Local Racing
Sodeman, Unverzagt, Dietz, and Cipriano Win at Tri-City Raceway Park; Maskal and Urey Split Twin Mini Stock Features
FRANKLIN, PA (August 14, 2022): Jack Sodeman, Jr. picked a perfect time to score his first victory of the season in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars. With his point lead shrinking, Sodeman changed the narrative by beating his challenger, A.J. Flick, in both the heat and feature events! Plus, veteran racer Sid Unverzagt, Jr. took his first victory at Tri-City Raceway Park in the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds.
Also grabbing wins were Tyler Dietz in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks and Ayden Cipriano in the RUSH Sportsmen Modifieds. Sharing the glory in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks were Levi “the Rascal” Maskal and Matt Urey.
The twenty-five lap feature for the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint cars started with Bob Felmlee and Brandon Matus sharing the front row. Matus led the first round of the big oval, but Felmlee took control on lap two. He built an advantage in the early going, but his competition was gaining on him as the field approached halfway.
Soon after the crossed flags were displayed, Matus and third-starting Jack Sodeman, Jr. caught the leader. Sodeman took second from last year’s champion on lap fourteen. One lap later, Sodeman went by Felmlee for the lead. Matus followed him into second at that point, but Sodeman began to pull away from him.
With the laps winding down, Sodeman continued to lead despite his engine sounding sour. At the white flag, A.J. Flick passed Matus for second. However, Sodeman held on for the win.
The victory was Sodeman’s first of the season at Tri-City Raceway Park and his fourth all-time. The multi-time champion currently leads Flick by twenty-five points.
“With seven to go (the engine) picked up a miss,” Sodeman explained after the event. “But, I’m the one that pays the bills, and we needed a win.” He later added, “we will know for sure tomorrow what is wrong with it.”
Behind Sodeman at the finish was Flick, who was second in the race and also in the championship standings. Defending kingpin, Matus, matched his best finish of the season, with a third. Last week’s winner, Carl Bowser, was fourth, with Felmlee fifth.
The lone heat race for the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars was won by Jeremy Weaver.
A happy Sid Unverzagt, Jr. raced to his first career win at Tri-City Raceway Park in the the non-stop Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modified feature. Unverzagt and Eric Beggs led the field to the green with Unverzagt taking the lead. Unverzagt pulled away from the pack as Beggs was feeling pressure for the second spot from fifth-starting Garrett Krummert. At lap nine, Krummert passed Beggs for second, but Unverzagt had a lengthy advantage at the time.
Lap after lap, Krummert gained ground on the leader. With two laps remaining, Krummert was right on Unverzagt’s back bumper. With Unverzagt glued to the low groove, Krummert gave it his best shot to make the the outside line work for a pass. Krummert would have to settle for a close second though.
Beggs had the best finish of the season in third. Tom Glenn made his first appearance count with a fourth place finish. Jimmy Holden was back in his regular ride and came home in fifth.
Taking the preliminaries for the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds were Eric Beggs and Tom Glenn.
An added attraction to the racing program on this night was the RUSH Sportsmen Modifieds. It was their first appearance at the speedway in two years, Fourteen cars signed in, with the heat races going to Jacob Jordan and Lucas Canon.
Ayden Cipriano won the draw for the pole position, and Canon joined him on the front row, Cipriano led the twenty-lap main form start to finish. Second through fourth changed hands, with J.C. Boyer holding the second spot over double-duty Krummert and Canon before the caution waved for the first incident on lap six.
Through another restart on lap seven, Cipriano continued to show the way. Fifth-starting Ben Easler was on the move, taking second from Boyer on lap eleven.
The final caution period on lap seventeen slowed the pace, setting up a side by side restart in the three-lap dash for the victory.
Cipriano took his second checkered flag of the weekend by holding off the challenges from Easler over the final three rounds. He earned $1,000 for the triumph, courtesy of Turn Four Toilets.
Behind Easler in second were Boyer, Krummert, and Eric Gabany.
The redraw for the fifteen lap feature for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks saw the top spots going to the last two eligible drivers, Jason Johns and Joey Zambotti. With just a handful of starts at Tri-City on his resume, Zambotti outgunned the fourteen-time winner, Johns, for the early lead.
The restart following the first caution cost Zambotti his lead, as Tyler Dietz passed him entering turn three to become the new leader. A caution on the next lap gave Zambotti another chance, but Dietz went on to score his first win at the track.
Zambotti was a close second over Johns, Charlie McMillen, and Aden Boozel. Point leader Pat Fielding withdrew late in the race and was credited with eighth palce.
A pair of Tylers–Wyant and Dietz–prevailed in the heat races for the Hovis Auto and Truck Supply Pro Stocks.
The 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stock division competed in two feature events. The twelve lapper that opened the program was a hold over from the rain-shortened August 7 event.
In that race, Bodey McClintock and Matt Urey brought the field to the green flag. McClintock led from the start, but several racers got together in the first and second turns on the opening lap. They all managed to keep moving, so the green light stayed on. McClintock remained out front for the first three trips around the speedway before the point leader, Levi Maskal, raced by.
Maskal the Rascal led the led the remainder of the contest without interruption for his fifth victory of the season over Todd Hanlon, Dalton Speer, McClintock, and Adam Aley.
The night’s regularly scheduled feature event closed out the racing program. Dalton Speer and Tyler Ellenberger brought the field to the green, with Speer leading the first round before the most serious incident of the night occurred, Dillon Thorne lost a wheel exiting turn four, with his car spinning and rolling over.
Another tangle came on the attempted restart.
From there, Speer continued to lead before being challenged by by Matt Urey. Urey passed Speer for the lead on lap four and raced to his second win of the year. Maskal, Speer, Chad Greeley, and Mike Barr rounded out the top five.
In the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks, Levi Maskal and Matt Urey split the heat race wins.
Remember that the World of Outlaws Late Models will return to Tri-City Raceway Park next Sunday, August 21. Joining them will be the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks, with additional money on the line. They will race for $700 to win and $70 to start.
Then, on August 28, the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars will take on the stars of the FAST Series (formerly the Fremont Attica Sprint Tour). Details are being finalized for that race, but you can be sure that extra money will be on the line. Also on the card that evening will be 305 Sprint Cars, and the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. Plus, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks will compete in a pair of features, as the make-up race from August 7 will be part of the program.
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.
Shawgo Real Eastat LLC 410 Sprints: Jack Sodeman, Jr., A.J. Flick, Brandon Matus, Carl Bowser, Bob Felmlee, Leyton Wagner, Logan McCandless, Jeremy Weaver, Brent Matus.
Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds: Sid Unverzagt, Jr., Garrett Krummert, Eric Beggs, Tom Glenn, Jimmy Holden, Austin Eyler, Kevin Hoffman, Lonny Riggs, Jimmy Parenti, Jr.
RUSH Modifieds: Ayden Cipriano, Ben Easler, J.C. Boyer, Garrett Krummert, Eric Gabany, Jacob Jordan, Jacob Rutana. Cole Edwards, Doug Rutana, Lucas Canon, Cory Riffe, Jordan Ehrenberg, Brandon Ritchey.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply pro Stocks: Tyler Dietz, Joey Zambotti, Jason Johns, Charlie McMillen, Aden Boozel, Tyler Wyant, Gary Miller, jr., Pat Fielding, Aaron Smith, Doug Iorio, II.
4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks (makeup feature form 8-7-22): Levi Maskal, Todd Hanlon, Dalton Speer, Bodey McClintock, Adam Aley, Thomas Warren, Dillon Thorne, Tyler Ellenberger, Chad greeley, Paul Marsh, Jr., Kevin Wice, Matt Urey, D.L. Macrae, Ben Aley (DNS).
4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks (regular feature): Matt Urey, levi Maskal, Dalton Speer, Chad Greeley, Mike Barr, Paul Marsh, Jr., Kevin Wice, D.J. Macrae, Todd Hanlon, Thomas Warren, Adam Aley, Tyler Ellenberger, Bodey McClintock, Cody Baughman, Dillon Thorne, Rick Feely (DNS).
PITTSBURGH, PA (May 3, 2024) Rain is forcing local tracks to cancel their events this weekend.
Lernerville Speedway was the first to pull the plug on Friday’s program after late afternoon showers and an ominous forecast forced the tracks hand. Racing returns to ‘The Action Track’ on Friday, May 10 as the Jay’s Automotive ULMS Late Models take center stage, complemented with the remaining Fab4 racing divisions.
Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway was next to throw in the towel. PPMS and BRP Modified Tour officials made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the BRP Big Block Modifieds + Cinco De Mayo Fiesta event. The event will not be rescheduled. All tickets purchased online will be fully refunded. PPMS and BRP look forward to scheduling a 2025 date! PPMS hopes to be able to get in Nostalgia Night and Action Event next Saturday.
Rain late Friday evening and through the early morning hours on Saturday brought over a half-inch (0.51) of rain to Latrobe Speedway, forcing the cancellation of Saturday’s (May 4) FAST-Five racing program. The rain gauge at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, just 2 miles away, continues to record the rain. The airport forecast calls for an 80 % chance of showers, mainly before 1 pm, and a 100% chance of showers continuing again tonight.
Next Saturday, May 11, Latrobe plans to hold the Dave Kittey Memorial ULMS Super Late Models. The 30-lap $4,000-to-win feature also offers bonuses for ULMS racers. The FASTrak Pro Late Models, the Joe’s Body Shop & Towing Pure Stocks, the Special T Metals LLC Modified 4 Cylinders, and the Marilungo Disposal LLC Strictly Stock 4 Cylinders will also be on the card.
SARVER, PA (April 26, 2024) AJ Flick picked up his first Peoples Natural Gas Sprint Car win of 2024 at Lernerville Speedway on Friday night and Michael Norris made it back-to-back wins in the Late Model Division.
Flick started fourth on the grid and passed leader and pole-sitter Carl Bowser using the bottom side on lap 8 while Bowser worked the high side. Bowser wouldn’t go away easily, pulling side-by-side with Flick at the halfway mark. Flick eventually was able to hold Bowser at bay, building a three-second lead as he encountered lap traffic.
A caution flag with five-laps-to-go bunched up the field but Flick got an impressive restart and kept the field at bay to pick up the victory. Bowser finished second and Michael Bauer finished third after starting eighth.
“I didn’t expect it to slick off as much as it did,” Flick said about the track conditions. “It was odd because it wasn’t really wide but yet the actual racing groove was getting slick and starting to come in already. I missed it in the heat race, but come feature time it seems like we’re starting to dial it in a bit more.”
Norris started 10th and put on a clinic coming through the field to make it two straight at ‘The action Track.’
“Luck was on our side tonight,” Norris said. “I always seem to have late race cautions. Thanks to John Garvin for leaving me a lane, he got me pretty good on that last restart but I knew as long as I could be even with him going into turn one, the top was so good and it was.”
Erick Rudolph made the trip to Sarver from Ransomville, New York and it paid off. Rudolph took home the feature victory in the Diehl Automotive Big Block Modified main event.
“There’s something about Lernerville Speedway,” said Rudolph. “It’s one of my favorite tracks in the country and anytime we get a chance to come down here it’s always something we look forward to.”
Tyler Dietz proved to be the class of the field once again, garnering his first feature win in the Millerstown Pic-A-Part Pro Stock main event. Dietz survived a late race restart and held off front row starter Tim Bish and a hard charging Chris Schneider to grab the checkered flag.
“I kind of thought that he (Bish) was going to take the bottom,” Dietz stated, remarking about the crucial restart. “I was hoping he would go high because I think I was better up high but I just never got the chance to go up there.”
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.”
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.
Dewease and Hammaker Get First Wins for New Car Owners at Williams Grove Speedway
Mother Nature winning the weekend as local tracks cancel events
McLaughlin goes back-to-back at Barber Motorsports Park
Macri Gets Third Straight Kauffman Classic at Port Royal; Amantea and Craig Perigo Also Score
Flick, Norris, Rudolph and Dietz Victorious at Lernerville
Borden Thrills at Port Royal; Robinson, Covert, and Hart also Score
Team Penske Penalized for St. Pete Infractions. Newgarden Stripped Of Win
Historic Stock Cars to run at Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway Cancels Saturday Program; Pivots To Flood Relief Drive
