HOCTOR SCORES FIRST TRI-CITY MOD WIN; HAWLEY SNARES THIRD IN SPRINTS;

FERRINGERS SWEEP PURE STOCK ACTION

by Brian Spaid

FRANKLIN, PA .... Pleasant summer conditions greeted fans and drivers at Tri-City Speedway on Sunday night as Jimmy Hawley (CarMate Trailer Super Sprints), Rick Hoctor (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds), Dave Ferringer (Knox Auto Supply Pure Stocks) and Nancy Ferringer (Powder Puff Race) won the feature events on Knox Auto Supply Night. In addition, the Ferringer team captured the Anchor Village Pit Crew Competition for the Pure Stocks.

At the start of the 20-lap Super Sprint feature, Bruce Powell vaulted into the early lead. Craig Rankin passed Powell twice on the third lap in order to grab the lead. Rankin first attempted to move underneath Powell in turn two, but the 1998 Rookie of the Year reassumed command in the backstretch.

Rankin finally swept around Powell in the fourth turn. At the line, Rankin led Powell, Jimmy Hawley, Ed Lynch Jr. and Rob Eyler. By the next lap, Hawley and Lynch were second and third.

Rankin's stint out front lasted until a restart on the seventh lap. At that time, Hawley took over with a quick move in the first corner. Hawley then raced his Dr. John Crawford J&J No. CIII into the distance as he tried to weave his way through lapped traffic. Behind him, Lynch dueled with Rankin for the runnerup spot. Lynch took the spot on the ninth lap in turn two, but Rankin managed to squeeze back by Lynch in the backstretch. Rankin held on until two laps remained in the race when Lynch used a brilliant slide job in turns one and two to secure second. Hawley raced on to the ninth win of his career at Tri-City. The West Middlesex, PA driver also maintained his point lead with his third win of the season and his second in a row at the half-mile oval. Lynch finished second followed by Rankin, Daryl Stimeling and Powell. Lynch and Stimeling won the heats.

In the 20-lap DIRT Modified feature, Joe Crawford jumped into the early lead from his outside pole position. Seven cautions slowed the event and the majority of those accidents and spins occurred in the first eight laps. With Crawford out front, Jason Engles held onto second until he nearly spun on the second lap. That allowed Jim Weller and Rick Hoctor to pass him. The first yellow found the fifth and sixth place cars of Les Myers and Scott Gurdak make contact on the frontstretch and Myers ended up against the front wall. On the restart, Hoctor drove under Weller for second place in turn two. Weller tried to get back around Hoctor one lap later, but the two collided and Weller bounced into the backstretch wall. On the next restart, following a brief yellow for Weller, Hoctor took command of the event from Crawford.

Once in the lead, Hoctor's self-built Able Insurance Agency No. 18 was unbeatable. The remainder of the cautions involved minor spins and crashes and the Buffalo, N.Y. driver held onto the lead through all of them to score his first career DIRT Modified feature win at Tri-City Speedway. Last week's winner Gurdak finished second followed by Brian Swartzlander, Joe Crawford and Jason Engles. Chris Schiffer, Myers and Jeff Hoffman won the heats.

The race was a non-point event due to the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Modified Series race at Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway.

In an impressive show of strength, Dave Ferringer of Cochranton, PA and his race team swept the Pure Stock action. Ferringer's night started in victory lane when he collected laurels for winning The Original Coors Hard Charger of the Week Award for July 4. After qualifying, Ferringer's team then put the Patterson Auto Wrecking Chevrolet No. 02 back into victory lane with a time of 1:38.50 for changing two tires in the Anchor Village Pit Crew Competition. They bested the times of Bobby Whitling (1:44.28), Matt Lux (1:55.41), Jay Feely (1:58.06) and Brian Counselman (2:15.56).

In the 15-lap Pure Stock feature, Whitling led the first two laps before Ferringer swept underneath him in turn three. Only one caution slowed the race, and Ferringer cruised to his fourth win of the season and the ninth of his career at Tri-City. Matt Cummings passed Whitling for second on the sixth lap and held off the point leader for the runnerup spot at the finish. Lux and Russ Dempsey rounded out the top five. Dempsey, Brian Booher and Lux won the heats. Tom Scott captured the consolation.

At the conclusion of the night, Nancy Ferringer of Cochranton, PA drove her husband's "Bicentennial Blast" to victory in the 1999 Powder Puff Pure Stock Race. She passed early leader Becky Myers on the second lap. By the fifth circuit, Ruby Myers drove by Ferringer to grab the lead. On the 12th lap, Ferringer raced under Ruby Myers, who was driving Barry Wilson's machine, in turn four. Ruby Myers spun out putting Ferringer out front. Ferringer held on for the win over Ruby Myers, Becky Myers, Deanna Booher and Star Wheeler.

Next Sunday night July 18th, Tri-City Speedway celebrates Christmas in July with the Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds and Pure Stocks. Snowmobile races will also be held during the night. It will also be Kid's Night featuring bicycle races for children ages 3 to 12. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.

SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. JIMMY HAWLEY, 2. Ed Lynch Jr., 3. Craig Rankin, 4. Daryl Stimeling, 5. Bruce Powell, 6. Jason Jacoby, 7. Rob Eyler, 8. Todd Bauer, 9. Brent Covell, 10. Mark Whitebread, 11. Brent Matus, 12. Brad Ellenberger. DNS: Mark Whitebread.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. RICK HOCTOR, 2. Scott Gurdak, 3. Brian Swartzlander, 4. Joe Crawford, 5. Jason Engles, 6. Del Rougeaux Jr., 7. Jeff Hoffman, 8. Jim Weller, 9. Chris Schiffer, 10. Tommy Kristyak, 11. Kevin Hoffman, 12. Gary Risch Jr., 13. Shane McElhaney, 14. Steve Barr, 15. Mark Sevin, 16. Gale M. Ruth, 17. Mark Flick, 18. Tom Glenn, 19. Les Myers, 20. Jeff Miller (DQ). DNS: Randy Myers.

PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. DAVE FERRINGER, 2. Matt Cummings, 3. Bobby Whitling, 4. Matt Lux, 5. Russ Dempsey, 6. Andy Buckley, 7. Barry Wilson, 8. Jamie Shetler, 9. Dan Speer, 10. Ben Blake, 11. Tom Scott, 12. Billy Beiter, 13. Jay Feely, 14. Greg Sanford, 15. Mike Dolecki, 16. Doug Calvert, 17.Terry Wheeler, 18. Kevin Reeves, 19. Arthur Edwards, 20. Craig Curfman, 21. Dale McGinnis Sr., 22. Brian Booher, 23. Brian Counselman, 24. Joe Drusko. DNS: John K. Miller II, Tom Vincent, Bud Shontz, Mike Miller.

POWDER PUFF RACE (15 Laps): 1. NANCY FERRINGER, 2. Ruby Myers, 3. Becky Myers, 4. Deanna Booher, 5. Star Wheeler, 6. Carol King, 7. Kandi Shontz, 8. Erica Calvert, 9. Sherry Speer, 10. Tiffany Edwards, 11. Valerie Vernier, 12. Becky Paden, 13. Joleen Cummings, 14. Barb Parker, 15. Tammy Powell, 16. Joyce Myers, 17. Juanita Blake. DNS: Jessica Ahrens.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

July 18 - Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Snowmobile Races and Kids Night (Christmas in July);

July 25 - Bob "Kodiak" Graham Memorial: Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds (35 Laps, $1,500 to win) and Pure Stocks;

Aug. 1 - Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Modified Series Pennzoil Challenge '99 (99 Laps, $10,000-to-win) and Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Senior Series