LYNCH AND KRISTYAK CAPTURE TRI-CITY OPENING NIGHT WINS
by Brian Spaid
FRANKLIN, PA .... Tri-City Speedway opened the 1999 racing season under beautiful and sunny skies on Sunday night as Ed Lynch Jr. (CarMate Trailer Super Sprints), Tommy Kristyak (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds), Gary Smoker (Sportsman Modifieds) and Bobby Whitling (Knox Auto Supply Pure Stocks) captured feature event victories. A total of 107 cars graced the pit area for the season opener.
For Lynch, he snared his fourth career Super Sprint win at Tri-City and his second victory of the weekend after a triumph Saturday night at Challenger Raceway. The 20-lap main event began with Lynch and Jimmy Hawley on the front row. Hawley jumped out to an immediate lead. As the cars crossed the line to complete the first lap, James Wray and Michael Roxberry collided with Wray executing a wild series of flips. He was uninjured, but Hawley suffered a flat tire under red flag conditions and was forced to pit for new rubber. This moved Lynch into command. The Apollo, PA driver raced onward to victory after surviving a major restart challenge by Bob Felmlee on the eighth circuit. Felmlee tried to pass Lynch in turns two and three on the low side, but Lynch fended of the defending track champion. Lynch raced on to victory in his Howard Concrete J&J No. 2L over Felmlee, Hawley, who recovered to race through the field for the show position, Craig Rankin and Brian Ellenberger. Lynch and Hawley won the heat races.
Tommy Kristyak of Stoneboro, PA survived a caution-plagued 20-lap DIRT Modified feature for his second opening day victory in four years. After three aborted attempts to start the race, Dick Rankin was the early leader, but the veteran racer dropped out before the first lap could be completed as he continued his string of bad luck. Kristyak assumed the lead in his Kristyak Motorsports Bicknell No. 26Z and was never headed despite four more caution flags. Behind him, Billy Van Pelt finished second. Jeff Hoffman passed Chris Schiffer for third on the 18th lap and Brian Swartzlander was fifth despite his involvement in a crash on the second attempt to start the race. Rankin, Kristyak, Tom Glenn and Lou Blaney won the heats and Swartzlander won the consolation in a field of 40 cars overall.
In the 20-lap Sportsman Modified main, Gary Smoker of Mercer, PA led every lap to snare his second career win at Tri-City. With the win, Smoker earned guaranteed starting spots in the Firecracker Sportsman 30 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse and the World Series of Dirt Track Racing Mr. DIRT Sportsman Championship race at Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, N.Y. on September 26th. Smoker led the race by nearly half a lap at the checkered flag in his Kristyak's Sunoco Bicknell No. 401. Behind him, Marty Kristyak slipped under Scott Kay for the runnerup spot on the final turn. Jeremiah Shingledecker and Chanda Reitz rounded out the top five. Kay and Smoker won the heat races.
In the final race of the evening, Bobby Whitling of Seneca won the 15-lap Pure Stock feature in his E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Chevrolet No. 7W. Whitling started on the outside of the front row and immediately took command of the race from polesitter Denny Diegelman. With the race running non-stop, Whitling easily outran the competition. Diegelman appeared to have second place sealed, however, he developed a right rear flat tire with one lap to go. At the wire, Whitling was the winner over Dave Ferringer, rookie Bruce Smith and Joe Drusko, all of whom passed Diegelman, who rounded out the top five. Diegelman, Whitling and Ferringer won the heats and Dan Speer won the consolation.
Next Sunday night May 2nd, Tri-City Speedway hosts another show of CarMate Trailer Super Sprints, Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds and Knox Auto Supply Pure Stocks. In addition, the first Sligo Auto Salvage Demolition Derby will be held. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.
SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ED LYNCH JR., 2. Bob Felmlee, 3. Jimmy Hawley, 4. Craig Rankin, 5. Brian Ellenberger, 6. Mike Woodring, 7. Jack Sodeman Jr., 8. Gary Edwards, 9. Tommy Quarterson, 10. Phil Mott, 11. Gale Ruth Jr., 12. Brad Ellenberger, 13. Scott Bonnell, 14. Jason Jacoby, 15. Skip Daugherty, 16. Bruce Powell, 17. Todd Bauer, 18. Scott Priester, 19. Michael Roxberry, 20. Gary Kriess Jr., 21. James Wray. DNS: Eric Smith.
MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. TOMMY KRISTYAK, 2. Billy Van Pelt, 3. Jeff Hoffman, 4. Chris Schiffer, 5. Brian Swartzlander, 6. Jeff Schaffer, 7. Jim Weller, 8. Jason Engles, 9. Joe Crawford, 10. Dean Pearson, 11. Josh Skarzenski, 12. Gerry Bruce, 13. Tom Smith, 14. Jim Rasey, 15. Joe Kubiniec, 16. Carl Murdick, 17. Rob McClimans, 18. J.R. McGinley, 19. Brian Fink, 20. Tom Glenn, 21. Dick Rankin, 22. Lou Blaney, 23. Andy Priest, 24. Tim Engles. DNQ: Chip Ritchey, Mark Flick, Andy Nicols, Rick Hoctor, Del Rougeaux Jr., Dan Campbell, Steve Barr, Merle Mealy, Dave Reges, Danny Perrett, Pete Simpson, T.J. Fleck, Randy Myers, Dave Murdick, Rich Ferguson, Steve Young.
SPORTSMAN MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. GARY SMOKER, 2. Marty Kristyak, 3. Scott Kay, 4. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 5. Chanda Reitz, 6. Rob Kristyak, 7. Gary Bollinger, 8. John Confer, 9. Don McKnight, 10. Scott Mealy, 11. Jeff Miller, 12. George Slaney, 13. Boyd Johnston Jr., 14. Rick Ryder, 15. Allen Ferry, 16. Brian Wright.
PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. BOBBY WHITLING, 2. Dave Ferringer, 3. Bruce Smith, 4. Joe Drusko, 5. Denny Diegelman, 6. Matt Cummings, 7. Barry Wilson, 8. Danny Exley, 9. Wayne Pyle, 10. Dan Speer, 11. Bill Beitch, 12. Mike Harmon, 13. Arthur Edwards, 14. Jason Shetler, 15. Bud Shontz, 16. Matt Lux, 17. Ken Foltz, 18. Tom Vincent, 19. Jim Slater, 20. Greg Sanford. DNS: Brian Counselman. DNQ: Gary McClintock, Craig Curfman, Andy Miller, David Atkinson, Gary Sullivan, Ben Blake, Mike Miller.
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 2 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, Pure Stocks and Sligo Auto Salvage Demo Derby May 9 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, Pure Stocks and Powder Puff One-on-One Spectator Races May 16 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, Pure Stocks and Senior Citizens Night