SWARTZLANDER GRABS THIRD WEEKEND HAT TRICK OF 1999;
RANKIN AND LUX SCORE SECOND WINS OF THE SEASON
by Brian Spaid
FRANKLIN, PA .... Under hot and humid conditions, Craig Rankin (CarMate Trailer Super Sprints), Brian Swartzlander (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds) and Matt Lux (Knox Auto Supply Pure Stocks) celebrated Christmas in July with feature event wins on Sunday night at Tri-City Speedway.
For the third time in 1999, Brian Swartzlander of Leechburg, PA, earned a weekend hat trick as he captured the 20-lap DIRT Modified feature. The two-time defending track champion was also victorious Friday and Saturday at Lernerville Speedway and Sportsman's Speedway. Josh Skarzenski took the lead on the opening lap of race after an aborted start that found last week's winner Rick Hoctor against the backstretch wall.
Swartzlander moved from his fifth starting spot to the second position by the end of the first lap. Swartzlander tried to pass Skarzenski several times on the inside and outside grooves of turns one and two. Each time, Skarzenski held him off. The winning pass finally occurred on the sixth circuit when Swartzlander found racing room under Skarzenski off the second corner. Once out front, Swartzlander raced away from the field unchallenged for his fourth win of the season and the 13th of his career at the Tri-City. The victory also moved Swartzlander back into the point lead ahead of Jeff Hoffman, who finished eighth.
Behind Swartzlander, Tommy Kristyak methodically worked his way into the top five. On the eighth lap, he passed Tim Engles for fifth. Five laps later, he slipped by Jason Engles for the fourth position. As the laps wound down, with no cautions to slow the action, Kristyak tried to reel in Danny Perrett for third, but fell short at the finish.
Skarzenski finished a career best second while Perrett drove a brilliant race to place a career best third. Kristyak and Jason Engles rounded out the top five. Jim Weller and Swartzlander won the heat races.
Craig Rankin of Clarion, PA nearly equaled Swarzlander's mark with his second win of the weekend in the 20-lap Super Sprint feature. Rankin also won Saturday at Sportsman's. Bruce Powell of Utica raced into the early lead as Rankin and point leader Jimmy Hawley quickly took command of second and third. After one lap, Brent Covell flipped his racer in turn two. He was uninjured.
On the ensuing restart, Rankin dove under Powell in turn two to take the lead as Hawley followed him through for second. Hawley tried to track down Rankin, but disaster struck on the fourth circuit. Hawley drifted too high in the second turn and struck the outside guard rail. The contact vaulted Hawley into a series of flips. He emerged from his bent racer shaken, but otherwise uninjured.
After the race resumed, Rankin ran away from the remainder of the field to win his second feature of the season and the fifth of his career at Tri-City.
David Scott placed second over Rob Eyler, Powell and Jason Jacoby, who failed to finish the race. For Scott and Eyler, those were their career best finishes at Tri-City. Rankin won the only heat race for the seven-car field. The low number of Super Sprints continues to perplex track promoters, Mike Graham and Roger Crick, especially because Tri-City pays the best purse in Western Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, rumors that the Super Sprints will be dropped from the racing program for the remainder of the season are unfounded.
Matt Lux of Rocky Grove, PA topped Bobby Whitling to win his second 15-lap Pure Stock feature at Tri-City this season. The event ended up being a barnburner as Whitling and Lux gave a professional, side-by-side, racing demonstration to the crowd. Whitling passed two cars, Michael Aley and Ben Blake, to take the lead of the race on the second lap. Lux managed to move into second by the fourth lap. The next eight laps featured some of the best racing of the season. Lux would try to pass Whitling both inside and outside all around the half-mile oval. Each time, Whitling held off the challenges. Finally, on the 12th lap, Lux found enough room under Whitling to steal the lead at the line by mere inches. Although Whitling reassumed command by the time the cars made it to the second turn, the fifth caution of the race flew and Lux was recognized as the leader.
Over the final three laps, Lux held off Whitling for the popular win. Dave Ferringer finished third despite a crash with Matt Cummings on the third lap that relegated Ferringer to the rear of the field and put Cummings in the pit area. Ferringer raced his way through the pack to stay within sight of Whitling for the point lead. Jamie Shetler and Terry Feely finished fourth and fifth. Five caution periods slowed the action. Ferringer, Barry Wilson and Whitling won the heats.
Mike Peterson of Seagertown won the snowmobile races at the conclusion of the evening.
Next Sunday night July 25, Tri-City Speedway hosts the 4th Annual Bob "Kodiak" Graham Memorial with a 35-lap DIRT Modified event paying $1,500 to the winner. In addition, the Super Sprints and Pure Stocks will be part of the Thrilling Three spectacular. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m.
The following Sunday night August 1, the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Modified Series invades Tri-City Speedway for the Pennzoil Challenge '99. The 99-lap DIRT Modified event pays $10,000 to the winner and is part of this season's Pennzoil Racing Series at the half-mile dirt oval. The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Senior Series will also be part of that show. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. with racing slated for the special time of 7:00 p.m.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. CRAIG RANKIN, 2. David Scott, 3. Rob Eyler, 4. Bruce Powell, 5. Jason Jacoby, 6. Jimmy Hawley, 7. Brent Covell.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (20 Laps): 1. BRIAN SWARTZLANDER, 2. Josh Skarzenski, 3. Danny Perrett, 4. Tommy Kristyak, 5. Jason Engles, 6. Chris Schiffer, 7. Scott Gurdak, 8. Jeff Hoffman, 9. Tim Engles, 10. Joe Crawford, 11. Kevin Hoffman, 12. Shane McElhaney, 13. Scott Kay, 14. Steve Barr, 15. Del Rougeaux Jr., 16. Gale M. Ruth, 17. Rick Hoctor, 18. Jim Weller. DNS: Dean Ruth.
PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. MATT LUX, 2. Bobby Whitling, 3. Dave Ferringer, 4. Jamie Shetler, 5. Terry Feely, 6. Russ Dempsey, 7. Michael Aley, 8. Tom Scott, 9. Mike Dolecki, 10. Billy Beiter, 11. Earl Van Valkenberg, 12. Tom Vincent, 13. Bud Shontz, 14. Craig Curfman, 15. Brian Counselman, 16. Doug Calvert, 17. Barry Wilson, 18. Arthur Edwards, 19. Ben Blake, 20. Jay Feely, 21. Dale McGinnis Sr., 22. John Miller, 23. Matt Cummings, 24. William Aley.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
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
Aug. 8 - Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, Pure Stocks and One-on-One Spectator Races