LYNCH COMPLETES SPRINT HAT TRICK AND KRISTYAK WINS MOD SPECIAL AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY
by Brian Spaid
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 1998
DEMPSEYTOWN, PA .... As Tri-City Speedway celebrated Christmas in July, Ed Lynch Jr. (CarMate Trailers Super Sprints), Tommy Kristyak (Titusville Motor & Auction Co. DIRT Modifieds) and Gary Norman (Hoosier Tire Ohio Valley Pure Stocks) captured feature vi!
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ctories on Atkinson Fire Safety Equipment Night. A total of 87 cars filled the pit area.
In the 20-lap Super Sprint main, Ed Lynch Jr. of Apollo, PA snared his third win of the weekend for his first career weekend hat trick. Lynch also won at Lernerville Speedway and Challenger Raceway on Friday and Saturday nights respectively.
"Last week was a difficult time at Eldora Speedway's Kings Royal, and this really makes up for it as we get ready for the World of Outlaws at Lernerville," said Lynch in victory lane.
Brian Ellenberger led the initial six laps before a mechanical failure slowed him in turn four and eliminated him from the race. Phil Mott then assumed command for two circuits, but Lynch zoomed past Mott on the ninth circuit. Once in command, Lynch was un!
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stoppable in his Howard Concrete Products J&J No. 2L. Point leader Bob Felmlee moved into second after a late race restart, but he was no match for Lynch, who won his second feature of the season at Tri-City. Mott placed third ahead of Daryl Stimeling and J!
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immy Hawley, who was driving John Toth's Savoy Products Inc. No. 96.
Hawley and Lynch won the heat races.
In the feature event of the evening, Tommy Kristyak of Stoneboro, PA won the 35-lap Bob "Kodiak" Graham Memorial DIRT Modified main. Kristyak and Billy Van Pelt engaged in a spirited duel for the $1,500 win over the last half of the feature event before Kr!
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istyak scored the popular triumph.
Rodney Beltz led the first eight laps of the race. At the completion of the first circuit, Mike Clark collided with Jason Engles and flipped over in the frontstretch. He was uninjured.
Van Pelt grabbed the lead from Beltz on the ninth lap and slipped away from the field. He appeared to be headed to his first career win at Tri-City; however, Kristyak reeled him in and waited for the right opportunity to make the winning pass. Each time Va!
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n Pelt entered lapped traffic, Kristyak looked to the low groove for the lead. Van Pelt made several brilliant moves in traffic to avoid losing command.
On the 31st lap, Kristyak dove under Van Pelt in turn two, trapping him behind the lapped car of Tom Smith. Kristyak drifted high and Van Pelt had to brake to avoid hitting the fence giving Kristyak the lead. From there, Kristyak raced on to his second win!
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of the season in his Kristyak Motorsports Bicknell No. 26z. Van Pelt, Jim Weller, Lou Blaney and point leader Brian Swartzlander rounded out the top five.
Weller, Van Pelt and Danny Perrett won the heats and Engles captured the consolation.
Gary Norman of New Castle, PA held off the challenges of Dave Ferringer for the 15-lap Pure Stock victory, which was his third win of the season in his D'Andrea Auto Wrecking No. 9. Although Denny Diegelman led the first two laps of the event, Norman would!
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lead the rest of the race. Ferringer tried several times to pass for first place, but Norman, the 1997 track champion, increased his current point lead as he captured the win. Bobby Whitling placed third ahead of Travis Biggs and Kim Legnosky.
Norman, Ferringer and Matt Lux won the Pure Stock heats while Barry Wilson topped the consolation.
Ron Barngrover of Cochranton, PA won the snowmobile drag races that concluded the show.
Next Sunday night August 2nd, the Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds and Pure Stocks return to Tri-City Speedway for more fast competition at the half-mile Venango County oval on Klasen Oil/Pennzoil Night. In addition, the third Sligo Auto Salvage Demolition De!
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rby will be held. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and the races start at 6:00 p.m.
SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ED LYNCH JR., 2. Bob Felmlee, 3. Phil Mott, 4. Daryl Stimeling, 5. Jimmy Hawley, 6. Gale Ruth Jr., 7. Brad Ellenberger, 8. Rocky Allen, 9. James Wray, 10. Jason Jacoby, 11. Skip Dougherty, 12. Todd Bauer, 13. Dave Penezich Jr., 14. Ga!
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ry Edwards, 15. Bruce Powell, 16. Andy McKisson, 17. Brian Ellenberger. DNS: Mike Marano II, Dan Leech.
MODIFIEDS (35 Laps): 1. TOMMY KRISTYAK, 2. Billy Van Pelt, 3. Jim Weller, 4. Lou Blaney, 5. Brian Swartzlander, 6. Joe Crawford, 7. Rick Hall, 8. Scott Gurdak, 9. Chris Schiffer, 10. Mike Sutton, 11. Josh Skarzenski, 12. Tim Engles, 13. Dean Pearson, 14. T!
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om Smith, 15. Jason Engles, 16. Tom Glenn, 17. Danny Perrett, 18. Merle Mealy Jr., 19. Rodney Beltz, 20. Dick Rankin, 21. Dan Campbell, 22. George Hobaugh, 23. Randy Myers, 24. Mike Clark. DNS: Joe Kubiniec, Tim Shepard, George Sankey, Andy Priest, George R!
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uth, Gerry Bruce.
PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): 1. GARY NORMAN, 2. Dave Ferringer, 3. Bobby Whitling, 4. Travis Biggs, 5. Kim Legnosky, 6. Gary McClintock, 7. Denny Diegelman, 8. Jim Slater, 9. Danny Exley, 10. Ben Blake Jr., 11. Dale McGinnis Jr., 12. Wayne Pyle, 13. Tom Vincent,!
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14. Jay Feely, 15. Greg Becker, 16. Barry Wilson, 17. Curt Bish, 18. Dean Speer, 19. Matt Lux, 20. Rick Norco, 21. Keith Mohnkern, 22. Arthur Edwards, 23. Jerry Huff, 24. Bob Bean. DNS: Terry Feely, Mike Dolecki, Bill Oswald, Ken Foltz, Jamie Shetler, Davi!
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d Atkinson, Doug Calvert, Ron Becker, Greg Sanford, Earl Van Valkenberg, John Schreck.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
August 2 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Demo Derby
August 9 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Sportsman Modifieds
August 16 - Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Car Giveaway