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Local Racing

Baughman Rips Through Tri-City Raceway Park Sprint Field; Holden, Bish, and Speer also Win

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FRANKLIN, PA (May 30, 2021): Josh Baughman rolled into Western Pennsylvania from Odessa, TX to do a little testing in preparation for Western Pennsylvania Speedweek. If Sunday’s performance is indicative of his level of preparation, the other racers better burn the midnight oil because they have some catching up to do. Baughman, who has not sat in a Sprint Car since last August, showed no signs of rust in racing to the win in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars.

JImmy Holden (Krill Recycling 358 Modifieds), Curtis J. Bish (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks), and Dalton Speer (4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks) also celebrated in victory lane.

“That was pretty fun,” Baughman said. “I lost my brakes on lap eight, so I had to go to the bottom.” he added. Baughman gave props to Sye Lynch and his crew for helping him throughout the night. Baughman is a sponsor of Lynch’s racer.

Bob Felmlee sat on the pole for the twenty-five lap feature event in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars. Next to him was Brandon Matus. Behind them were Goerge Hobaugh, Jr. and Carl Bowser, with teammates Lynch and Baughman in the third row. Brandon Spithaler lined up next to last week’s winner and current point leader, Jack Sodeman, Jr. Gale Ruth, Jr. and Clay Riney had their mounts in row five, with Ken Rossey and Brent Matus in row six.

Felmlee led the snarling Sprint cars into turn one, but Brandon Matus found some bite on the high side in turns one and two to take an early lead. But Felmlee battled back and he nailed turns three and four to be scored as the leader of the opening lap. Felmee was hitting his marks, with Matus running second, Baughman in third, and Hobaugh in fourth. Sodeman was up to fifth in the early going.

There was a three-car battle for the lead with a handlul of laps complete. As the leaders approached traffic, Baughman weaved his way through to take the lead with eight klaps in the books. Felmlee held second, but he was under attack from Brandin Matus. Soon, Sodeman was in the hunt.

A caution for debris brought Baughman back to the rest of the racers. Sodeman used the restart to his advantage, sweeping into second in the first two turns. But he was no match for the fleet Texan.

A red for a spectacular crash involving Clay Riney and Bob McMillin in the middle of the back stretch brought out the red. Neither driver was hurt, but the fence running along the track took the brunt of the impact.

Baughman raced out front the rest of the way, with Sodeman making up some ground as the laps wound down. But Sodeman ran out of time and fortified his points lead with the best of the rest finish this night.

Taking third was Felmlee for his best outing of the season. Lynch crossed in fourth, with Brandon Matus fifth. Bowser, Ruth, Rossey, Kyle Colwell, and Brent Matus rounded out the top ten.

Scoring heat wins for Donovan & Bauer Auto Group were Sodeman and Hobaugh. There was no B Main for the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars.

Sid Unverzagt, Jr. and Max Smoker brought the field to the chalk stripe in turn four for the start of the twenty lapper in the Krill Recycling Modifieds. Lonny Riggs and Kyle Fink were in row two, with Jimmy Holden and Kevin Hoffman in the third. D.J. Schrader and Jeremiah Shingledecker were in row four, with Brian Sadler and Curt Bish, Jr. in the fifth row.

Unverzagt and Smoker ran wheel to wheel on the opening lap before Unverzagt took control. Riggs settled into third, with Schrader and Holden following. Holden moved into second on lap three and Jeremiah Shingledecker followed him into third.

A caution on lap five put Holden on Unverzagt’s flank with Shingledecker and Riggs hot on their tails. Holden and Shingeldecker both scooted past Unverzagt before another caution slowed the pace. Another caution for debris kept the drivers from getting into a comfort zone.

However, the remainder of the race was completed without incident. Although Holden maintained control, he was challenged in the last few laps by Shingledecker.

Three Rivers Karting

Shingledecker rolled up on the leader in traffic and got a nose inside of him coming off turn four. But Holden reached the lapped cars first and they were running single file on the inside. So Holden used them as a pick to get separation from Shingledecker. Holden maintained his lead to the finish.

Next to cross was Riggs for his best finish of the season so far. Unverzagt also cracked the top five for the first time this season. Getting fifth was Hoffman. Eric Beggs, Smoker, Sadler, Nathan MacDowell, and Ryan Riffe completed the top ten.

“It was smooth top to bottom when we went out for hot laps, but Mother Nature does what it does. It was pretty smooth in the groove,” Holden observed. “This is the best that our car has been all year. My dad stayed ahead of the track.”

Taking the wins for the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group heat races were Riggs and Fink, who was an early retiree due to a mechanical failure. There was no B Main in the Krill Recycling LLC 358 Modifieds.

In the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, Randy Wyant and Jackson Humanic battled fro the lead from their front row starting spots. Wyant took control and led the way until his car broke on lap thirteen while leading. Although Himanic had the lead, he was unable to hold back the Bish brothers, who were racing hard.

Curtis J. Bish took the lead on the restart and Curt Bish Jr. was nipping on his heels until he got crossed up in turn two. That enabled William Hurrelbrink to scoot by for second.

Curtis J. Bish took the checkers, followed by Hurrelbrink, and Bish Jr. Humanic held on for fourth with Tyler Wyant upholding the family name in fifth. Josh Seippel, Darr Diegelm,an, Pat Fielding, Bob McMillen, and Randy Wyant were scored in the top ten.

The Donovan & Bauer Auto Group heat winners in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks were Randy Wyant, Duke Davidson, and Curtis J. Bish.

Dalton Speer led wire to wire despite losing his power steering during the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stock feature race. Justin Bailey chased him home. Chad Greeley was third, with D.J. Macrae and Brandon Seippel taking fourth and fifth. Positions six through ten went to Evan Sobieski, Kevin Wice, Jesse Armstrong, Michael Barr, and Trevn Shaffer.

Chad Greeley was named the hard charger for the night, advancing fourteen pots in the Mini Stock Feature. He picked up a bonus from Fisher & Father Napa Auto Parts.

The two Donovan & Bauer Auto Group heat races belonged to Bailey and Todd Hanlon. There was no B Main in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks.

Remember that Tri-City Raceway Park will be part of history next weekend when the Western PA Sprint Car Speedweek resumes after several years’ absence. The track will host the finale of the five-race series, which will pit the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprints against all comers. You will not want to miss this event! Also on the card will be the Krill Recycling LLC 358 Modifieds, The Gary Glass Automotive and Washington House RUSH Sprints (without wings), and the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. The Hovis Auto and Truck Supply Pro Stocks will have the week off, but they will return for the Sunday Thunder shows that will be held on June 13 and June 20. All dads will receive a free gift on June 20.

Additional information about Tri-City Raceway Park can be obtained by calling the track office at 724-967-4601, or by e-mail to tricityracewaypark2020@gmail.com. You can also check the website at Tri-CityRacewayPark.com, or Facebook at Tri City Raceway Park. Tri-City Raceway Park is located on Oakland Township, which is just a short drive from Franklin. For the GPS, 3430 State Route 417, Franklin, PA 16323.

Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars: Josh Baughman, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Bob Felmlee, Brandon Matus, Carl Bowser, Gale Ruth, Jr., Ken Rossey, Kyle Colwell, Brent Matus, Clay Riney, Bob McMillin, Matt Sherlock, George Hobaugh, Brandon Spithaler, Davey Jones.
Krill Recycling LLC 358 Modifieds: Jimmy Holden, Jeremiah Shingledecker, Lonnie Riggs, Sid Unverzagt, Jr., Kevin Hoffman. Eric Beggs, Max Smoker, Brian Sadler, Nathan MacDowell, Ryan Riffe, Dillon Barr, Tyler Clark, D.J. Schrader, Kyle Fink, Curt Bish, Jr., Travis Shingledecker, Steve Barr, Nick Joy (DNS).

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks: Curtis J. Bish, William Hurrelbrink, Curt Bish Jr., Jackson Humanic, Tyler Wyant, Josh Seippel, Darr Diegelman, Pat Fielding, Bob McMillen, Randy Wyant, Duke Davidson, Jason Johns, Dylan Cecee, Larry Kugel, Jamie Duncan, Mike Bordt, Josh Blum, Matt Bernard, Bobby Whitling (DNS), Jordan Perkins (DNS), Doug Iorio, II (DNS), Andy Buckly (DNS).

4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks: Dalton Speer, Justin Bailey, Chad Greeley, D.J. Macrae, Brandon Seippel, Evan Sobieski, Kevin Wice, Jesse Armstrong, Michael Barr, Trevn Shaffer, James Tasker, Kelly Clark, Brianna Parker, Howard Garlick, Todd Hanlon, J.R. Shaner, Diezel Marvin, Tim Callahan, Charles McClintock, Brody McClintock (DNS), Nick Steiger (DNS).

Local Racing

Historic Stock Cars to run at Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix

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PVGP

PITTSBURGH, PA (April 24, 2025) The Historic Stock Car Racing Association (HSCRA) is joining the lineup of racing groups at this year’s Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (PVGP) Historics at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.  This is the first time the HSCRA will race in the PVGP Historics 3-day weekend, July 26 to 28, 2024.

“We are thrilled to welcome the HSCRA to our 2024 event,” said Dan DelBianco, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. “Their participation not only broadens the appeal of the PVGP Historics but also aligns with our mission to celebrate all automotive history. This is a fantastic opportunity for race fans of all types to witness the power and beauty of historic stock cars in action.”

The HSCRA, renowned for its commitment to preserving and celebrating the history of stock car racing, will bring a new dimension to the PVGP Historics. The group is open to all stock cars that ran in one of the major NASCAR series.

“The HSCRA is anxious to bring NASCAR to Pittsburgh,” said Carlus Gann of HSCRA. “We look forward to making this a regular stop on our tour. Western Pennsylvania has deep roots in racing, and building a world-class track at Pitt Race in Beaver County makes it a perfect fit.”

Three Rivers Karting

The most popular class is Generation 4 Cup cars built for the 1992-2007 seasons. During this era, teams built a few cars for the two road courses on the schedule.

“We are hoping for a full field of meticulously restored stock cars,” added Chris Evans of the HSCRA. “Former NASCAR winners like Joe Nemechek and a competitive lineup of today’s top historic stock car drivers will be on hand.”

Gary Moore, a seasoned participant in over a dozen PVGP races, knows the intricacies and challenges of the Pitt Race track. Moore will be showcasing his 1969 Mercury Cyclone (right), victoriously driven by Cale Yarborough, exclaiming, “It’s quite the adventure behind the wheel!”

The HSCRA will have a practice session in the morning and a qualifying race in the afternoon on Friday, July 26. A morning and afternoon practice session on Saturday, July 27. Sunday, July 28 will see the HSCRA have a short morning warm-up prior to being one of the featured Sunday afternoon races.

The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Motorsport Festival features two weekends of racing action. The first weekend is the PVGP Historics at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. The second weekend is racing through a 2.33-mile road course set on the streets of Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park. In addition to the race weekends, the PVGP stages car shows, parties, road rallies, and a black-tie formal. The PVGP’s mission is to provide residential care, treatment and support for people with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities – donating $6.7 million to charity since 1983.

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Dirt Racing

Tim Shaffer Wins Herb Scott Memorial at PPMS

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Tommy Hein

IMPERIAL, PA (April 20, 2024) Aliquippa’s Tim Shaffer started on the pole position and survived several caution flags and restarts to win the Herb Scott Memorial Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway (PPMS).

“Boy I earned that one huh,” said Shaffer following the race.  “These wins just keep getting better and better. Herb Scott won a lot of features and I have a long way to go to catch him, but my career went on the road and it became hard to win races. It’s kind of back home racing now for me and it’s a lot of fun.”

Brock Pinkerous and Dave Hess Jr. staged an epic battle over the last several laps with Pinkerous scoring an emotional runner-up finish.

Three Rivers Karting

“Congrats to Tim on the win,” said Pinkerous, who hails from Ellenville, NY. “He’s really good at this track. Him and Dave are legends around this area. It’s really cool to battle with them; they raced me clean and I raced them clean. Even though we didn’t win tonight, this is for my uncle tonight who passed away about a month ago. I hope he’s watching over us tonight, and I really love you uncle Chris.”

“We were really good on those restarts,” said Hess, the 39-year-old Waterford, Pa. driver. “A little tweak to the car and maybe a gear change and we could have had something for the leaders. Once those two (Shaffer and Pinkerous) got rolling, they were a little better than I was.”

Kyle Lukon finished fifth and Logan Roberson rounded out the Top 5.

A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 45-Tim Shaffer[1]; 2. 555-Brock Pinkerous[4]; 3. 44-Dave Hess Jr[21]; 4. 184-Kyle Lukon[5]; 5. 17R-Logan Roberson[19]; 6. 10S-Joe Martin[16]; 7. 36-Cody Dawson[7]; 8. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[10]; 9. 42-Daryl Charlier[6]; 10. 184C-Justin Chance[13]; 11. 21J-Jim Rasey[24]; 12. 184P-Cole Petrelle[20]; 13. 77-Tom Klein[23]; 14. 57-Charlie Sandercock[11]; 15. 36B-Colby Beighey[15]; 16. 18-Mike Wonderling[25]; 17. 29-Ryan Hare[17]; 18. 60H-Brian Huchko[22]; 19. 9R-Mike Reft[14]; 20. 25-Zachary Kane[9]; 21. 72B-Kassidy Kamicker[18]; 22. 75-Jared Miley[3]; 23. 60-Brandon Burgoon[2]; 24. 14AJ-AJ Miller[8]; 25. 14G-Jake Gunn[12]

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Dirt Racing

Macri Romps in Sterner Memorial; Hare Gets First Career Win on His Birthday

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Lincoln Speedway

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (April 20, 2024): Anthony Macri made a triumphant return to the Keystone State. After spending a few weeks racing in the Midwest, Macri came back for some top-paying races in his own backyard. Weather claimed the first night of racing, at Williams Grove Speedway, but Macri made up for it by earning $20,000 in the 20th Annual Weldon Sterner Memorial at the Lincoln Speedway. It was his second victory of the season in the Pigeon Hills.

Macri, who was dominant running up near the wall in turns three and four, said “I think running out on the road made me more comfortable running up there, and running at that pace.” He did admit, though, that he did back off a bit in the late stages of the race in order to conserve his tires because this was the longest race he has run this season and he was not sure how the tires would hold up. “I was worried about tire wear. I had to run a good pace to make sure the tires would last.”

The luck of the draw put Macri on the pole for this forty lapper. Next to him was Aussie Ryan Newton. Billy Dietrich and Freddie Rahmer, Jr. were in the second row. Danny Dietrich was scheduled to start fifth, but a magneto problem forced him to pit just as the A Main was about to push off. The car could not be repaired in time to allow him to tag the tail of the field. So, Lucas Wolfe slid over to fifth and Troy Wagaman, Jr. became his dance partner. Cameron Smith and Kody Hartlaub were in row four. Behind them were Kyle Moody and Chad Trout, whose car was carrying the Sterner Cement wing to commemorate the event. Kyle Reinhart and Matt Campbell were in the sixth row.

Macri led Newton and Rahmer Jr. in the opening laps. Wagaman, Wolfe, Billy Dietrich, Moody, Smith, Campbell, and Hartlaub were next in line. A caution on lap three for Cory Haas bunched things up again, but the running order remained unchanged after the green lights came on again.

The first significant move occurred on lap twelve, when Rahmer Jr. worked the inside line to take over second. As Rahmer began his pursuit of Macri, Newton was busy keeping Wagaman and Wolfe at bay.

After a caution on lap sixteen for debris, Wagaman moved ahead of Newton, who struggled to stay ahead of Wolfe. In the second half of the race, Wolfe got stronger. He moved ahead of both Newton and Wagaman.

Macri continued out front, of course. Rahmer Jr. still held second, but Wolfe was closing in on him. Wagaman, Newton, and Campbell were battling for positions in the top five.

The final caution was displayed with seven laps remaining. Macri got away cleanly, and Wolfe resumed his attack on Rahmer Jr. As they contested the second spot, Macri began to pull away.

Three Rivers Karting

At the checkers, it was Macri ahead of Rahmer Jr. by over 2.4 seconds. Wolfe was a close third, followed by Wagaman and Newton. Billy Dietrich rallied in the closing laps to take sixth. Campbell, Devon Borden, Rinehart, and Brandon Rahmer completed the top ten.

Heat winners were Wolfe, Billy Dietrich, Macri, and Smith. Tyler Ross won the B Main. The evening’s fastest qualifier was Rahmer Jr., with a time of 13.768 seconds. He earned a $300 bonus for that accomplishment. Danny Dietrich received the hard luck award, worth $100. T.J. Stutts was the hard charger at plus eight. He, too, received $100 extra.

Ayden Hare will forever remember his sixteenth birthday, as he celebrated the occasion in victory lane after just his fourth 358 Sprint Car race. The teen drove a flawless race, leading wire to wire. “I am at a loss for words, I am so happy,” he said.

Scott Fisher had the pole, with Hare to his right. Behind them were Doug Hammaker and Frankie Herr. Row three consisted of Adam Carberry and Preston Lattomus. Jayden Wolf and Ashley Cappetta were in the fourth row. The fifth belonged to Mike Bittinger and Tyler Ulrich. Dylan Norris and Cody Fletcher claimed row six.

Hare won the race to turn one and he claimed the middle groove as his own. Fisher and Herr were side by side fighting for second, with Hammaker lurking in fourth. Carberry, Lattomus, Wolf, Bittinger, Cappetta, and Norris strung out behind the leaders.

Hare began to pull away from Fisher and Herr as they continued their struggle for second place.

A red flag on lap eleven for Wolf’s flip between turns three and four brought Hare back to the rest of the racers, but the teen had no trouble building his advantage up again in the final nine laps.

Hare, Fisher, Herr, Hammaker, and Carberry were the top five finishers. Bittinger, Cappetta, Norris, Lattomus, and Logan Rumsey were sixth through tenth. Wolf received the hard luck award and Jude Siegel was the hard charger, at plus seven. They each received $250.

Next week, Lincoln Speedway will present another 410 and 358 Sprint car doubleheader. The same two divisions will return on May 4. The World of Outlaws will be in for the Gettysburg Clash on May 8. There will be no racing on May 11, but the speedway will host the Hot Rod Annual for the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing.

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