Success for Spithaler at Tri-City Raceway Park; Shingledecker, Maskal, Warburton, Cecce also Win

(Franklin, PA July 2, 2022):  Brandon Spithaler was back in his own Shawgo Real Estate, LLC 410 Sprint Car due to an opening in the schedule for his touring series. He took maximum advantage, dominating the thirty lap feature and collecting $3,000 in the process.

Also getting wins on Saturday of the July 4 holiday weekend were Jeremiah Shingledecker (Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds), Levi Maskal (4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks), Thomas Warburton (PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modifieds), and Dylan Cecce (Penn Ohio Pro Stocks/Hovis Auto & Truck Supply King of the Hill).

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here and we’re one for one,” Spithaler exclaimed. He was able to find grip where his competitors could not. “Riding around in fifth I was concerned. I was riding around and I found a way to get around better than the other guys and it worked. I was running high, and then I started to come down off four.”

Jeremy Weaver started on the pole for the twenty-five lapper, with defending champion, Brandon Matus, by his side. Carl Bowser and Spithaler were in row two, with Jack Sodeman, Jr. and Bob Felmlee in row three. Chase Metheney and Steve Bright were in row five. Randy Wyant, Matt Sherlock, and Brent Matus completed the field.

Weaver sailed off with the early lead, chased by Brandon Matus, Bowser, Sodeman, and Spithaler. Spitahler came to life as the race neared the midpoint, picking off Bowser, Sodeman, and Matus on successive laps.

Coming through turn four to complete lap fourteen, Weaver got out too far, leaving the door open for Spithaler. Matus tried to get through, too, but he could not make the pass. As Spithaler drew away from them, Weaver and Matus put forth a good battle for second.

Spithaler crossed the line in first, with Weaver second for what was his best career 410 Sprint Car finish. Brandon Matus, Bowser, and Sodeman completed the top five.

Metheney worked past Felmlee for sixth, followed by Brent Matus, Sherlock, Bright, and Wyant.

Two heat races were run for the Shawgo Real Estate, LLC 410 Sprint Cars. Taking top honors were Jack Sodeman, Jr. and Brandon Matus. There was no B Main.

It was a sibling rivalry at the start of the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modified race, as Travis and Jeremiah Shingledecker shared the front row, and Lonnie Riggs and Jeff Schaffer were in row two. Tom Holden and Greg Martin, both making their first Tr-City starts this season, departed from row three. Andy Jankowiak and Don Cornelius were in row four, and Jeremy Beichner was the caboose on this train.

The brothers Shingledecker put on a spirited duel for the first several laps before Jeremiah seized control. Travis continued along in second for several more laps before giving way to Martin.

Jeremiah had a commanding lead wiped out by a caution with eleven laps complete. He took the outside line for the restart and he had second thoughts about it. “I thought I picked the wrong line for the restart. It was a little bumpy up there, and he had a good run on me, and that made it harder.”

Harder, indeed. Jeremiah and Martin went toe to toe for several laps before Jeremiah found some grip about half a groove down from where he had been running. He began to pull away from Martin and had a sizable lead at the checkers.

Following Jeremiah Shingledecker and Martin were Lonny Riggs, Jeff Schaffer, and Don Cornelius. Jankowiak, Travis Shingledecker, Beichner, and Holden completed the field.

In the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds, nine racers participated. The lone heat race win went to Greg Martin. There was no B Main.

Levi Maskal remains perfect on the season in feature competition in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. He overhauled Bodey McClintock on the final restart to earn his third win of the season.

Matt Urey worked his way past Bodey McClintock in the final laps to take second. After Bodey McClintock were Adam Aley and Evan Sobieski. Positions six through ten went to Tyler Ellenberger, Dillon Thome, Howard Garlick, Mike Barr, and Kevin Wice, Jr.

In the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks, three heats sorted the races for their feature event. The winners were Levi Maskal, Bodey McClintock, and Dalton Speer. There was no B Main.

The PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modified Series ran a Sportsman heat, won by Tom Natalino; and a Modified heat, taken by Tom Warburton. The victor in the combined feature was Tom Warburton.

Following Warburton’s Modified were Tim Natalino, who was the first Sportsman to finish, William Stiles, Jeff Manners, and Fred Hildenbrand. The next finishers were Dave Phillips, Steve Longo, and Don Swingle.

The Penn Ohio Pro Stocks went head to head with the track’s Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks. Setting fast time for Group A was Hunter Exley, with a time of 20.982.  Quickest in Group B was Chris Schneider, with a lap of 20.999. Topping  Group C was Curtis J. Bish, with a lap of 21.132. Three heat races were held, with wins going to Tyler Wyant, Jason Johns, and Chris Schneider.

The Pro Stocks closed out the Saturday night portion of the holiday weekend with a King of the Hill race. Taking the $500 win in the final round was Dylan Cecce over Curtis J. Bish. Tim Bish was third. Others who won preliminary rounds were Tyler Wyant, Josh Seippel, Chris Schneider, and Hunter Exley.

Racing will continue at Tri-City Raceway Park on Sunday, July 3. The Shawgo Real Estate, LLC 410 Sprints will compete for $4,000 to win. The BRP Modified Tour will be in action, racing against the track’s Donovan & Bauer Auto Group’s 358 Modifieds. The Pro Stocks, sanctioned by the Penn Ohio Pro Stock Series and sponsored by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, will have their annual Ray’s Race in honor of the late Ray Virgile, who was a proponent of the class throughout Western PA and especially at Tri-City Raceway Park. There will be a Dash and the big feature event. The 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks will also be on hand, along with the RUSH Sprint Cars.

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 Estate, LLC 410 Sprint Cars: Brandon Spithaler, Jeremy Weaver, Brandon Matus, Carl Bowser, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Chase Metheney, Bob Felmlee, Brent Matus, Matt Sherlock, Steve Bright, and Randy Wyant.

Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds: Jeremiah Shingledecker, Greg Martin, Lonny Riggs, Jeff Schaffer, Don Cornelius, AndyJankowiak, Travis Shingledecker, Jeremy Beichner, and Tom Holden.

4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks: Levi Maskal, Matt Urey, Bodey McClintock, Adam Aley, Evan Sobieski, Tyler Ellenberger, Dillon Thone, Howard Garlick, Mike Barr, Kevin Wice, Jr., Chad Greeley, Thomas Warren, Nick Steiger, Mike Kelley, Justin Bailey, Kenneth North, D.J. Macrae, Paul Marsh, Dalton Speer, Charles McClintock, Matthew Miller (DNS).

PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modifieds: Tom Warburton, Tim Natalino, William Stiles, Jeff Manners, Fred Hildenbrand, Dave Phillips, Steve Longo, and Don Swingle.

Penn Ohio Pro Stocks/Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks King of the Hill: Dylan Cecce, Curtis J. Bish, Tim Bish.