Shaffer, Shingledecker, Fielding, and Speer Tops at Tri-City Raceway Park
(Franklin, PA July 31, 2022): Tim Shaffer paid an unexpected visit to Tri-City Raceway Park, and he carried home the lion’s share of the purse in the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprint Cars. Shaffer was recently reunited with car owner Brian Groves, for whom he has raced off and on for over twelve years. His last win at the speedway came in 2020, also atthe wheel of the Groves 28.
Also getting the win in the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds was Jeremiah Shingledecker, as a substitute driver for car owner Kevin Hoffman. Ironically, Hoffman entered this event second to Shingledecker in the point standings. Shingledecker’s win helped Hoffman to close the gap in the championship contest. Taking the win in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks was Pat Fielding for the first time in his career. Dalton Speer returned to victory lane for the first time in almost a year in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks.
Shaffer was late to stage for his heat race, thinking that the 410 Sprint Cars were coming out for hot laps. When he realized that it was his heat instead, Shaffer and company scrambled and he made it out in time to start at the tail. “I came up through there pretty good, and that’s when I knew that we had a good car,” he said.
Shaffer emphasized that he was having fun since hooking up again with Brian Groves. “I was racing my (Crate) Late Model and I just got a win with that. Then, Brian asked me to come back and here we are. It’s funny how things come together like that.”
Shaffer gave props to the Tri-City track preparation crew. “I know that some people complain about the track here, but they need to go around the country to realize how good it is here. I know that it is hard to get the track right starting in the daytime.” Shaffer knows quite a bit about track preparation himself, for he has a Kart track on his farm near Aliquippa. “It had a few dips, but you need to learn how to drive around them and maintain your speed.” Shaffer’s years of experience was evident this night, as he dominated the 410 Sprint Car A Main.
The Steel City Outlaw started on the pole by luck of the draw. Next to him was veteran Bob Felmlee. Chase Metheney and Jack Sodeman, Jr. started from row two, with Logan McCandless and A.J. Flick in row three. Leyton Wagner and Vivian Jones made up row four. Ricky Peterson and Jeremy Weaver departed from row five.
Shaffer blasted into the lead at the drop of the green. Felmlee ran second briefly before giving way to Metheney by the conclusion of lap one. Sodeman and Flick followed at some distance. As Shaffer stretched his lead, Felmlee regained second position. Soon thereafter, Sodeman moved up a notch as well, and so did Flick.
When Shaffer encountered lapped traffic, Felmlee began to narrow the margin a bit. However, Felmlee spun while attempting to pass the lapped car of Vivian Jones.
On the ensuing restart, Flick went after Sodeman. They entered turn one side-by-side. Sodeman pulled away on the trip down the back stretch. But, Flick rode the middle groove to power off turn four for second when the white flag was being displayed.
Flick had no time to challenge Shaffer for the win. Sodeman was third, followed by Wagner and McCandless. Peterson, Felmlee, Jones, Metheney, and Weaver were the balance of the top ten.
The heat race winners were Jack Sodeman, Jr. and Logan McCandless. There was no B Main for the ten-car field.
Jeremiah Shingledecker was the hired gun driving the Kevin Hoffman 00, which won the most recent Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modified race held three weeks ago. Shingledecker romped to the win, surviving a restart with two laps remaining.
“I can’t take all of the credit for it,” Shingledecker said modestly. “These guys (Kevin and John Hoffman) have been pretty fast the last few weeks. We put a couple of pads behind me and I was good to go.”
Shingledecker added, “this was my first and last night in the car. I hope that Kevin is feeling better soon. He’s pretty sore.”
Shingledecker will not be back in his own car, the 37MD, as that machine was recently sold to new competitor Austin Eyler. Shingledecker will concentrate on his Big Block car for the remainder of the year. He is unsure of his plans for 2023. “We’ll see over the winter, we may put a Big Block in (the spare car) or we may build another Small Block.”
Lonny Riggs had the pole for the start of the twenty lap race for Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds. Jimmy Holden was on his flank. Nick Joy and Jeremiah Shingledecker were in row two. Sid Unverzagt, Jr. made his first feature start of the 2022 season from the fifth spot. He was paired with Eric Beggs. Jeremy Beichner and Austin Eyler made up the last row.
Holden took the lead at the drop of the green, with Riggs holding second and Nick Joy third. However, Shingledecker raced into second by the conclusion of lap one. He stalked Holden for several laps, trying high and low. He made the pass between turns one and two about five laps into the fray.
Shingledecker stretched his lead over Holden while a good battle was going on for the third position amongst Riggs, Joy, Unverzagt, and Beggs. Soon that contest became a two-car race between Riggs and Joy.
A caution with two laps remaining brought Shingledecker back to Holden. Holden got a good jump off turn four when the race resumed, but Shingledecker drove through the middle of the track to take command at the other end of the track.
Shingledecker won the two-lap dash for all the cash. Holden was second. Joy got by Riggs for third. Beggs, who was the cause of the caution, recovered for fifth. Unverzagt, Eyler, and Beichner rounded out the field.
Winning the preliminary was Jeremiah Shingledecker. There was no B Main for the eight cars on hand.
Pat Fielding scored his first ever career win, in the Spectator Stocks, many years ago on a Twin State Racing Club night at another area track. “It is great to get my first Stock Car win on a Club night, too. And, this one came at my home track.” Fielding has been a loyal supporter of the Pro Stocks since moving up to the class in 2010.
Doug Iorio, II pulled the pole for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stock main event. Fielding was in the second position. Charlie McMillen and Tyler Wyant made up row two. Aaron Smith and Josh Seippel paired up in row three. Quinten Boozel trailed the field.
Iorio took the early lead and held command through the caution which came with just a few laps remaining. Fielding used the restart to his advantage, taking the lead away from Iorio. Fielding led the rest of the way for the emotional victory.
Iorio was second, with McMillen third, rookie Quinten Boozel fourth, and Smith in fifth. Seippel and Wyant were scored sixth and seventh, respectively, based on laps completed.
Taking the qualifier for the seven cars was Doug Iorio, II. There was no B Main.
Dalton Speer found his way back to victory lane in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. Speer was a title contender last season until he suffered a rash of mechanical failures in the stretch run. He was worried about that this night as well, explaining that his car was overheating badly.
Chad Greeley, in a borrowed car, started from the pole in the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. Dillon Thorne was his wing man. Thomas Warren and Dalton Speer nailed down row two. The third belonged to Levi Maskal and Bodey McClintock. Todd Hanlon and Matt Urey were in the fourth row. Tyler Ellenberger and D.J. Macrae lined up in the fifth row. Row six had Paul Marsh and Josh Funkhouser. Kevin Wice and Devin Haley made up the final row.
Speer held off the leading winner in the class, Levi Maskal, to get the win. Last week’s winner, Urey, was third. Hanlon and McClintock completed the top five. Positions six through ten went to Macrae, Thorne, Greeley, Haley, and Ellenberger.
Matt Urey and Dalton Speer copped the heat victories. As fourteen cars registered, there was no B Main.
Tri-City Raceway Park will begin the stretch run with a pair of Sunday Thunder events, which will include the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprints, the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, and the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. Then, on August 21, the speedway will host the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Joining the most powerful Late Models on the planet will be the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks. Please note this schedule change. The track will close out the month of August with another Sunday Thunder program on August 28.
Get ready for the season-ending spectacular to be held over the Labor Day weekend. The activity will start with a practice session on Friday, September 2, with free grandstand admission. Racing will begin on Saturday, September 3, for the Shawgo Real Estate LLC 410 Sprints, the Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, the 4 Your Car Connection Mini Stocks, and the Junior Sprints. All five classes will return for teh finale on Sunday, September 4, along with the RUSH Sprint Cars. Camping will be free throughout the weekend, and there will be fireworks and a bonfire to celebrate the end of the summer.
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 410 Sprint Cars: Tim Shaffer, A.J. Flick, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Leyton Wagner, Logan McCandless, Ricky Peterson, Bob Felmlee, Vivian Jones, Chase Metheney, Jeremy Weaver.
Donovan & Bauer Auto Group 358 Modifieds: Jeremiah Shingledecker, Jimmy Holden, Nick Joy, Lonny Riggs, Eric Beggs, Sid Unverzagt, Jr., Austin Eyler, Jeremy Beichner.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks: Pat Fielding, Doug Iorio, II, Charlie McMillen, Quinten Boozel, Aaron Smith, Josh Seippel, Tyler Wyant.