JEFF HOFFMAN SCORES TRI-CITY MOD MADNESS 50 WIN
September 6, 1998
DEMPSEYTOWN, PA .... On a beautiful Sunday night, Jeff Hoffman captured the 50-lap DIRT Modified main event and earned $2,000 as the top winner of Engles Family Moving & Trucking Mod Madness II at Tri-City Speedway. Other winners included Andy Nicols and Andy Priest (Sportsman Modifieds), Hugo Litwiler (Stahl E Mods) and Lou Gentile (6-Cylinder Modifieds). A total of 101 cars graced the pit area at the Venango County oval.
Jeff Hoffman of Franklin, PA snared his third DIRT Modified win of the season and the 11th of his career at Tri-City Speedway narrowly defeating Lou Blaney to the line in the 50-lap main event. Track champion Brian Swartzlander started the race on the outside pole following a draw and jumped into the early lead. After two caution periods in the early laps, Swartzlander battled Dave Murdick for several laps. Murdick's car was hooked up on the fast surface and challenged Swartzlander several times. At the halfway point, Swartzlander and Murdick were trailed by Hoffman, Jim Weller and Tim Doran.
On the 28th lap, Murdick dove under Swartzlander in turn three and took command of the race. Murdick jumped out to a five car length lead when his continual bad luck struck again on the 30th lap. Heading into turn three, Murdick lost a right rear tire handing the lead back to Swartzlander. After two more yellow flags on subsequent restarts, the cars were stopped for fuel.
When racing resumed, Swartzlander was ahead of Hoffman, but not for long. On the 32nd tour, Hoffman drove around Swartzlander in turn four and grabbed the lead. Behind him, Blaney charged forward. He passed Swartzlander for second on the 38th lap, then began to reel in Hoffman, who opened up nearly a straightaway lead. On the final lap, Blaney was only one car length behind Hoffman, but ran out of time. Hoffman collected the popular win in his Hoffman Door Troyer No. 00 over Blaney, Swartzlander, Weller and Rick Hall. Doran, Weller, Swartzlander and Jim Rasey won the heats and Scott Gurdak won the consolation.
During the consolation, Tim Phillips of Franklin, PA was involved in a horrendous crash. On the second lap, it appeared that the throttle stuck on his DIRT Modified and he slammed into the third turn guard rail at the entrance to the pits. His car erupted in flames and he was pulled from the wreckage by Sportsman Modified driver Andy Priest as the fire crew extinguished the blaze. A 45-minute delay occurred to repair the rail and remove Phillips' car from the scene. Phillips was hospitalized in serious condition with burns and is expected to recover.
In the first 20-lap Sportsman Modified feature rain-delayed from August 9th, Andy Nicols of Oil City, PA won his first career feature at Tri-City Speedway. Allen Ferry led the initial six laps of the race before Andy Priest moved from fifth to first on the seventh circuit. Priest led the next seven laps under constant pressure from Nicols. On the 15th tour, Nicols moved under Priest off turn four and snared the lead. From there, Nicols drove his Nicols Trucking/Cleland Logging Rocket Chassis No. 17N to victory over Brian Swartzlander (who was substituting for Chad Reitz), Priest, Marty Kristyak and John Buchanan.
After his daring rescue of Tim Phillips, Andy Priest of New Castle, PA won the final 20-lap Sportsman Modified main of the night despite minor burns on his left hand. Marty Kristyak led the first six laps of the race before Brian Swartzlander, who was driving Chanda Reitz's machine, moved into first. One lap later, while trying to lap cars, Swartzlander collided with Allen Ferry, who flipped over. That incident moved Kristyak back out front. On the 15th lap, Priest assumed command of the race with an inside pass in turns three and four. Priest then raced on to his second win of the season at Tri-City and his second win of the weekend after a victory Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park in the Hull Racing Troyer No. 41. Kristyak finished second over Dean Pearson, Andy Nicols and Lonny Riggs. John Buchanan and Priest won the heats.
Hugo Litwiler of Linesville, PA snared his first career victory at Tri-City Speedway in the 20-lap York Triathlon Stahl E Mod main event. It was his second career York Triathlon win and his second win of the weekend after a victory Friday night at Raceway 7. Jeff Taylor led the first three laps of the race with Litwiler challenging him feverishly. On the ninth lap, Litwiler charged outside Taylor in turn four to take the lead. After moving out front, Litwiler was unchallenged in his Bechtel's Excavating No. 6. Behind him, Taylor placed second over York Triathlon point leader Chuck Kennedy, Jeff Covelli and Mike Anderson. Vince DeStefano, Litwiler and Scott Brady won the heats and Dale Charlier won the B Main. Covelli captured the Coy Bros. Trucking Dash.
Veteran Lou Gentile of Hubbard, Ohio won the 20-lap 6-Cylinder Modified feature in a strong run aboard his Emig Racing Bicknell No. 1. Mercer Raceway Park's perennial winner Carl Weatherby started fourth and immediately moved to the head of the pack. With Gentile trailing by the sixth circuit, Weatherby appeared to be in control. Gentile, however, slipped under Weatherby off the second corner on the ninth lap and raced on to victory. Weatherby finished second over Harold Michaels, Bill Adams and Steve Barr. Gentile and Weatherby won the heats.
Another serious incident occurred during the first 6-Cylinder Modified heat race. Jerry Schaffer of Ellwood City, PA suffered leg injuries after the driveshaft snapped in his racer and ripped apart the protective housing. Schaffer was hospitalized in serious condition and is expected to recover.
At the conclusion of the night, Miss Tri-City Speedway Becky Paden piloted Lonny Riggs' Sportsman Modified to victory in a match race against Doug Hoffman, crew chief of Jeff Hoffman's DIRT Modified, which he drove in the race against Paden.
The next event at Tri-City Speedway will run on Saturday October 3rd when the track hosts the Hoosier Tire Ohio Valley Pure Stock Applefest 100. The race will be run in conjuction with the annual Applefest celebration in nearby Franklin, PA. In addition, the final Sligo Auto Salvage Demo Derby of 1998 will be staged and fireworks will conclude the 1998 racing season. Gates open at 2:00 p.m. and racing starts at 4:00 p.m. Please note the earlier starting time.
DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE (50 Laps): 1. JEFF HOFFMAN, 2. Lou Blaney, 3. Brian Swartzlander, 4. Jim Weller, 5. Rick Hall, 6. Chris Schiffer, 7. Jeff Schaffer, 8. Josh Skarzenski, 9. Joe Crawford, 10. Carl Murdick, 11. Danny Parrett, 12. Randy Myers, 13. Carl Miller, 14. Jim Rasey, 15. Dean Pearson, 16. Rodney Beltz, 17. Dave Murdick, 18. Tim Doran, 19. Tommy Marshall III, 20. George Hobaugh, 21. Billy Van Pelt, 22. Tim Engles, 23. Jason Engles, 24. Tommy Kristyak, 25. Scott Gurdak (DNS). DNQ: Lou Gentile, Bill Dorman, Del Rougeaux Jr., George Ruth, Danny Campbell, Tim Phillips, Rich Ferguson, Dick Rankin.
SPORTSMAN MODIFIED FEATURE NO. 1 (20 Laps): 1. ANDY NICOLS, 2. Brian Swartzlander, 3. Andy Priest, 4. Marty Kristyak, 5. John Buchanan, 6. Tim Shepard, 7. Don McKnight, 8. Tommy Kristyak, 9. John Confer, 10. Fred Lary, 11. Dean Pearson, 12. Rob Kristyak, 13. Allen Ferry, 14. Lonny Riggs, 15. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 16. Gary Smoker, 17. Mark Latshaw, 18. Bucky Buchanan, 19. Tommy Mason (DNS), 20. Gerry Bruce (DNS), 21. Kevin Thompson (DNS), 22. Dean Ruth (DNS), 23. David Myers (DNS).
SPORTSMAN MODIFIED FEATURE No. 2 (20 Laps): 1. ANDY PRIEST, 2. Marty Kristyak, 3. Dean Pearson, 4. Andy Nicols, 5. Lonny Riggs, 6. Greg Unrue, 7. Brian Swartzlander, 8. Tim Shepard, 9. Jim Schaffer, 10. John Buchanan, 11. Fred Lary, 12. Gary Bollinger, 13. Don McKnight, 14. Scott Kay, 15. Bucky Buchanan, 16. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 17. Scott Mealy, 18. John Confer, 19. Allen Ferry, 20. Ed Alcorn (DNS), 21. Rob Kristyak (DNS), 22. Gary Smoker (DNS), 23. Mark Latshaw (DNS).
STAHL E MODS (20 Laps): 1. HUGO LITWILER, 2. Jeff Taylor, 3. Chuck Kennedy, 4. Jeff Covelli, 5. Mike Anderson, 6. Larry Kugel, 7. Jim Myers, 8. Don Martin, 9. James Hooks, 10. Ron Roncaglione, 11. Todd Roncaglione, 12. David Gausman, 13. Jake Miller, 14. Jim Plance, 15. Charlie Plats, 16. Stush Sadowski, 17. Herm Myers, 18. Dale Charlier, 19. Jimmy Plance, 20. Scott Brady, 21. Rich Logan, 22. Russ Dunn, 23. Dan Burns, 24. Vince DeStefano. DNQ: Dave Ferringer, Shawn Domhoff, Randy Beck, Ryan Snow, Connie Allen, Russ Dempsey.
6-CYLINDER MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. LOU GENTILE, 2. Carl Weatherby, 3. Harold Michaels, 4. Bill Adams, 5. Steve Barr, 6. Jim Bickel, 7. Mark Welsh, 8. Rick Kress, 9. Todd Schaffer, 10. Jim Siferd, 11. Marvin Williams, 12. Frank Guidace, 13. Randy Ferguson, 14. Merle Black, 15. Jerry Schaffer (DNS).
UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 3 - Applefest 100 II (Pure Stocks), Demo Derby, Fireworks
November 7 - Third Annual Tri-City Speedway Banquet at Cross Creek Resort, Titusville, PA