January 9, 2005

FRANKLIN, PA …. Putting an exclamation point on the 50th Anniversary Season at Tri-City Speedway, track officials distributed over $30,000 in point fund money and contingencies on Saturday January 8th as the Venango County half-mile oval honored its 2004 season champions before a crowd of nearly 450 people at the Rocky Grove Fire Hall.

The top honorees were Jarod Larson (NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints), Andy Priest (Schwab’s Ford DIRT Modifieds), Mike Potosky (RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods), Bruce Smith (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Don Blake Jr. (Victory Lane Graphics Thundercars).

For the first time in his career, five-time Sharon Speedway track champion Jarod Larson of Rock Creek, Ohio, captured the Super Sprint title in his Clemson Excavating/Mark Thomas Ford Eagle No. 47. Larson scored five feature wins and defeated two-time defending track champion Rod George for the title. Jason Jacoby, Todd Bauer and Rob Eyler rounded out the top five in the final points in one of the most competitive seasons of Super Sprint racing at Tri-City.

“This means a lot,” said Larson as a thanked his family, crew and sponsors. “We were really close in 2000. We finished second in points. We had a good year then, but I crashed on the last night and broke my back. After that, every time we got back to Tri-City, we were really fast, but mentally I just couldn’t get around the place. This year, we got going right off the bat and everybody was a real big help, especially my crew. They work hard and give me a good car every week. We had a really good year.”

In the DIRT Modifieds, Andy Priest of New Castle, Pa., earned his first career title at Tri-City. Piloting Ted Hull's Emig Racing Dirt Wheels No. 41, Priest tied defending track champion Del Rougeux Jr. with four feature wins. However, Priest and Hull demonstrated superior consistency to defeat Rex King, Rougeux, Kevin Bolland and Chris Schiffer for the track title.

“I’d really like to thank Ted Hull and Emig Racing for a great team,” said Priest. “This division is really, really tough. There are a number of guys who can win every night. We just kept it together more often than they did. We also appreciate Schwab’s Ford and all they do in sponsoring our division.”

Tri-City announcer Walt Wimer presented Kevin Bolland of New Brighton, Pa., with an award for his first career Cavalcade Big Block Modified title. Bolland topped all drivers in the division throughout the region to earn the prestigious award.

Mike Potosky of Guys Mills, Pa., earned his first career E Mod championship aboard his Tech Precision Molded Plastics/Fame RV Center Pierce No. M20. Potosky, who scored one feature win, edged Jim Frontz and Shawn Shingledecker in the tightest point chase of the season. Although two-time defending track champion Brent Rhebergen scored eight feature wins, he was absent a few nights, which allowed Potosky to sneak through and win the title. Rhebergen and Russ Dempsey finished fourth and fifth.

“I didn’t really expect to win a championship,” said Potosky, who also received a championship trophy for winning the inaugural three-race E Series. “I just kind of fell into it. I’m really thankful. I’d really like to thank all of my competitors, sponsors and my entire crew.”

Bruce Smith of Franklin, Pa., received championship awards for his first career Pro Stock title. Smith tied two-time champion Bobby Whitling with five feature wins and 11 top five finishes. In the end, however, Smith topped Whitling for the title by only nine points. CSOnline Applefest 100 winner Dave Ferringer, Jason Johns and Doug Iorio rounded out the top five in the Pro Stock points.

“We had a good year,” said Smith. “The car was good handling and fast. I’ve got to thank my Dad (1955 track champion Jack Smith) for building me good engines and Rusty Whitmore for helping to setup the car this season. The entire crew did an excellent job and all of my sponsors have been very supportive.”

Smith, who received an additional trophy for winning the four-race Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series, also announced that he is semi-retired and the D/B&S Cabinets/J&A Tool Pontiac No. 36 will not be in action at Tri-City in 2005.

“All of my equipment is sold and we’re not racing this year,” said Smith. “But my wife and I have been talking, and we’ll have to see what happens.”

Don Blake Jr. of Titusville, Pa., was honored as the Thundercar track champion. Blake collected seven feature wins in his Monaco Cycle Sales/Townville Auto & Equipment Chevrolet No. 43 and topped young racing sensation Robby Switzer for his first track title. Curt Bish Sr., Chad Myers and Kevin Cooper rounded out the top five pointmen.

“I’d like to thank my entire team for the title, and Mike Graham and Roger Crick for having this division and allowing us to race,” said the shy and soft-spoken Blake.

Each division champion received a championship trophy and jacket, and the top point fund money. Larson, Priest, Potosky and Smith each also received an engraved championship watch from J&K Jewelry of Titusville, Pa. Each division champion also gave his respective division sponsor a special award from the track.

Thundercar star Robby Switzer of Kennerdell, Pa., collected $500 for winning the 2004 Coors Light Hard Charger Award. Other Hard Charger point money was presented to Jeff Manners, Don Blake Jr., Jarod Larson and Joe Blake. Other than Larson, the four Thundercar drivers, who compete weekly for a feature win and trophy during the season, dominated the Hard Charger points and earned their only point fund money of the night.

Four drivers received rookie honors from track officials. Chad Reitz of Dempseytown, Pa., and Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, were honored as the DIRT Modified Co-Rookies of the Year. Chip Mahood of Titusville, Pa., was the E Mod Rookie of the Year. Second generation driver Doug Iorio II of Kennerdell, Pa., was named the Pro Stock Rookie of the Year, and he received a gift certificate for a body kit courtesy of Scott Stocker Bodies of Oil City, Pa. Another second generation racer in Chad Myers of Oil City, Pa., was named the Thundercar Rookie of the Year. There was no driver eligible for a rookie award in the Super Sprints.

The 2003 Most Improved Driver Award was presented to Super Sprint driver Todd Bauer of Clarion, Pa. Bauer won his first career Super Sprint feature and finished fourth in points with seven top five finishes, including four consecutive fourth place finishes to end the season.

Kari Gasser of Girard, Ohio, received the 2004 Hard Luck Award. On two occasions, Gasser nearly won her first career E Mod feature at Tri-City only to come up short. Mechanical problems also plagued Gasser’s team throughout the season, and she fell to ninth in points as a result.

The 2004 Tri-City Speedway Lifetime Dedication Award was presented to track announcer Walt Wimer. Hailing from Butler, Pa., Wimer has announced races at numerous tracks and written columns for racing newspapers for many years. Since 1968, he has also maintained his Cavalcade championship points to determine the top regional drivers in several divisions each year. For his communications excellence at Tri-City and for Western Pennsylvania racing in general, track officials bestowed the honor on Wimer.

Pennewell Sandblasting & Painting of Oil City, Pa., awarded free chassis reconditionings to Todd Bauer (Super Sprints), Chad Reitz (DIRT Modifieds), Bruce Powell (E Mods), Doug Iorio II (Pro Stocks), and Robby Switzer (Thundercars). Those drivers were chosen by random draw prior to the banquet.

Other contingency sponsors included Vinyl Graphics Unlimited, Pennzoil, Precise Racing Products, Lake Erie Speed Specialties, Sunoco Race Fuels, Big Daddy’s Speed Center, Lockhart Motorsports, and the Oakland Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Tri-City’s Public Relations Director Brian Spaid closed the banquet with news that the track will open for the 2005 season on Sunday April 24th with a five-division program of the Northpointe Automotive Super Sprints, Schwab’s Ford DIRT Modifieds, RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods, E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks and 4 Your Car Connection Thundercars. All divisional purses will be increased this season. Track improvements will be noticeable with additional lighting and an expansion of the main concession stand.

Special events were revealed for the upcoming season, including the Oil Region Labor Day Classic on Sunday September 4th, when the World of Outlaws Late Models will visit Tri-City for the Bossard GM Store Todd Donovan Memorial 50. Other Late Model events may also be scheduled.

Tri-City will be sanctioned by DIRT MotorSports in 2005. For the first time, all DIRT Modified drivers will be required to race with a DIRT license and track officials hope to be able to announce additional benefits to be derived for the division and its competitors once all sanctioning agreements are sorted out with the new owners of DIRT MotorSports. On the track, the BRP Modified Tour will be featured in the Rankin & Son Excavating Dick Rankin Memorial 30 on Sunday May 29th and the Schwab’s Ford Kodiak Memorial 30 on September 4th with the World of Outlaws Late Models. In addition, the Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series is tentatively scheduled to race at Tri-City on Sunday August 7th.

The Karns Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series will be back with a minimum four-race schedule to include the Oil Region Labor Day Classic and the 9th Annual CSOnline Applefest 100, which will close out the season on Sunday September 11th.

In other news, the Coors Light Hard Charger Award will return for the eighth year in a row.

With appropriate sponsorship, the E Series may return for the E Mods and regional tracks continue to watch for possible Super Sprint specials to add to their shows.

Goss Gas and Lincoln Welders combined to establish the new Lincoln Welders Car Owner Ironman Award. At the end of the season, a new Lincoln Welder will be presented to the car owner whose race car completes the greatest percentage of laps in heat and feature race competition in all divisions combined.

The official scorers will have an easier time calculating those laps as Tri-City will now require the use of AMB Transponders for the Super Sprints, DIRT Modifieds, E Mods and Pro Stocks. Teams may arrange to purchase a transponder by contacting Precise Racing Products in Grove City, Pa.

Once again, a round of applause was extended to track owners, Mike and Margaret Graham and Roger and Susie Crick, for their continued efforts to promote Tri-City for a 10th consecutive season in 2005. Track historian George Stroupe presented each couple with a special plaque featuring the cover of this 50th Anniversary Program. Spaid concluded his remarks with special thanks to the teams, drivers, officials and fans that continue to support the Venango County half-mile oval.

More news about the upcoming season will be released in coming weeks, including the 2005 schedule.