Felmlee Gets First Sprint Win in Two Years at Tri-City Raceway Park; Joy, Seippel, and Urey Also Score
(Franklin, PA July 16, 2023): “I always say 60 is the new 45,” said the happy Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprint winner, Bob Felmlee. It was nearly two years to the day since Felmlee won his last feature at Tri-City Raceway Park.
Nick Joy, who is expecting the birth of his third child soon, a daughter this time, used the second restart on lap fifteen to overpower Ayden Cipriano for the lead, which he did not relinquish over the final five laps in the Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modified class.
Franklin’s own Josh Seippel debuted a brand new car and drove it to victory after subbing for Josh Blum earlier this season in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks.
Matt Urey extended his points lead to three counters in the battle for the top spot in the 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stock division. Urey and his closest rival, and friend, Levi Maskal, dominated the action.
Bob Felmlee drew the pole for the twenty-five lap Diehl Chevrolet Sprint Car A Main. Next to him was Brandon Spithaler. Row two had a vistor from across the pond, Bryan Harrison, inside of Mark Smith. The third row matched Frank Neill and Jack Sodeman, Jr. Ricky Peterson and A.J. Flick, both of whom have won at Tri-City this season, started from row four. The fifth row had ageless veteran Bob Lime next to Andy Cavanaugh. Chase Metheny and Steve Bright were in row six. Bodey McClintock was by himself in the final row due to the scratch by Walt Tutak.
Felmlee was glued to the inside line at the start of the race and he drove away from Spitahler in the early going. Spithaler remained close, despite clipping a tire marker on the inside of turn three. When the tire got too far out into the racing groove, Flick stopped to bring the safety hazard to the attention of track officials.
The stoppage took place just before the halfway mark would have been displayed to the field.
Felmlee resumed control on the green flag. Spithaler continued in second until lap sixteen, when his flat right rear in turn four brought out the last caution for the event.
Spithaler’s misfortune moved Smith into second place, but he had nothing for Felmlee in the stretch run. Third went to Flick, who took over that position on the final restart. Sodeman also moved up a notch in the running order. Fifth went to Harris.
Positions six through ten belonged to Peterson, Neill, Cavanaugh, McClintock, and Spithaler.
“It has been tough, I was counting the laps down,” Felmlee noted. He had victory slip through his grasp in the previous outing, and he was not about to let this one get away. “With the 2 (Flick), 22 (Spithaler), 23 (Sodeman), and Mark Smith here tonight, I didn’t think I had a chance,” he added. But Felmlee proved that he was up to the task, despite his age.
The Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprint Car heat races went to the Rimrider, Mark Smith, and Brandon Spithaler. There was no B Main.
Steve Slater and Patrick Lane brought the Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modifieds to the green for their twenty lap affair. Tom Holden started beside his great nephew, Hayden Holden. Nick Joy and points leader Ayden Cipriano started in row three. Ryan Guthrie and Chad Reitz started in row four. The fifth row paired Don Cornelius and Lenny Liebold, Jr. Rookie Joshua Deeter made his first start from inside row six, with Jeremy Beichner beside him.
Slater assumed command on the opening lap and he held off Cipriano as the field approached halfway. A caution for debris bunched the field up, and Cipriano drove through the middle of turns one and two to take over the lead. Slater stayed close, though, for the next couple of laps.
Another caution, with just five to go, set up the most significant events of the race. On the restart, Slater used the inside line to retake the lead. As he battled Cipriano coming off turn two, there was some contact, and Slater fell off the pace. In the confusion, Reitz shot into the lead, but the pass did not count for him because Slater’s car stopped on the long back chute.
For second try at the five lap dash, Cipriano switched to the inside line. That moved Joy to the outside of the front row. Joy rolled the middle in turns one and two and he took over the lead coming off turn two.
Joy pulled away in the final five laps to score his first win of teh season at Tri-City Raceway Park. After Cipriano came Reitz in his Ford powered Modified. Tom Holden was fourth, ahead of Lane.
Guthrie, Cornelius, Beichner, Deeter, and Slater completed the top ten.
Steve Slater and Ayden Cipriano split the victories in the preliminaries for the Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modfified division. There was no B Main.
Pat Fielding and Josh Seippel were the front row starters for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stock feature event after a driver change sent Matt Bernard to the tail. Randy Wyant and Nathan Yeanell were in row two. Tyler Wyant and Charlie McMillen made up row three. The fourth row had Rod Laskey matched with Jake Whitling, who was making his maiden voyage. Aaron Smith and Bernard brought up the rear.
Seippel stormed into the lead, followed closely by Randy Wyant and Fielding. Tyler Wyant was making some headway until he got into turn three too hot and the car went around. He was able to restart the event, and he wasted no time in working his way to the front again.
Seipple scored the win, ahead of Tyler Wyant, Fielding, Lasky, and Yeanell. Bernard, Whitling, McMillen, Smith, and Randy Wyant completed the top ten.
Randy Wyant and Josh Seippel prevailed in the pair of Hovis Auto & Truck Supply heat races. There was no B Main.
The 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stock nightcap had Matt Urey on the front row, along with young Dillon Morrison. Behind them were Bill Fuchs and Mike Kelley. Levi Maskal and last week’s winner, Thomas Warren, were in row three. Billy Joe Seamens and Chad Greeley departed from row four. The fifth row had Matt Daugherty and Charles McClintock. Cody Schreckengost and Kevin Wice made up the final row.
Urey took the early lead. He kept Maskal at bay in the early laps before building up a significant lead.
Urey completed the twelve lap tour, followed by Maskal, Campbell, Warren, and Greeley. Kelley, Schreckengost, Morrison, Seamens, and McClintock finished in positions six through ten.
Teenager Dillon Morrison and Levi “the Rascal” Maskal topped their respective heat races for the 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks.
Next week, the FAST on Dirt 410 Sprint Cars will invade Tri-City Raceway Park to take on Western PA’s best from the Diehl Cehvrolet 410 Sprint Car ranks. The other three divisions that make up the Sunday Thunder program will also be in action. Then, Tri-City Raceway Park will close out the month of July with a Demolition Derby and Enduro race on July 30.
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.
Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprint Cars: Bob Felmlee, Mark Smith, A.J. Flick, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Ryan Harris, Ricky Peterson, Frank Neill, Andy Cavanaugh, Bodey McClintock, Brandon Spithaler, Bob Lime, Steve Bright, Walt Tutak (DNS), Chase Metheney (DNS).
Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modifieds: Nick Joy, Ayden Cipriano, Chad Reitz, Tom Holden, Patrick Lane, Ryan Guthrie, Don Cornelius, Joshua Deeter, Jeremy Beichner, Steve Slater, Lenny Liebold, Jr., Hayden Holden.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks: Josh Seippel, Tyler Wyant, Pat Fielding, Rod Lasky, Nathan Yeanell, Matt Bernard, Jake Whitling, Charlie McMillen, Aaron Smith, Randy Wyant, Andy Buckley (DNS).
4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks: Matt Urey, Levi Maskal, Joe Campbell, Thomas Warren, Chad Greeley, Mike Kelley, Cody Schreckengost, Dillon Morrison, Billy Jope Seamens, Charles McClintock, Matt Daugherty, Kevin Wice, Craig Karns (DNS).
Media Contact: Lou Long (412-760-9755)