King the Mod Man at Tri-City Raceway Park; Flick, Davies, Whitling, Stock, and Maglione also Score
(Franklin, PA May 28, 2023): Rex King, Jr. withstood numerous cautions to take home the win in the BRP Modified Tour 35 lap feature event. King had to deal with early pressure from Jeremiah Shingledecker and, later in the contest, he had to hold off defending series champion, Erick Rudolph.
Also holding the checkered flags were A.J. Flick (Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprints), Dan Davies (A & MP electric, Inc. UMP Modifieds), Bobby Whitling (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks), Levi Maskal (4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks), Wally Stock (PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modified Series, Modified division), and Ryan Maglione (PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modified Series, Sportsman division).
The checkered flag could not come out soon enough to suit Rex King, Jr. At the end of the race, his right rear tire was completely bald. But, it held enough air to get him to the winner’s circle. “Any time we are on the front row, we’ll take it. We’ll do whatever it takes to get the win.” What it took was a soft touch on the throttle to avoid spinning the tires.
A pair of heavy hitters, Rex King, Jr. and Jeremiah Shingledecker, brought the BRP Modified Tour to the green for the start of thirty-five lap holiday affair. Trevor Wright and Erick Rudolph made up row two, The third pairing was Chad Brachmann and Brad Rapp. In row four, Chas Wolbert and Steve Slater matched up. Shannon Whaley and Nick Joy occupied row five. And, Garrett Krummert and J.R. McGinley departed from row six.
King took the early lead, but Shingeldecker stayed close. Shingledecker had to decide whether to play offense or defense in the early going, because Rudolph was on his tail. Shingledecker got some breathing room so he could concentrate on going after Cooter King.
There was a rash of cautions between laps nine and thirteen. Throughout, King held control, but Rudolph displaced Shingledecker for second. Rudolph had one great run at King on a restart, but he could not complete the pass and yet another caution would have wiped the pass out even if it had been completed.
The racers reeled off seventeen uninterrupted laps to get the race down to five to go. King stretched his lead over Rudolph in that interval. The late caution eliminated two cars that were running in the top five, Shingledecker, who was third, and Brachmann, who was fourth.
That shake-up moved Dave Murdick up to third for the restart, followed by Chas Wolbert and Garrett Krummert.
The top five held serve for the final five laps. Kyle Fink recovered from a mid-race pit stop to claim sixth. He was the higest placing 358 Modified in the field. Then came Shannon Whaley, Mike Kinney, Trevor Wright, and veteran Rodney Beltz.
Thirty Modifieds signed in for the BRP Modified Tour event. Four heats were presented. The victories went to Erick Rudolph, Brad Rapp, Trevor Wright, and Jeremiah Shingledecker. There was no B Main.
Diehl Chevrolet from Grove City was welcomed to the Tri-City Raceway Park roster of sponsors as of this weekend. In the first feature contested under the Diehl banner, Jeremy Weaver went to the post from the pole position, with Blaze Myers on his flank. Row two paired Darrin Gallagher and Brandon Spithaler. Last year’s track champion, A.J. Flick, started fifth, with veteran Bob Felmlee next to him. Andy Cavanaugh and Jack Sodeman, Jr. rolled off from row four. Steve Bright made his first start of the year from row five with Andy Priest as his dancing partner. It was also Priest’s first start of the 410 season. Bodey McClintock started eleventh with his 305 Sprinter.
Weaver snagged the lead on the opening lap, with Gallagher holding off Flick for second. Then came Spithaler, Sodeman, Felmlee, Priest, Cavanaugh, and McClintock.
On lap two, Flick moved into second, but he had a considerable gap to close on the leader. Sodeman slipped ahead of Spithaler for third.
Weaver maintained the lead through lap ten, but Flick closed in. After stalking the leader for a couple of laps, Flick powered into the lead as they completed lap eleven.
Flick’s journey to the checkered was interrupted twice on lap eighteen, first for a turn four spin by Sprint rookie McClintock, and then for a spin by Bright at the opposite end of the track.
Flick completed the final seven laps without any challenges. Spithaler overtook Sodeman on the last restart and he closed in on Weaver for second. However, Weaver kept his wits and he matched a career best finish of second. Spithaler, Sodeman, and Gallagher completed the top five.
Felmlee held off a stiff challenge from Priest in the last few laps to earn sixth place money. Cavanaugh was eighth, followed by Myers and McClintock. Bright did not finish.
It was the second time in his career that Flick swept an entire weekend. He kicked things off on Friday night at Lernerville Speedway and then he got his first career checkered at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. His first trifecta came in the Western PA Speedweek in 2022. Lernerville and PPMS will be tour stops in 2023, so Flick will have momentum on his side heading into the busy slate.
In the Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprint Car division, a pair of heats were held, with the checkers falling for Brandon Spithaler, from fifth, and A.J. Flick, from third. There was no B Main.
UMP Modified driver, Mike Potosky, brought the division back to Tri-City Raceway Park after several years absence. His business, A & MP electric, Inc., was the divisional sponsor for the night.
Dan Davies and Dennis Lunger put a lot of experience on row one for the twelve lapper. Jason Gracey and Mike Potosky were in row two. The third row had Ty Rhoades and Mason Laub. Brandon Grossman and Garrett Calvert were in row four. The fifth row was made up of Bruce Dreistadt and Chip Davis.
Davies took the early lead, followed by Lunger. Potosky and Laub were fighting for third when they went around in turn four.
Davies led Lunger on the restart and teh racers completed their appointed rounds without any further disruption. Rhoades moved into second and held it to the finish. Lunger was third. Potosky rebounded for fourth. Grossman was fifth.
Laub, Calvert, Dreistadt, Davis, and Gracey completed teh field.
The A & MP electric, Inc. UMP Modifieds, Jason Gracey and Dan Davies won the pair of heat races.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks had sixteen racers after being a last-minute addition to the race card. Jackson Humanic was on the pole with Bobby Whitling beside him. In row two, Tyler Dietz and Matt Bernard were matched. Curtis J. Bish and Tyler Wyant were in row three. They were followed by Russ Coyne and Rod Laskey. The fifth row had Mike Bordt and Joey Zambotti. Row six belonged to Heath Close and Pat Fielding.
Humanic led the early going in the Pro Stock feature, which was shortened to fifteen laps due to track conditions. Whittling gave chase, followed by Dietz, Coyne, Bernard, and Zambotti. A caution slowed the pace but there were no changes in the running order.
A multi-car tangle in turn four called for a red flag to untangle the cars. Eliminated were Bish, Fielding, and Aaron Smith.
Following the restart, Whitling surged past Humanic. Whitling led the rest of the way with Himanic taking the second pay. Dietz crossed in third, with Laskey and Bernard next in line.
Josh Seippel stepped in to race for Josh Blum, who took ill after his heat race. Seippel brought the unfamiliar car home in sixth. Joey Zambotti, Wyant, Coyne, and Charlie McMillen were the next five across the scoring loop.
In the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, Matt Bernard and Tyler Dietz captured the heat races. There was no B Main.
The 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks wore the nightcap once again. The Rascal, Levi Maskal had the pole, with Joe Campbell next to him. Bill Fuchs was joined by Dillon Thorne in row two. Dylan Morrison and Matt Urey were in the third row. Mike Barr and Chad Greeley had row four to themselves. Tyler Ellenberger and Matt Daugherty were in row five. Thomas Warren brought up the tail.
Maskal had early challenges from Matt Urey and Bill Fuchs. Once they got sorted out. Maskal ran away and hid from the other drivers.
Joe Campbell made his first appearance at Tri-City a successful one, taking second. Dillon Morrison, Dillon Thorne, and Tyler Ellenberger completed the top five.
Chad Greeley, Matt Urey, Thomas Warren, Fuchs, and Mike Barr completed the top ten. Matt Daugherty did not complete a lap.
The 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks also presented a pair of heats. Bill Fuchs and Matt Urey claimed the victories.
In the PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modified Series, the overall winner in the Lloyd Keith Memorial was Wally Stock with his Nash Metropolitan Modified. Trailing him in that class were Bill Stile, Jim Kurpakis, Tim Beatty, and Paul St. John. The highest finishing Sportsman was driven by Ryan Maglione in a Mud Bus. Steve Longo, Dave Phillips, Lee Farley, and Dennis Wisniewski completed the Sportsman finish. There were two qualiiers, and Stock and Maglione emerged victorious.
Tri-City Raceway Park will present the final round of Western Pennsylvania Speedweek on June 4. Plenty of talented 410 Sprint Car drivers are expected to compete with the Diehl Chevrolet track regulars, with $3,000 going to the winner.There will also be a point fund distribution for the mini series. The 358 Modifieds, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, and the 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks will also be on hand.
Remember that there will be no auto racing on June 11. Instead, the track will present the All American Rodeo Company on Saturday, June 10, under the auspices of the International Professional Rodeo Association.
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. Professional auto racing will be presented in a family friendly atmosphere most Sunday evenings from May through Labor Day weekend.
BRP Modified Tour: Rex King, Jr., Erick Rudolph, Dave Murdick, Chas Wolbert, Garrett Krummert, Kyle Fink, Shannon Whaley, Mike Kinney, Trevor Wright, Rodney Beltz, Wally Wade, Shawn Kozar, Chad reitz, Chad Brachmann, Jeremiah Shingledecker, J.R. McGinley, Colton Waters, Brad Rapp, Steve Slater, Nick Joy, Ayden Cipriano, Rick Regalski, Mike Daugherty, Kevin Green, Lenny Liebold, Jr., Austin Eyler, Jeff Miller (DNS), Ray Bliss (DNS), Brandon Michaud (DNS), Andrew Smith (DNS).
Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprints: A.J. Flick, Jeremy Weaver, Brandon Spithaler, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Darrin Gallagher, Bob Felmlee, Andy Priest, Andy Cavanaugh, Blaze Myers, Bodey McClintock, Steve Bright.
A & MP electric, Inc. UMP Modifieds: Dan Davies, Ty Rhoades, Dennis Lunger, Mike Potosky, Brandon Grossman, Mason Laub, Garrett Calvert, Bruce Dreistadt, Chip Davis, Jason Gracey.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks: Bobby Whitling, Jackson Humanic, Tyler Dietz, Rod Laskey, Matt Bernard, Josh Seippel, Joey Zambotti, Tyler Wyant, Russ Coyne, Charlie McMillen, Heath Close, Ayden Boozell, Mike Bordt, Curtis J. Bish, Pat Fielding, Aaron Smith.
4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder ini Stocks: Levi Maskal, Joe Campbell, Dillon Morrison, Dillon Thorne, Tyler Ellenberger, Chad Greeley, Matt Urey, Thomas Warren, Bill Fuchs, Mike Barr, Matt Daugherty.
PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modified Series, Modified division: Wally Stock, Bill Stile, Jim Kurpakis, Tim Beatty, Paul St. John.
PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modified Series, Sportsman division: Ryan Maglione, Steve Longo, Dave Phillips, Lee Farley, Dennis Wisniewski.
Media Contact: Lou Long (412-760-9755)