Farnham and Vigneri Haul Tri-City Loot Across the Border; Mollick, Scott, Seippel, and Morrison Also Score
(Franklin, PA August 27, 2023): Two New York pilots won their first career victories at Tri-City Raceway Park, and, in doing so, they carried the biggest checks across the border. Taking the Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprint Car feature was Matt Farnham and Phil Vigneri had the honors in the Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modifieds.
Also scoring a win was Jammin’ John Mollick in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Cars presented by Billy’s Garage. Mollick was also the hard charger in picking up his first victory at Tri-City Raceway Park.
David Scott captured the A & MP electric, Inc. UMP Modified Main, Josh Seippel got his third consecutive win in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, and Dillon Morrison in the 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks.
Matt Farnham and A.J. Flick brought the Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprints for the green flag in their twenty-five lapper. Andy Priest and Bob Felmlee started in row two. The third row consisted of Steven Bright and Bodey McClintock. Andy Cavanaugh and Nathan McDowell started in row four. Jack Sodeman, Jr., last week’s winner, started scratch because he was unable to start the heat race.
Farnham took the lead entering turn one and he never looked back. “The car was really good, we made a bunch of changes after the heat race,” he said. “I know that A.J. (Flick) was going to be good and that Bob (Felmlee) was also going to be good. I knew that I just had to concentrate and hit my marks.”
Flick ran second in the early going. Felmlee dipped to the inside in turns one and two and he powered by Flick. Felmlee gave chase, but he was unable to get close enough to Farnham to challenge for the lead.
A red for Nathan McDowell did close up the ranks five laps into the feature. However, Farnham got away cleanly on the restart.
Farnham led the remaining twenty laps without much ado. Felmlee raced in second, several car lengths ahead of his rival for the point championship, Flick. Flick was third. Then came Andy Priest and Bodey McClintock. Andy Cavanaugh and Steven Bright were sixth and seventh. McDowell was scored in eighth.
In the Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprint Cars, there was only one heat. The win went to Bob Felmlee. There was no B Main.
Chad Reitz and Steve Slater had the front row for the Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modifieds. Phil Vigneri and Nick Joy were in the second row. Point leader Ayden Cipriano lined up next to Hayden Holden. Tom Holden and Lenny Leibold, III were in row four.
Chad Reitz wrestled the lead away from Steve Slater on the opening lap. However, on lap two, Phil Vigneri got inside of Slater to take tghe position away, and Slater spun, ending his night. The restart put Vigneri on the front row, and he soon assumed command.
Reitz continued in second, with Joy running in third. Joy had some difficulties on laps thirteen and fourteen, causing yellows on each of those laps. That moved Tom Holden into third for the restart, followed by Cipriano and Leibold.
Although Vigneri led the final six laps, he had to be getting nervous because his car developed a miss about three laps from the finish. He held on, though, to claim the win.
“I didn’t know if I could make it to the end,” he said. “But, I was going to make sure that it did.”
Reitz got second with his Ford powered 358 Modified. Cipriano, Joy, and Tom Holden took the top five spots. Then came Leibold, Hayden Holden, and Slater.
The Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modifieds also had one heat race. The victory went to Phil Vigneri. There was no B Main.
Zack Wilson and Blaze Myers paced the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Weekly Sprint Car feature. Chad Ruhlman and A.J. McQuarrie were in row two. The third row matched Gale Ruth, Jr. and John Mollick. Row four belonged to Arnie Kent and Brian Hartzell. The fifth row paired Rick Tucker, Jr. and Brian Cressley. In the sixth row, Billy Myers was inside of Rick Regalski.
Blaze Myers grabbed the early lead, followed by Ruhlman, Mollick, Ruth, and Cressley. Ruhlman challenged early, but then dropped back into second as the race went on.
Mollick set a steady pace and he overhauled Ruhlman near the halfway mark. On lap thirteen, he tracked down and passed Myers. Myers fought back for a couple of laps, but Mollick was not to be denied.
After Mollick and Blaze Myers were Ruhlman, Wilson, and Ruth. Kent, Cressley, Hartzell, Zach Morrow, and Joe Buccola completed the top ten.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Weekly Series for RUSH Sprint Cars presented a pair of heats. The wins belonged to Chad Ruhlman and John Mollick. There was no B Main.
“Slow Ride” David Scott raced to the lead from his third starting spot and he controlled the pace through the A & MP electric, Inc. UMP Modifeds. Mike Potosky, the primary sponsor for the contest, ran second. Alan Atkinson, Bruce Dreistadt, and Gary Sullivan completed the field. The fifteen lapper went non-stop.
Scott has the distinction of winning in four different classes at Tri-City Raceway Park, including 410 Sprint Cars and Super Late Models. He also won a special race consisting of Super Late Models and Big Block Modifieds held in 2005.
The A & MP electric, Inc. UMP Modifieds had a single qualifier. The winner of that event was Mike Potoski. There was no B Main.
Josh Seippel was a winner for the third race in a row in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks. His was a race of attrition, as only three cars finished the main event.
There was a major crash around lap five that took out several contenders.
Following Seippel across the line was Chargin Charlie McMillen and Matt Bernard. Pat Fielding was credited with fourth and Rod Laskey, fifth. Jake Whitling, Andrew Hammond, Tyler Wyant, and Aaron Smith were the other competitors.
In the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, Josh Seippel captured the lone heat race. There was no B Main.
Dillon Morrison was the surprise winner in the 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks. Points leader Matt Urey seemed to have the race well in hand, but a mechanical failure knocked him out of the race. For the restart, Joe Campbell and Tim Callahan had the front row, but Campbell missed a shift and Morrison slipped into the lead.
Campbell recovered to finish second, with Callahan third. Matt Daugherty was fourth and Chad Greeley was fifth. Urey, Thomas Warren, and Kevin Wice were the other competitors.
The 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks had one preliminary. The victory belonged to Matt Urey.
Tri-City Raceway Park will close out the 2023 racing season with the big holiday weekend bash. Points will be awarded for all of the track’s regular classes. Friday will be an open practice session. Saturday will have the BRP Modified Tour headline the card, with support provided by the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, the 4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks, and the Old Skool Kool Vintage Tour. Sunday, the Diehl Chevrolet 410 Sprint Cars will top the card, with the Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modifieds, the A & MP electric, Inc. UMP Modifieds, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks, and the Old Skool Kool Vintage Tour. A bonfire and live music will complete the festivities. Remember that there will be free camping all weekend (no hookups provided).
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: Matt Farnham, Bob Felmlee, A.J. Flick, Andy Priest, Bodey McClintock, Andy Cavanaugh, Steven Bright, Nathan McDowell, Jack Sodeman, Jr. (DNS).
Pitt Stop Pub 358 Modifieds: Phil Vigneri, Chad Reitz, Ayden Cipriano, Tom Holden, Lenny Leibold, III, Hayden Holden, Steve Slater.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Weekly Sprint Cars presented by Billy’s Garage: John Mollick, Blaze Myers, Chad Ruhlman, Zack Wilson, Gale Ruth, Jr., ArnieKent, Brian Cressley, Brian Hartzell, Zach Morrow, Joe Buccola, Ricky Tucker, Rick Regalski, A.J. McQuarrie, Charlie Utsinger, Trent Marshall, Billy Myers, Brandon Shugart, Devon Deeter, Tyler Clark, C.J. McClintock.
A & MP electric, Inc. UMP Modifieds: David Scott, Mike Potosky, Alan Atkinson, Bruce Dreistadt, Gary Sullivan.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks: Josh Seippel, Charlie McMillen, Matt Bernard, Pat Fielding, Rod Laskey, Jake Whitling, Andrew Hammond, Tyler Wyant, Aaron Smith.
4 Your Car Connection Four Cylinder Mini Stocks: Dillon Morrison, Joe Campbell, Tim Callahan, Matt Daugherty, Chad Greeley, Matt Urey, Thomas Warren, Kevin Wice, Jr.
Media Contact: Lou Long (412-760-9755)