RON SMOKER, DAVID SCOTT AND GARY NORMAN COMPLETE OIL REGION LABOR DAY CLASSIC FRIDAY NIGHT AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY

by Brian Spaid

September 5, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FRANKLIN, PA ... Tri-City Speedway completed the rain-delayed Oil Region Labor Day Classic on Friday night, and Ron Smoker (DIRT Modifieds), David Scott (Late Models) and Gary Norman (Pro Stocks) collected feature wins on the lightning-fast half-mile dirt oval.

Track officials, race teams and fans were saddened at the start of the night with the news of the untimely death of former DIRT Modified star Jeff Hoffman of Franklin, Pa., earlier in the day. Hoffman, a 19-time feature winner at Tri-City, was remembered during the track's invocation.

Ron Smoker of Hamburg, NY, won the 30-lap Schwab's Ford BRP Modified Tour/Advance Auto Part Modified Super DIRT Series Kodiak Memorial for the second time in his career. Taking the lead from early pacesetter Kevin Bolland on the ninth circuit, Smoker dusted the field for the $2,000 win. It was his third BRP Modified Tour victory of the season and the third DIRT Modified win of his career at Tri-City. In addition, Smoker earned a guaranteed starting spot for the Eckerd Syracuse 200 at the New York State Fairgrounds in October.

"I'm real proud to win the Kodiak Memorial again," said Smoker, who won the race in 2001. "The Grahams and Cricks do a great job at Tri-City. As far as the race goes, Kevin just left me some room on the top side of the track on that restart and it worked out well for us. I'm happy to be representing Tri-City at Syracuse this year."

Bolland started on the pole position and jumped into an immediate lead over Smoker. He paced the first eight laps before two cautions slowed the field. On the restart, Bolland allowed Smoker to occupy the outside lane through the first and second turns, and Smoker raced past into the lead aboard his unlettered Industrial Tire/Pennzoil Bicknell No. 62R.

Once out front, Smoker opened up a huge advantage over Bolland through lapped traffic. Behind them, Andy Priest, Josh Skarzenski and Rex King engaged in a race-long duel for third. During the middle of the race, King held the show position over Skarzenski and Priest. On the 24th lap, Skarzenski worked under King off turn four. Two laps later, Priest also passed King in lapped traffic.

Following a caution on the 27th lap, Smoker maintained his advantage, but Bolland felt a lot of heat from Skarzenski. The two touched after the restart, and Priest worked around the outside of Skarzenski in turn two. On the final lap, Bolland drifted wide in turn two, and Priest raced under him. At the finish, Smoker was the winner over Priest, Bolland, Skarzenski and King.

In victory lane, a huge chuck of the tread on the right rear tire of Smoker's car was missing. It was apparent to the race winner that the tire would have blown within a few laps if the race was a longer distance. The problem apparently derived from a chassis bolt that rubbed against the tire in the track's turns.

David Scott of Garland, Pa., captured his first career Late Model feature win at Tri-City in the 30-lap Em's Broidery/Good Tire Service "The Return." Starting on the outside pole in his Stuart Tool & Die MasterBilt No. 3, Scott led from start to finish. He held off Dick Barton over the final laps to win the first Late Model race at Tri-City since 1997. Scott's name also appears in the track's record book as a two-time Super Sprint feature winner in 2000.

"My oldest boy, Kyle, sets up the car, and he needed this one," said Scott after his $2,000 victory. "Without him, I couldn't do this. It's been a dry summer for our team, so this feels good. I knew the lapped traffic was between Barton and I near the end. I drove the car like I used to drive the sprint car - right on the top of the track. I think I'm the first guy to win in the Late Models and Super Sprints here."

Scott took command from polesitter Ryan Markham at the drop of the green flag. A quick caution for debris six laps into the race allowed Barton to race by Markham for second on the restart. Try as he might, Barton could not challenge Scott, who set a fast pace around the speedway. Meanwhile, Markham held onto third over Chad Ruhlman and Todd Andrews.

With eight laps to go, drivers started to make moves through the top five behind Scott and Barton, who was mired in lapped traffic after he nearly caught and passed Scott with ten laps to go. Ruhlman raced by Markham for third and John Flinner challenged Andrews for fifth. Two laps later, Andrews passed Markham for fourth. Three cautions over the final five laps allowed Barton to finally usurp the lapped traffic, but he was no match for Scott. Andrews also took advantage of cooler tires to pass Ruhlman for third. At the finish, Scott won the race over Barton, Andrews, Ruhlman and Markham.

To spice the show, track officials added a special eight-lap, six-car DIRT Modified vs. Late Model challenge race at the end the night. Scott raced by Smoker on the third lap to lead a trio of Late Models to the $250 win. Barton finished second over Ruhlman, Priest, Bolland and Smoker. The DIRT Modified feature winner led the first three laps, then slowed before blowing a right rear tire with two laps to go.

In a prelude to Sunday night's Late Model race with NASCAR drivers Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace at Tri-City, Scott pumped up the crowd with some fun trash talk in his second victory lane visit of the night.

"I've always wanted to run against the DIRT Modifieds, and that was a blast. I probably won't get another chance to race against Schrader and Wallace again, so I'm going to have to bump them up a little and give them something to remember me by."

Gary Norman of New Castle, Pa., started on the pole position of the 25-lap Anderson Building Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series feature, and led every circuit to earn a $600 win. However, it was not an easy one. For the entire race, Bruce Smith and track champion Darrell Bossard pressured him while they engaged in a stirring duel for second. When Smith nearly made a move for the lead with less than five laps to go, Norman put on the afterburners and raced to his fourth victory of the season and the 21st win of his career at Tri-City.

"I thought we made a mistake choosing hard tires tonight," said Norman next to his Triple-S Auto Sales/Ken Neely Lumber Buick No. 9 in victory lane. "The car worked good though. I knew they were back there racing me. You don't drive it hard until you see their nose. This is the first big race we've won since the 1998 Applefest 100. We're really looking forward to that one in a couple of weeks."

After a tremendous race that kept the crowd on the edge of its seat, Bossard nosed out Smith for second at the finish line. Behind them, Andy Buckley and Jason Johns were in their own battle for fourth the entire race. Their duel was interrupted when Doug Iorio Sr. drove between their cars on the 13th circuit to snare fourth. Iorio remained there until the end while Buckley finished fifth. Ron Iorio won the final B main, which was rain-delayed from August 31.

This Sunday September 7th, Tri-City Speedway hosts the Race of Champions "Driven to Rock" show as NASCAR Winston Cup drivers Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace visit the track for the first time in history and compete with the Late Models in a 30-lap, $3,000-to-win event. Schrader will race in his self-owned Federated Auto Parts No. 99 while Wallace competes in a team car to 1997 Late Model track champion Robbie Blair. The rock band "Pointswest" will entertain the crowd before the racing action begins. In addition, the Sterling Marlin Coors Light Dodge No. 40 racing simulator will be a main attraction. Gates open at 5 p.m. and autographs with Schrader and Wallace start at 6 p.m. Racing commences at 7:30 p.m. Grandstand admission for adults and students ages 12 and over are $18 pre-sale and $20 at the gate. Grandstand admission for children ages 6 to 11 are $8 pre-sale and $10 at the gate.

DIRT MODIFIEDS (30 Laps): 1. RON SMOKER, 2. Andy Priest, 3. Kevin Bolland, 4. Josh Skarzenski, 5. Rex King, 6. Jim Weller, 7. Mark Flick, 8. Del Rougeux Jr., 9. Chanda Reitz, 10. George Hobaugh, 11. Jimmy Weller III, 12. Dave Murdick, 13. Nick Ritchey, 14. Gary Risch Jr., 15. Dave Schrader, 16. Carl Murdick, 17. Jim Rasey, 18. Steve Barr, 19. Garrett Krummert, 20. Brian Swartzlander, 21. J.R. McGinley, 22. Rodney Beltz, 23. Kevin Latshaw, 24. Joe Crawfrod, 25. Skip Moore. DNS: Chuck Hebing, Tom Winkle, Rick Hall. DNQ: Lenny Leibold Jr., Gary Risch Sr., Lee Miller, Doug Fleeger, Tom Shaffer, Ken Moy Jr., Lou Gentile, Conny Allen, Andy Nicols, Rick Kress, Chuck Hartman, Lonny Riggs

LATE MODELS (30 Laps): 1. DAVID SCOTT, 2. Dick Barton, 3. Todd Andrews, 4. Chad Ruhlman, 5. Ryan Markham, 6. John Flinner, 7. Rick Isadore, 8. Ron Davies, 9. Matt Lux, 10. Mickey Wright, 11. Todd Roncaglione, 12. George Kowatic, 13. Chuck Kennedy, 14. Darrell Bossard, 15. Bill Henry, 16. Tom Tuite, 17. Bill Cunningham, 18. Brent Rhebergen, 19. Keith Zimmerman, 20. Eric Ensell, 21. Nick Reges. DNS: Eric Myers, Ed Carley, Spanky Daugherty. DNQ: Travis Asel, Dan Swartzlander, Gary Churchfield, Rob Kosecki.

PRO STOCKS (25 Laps): 1. GARY NORMAN, 2. Darrell Bossard, 3. Bruce Smith, 4. Doug Iorio Sr., 5. Andy Buckley, 6. Bobby Whitling, 7. Jason Johns, 8. Dave Ferringer, 9. Rod Laskey, 10. Ron Iorio, 11. Bobby Heim, 12. Rusty Kellogg, 13. Bill Exley Jr., 14. Arthur Edwards, 15. Les Myers, 16. Lonny Blair, 17. Doug Calvert, 18. Stan Woomer, 19. Gary Miller Jr., 20. Bill Myers, 21. Gary Robinson, 22. Joe Kelley, 23. Scott Myers, 24. Terry Wheeler. DNQ: Joe Drusko, Joe Lockhart, Jim VanCise, Bill Lanigan, Rick Lanigan, Bob Sloss, Sean Shook, Russ Coyne, Dick Pascorell, Tracy Border, John Sutley, Don Baughman, Matt Keith, Matt Thomas (No. 54), Matt Thomas (No. 19), Brian Guzowski, Bret McCarthy.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sept. 7 - Race of Champions "Driven to Rock" with Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace and the Late Models (30 Laps, $3,000-to-win) (Gates Open 5 p.m.; Autographs at 6 p.m.; Racing Starts at 7:30 p.m.)

Sept. 12-14 - Ford Trucks Presents USHRA Monster Jam Featuring Gravedigger and the Monster Trucks/Quad Wars/Jet Jeep (Show Times: Fri. and Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun 2 p.m.)

Sept. 28 - 7th Annual CSOnline Applefest 100 (Anderson Bldg. Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series 100 Laps, $1,500-to-win), Thundercars (20 Laps), Lowry Auto Wrecking Demolition Derby (Gates Open 2 p.m.; Racing Starts at 4 p.m.)

Jan 11, 2004 - Tri-City Speedway 2003 Season Banquet (Site to be announced!!)