Bolland Masters Monster Half Mile
Kevin Bolland likes racing in his back yard. Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway is the closest stop on the BRP/Hoosier Tire Modified Tour to his home in New Brighton. His victory was the second since the mighty Big Blocks returned to the track after a long absence.
Bolland turned a potential strategic error into an advantage. He set the car up to run on a slick track, but the track prep crew applied some water before the features got started. He was able to get a decent start and he ran with the lead group in the early going. As the race progressed, the track came to him and he was able to build a sizable lead.
Lapped cars were almost his undoing. "The lapped traffic played a role tonight," Bolland said. "Some of the lapped traffic slid up on the track and we really had to wait it out to get around them," he explained. Bolland countered by coming down off the cushion and using a low line to pick off the lapped cars. While this maneuver proved to be effective, it enabled Jeremiah Shingledecker to close in on him over the final ten laps. Shingledecker may have been more of a factor in the final outcome were it not for his own run-in with a lapped car with about five laps to go. Bolland was confident that he could have held off the challenge. "They might have caught us, but I don't think they would have gotten around us."
Lady luck put Brian Weaver and Jeremiah Shingledecker on the front row for the start of the 30 lapper. Weaver fired first and led the field into turn one. However, he was unable to hold the low line and that left the door open for Kevin Hoffman. His potent Big Block Ford powered off turn two with the lead. Shingledecker swooped by Weaver on the outside and it was soon apparent that Weaver was in trouble. He fell back due to a fuel feed problem that corrected itself somewhat as the race went on.
While Hoffman lead Shingledecker in the early going, the man on the move was Chad Homan. The New York invader was using the low line to great advantage. He worked into third by lap five and slipped under Shingledecker on the next circuit. He even challenged Hoffman, but Hoffman used a lapped car as a pick to maintain his lead. Hoffman was not as lucky the next time around. With the bottom lane open, Homan charged off turn two to grab the lead running down the long back chute.
Homan started to stretch his lead as the laps clicked off. However, the race took a dramatic turn on lap 11. Brad Rapp struck the wall in turn two to bring out the only caution in the race. Rapp was battling Brian Swartzlander for position at the time. Swartzlander slid up and Rapp had nowhere to go. "I didn't even know he was there," Swartzlander said apologetically. "I felt bad for him to get caught up in something like that."
While the field was circulating under the yellow, some cars kicked mud up from the apron into Homan's groove. He did not realize what happened and used his usual line entering turn one on the restart. He got into a four-wheel skid and surrendered the lead to Shingledecker. While Homan was scrambling to regain control, Hoffman slowed and soon retired from the race with a broken rocker arm.
Bolland went to the whip and raced past Shingledecker to lead lap 13. At the halfway mark, he led Homan, Shingledecker, Murdick, King and Swartzlander.
Shingledecker swapped places with Homan by lap 20 and he set out after the leader.
Bolland continued to lead, but Shingledecker was reeling him in. Shingledecker’s charge was slowed briefly by a shunt with a lapped car, and that may have preserved the win for Bolland.
While the fans were ready for a two-car battle to the checkers, the race ended in a most unusual fashion. On the final lap, one of the flagmen inadvertently hit the red light switch. He immediately put the green light on again. But, in that fleeting moment, some of the racers slowed their pace. None came to a complete stop, however.
Bolland was one of the racers who slowed and he passed under the checkers for the apparent win. Fortunately for him, Shingledecker also reacted to the flash of red and he crossed the line in second. Homan was a close third.
Behind the leaders, some positions did change. Dave Murdick, who took the white flag in fourth, was shuffled back to sixth. Brian Swartzlander advanced two spots. Murdick and company quickly lodged a protest.
After learning what happened, track and series officials agreed to hold the finish pending a review of transponder scoring records. A comparison between laps 29 and 30 showed, surprisingly, that Murdick and Swartzlander were the only affected racers.
The speedway stepped up to make up the difference in pay between fourth and sixth position. That left series officials to decide what to do about the points to be awarded.
After getting input from the speedway and from the involved drivers, series officials decided to revert to lap 29 scoring for the purposes of points.
Murdick was restored to fourth and Rex King Sr. held his fifth place finish. Swartzlander was scored in sixth, but paid for fourth as well.
Rounding out the top ten were Mark Flick, Rex King, Jr., Brian Weaver and Chris Haines.
Heat race wins went to Bolland, Swartzlander and Murdick. Bolland broke the track record four times during his heat, but Swartzlander lowered the mark even further in his heat. The record now stands at 19.377. .
There was no B Main.
No provisionals were needed to complete the field.
The Landrum Racer of the Race award was presented to Mark Flick for his smooth and steady run from fourteenth to seventh.
As the feature winner, Bolland also took home a prize from new series sponsor, R2C Performance Products.
BRP/Hoosier Tire Modified Tour Round Two: Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Imperial, PA: May 28, 2011: 1. Kevin Bolland ($1,500); 2. Jeremiah Shingledecker ($1,000); 3. Chad Homan ($800); 4. Dave Murdick ($600); 5. Rex King, Sr. ($550); 6. Brian Swartzlander ($600); 7. Mark Flick ($450); 8. Rex King, Jr. ($400); 9. Brian Weaver ($360); 10. Chris Haines ($330); 11. Mike Turner ($320); 12. Shannon Whaley ($310); 13. Mark Frankhouser ($300); 14. Steve Feder ($290); 15. Shawn Fleeger ($280); 16. Tommy Mattocks ($260); 17. Carl Murdick ($240); 18. Randy Chronister ($230); 19. Don Brown ($225); 20. John Bichanan ($220); 21. Skip Moore ($210); 22. Kevin Hoffman ($205); 23. Brad Rapp ($200).
The roster of 2011 sponsors for The Modified Tour, Inc. includes: Bicknell Racing Products; Hoosier Racing Tire Corp.; World Racing Group - DIRTcar; Sunoco Race Fuels - Bazell Oil Co.; Approved Toilet Rentals, Inc.; Bert Transmission; Big Daddy's Speed Center Inc.; Bulldog Rear Ends - Diversified Machine, Inc.; Engles Trucking Services, Inc.; Bilstein Shocks – Fastline Performance; ISC Racers Tape; Hall's Safety Equipment Corp.; King Brothers; Kirkey Racing Fabrication Inc.; Landrum Spring; McCool's Signs and Graphics; Motorsports World; Oyler Photos & More; Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP; Preist Enterprises, Inc.; Pro Shocks; R2C Performance Products; RaceQuip; Ray's Racing Collectibles; Rock Concrete; Slippery Rock Sportswear; T & D Machine; Ultra-Shield Race Products; Valken Wheels; Winters Performance Products Inc.; and Wrisco Industries Inc. Watch for further additions to the list of 2011 sponsors.
Now entering its fourteeth year of success, The Modified Tour, Inc. racing series is a non-profit organization established to give the V-8 Modifieds in the Western Pennsylvania area the opportunity to compete for higher purses and for a seasonal point fund. It expands the profile for this exciting brand of motorsports throught the the tri-state area.
Bolland Again!
www.modifiedtourinc.com
When you’re hot, you’re hot, and nobody is hotter than Kevin Bolland on the BRP/Hoosier Tire Modified Tour. The veteran driver from New Brighton, PA scored his third Tour win in a row and fourth overall. The skien started at Lernerville Speedway last week and continued there on Friday. Sandwiched in between were wins at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway and Tri-City Speedway.
Although Bolland would lead 24 of the 30 laps, he did not have an easy time of it. Because the Mods caught yellow fever, Jeremiah Shingledecker and company had many opportunities to overtake him. Ironically, it was a yellow flag that set up Bolland’s winning move. After that, he was up to the task each time. Bolland credited his good starts to the powerful engine prepared in his father’s shop. “That Bolland Machine horsepower; we work on cam shaft design and we’ve come up with a good combination; the thing pulls off the corners.”
Lady luck smiled on Bolland once again, as he drew a front row starting spot for the 30 lap feature. However, the current DIRTcar Western Regional points leader, Jeremiah Shingledecker, would flank him. At the drop of the green, Bolland surged to the outside lane and grabbed the early lead over Shingledecker and Rex King, Sr.
Shingledecker stayed close, and snuck by Bolland on the inside in turn three on lap six. He would lead for six circuits. However, when the aution waived for the first of two cautions charged to Jeremy Paup, Bolland got another chance to flex his muscle. He drove around Shingledecker coming off turn four and grabbed the lead for good as the duo swept through the first and second turns. King Sr. remained in third, followed by Dave Murdick and Jim Weller, Jr.
Despite several more interruptions for minor skirmishes, the lead quintet continued to run in formation until lap 19. On that lap. Rex King, Jr. entered the top five. He came from eleventh on the starting grid. Behind him was Del Rougeux, Jr., the Modified Tour points leader entering this race. Rougeux came from deep in the pack, twentieth.
While still running sixth, Rougeux pitted to replace a flat right front tire during a caution on lap 26. At that time, Bolland still led Shingledecker. But, King Jr. was now in third. King, Sr. held down fourth and D. Murdick rounded out the top five.
The leaders again stayed in position through a couple more cautions. Behind them, drivers were swapping positions. Like Rougeux before him, Brad Rapp also came from deep in the pack to crack the top ten. He held the sixth spot through the final several restarts. However, he gave back a few spots on the final lap. Rapp’s teammate, Kevin Hoffman, was one driver who benefitted from Rapp’s misfortune, as Hoffman gained several positions in the final laps.
Bolland took the checkers, followed by the fast-closing King Jr. D. Murdick climbed to third. Shingledecker and King Sr. rounded out the top five.
Kevin Hoffman, Mark Flick, Rougeux, Rapp and Dean Pearson completed the top ten.
Heats were won by King, Jr., King, Sr., Weller and Tom Winkle.
The B Main was captured by Mike Turner.
The Red Bear Hand Cleaner “Clean Move of the Race Award” was conferred on Rex King, Jr. for his charge from eleventh to second.
The next BRP/Hoosier Tire Modified Tour event will be on Sunday, June 28, 2009, at Eriez Speedway, Hammett, PA.
For more information check our website at www.modifiedtourinc.com.
The BRP Modified Tour ‘09 would like to thank the following series sponsors: Bicknell Racing Products, Hoosier Race Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, Bilstein Shocks, Keizer Racing Wheels, Ray’s Racing Collectibles, Approved Toilet Rentals, Inc., Hall’s Safety Equipment, Engles Trucking, Big Daddy’s Speed Center, King Brothers Feed and Supply, Oyler Action Photos, McCool’s Signs and Graphics, Hometown Pharmacy, Wedge Motorsports, Red Bear Hand Cleaner, Motorsports World, and Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP.
The Modified Tour, Inc. racing series is a non-profit organization established to give the V-8 Modifieds in the Western Pennsylvania area the opportunity to compete for higher purses and for a seasonal point fund. Started in 1998 by Tim Engles, Lon and Pam Baker, and Randy Myers, the Modified Tour has had great success at bringing the local cars together at the area racetracks.
Official Order of Finish: BRP/Hoosier Race Tire Modified Tour (Round 4): Lernerville Speedway: 30 Laps: May 29, 2009
1. Kevin Bolland $1,300; 2. Rex King, Jr. $870; 3. Dave Murdick $650; 4. Jeremiah Shingledecker $550; 5. Rex King, Sr. $500; 6. Kevin Hoffman $420; 7. Mark Flick $400; 8. Del Rougeux, Jr. $380; 9. Brad Rapp $360; 10. Dean Pearson $330; 11. Tom Winkle $320; 12. Jim Weller, Jr. $310; 13. Tommy Mattocks $300; 14. Gary Smoker $290; 15. Jeff Miller $280; 16. Chris Dye $260; 17. Carl Murdick $240; 18. Steve Feder $230; 19. Gene Kirila $220; 20. Mike Turner $200; 21. Jim Rasey $200; 22. Joe Crawford $200; 23. Jeremy Paup $200; 24. Mike Miller $200; 25. Garrett Krummert $200; 26. Carl Weatherby $200.
DNQ (all $100): Mark Frankhouser, Ron Eperthener, Ryan Hall, Eric Martin, Rick Ryder, Bryan Sadler, Shawn Fleeger, Rodney Beltz.
Bolland Catches Modified Mania at PPMS
Kevin Bolland, of nearby New Brighton, PA, scored the win in the Modified Mania 30 presented by Approved Toilet Rentals, Inc., at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.
“When I picked that number (2), I knew that we would be OK,” Bolland said Saturday night after his win. He jumped to an early lead and led the entire distance on Dirt’s Monster Half Mile.
Bolland held control through the first caution, on lap 8, for Rick Ryder, Tommy Kristyak and Rodney Beltz. Behind Bolland, though, Mike Miller was putting on the race of his life. Miller briefly lost second to Rex King, Sr. at the drop of the green, but used the momentum coming off the high side of turn two to regain the position. He maintained it through the entire first half of the race. He slipped back one position, but pitted for a new tire while the race was halted on lap 22 for a major crash in turn one.
Battles trough the pack were furious as the 32 car field of Big Block Mods thundered around Dirt’s Monster Half Mile. Dave Murdick, Jeremiah Shingledecker, King Sr., Rex King, Jr., Del Rougeux, Jr., Joe Crawford and Brad Rapp were mixing it up lap after lap.
The action came to an abrupt halt on lap 22, when two cars tangled briefly in turn one. Brian Swartzlander was turned in the confusion and his car was hit hard on the left side by Phil Evans, who had no place to go to avoid impact. Others involved were Mark Flick, who backed into turn one’s wall, and Kevin Hoffman, who hit Flick. All four cars were unable to return, but, fortunately, the drivers did not require major medical attention.
When racing resumed, Jeremiah Shingledecker was positioned to take a run at the leader. Shingledecker had been turning quicker laps than Bolland before the red and many thought that he could take the lead away from Bolland. However, Shingledecker’s mount broke a drive flange and he retired from the event.
Racing was stopped again briefly for Jeremy Paup’s flat tire. He cut it down on some debris from the lapp 22 crash.
The heat races for the 37 car field were won by Kevin Bolland, Mike Turner, Kevin Hoffman and Rex King, Sr. The B Mains was captured by Dean Pearson, the Harrisville Hustler.
The Red Bear Hand Cleaner “Clean Move of the Race Award” was conferred on Mike Miller for his strong top five feature run until suffering a flat tire.
The next BRP/Hoosier Tire Modified Tour event will be held on May 24, 2009, at Tri-City Speedway, in Franklin, PA. For more information, please check our website at www.modifiedtourinc.com.
The BRP Modified Tour ‘09 would like to thank the following series sponsors: Bicknell Racing Products, Hoosier Race Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, Bilstein Shocks, Keizer Racing Wheels, Ray’s Racing Collectibles, Approved Toilet Rentals, Inc., Hall’s Safety Equipment, Engles Trucking, Big Daddy’s Speed Center, King Brothers Feed and Supply, Oyler Action Photos, McCool’s Signs and Graphics, Hometown Pharmacy, Wedge Motorsports, Red Bear Hand Cleaner, Motorsports World, and Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP.
The Modified Tour, Inc. racing series is a non-profit organization established to give the V-8 Modifieds in the Western Pennsylvania area the opportunity to compete for higher purses and for a seasonal point fund. Started in 1998 by Tim Engles, Lon and Pam Baker, and Randy Myers, the Modified Tour has had great success at bringing the local cars together at the area racetracks.
Official Order of Finish: BRP/Hoosier Race Tire Modified Tour (Round 2): Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway: 30 Laps: May 23, 2009
1. Kevin Bolland $1,500; 2. Dave Murdick $1,000; 3. Rex King, Sr. $800; 4. Del Rougeux, Jr. $600; 5. Tom Winkle $550; 6. Brad Rapp $500; 7. Joe Crawford $450; 8. Jim Rasey $400; 9. Gary Smoker $350; 10. Rex King, Jr. $325; 11. Garrett Krummert $300; 12. Ron Eperthener $290; 13. Tommy Mattocks $280; 14. Ryan Hall $270; 15. Carl Murdick $260; 16. Brian Sadler $250; 17. Steve Barr $240; 18. Mike Miller $230; 19. Mark Frankhouser $225; 20. Rick Ryder $220; 21. Mike Turner $210; 22. Jeremy Paup $205; 23. Jeremiah Shingledecker $200; 24. Brian Swartzlander $200; 25. Mark Flick $200; 26. Phil Evans $200; 27. Kevin Hoffman $200; 28. Steve Feder $200; 29. Randy Chronister $200; 30. Rodney Beltz $200; 31. Dean Pearson $200; 32. Tommy Kristyak $200. DNQ (all $100): Jeff Miller, Shawn Fleeger, Kyle Fink, Skip Moore, Rich Whitney.