FRANKLIN, Pa. — “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.
Felmlee drew the pole for the 25-lap Diehl Chevrolet Sprint Car A Main. Next to him was Brandon Spithaler. Row two had a visitor 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 16 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.
“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.
Nick Joy, who is expecting the birth of his third child soon, a daughter this time, used the second restart on lap 15 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.
Feature Finish (25 Laps)
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).