the pack for five laps in an excellent run. Behind him, Craig Rankin of Clarion, PA moved into second on the eighth lap. At the completion of that lap, the yellow flag flew again for Todd Bauer, who stopped in turn four, and Dave Wagner, who spun in turn three.
On the restart, Rankin worked under Powell in turn two to take the lead. Hawley overcame his early spin to take second from Powell on the 10th lap. Shortly thereafter, Ruth spun in turn four. Powell lost further ground on the ensuing restart as Scott Bonnell, Jack Sodeman Jr. and Mike Roxberry all passed him. For the rest of the race, Powell methodically worked his way forward again.
Out front, Rankin, who was driving a new Ashland Homes/Guzzo Motorsports Maxim No. 77 recently purchased from Bob Felmlee, easily outdistanced the field for his eight career win at Tri-City. Hawley finished second. Bonnell barely held off Powell at the finish for third. Sodeman rounded out the top five. Hawley and Rankin won the heat races.
Scott Gurdak of Corry, PA started the 20-lap DIRT Modified main in the third position, but he passed Andy Priest and Danny Perrett on the opening lap to take command. After a brief caution on the first lap, the restart proved disastrous. A few cars tangled off turn four and Tommy Kristyak of Stoneboro spun in the middle of the pack. Within seconds, a total of eight cars were involved in a frontstretch melee. Kristyak was initially hit by Steve Young before George Hobaugh, Del Rougeaux Jr., Joe Crawford, Steve Barr, Mark Sevin and Tommy Mason piled into the accident. Only Kristyak, Barr, Mason and Young were towed from the scene. Barr was transported to Northwest Medical Center for precautionary measures and was released.
When racing resumed, Gurdak outclassed the rest of the field in the Butch Rapp Racing Bicknell No. 11R for his second win of the season and his career at Tri-City. Jeff Hoffman tried to slip by Gurdak on the sixth lap, but Gurdak remained at the front of the pack for the entire race. Hoffman finished second followed by Brian Swartzlander. Those two drivers continued their duel for the DIRT Modified track title as Swartzlander leads Hoffman by 22 markers heading into the final point night at Tri-City. Jim Weller and Josh Skarzenski rounded out the top five feature finishers. Swartzlander, Perrett and Weller won the heats.
In the 15-lap Pure Stock feature, David Atkinson led the first five laps before Dave Ferringer and Bobby Whitling of Seneca, PA charged past him. Ferringer actually led at the completion of the sixth circuit and Whitling nosed by Atkinson entering turn one on the seventh lap. Whitling then cruised under Ferringer in turn two to take the lead on the eighth circuit.
For the remainder of the race, Whitling and Ferringer raced fender-to-fender. Twice it appeared that Ferringer would be able to get by Whitling, but the crafty victor continued to shut down any pass attempts in the low groove. At the line, Whitling finished just ahead of Ferringer to earn his eighth win of the season and 14th career victory at Tri-City, thus, tying him with Bobby Powell for second on the all-time Pure Stock win list. Whitling also tied Powell's record for most feature wins in a season.
Atkinson was third for his best career finish at Tri-City. Matt Lux finished fourth after making the field by winning the consolation. Matt Cummings was fifth. Ferringer, Bruce Smith and Whitling won the heats. As noted above, Lux captured the consolation.
At the end of the night, Jeff Johns of Oil City, PA won an emotional Sligo Auto Salvage Demolition Derby. Johns defeated the 19-car field and dedicated the victory to his mother, Linda, who recently passed away. Next Sunday night August 29, the Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds and Pure Stocks will be in competition for the final Thrilling Three show of the season. In addition, the 1999 Tri-City Speedway DIRT Modified Champion will be determined. The winners of the season-long CarMate Trailers Super Sprint Point Fund Raffle will be announced as well as the winner of the NASCAR Weekend Raffle courtesy of Bourtner Tours. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. CRAIG RANKIN, 2. Jimmy Hawley, 3. Scott Bonnell, 4. Bruce Powell, 5. Jack Sodeman Jr., 6. David Scott, 7. Jason Jacoby, 8. Brent Covell, 9. Mike Roxberry, 10. Phil Mott, 11. Paul Kapuchuck, 12. Chris Matthews, 13. Gale Ruth Jr., 14. Todd Bauer, 15. Dave Wagner, 16. Craig Keel, 17. George Ely.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. SCOTT GURDAK, 2. Jeff Hoffman, 3. Brian Swartzlander, 4. Jim Weller, 5. Josh Skarzenski, 6. Andy Priest, 7. Chris Schiffer, 8. Jason Engles, 9. Dean Pearson, 10. Danny Perrett, 11. George Hobaugh, 12. Rich Ferguson, 13. Del Rougeaux Jr., 14. Mark Sevin, 15. Gregg McCandless, 16. Joe Crawford, 17. Dick Rankin, 18. Scott Kay, 19. Steve Young, 20. Tommy Kristyak, 21. Tommy Mason, 22. Steve Barr. DNS: Tim Engles.
PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. BOBBY WHITLING, 2. Dave Ferringer, 3. David Atkinson, 4. Matt Lux, 5. Matt Cummings, 6. Jerry Huff, 7. Bruce Smith, 8. Jay Feely, 9. Jamie Shetler, 10. Terry Feely, 11. Billy Beiter, 12. Ben Blake, 13. Bud Shontz, 14. John K. Miller, 15. Rick Hughes, 16. Jim Brunson, 17. Bill Exley Jr., 18. Doug Calvert, 19. Michael Aley, 20. Dale McGinnis Sr., 21. Craig McGinnis, 22. John K. Miller II, 23. Barry Wilson, 24. Tom Scott. DNQ: Bill Wheeling, Tom Vincent, Ben Aley, Arthur Edwards.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Aug. 29 - Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds and Pure Stocks (Points End) and CarMate Trailers Super Sprint Point Fund Raffle and Bortner Tours NASCAR Weekend Raffle; 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)