Dave Murdick Captures BRP Modified Tour Kodiak Memorial, Jones, Shingledecker and Whitling Repeat

By: Marcie L. Barlow

(Franklin, PA)-July 5, 2009- Dave Murdick added his name to the list of winners of the Bob “Kodiak” Graham Memorial as the BRP Modified Tour headlined an evening of Modified Madness at Tri-City Speedway.  In other racing action Shawn Shingledecker scored his fourth E-Mod victory, Rod Jones captured his third Mod Lite win and Bobby Whitling picked up his second consecutive          Pro-Stock main event as Atkinson Fire Safety Equipment sponsored the evening’s racing action.   

Kevin Hoffman and Murdick led the 28-car Engles DIRTcar Modified field to the green.  Murdick immediately took command and weathered 11 cautions to pick up his first feature victory of the 2009-racing season.  “I want to thank my crew for all of their hard work after we lost a rearend in the heat event.  The   setup on Armstrong Zoom Internet/Steve’s Auto Body/Bob Kranz Excavating Troyer was excellent this evening and that is certainly a tribute to the crew.  We have struggled a bit this season and it feels great to finally score a victory,” stated the popular Slippery Rock driver.  

Fourth place starter Rex King, Sr. followed Murdick for the entire distance of the main event but was forced to settle for the runner-up spot.  Kevin Bolland’s lap 25 pass of Brian Swartzlander gave the New Brighton driver the third spot.  Swartzlander, the defending Kodiak Memorial winner, settled for the fourth spot with Joe Crawford fifth.

Gary Smoker, Swartzlander and King, Sr. won the Modified heats.  Swartzlander also captured the four-lap Modified Dash for Cash that was sponsored by Ray’s Racing, Engles Trucking and Lernerville Speedway.

Rod Jones kept his Tri-City Speedway winning streak alive as he captured the third installment of the Changing Times Mod-Lite Mini Series.  The Mod-Lite redraw found Jones pulling the “Number One” pill that placed him on the pole for the start of the 15-lap feature event.  Jones went on to lead the entire distance of the feature event to score the victory over Rick Ament, Mark Marcucci, Mikey Hay and Todd  Canter.

 Kenny Meadows and Jones were victorious in the Mod-Lite prelims.       

An “Invert Six” redraw for the RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate feature event placed Al Cressley and Dave Atkinson on the front row.  Cressley led Tim Engles, Todd Roncaglione and Shawn Shingledecker for the first seven circuits until a spin by Jeff Deeter caused a yellow.  The ensuing restart found Shingledecker right on Cressley’s rear bumper.  Cressley managed to fight off Shingledecker on lap eight but the popular Franklin, PA driver maneuvered his way into the top spot by the completion of lap nine.  Shingledecker then cruised to his fourth feature victory of the season.  Cressley held off Atkinson for the runner-up spot with veteran Tim Engles and Mike Potosky completing the top five.

Todd Roncaglione and Kari Gasser captured the E-Mods heats.

The EF Rodgers Plumbing and Heating Pro-Stock feature event was led to the green by Les Meyers and Jason Reagle.  Reagle led the first four circuits before Randy Wyant powered by.  Two cautions on lap six, the first for Chris Haines and Matt Thomas and the second for Matt Keith, Bob Sloss and Haines, gave Reagle another opportunity to wrestle the lead away from Wyant.  Reagle was unable to retake the lead from Wyant who went on to capture what appeared to be his third main event of the season.  Unfortunately, Wyant was light at the scales and second place finisher Bobby Whitling was awarded the victory.  It was Whitling’s second consecutive victory in the division.  Reagle finished in the second spot followed by Jason Johns, Haines and Thomas.

Johns won the lone Pro-Stock prelim.

In the 4-Your Car Connection “One on One” Spectator Races John Sutley of Rocky Grove won the Car Division with Mark Roser of Dempseytown capturing the Truck Division.

Tri-City Speedway will be back in action next Sunday, July 12 as Ultra Graph-X presents “Five Star” Racing action featuring the Engles Trucking DIRTcar Modified, the 4-Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models, RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E-Mods, EF Rodgers Plumbing and Heating Pro-Stocks and the Klapec Auto Body Thundercars.  It is also Fan Appreciation Night featuring $9.00 Grandstand Admission.  In addition, Drive Up Banking presented by National City is also on the card.

And remember on Sunday, July 19^th, the All Star Sprints stop by the Venango County oval.  See stars such as Dale Blaney, Tim Shaffer and Greg Wilson battle local drivers such as Ed Lunch, Jr. and Bob Felmlee for the $5,000 winner’s portion of the purse.  World of Outlaws driver Danny Lasoski is also scheduled to be on the card and battle the All Stars.  The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring event, Welding Technologies and Shaw Industries E-Series and a Detroit Iron Pro-Stock event are also on the card.

It’s Sunday Night Racing Action at its best at Tri-City Speedway.

BRP MODIFIED TOUR (30 Laps): 1. DAVE MURDICK, 2. Rex King, 3. Kevin Bolland, 4. Brian Swartzlander, 5. Joe Crawford, 6. Brad Rapp, 7. Rex King Jr., 8. Tommy Kristyak, 9. Dean Pearson, 10. Mark Frankhouser, 11. Mike Turner, 12. Brian Sadler, 13. Jeff Miller, 14. Carl Murdick, 15. Ryan Hall, 16. Kevin Green, 17. Randy Chronister, 18. Kevin Hoffman, 19. Gary Smoker, 20. Ron Eperthener Jr., 21. Andy Priest, 22. Jeremiah Shingledecker, 23. Steve Feder, 24. Jim Rasey, 25. Del Rougeux Jr., 26. Rich Whitney, 27. Tom Mattocks Jr., 28. Mike Miller (DISQ - weight violation).  DNS: Rick Ryder, Rodney Beltz.

MOD LITES (15 Laps): 1. ROD JONES, 2. Rick Ament, 3. Mark Marcucci, 4. Mikey Hay, 5. Todd Canter, 6. Jeff Teeters, 7. Kenny Meadows, 8. Josh Sliter, 9. Terry Young, 10. Alan Knepper, 11. Cody Bova, 12. Kotie Kirkbride, 13. Bill Stivason, 14. Shawn Pfeuffer, 15. George Englert, 16. John Gerula, 17. Ray Sliter, 18. Richard Lawson.

E MODS (15 Laps): 1. SHAWN SHINGLEDECKER, 2. Al Cressley, 3. David Atkinson, 4. Tim Engles, 5. Mike Potosky, 6. Travis Asel, 7. Todd Roncaglione, 8. Carl McKinney, 9. Tim Peterson, 10. Kari Gasser, 11. Gary Sullivan, 12. Ron Roncaglione, 13. Rick Pratschler, 14. Bob McCann, 15. Butch Southwell, 16. Jeff Deeter, 17. Tyler Powell, 18. Dana Wellington. DNS: Ron Boardman.

PRO STOCK (15 Laps): 1. BOBBY WHITLING, 2. Jason Reagle, 3. Jason Johns, 4. Chris Haines, 5. Matt Thomas, 6. Les Myers, 7. Bob Sloss, 8. Jim Keith, 9. Jackson Humanic, 10. Randy Wyant (DISQ – weight violation). DNS: Don Blake Jr.

One-on-One Spectator Races

Car Division: John Sutley (Rocky Grove)