RICH MICHAEL CAPTURES UEMS OPENER AS TRI CITY RACEWAY PARK REOPENS!
Dempseytown — The highly anticipated Grand Reopening of Tri-City Raceway Park saw three new faces visit Victory Lane before the near capacity crowd on Sunday, July 26th. Erick Rudolph (BRP Mod Tour), Eric Williams (410 Sprints) and Darin Gallagher (Outlaw Sprint Warriors) all captured their career first victories at the Venango County oval while Rich Michael, Jr of Ischua, NY scored his career fourth Tri-City win as he claimed the Zimmer’s Service Center Inc. UEMS E-Mod 25 lap main event, which saw 26 of the 28 cars on hand start the event.
Kari Gasser, who was making her first start in two years led the first lap of the 25 lap UEMS main event from her pole starting spot. The “Renegade Outlaw” Rich Michael, Jr. took over the top spot on lap two with a sweeping outside passing in turn three. Gasser kept Michael in eyesight early on as former UEMS champion, Joel Watson and 51 time track winner, Brent Rhebergen were all over Gasser’s #0K machine. Watson would take second from Gasser on lap five. The event’s first caution flew on lap nine when eighth place running, John Boyd spun in turn 4. The ensuing restart was then marred by a Paul Schreckengost spin the collected Shawn Shingledecker in turn one.
Michael restarted the field as Rhebergen got around Watson for second only to see yellow lights come back on one lap later for a four car incident involving Amanda Stiffler, Steve Samuelson, Troy Johnson and Alan Atkinson. Al Brewer exited the event from damage he suffered in the incident as well. The restart saw Johnathan Taylor rocketed from fifth to third only to see Rhebergen use the outside lane to get back around Taylor to recapture third on lap 12. By lap 17, Watson started closing in on Michael as the former champion was running the high groove and Michael was tucked to the bottom lane. With three to go the yellow lights flashed again. The restart saw the red lights flash as Bruce Powell would get sideways from apparent contact blocking the track as Samuelson, Darren Tarabori, Ken Zimmer, Gasser and Atkinson all getting into the wreck. Tarabori would go off on the flatbed with the most damage.
The caution would give Rhebergen one last opportunity to take the top spot but he was unable to do so. Michael, Jr. scored the first Zimmer’s Service Center Inc. UEMS win of the season, he was followed by Rhebergen, Joel Watson, Jonathan Taylor and Mike Potosky. Chad Ruhlman, piloting the Tim Engles owned #68, was sixth with Howard Fraley, Josh Ferry, Evan Taylor and Troy Johnson completing the top ten.
HEATS:
Zimmer’s Service Center Inc Heat #1
Scott Stiffler, John Boyd, Josh Ferry, Paul Schreckengost, Jeremy Double Chad Ruhlman Amanda Stiffler
Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Heat #2
Brent Rhebergen, Kari Gasser, Steve Samuelson, Gary Sullivan, Shawn Shingledecker, Alan Atkinson, Rick Pratschler (DNF)
American Racer Tire Heat #3
Jonathan Taylor, Mike Potosky, Evan Taylor, Ken Zimmer, Darren Tarabori, Al Brewer, Joe Betz
Genesis Shocks Heat #4
Rich Michael Jr., Joel Watson, Howard Fraley, Joe Crawford, Bruce Powell, Troy Johnson, Matt Lux (DNS)
Zimmer’s Service Center UEMS E-Mods Feature Finish:
Rich Michael, Jr., Brent Rhebergen, Joel Watson, Jonathan Taylor, Mike Potosky, Chad Ruhlman, Howard Fraley, Josh Ferry, Evan Taylor, Troy Johnson, Kari Gasser, Shawn Shingledecker, Alan Atkinson, Ken Zimmer, Darren Tarabori, Steve Samuelson, Joe Crawford, Joe Betz, Gary Sullivan, Jeremy Double, Al Brewer, John Boyd, Amanda Stiffler, Paul Schreckengost