Regular Season Action Winding Down at Tri-City Raceway Park, But Point Battles Are Heating Up
(Franklin, PA July 28, 2021): There are just three Sunday Thunder events remaining in the season at Tri-City Raceway Park and the competition is getting fierce in three of the four divisions. Point championships are up for grabs and every pass on the track will factor into the determination of who will be crowned. You will certainly want to be there on Sunday, August 1, to see who emerges on top.
The tightest battle for the top spot in any class is in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint division. Jack Sodeman, Jr. regained the lead after a strong third place run last Sunday. He now has a three point margin over Brandon Matus, who was fourth.
Veteran Bob Felmlee scored the emotional win, his first in over ten years, and he could repeat this Sunday. His car was that fast. But he will need to come from the middle of the pack to do it again. He sits comfortably in third in the point standings, so you know that he will be going all out for the win rather than being conservative so as not to jeopardize his ranking.
There will be plenty of competition for these three top drivers. Brent Matus is having a solid year, as is Darin Gallagher. They were both in the top five last Sunday. Leyton Wagner ran near the front most of the race last week. Could this be his opportunity to break out for a signature win?
Brandon Spithaler, Carl Bowser, A.J. Flick, and many more are expected.
Another driver expected to return is NASCAR star Alex Bowman. Bowman was leading the Shawgo Real Estate LLC feature when he encountered difficulty last week. That led to a collapsed wing on his beautiful Sprinter and he will be looking to improve on his initial performance.
Bowman was kind enough to spend time with the Tri-City fans before the racing activity started, so bring your collectibles or your autograph books to add Bowman’s name to your collection.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks completed their biggest event of the season, Ray’s Race, featuring the Penn Ohio Pro Stock Championship Series. Curtis J. Bish took the win, worth $3,500, and he now enjoys a seventeen point advantage over teenager Tyler Wyant. Wyant’s father, Randy, was well on his way to victory when his car unexpectedly and spectacularly exploded in a ball of flames coming off turn two on the final lap. It is questionable whether Randy will be back with his Pro Stock, but he could bring his Sprint Car to enjoy some racing action.
Josh Seippel, William Hurrelbrink, Darr Diegelman, and over a dozen more Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stock racers will challenge for the win.
Dalton Speer regained his winning ways in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks, but his victory was not enough to supplant Justin Bailey as the point leader in this highly competitive class. Bailey leads Speer by fifteen points, so the season championship is still too close to call.
What more can be said about Jeremiah Shingledecker? He started last in the Krill Recycling LLC 358 Modifieds and, after reaching the top five, he was penalized for an on-track incident. Yet he came from the back again to challenge his younger brother, Travis, for the win. Jeremiah made a daring pass late in the race to get the victory, his fourth in a row. Can Jeremiah do it from the back again?
Rest assured, there will be over a dozen other racers ready to knock Jeremiah off, including the Reno Rocket, Les Myers. After being nearly unbeatable in the Vintage Modified ranks, Myers moved up to challenge the Krill Recycling 358 Modifieds.
Regular event ticket pricing will apply for this four-division program. So, adults (ages 16 to 62) will be admitted for $15, and seniors (ages 62 and up) will be admitted for $13. Student tickets (for those aged 10 to 16) will be $10. Children (up to age 10) will be admitted for free. The Family Pass will be $45, and that will be good for two adults of any age and two students. Pit Passes will be $30.
Gates will open at 2 p.m. for the competitors, and 4 p.m. for the spectators. Racing will begin at 6 p.m.
If you cannot make it to the track this week, Sunday Thunder programs will also be held on August 8 and 15. The latter will be the final night of championship points. You will want to be there to see who will claim the championship laurels.
Also, mark your calendars for August 28, when the Renegade Monster Trucks will be back at Tri-City Raceway Park.
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.