Local Racing
Rudolph Caps perfect Weekend with 358 Mod Tour Win at Tri-City Raceway Park; Flick, Bish and Lawrence also Victors
FRANKLIN, PA (July 25, 2020 – Pittsburgh Racing Now): Erick Rudolph completed a Western Pennsylvania hat trick Sunday at Tri-City Raceway Park. His victory came in the first race of the year for the Outlaw Small Block Modified Tour. Also taking wins were A.J. Flick in the 410 Sprint Cars, Curtis J. Bish in the Pro Stocks, and Mark Lawrence in the Mini Stocks.
Gary Kriess, Jr. and Dan Kuriger paced the field for the start of the 25 lap Sprint Car feature event. Jeremy Kornbau and Leyton Wagner were in row two, George Hobaugh and Brandon Spithaler in row three, and Flick and Carl Bowser in row four.
Kriess jumped out to the early lead, followed by Kuriger, Kornbau, Wagner, and Flick. Flick worked his way into second by lap seven. He took aim on Kriess and the two popular drivers traded the lead several times over the next several laps. Flick set a pick in turn four and pinned Kriess behind a slower car. That enabled Flick to pull away from the veteran. Kriess got another shot at the lead on a lap 17 restart, but Flick was up to the task.
Several drivers made advances in the final laps. Sye Lynch raced into second. Bowser took third on lap 20 and Brandon Spithaer moved to fifth on the same lap.
At the checkers, it was Flick, Lynch, Bowser, Kriess, and Spithaler. Kornbau was sixth, followed by Jack Sodeman, Jr. Sodeman was the hard charger, passing ten cars during the race. Kuriger, Darin Gallagher, and Michael Bauer completed the top ten.
Spithaler, Wagner, and Kornbau were the heat winners. There was no B Main.
Kyle Fink and Jeremiah Shingledecker brought the 358 Modifieds to the green flag. Kevin Hoffman and Tom Holden were in the second row, with Dave Schrader, Jr. and Lonnie Riggs in the third stanza. Rudolph and Max Smoker held row four.
Fink and Shingledecker battled for the early lead, while Rudolph steadily moved forward. Rudolph took command in turn one with seven laps complete. Hoffman climbed into second following the second caution in the 20 lapper, but he could not mount a challenge on the fleet New Yorker.
At the finish, it was Rudolph, Hoffman, Shingledecker, Fink, and Riggs. Jimmy Holden, Rick Regalski, Jeff Schaffer, Jr., Andy Jankowiak, and Tom Holden completed the top ten.
Riggs and Rudolph took heat wins. There was no B Main.
In the Pro Stocks, Curtis J. Bish fought off challenges from his borther, Curt Bish for most of the race. However, it was Jackson Humanic who charged into second and chased him home. Curt Bish held on for third. Rod Laskey was fourth, but he was close enough to the front that he could have capitalized on the slightest mistake of any of the leaders. Blaze Myers was fifth. Then came Randy Wyant, Tyler Wyant, Pat Fielding, Brett McDonald, and Wesley McCray. Laskey and Curtis J. Bish took the preliminaries. There was no B Main.
In the Mini Stock nightcap, Mark Lawrence held off Chad Greeley. Dalton Speer and Jim Buchanan were third and fourth. It was an eventful night for Dillon Speer, who won the three previous races. He lost his primary car in heat racing, went home for his spare, and started at the tail of the field. While moving forward in the feature, his car caught fire, but it was safe to resume racing, and he brought it home in fifth. Heat winners were Lawrence and Patrick Hanlon.
Tri-City Raceway Park will be back in action next Sunday with the Penn-Ohio Pro Stocks presenting “Ray’s Race,” held in memory of R.K. Virgile. Mr. Virgile was a long-time supporter of the class and the speedway. Also in action will be the 410 Sprints, 358 Modifieds and the Mini Stocks.
Dirt Racing
Hoffman and Fielding Reach the Top in Modified and Pro Stock Points, Respectively; Flick Closing In 410 Sprints; Maskal Still Ahead in Minis
FRANKLIN, PA (August 2, 2022): The big news coming out of Sunday’s event at Tri-City Raceway Park were the changes in the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modified ranks. But the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks also have a new name on the top of the standings. What is more, a battle is brewing for the title in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars!
Jeremiah Shingledecker, the most successful driver in the 358 Modified division, is at the center of the story. He sold the car that carried him to the 2021 title and that was best in class in the first half of the 2022 season. The 37MD now belongs to rookie Austin Eyler. And, if that name sounds familiar, it is because he is kin to former 410 Sprint Car racer Rob Eyler. Well, Eyler stripped off the “MD” and he now campaigns the car as the 37. So, that left Shingledecker without a ride for the balance of the 2022 season at the track.
But wait, there’s more.
Shingledecker signed in to drive the potent Hoffman Door 00 on Sunday. The owner and driver, Kevin Hoffman, was under the weather, so he asked Shingledecker to take the seat for the night. Shingledecker did the Hoffmans proud, taking the wins in his heat and in the feature event.
Under track rules, the points for Shingledecker’s successes were awarded to the car, and not the driver. So, the Hoffman 00 vaulted into first place in the championship standings, as Kevin was the winner before the track had consecutive cancellations due to weather.
It is anticipated that Kevin Hoffman will return to the seat this weekend, so it will be up to him to keep the winning streak alive. But, if he is unable to race again due to his health, he knows that he will have a capable substitute to fill in for him again.
So, the Hoffman 00 sits at the top of the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group standings, thanks to the assist from Jeremiah Shingledecker. Jimmy Holden, who was second to Shingledecker Sunday evening, is second in the season’s standings by just 13 points, so things are not so settled any more. Shingledecker is still third based on his outstanding performances in his own car before it was sold. Nick Joy, who travels down from New York to race at Tri-City, is just eight points back, so he could easily surpass Shingledecker this week. Lonny Riggs, who had a strong top five last week, is now fifth in the standings and he could move up a notch with another good run.
In the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, Pat Fielding now tops the points after getting his first career win in this division. Fielding has been in the Pro Stock game for a decade, just a few years less than his closest rival has been alive. Teenager Tyler Wyant trails by only ten markers, but his DNF (“did not finish”) on Sunday hurt him in the championship tilt. Josh Seippel, Charlie McMillen, and the Boozel brothers complete the top five.
Older brother Ayden Boozel started the season in the family car, wrenched by their grandfather, Bob Sloss, who was a successful Pro Stock driver in his day. But the younger sibling, Quinten, took his turn behind the wheel of the 44B on Sunday and he brought it home in the top five. Not bad for the first-time racer!
In the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars, A.J. Flick moved into second behind former champion Jack Sodeman, Jr. More importantly, Flick shaved a couple of points off the lead. He now trails Sodeman by 23. Just one point further back is Jeremy Weaver, who now drives Bob McMillin’s car re-numbered as 35W. Bob Felmlee and Chase Metheney complete the top five in the winged warriors.
Levi Maskal still sits atop the rankings in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. Matt Urey, a recent feature winner, is second. Chad Greeley, D.J. Macrae, and recently engaged Bodey McClintock make up the rest of the top five. Dalton Speer, who regained the winning ways last week, is seventh, behind Dillon Thorne.
The action will start for these racers, and many more, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, August 8. Pit gates will open at 2 p.m., and spectators can enter the grandstands at 4 p.m.
Regular event ticket pricing will prevail on Sunday evening. Adult admission, for those aged 16 to 62, will be $15. Seniors (ages 62 and up) will be $13. Student tickets will be $10 for those ages 10 to 16. Children under the age of 10, will be free, as usual. The Family Pass (good for two adults of any age and two students) will be $45. Pit Passes will be $30.
If you cannot make it to the track on August 8, Tri-City Raceway Park will be back in action on August 15 with another Sunday Thunder event, which will include the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprints, the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, and the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks.
Then, on August 21, the speedway will host the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Joining the most powerful Late Models on the planet will be the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. Please note this schedule change.
The track will close out the month of August with another Sunday Thunder program on August 28.
Get ready for the season-ending spectacular to be held over the Labor Day weekend. The activity will start with a practice session on Friday, September 2, with free grandstand admission. Racing will begin on Saturday, September 3, for the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprints, the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks, and the Junior Sprints. All five classes will return for the finale on Sunday, September 4, along with the RUSH Sprint Cars. Camping will be free throughout the weekend, and there will be fireworks and a bonfire Sunday to celebrate the end of the summer.
Further information about Tri-City Raceway Park can be obtained by calling the track office at 724-967-4601, or by e-mailing the office at tricityracewaypark2020@gmail.com. Or, you can check the web at Tri-CityRacewayPark.com, or the Facebook page at Tri City Raceway Park. Tri-City Raceway Park is located just a few miles north of Franklin, PA, at 3430 State Route 417 in Oakland Township.
MECHANICSBURG, PA (July 23, 2022): Brad Sweet made a late race pass of Sheldon Haudenschild and held off a charging Danny Dietrich to earn his first career at the venerable Speedway. The $20,000 check that awaited him as the winner of the Williams Grove Summer Nationals was just his second one of the season, the first coming way back in March at Vado, New Mexico.
While Sweet has not racked up very many wins, his consistency has kept him atop the season standings in his quest for a fourth World of Outlaws championship. “This has been a weird year, it’s teh Summer Nationals, and I just got my second win, and it’s at Williams Grove,” he said enthusiastically. Sweet conceded that the track does not suit his driving style and he has had to use both of his feet, one for the throttle and the other for the brake. He added that the team assembled a special car for Williams Grove and “the next race for it will be the National Open.”
Despite the rain delay of nearly two hours, the track was in remarkable condition. “It was a great race, a great track, you could move around a lot.” Sweet thought that he found something in the middle of the track that enabled him to catch and pass Sheldon Haudenschild, who was committed to the top. But, what Sweet did not realize was that the track also had a good bottom groove, and it was used by Dietrich to take second. What is more, Dietrich caught Sweet on the last lap, bringing the Pennsylvania faithful to their feet in the hope that the Posse member could steal the win.
But, it was not to happen this night. “I’m happy to be second,” Dietrich said. “We were running the same line, and I think I may have used up my tire.” Dietrich did agree that the track was outstanding. “When it gets slick, it is fun.”
The final podium spot went to Haudenschild, who took over the lead on lap six and held it for twenty-two circuits of the half mile. Speaking of his preferred high line, Haudenschild noted, “I think it was alright. I had my wing back and I had to start cheating in three,” meaning that he had to enter lower than he would have preferred and let the car slide up to catch the cushion. Haudenschild added that he was looking forward to returning for the National Open, in October, “I feel like as long as you qualify good and can get in the dash, you have a chance to win.”
SARVER, PA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Daryl Charlier led all 30-laps to win the RUSH Late Model Series victory Friday night at Lernerville Speedway. Charlier started on the outside of the front row and used the high side to his advantage to claim the $3,000-main event win.
“It feels really good, especially here, I love racing here,” said Charlier. “We’ve struggled with the setup for a while, we tried some stuff at Sharon and was able to come home with third, we ran the same thing here with little minor adjustments and, glad we were able to pull it off.”
Jeremy Wonderling finished second and Kyle Lukon came home in third.
Isaac Chapple made it two-in-a-row at ‘The Action Track’ taking the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) feature win. The victory was the first in 2022 for Chapple, who also won the 2021 BOSS feature.
“Nothing feels like winning, it’s good to finally get it done,” said Chapple. “The racetrack was a lot different than last year when we were here, we’re usually pretty good when it gets slick like this, but those guys were racing so hard in front of me, it took me a while to get a clear lane.”
John Mollick picked up his second career win in a RUSH Sprint Car Friday night. Mollick passed Brian Hartzell on lap 13 and was happy to get the win.
“I can’t believe we just won on that racetrack,” said Mollick. “This class is getting tougher and tougher every year, everybody’s picking up their game and learning. It’s a struggle to keep up with these guys, these young kids are coming up quick.”
Garrett Krummert passed Rob Kristyak with two laps-to-go to win the RUSH Sportsman Modified victory. Kristyak faded to third after being passed by Ayden Cipriano on the last lap.
Greg Dobrosky took home the victory in the Allegheny Sprint Tour 305 feature.
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