Lynch and Shingledecker top Sprint and 358 Modified Races at Tri-City Raceway Park; Bish and Bailey in pro Stocks and Mini Stocks

(Franklin, PA July 4, 2021):  On Big Dog RC night at Tri-City Raceway Park, Sye Lynch scored his first of the season and second career win in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Car class at a track with strong family ties. Grandfather Ed Sr., and father Ed Jr. were big winners over the years, and grandmother Jean was a former promoter of the track.

Joining him in victory lane were Jeremiah Shingledecker for the third time in a row and fourth overall in the Krill Recycling LLC 358 Modifieds. Taking the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks was Curtis J. Bish. Justin Bailey snapped the three-race win streak of Dalton Speer in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks.

We’ve been fast here at Tri-City, but we don’t have teh results to show for it, Lynch said. Lady luck did not ride with him until this night. “We were finally able to put a whole night together,” he noted.

Clay Riney sat on the pole for the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Car A Main. Rolling off second was Sye Lynch. Bob Felmlee and Jeremy Weaver were in the second row, with Carl Bowser and Brandon Spitahler next in line. Dan Kuruger made his first Tri-City start from the seventh position, with last week’s winner, Brandon Matus next to him. Darin Gallagher lined up next to his mentor, Jack Sodeman, Jr. in row six.

Lynch blasted out to a commanding lead at the drop of the green flag for the 410 Sprint Cars. Felmlee settled into second, followed by Spithaler, Riney, Weaver, and Sodeman. The man in the move early, however, was Brandon Matus, who took third on lap three and second on the next round of the big half mile. By then, Lynch was way out front.

A caution on lap four for a spin by Francis Sesco brought Lynch back to the rest of the field, but it did not take him long to move away again from the second place car of Brandon Matus. Spithaler’s car stumbled on the restart, and Riney drove by, but he was flagged for jumping the start and penalized when the next restart took place.

That would come on lap 22. The race was stopped due to a crash by Rod Jones between turns one and two. Jones was unhurt, but his night was done.

On the restart, Lynch led the way, followed by Brandon Matus. They finished in that order. Felmlee, Bowser, and Sodeman completed the top five. Gallagher made a charge on the outside, picking up a few spots, but he was stuck on the outside and faded back at the finish. Brent Matus snuck by him for sixth on the final lap. Spithaler, Riney, and Bob McMillin rounded out the top ten.

Donovan & Bauer Auto Group heat race wins in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint division went to Clay Riney and Bob Felmlee. There was no B Main.

Kyle Inman made the tow down from Western New York and started on the pole in the Krill Recycling LLC 358 Modifieds. Lonny Riggs was on his flank. Eric Beggs and Kevin Hoffman were in the second row. Kyle Fink, the defending track champion, lined up in fifth, with another New Yorker, Greg Martin, next to him. Jimmy Holden and Jeremiah Shingledecker, the winner of the last two events, were in row four. Behind them were Tom Holden and Max Smoker. Todd Gabriel made his season’s debut in the eleventh position, and Ryan Riffe started on his outside.

Inman took the early lead with Martin, Shingledecker, Riggs, and Beggs following. The New York contingent was looking strong, as Inman held control for the first eight laps before handing the baton off to Martin.

Martin remained out front for several laps but Shingledecker, who worked his way up from eighth on the grid, began to flex some muscle after the halfway mark. He took second by getting a nose under Inman coming off turn four. A lap or two later, he went to the outside to drive by Martin in turns one and two to take the lead.

Shingledecker withstood a pair of late race restarts that put Martin on his inside. Inman challenged Martin but he could not get the grip on the outside for second.

Kevin Hoffman was fourth and Travis Shingledecker came home fifth. His crew needed commendation for fixing the car after it caught fire in the heat race.

Taking Sixth was Beggs, with Riggs, Jimmy Holden, Max Smoker, and Ayden Cipriano in tenth. This was Cipriano’s first drive in a 358 Modified.

“We are all learning,” Shingledecker said. “I have plenty of laps on the track in a Big Block Modified and these cars are different.” Shingledecker went on to state that he was having problems hooking up the car in the heat race, but they made a number of changes for the feature and hit on a good set-up.

In the Krill Recycling LLC 358 Modified ranks, the heat race winners were Kyle Fink and Jimmy Holden. There was no B Main.

Jason Johns rolled off first for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stock division. Andy Buckley was on his right. Behind them were Doug Iorio, II and points leader William Hurrelbrink. Matt Bernard was set to start in fifth, but he did not drive in the heat race due to personal commitments, so he took the tail for the start of the A Main. That moved Curtis J. Bish, Jr. over to the inside and Curt Bish next to him. Then came last week’s winner, Bobby WHitling and Alan Dellinger, subbing for Rod Laskey. Darr Diegelman and Josh Seippel started in row five and Chase Lambert and Larry Kugel were in row six.

Curtis J. Bish led at the beginning of the race, Whitling moved into second and gave chase for a handful of laps before moving into the lead. Meanwhile, the action was intense throughout the top ten.

Whitling took the lead and held command in the middle stage of the event. Dellinger took over second and was closing in as the laps wound down.

Things took an unusual turn in the final laps. Whitling made contact with a lapped car. On the ensuing restart, Curtis J. Bish overhauled Dellinger.

Curtis J. Bish led the final two laps for the win, with Dellinger in second. Curt Bish, brother of the winner, crossed in third. Fourth went to Tyler Wyant, who started in the final row. He was named the Fisher and Father NAPA Auto Parts Hard Charger, at plus fourteen. Fifth belonged to Larry Kugel.

Positions six through ten went to Andy Buckley, Matt Bernard, Hurrelbrink, Seippel, and Chase Lambert.

Taking the qualifiers in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply heat races, presented by Donovan & Bauer Auto Group, were William Hurrelbrink and Bobby Whitling. There was no B Main.

Todd Hanlon and Bodey McClintock paced the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. Jesse Armstrong and Justin Bailey had row two in their hands, with Chad Greeley and Levi Maskal in row three. Row four belonged to Evan Sobieski and Jamie Tasker. Row five had Bill McCollins and D.J. Macrae, while row six was inhabited by Hemi Kineston and Shalyn Kelsey.

Hanlon was the early leader, but Justin Bailey was on a mission. He had an opportunity to rack up some points in his battle with Dalton Speer for the track championship.

Hanlon made contact with a lapped car, sustained a flat tire, and handed the lead over to Bailey. Meanwhile, Speer was coming from the back. He made it to the top five before his car broke down with just a couple of laps remaining.

Bailey went on to the win, followed by steady Chad Greeley. McRae, Bodey McClintock, and Maskal completed the top five. Kevin Watson, Steven Campbell, Evan Sobieski, Michael Barr, and Jamie Tasker were sixth through tenth.

The 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks contested three heat races under the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group banner. The winners were Justin Bailey, Todd Hanlon, and Levi Maskal. There was no B Main.

Remember that Tri-City Raceway Park will be dark for a Summer Break on July 11. Racing will resume the following week, July 18, with the Sprint Spectacular, featuring the 410 Sprints under the auspices of Shawgo Real Estate LLC. The RUSH Sprints will be back with the endorsement of Gary Glass Automotive and Washington House. Junior Sprints will also be on the card. The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks will have a tune-up for the big Penn Ohio Pro Stock Championship round coming up on July 25. The 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks will also compete.

Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars:  Sye Lynch, Brandon Matus, Bob Felmlee, Carl Bowser, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Brent Matus, Darin Gallagher, Brandon Spithaler, Clay Riney, Bob McMillin, Davey Jones, Randy Wyant, Rod Jones, Leyton Wagner, Francis Sesco, Kyle Colwell, Jeremy Weaver, Gale Ruth, Sr., Dan Kuriger (DNS).

Krill Recycling LLC 358 Modifieds:  Jeremiah Shingledecker, Greg Martin, Kyle Inman, Kevin Hoffman, Travis Shingledecker, Eric Beggs, Lonny Riggs, Jimmy Holden, Max Smoker, Ayden Cipriano, Sid Unverzagt, Jr., D.J. Schrader, Nathan McDowell, Kyle Fink, Tyler Clark, Todd Gabriel, Ryan Riffe, Tom Holden, Curt Bish (DNS).

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks:  Curtis J. Bish, Alan Dellinger, Curt Bish, Tyler Wyant, Larry Kugel, Andy Buckley, Matt Bernard, William Hurrelbrink, Josh Seippel, Chase Lambert, Darr Diegelman, Pat Fielding, Josh Blum, Jason Johns, Bobby Whitling, Doug Iorio, II, Charlie McMillen (DNS), Jesse Brock (DNS).

4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks:  Justin Bailey, Chad Greeley, D.J. Mcrae, Bodey McClintock, Levi Maskal, Kevin Watson, Steven Campbell, Evan Sobieski, Michael Barr, Jamie Tasker, Howard Garlick, Alex Claypoole, Dalton Speer, William McCollins, Shalyn Kelsey, Todd Hanlon, Jesse Armstrong, Charles McClintock, Hemi Kinneston, Jordan Reges, Trevin Shaffer (DNS).