FRANKLIN, Pa. — Erick Rudolph hit the daily double in the twin features for the BRP Modified Tour vs. the 21st Century Energy Group Modifieds. Rudolph led all 69 laps run under the green flag.
Also picking up wins were A.J. Flick (Krill Recycling 410 Sprint Cars), Blaze Myers (4 Your Car Connection RUSH Sprint Cars), Andy Priest (Allegheny Sprint Tour 305 Sprint Cars) and Tim Bish (Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Pro Stocks.
The completion of the BRP Modified Tour vs. the 21st Century Energy Group Modified race postponed from May 26 was the first event onto the track. One lap was in the books when rain hit Tri City Raceway Park months ago. Twenty of the original starting field of twenty-eight cars returned for the make-up.
Andrew Smith had the pole position for the restart, with Rudolph on his flank. Dave Murdick and Dr. Brad Rapp were in row two. The third belonged to Shawn Kozar and Tyler Willard. Colton Walters and Garrett Krummert made up row four. In the fifth were Ayden Cipriano and Rex King, Jr. The sixth row belonged to Rick Regalski and Mike Kinney.
When the race got going again, Rudolph sailed into the lead over Smith, Murdick, Rapp, Willard, Kozar, Krummert, King and Thomas. Rudolph began to stretch his lead immediately. Smith was under attack from Murdick and Rapp.
Murdick moved into second by lap 10 while the battle continued to rage for third between Smith and Rapp. Meanwhile, Krummert was starting his march to the front.
A caution on lap 18 for debris wiped out Rudolph’s substantial lead. While he was able to maintain his advantage under the green, Murdick was unable to mount a challenge. Smith continued in third, ahead of Rapp, Krummert, Willard, Kozar, Regalski, King and Thomas.
Only two more rounds of the big half mile were completed before Colton Walters slowed coming off turn two for the last caution of the event.
Soon after the field went into the stretch run, Krummert moved ahead of Smith and Rapp. Willard ran in sixth and King was up to seventh.
The last twelve laps went off without a hitch. Rudolph took the checkers, with Murdick running second. Krummert was third, followed by Smith and King. Rapp was sixth. Then came Regalski, Willard, Kozar and Jordan Ehrenberg.
In the regularly scheduled BRP Modified Tour and 21st Century Energy Group Modified race, Smith and Rudolph again brought the field to the green. Thomas and Kyle Fink were scheduled for rpw two. Murdick and King made up row three. Dr. Rapp and Mike Kinney had row four. Krummert and Ayden Cipriano were in row five, with Willard and Jordan Ehrenberg in row six.
Rudolph seized the lead coming off turn two on the opening lap. He was followed by Thomas, Smith, King, Rapp, and Krummert. On just the second lap, a caution came out for Ron Carwright.
Rudolph set a brisk pace for the next six laps. Thomas and Smith battled for second with Rapp and Willard fighting for the fourth spot. Dylan Barr brought out the second caution on lap eight.
On the ensuing restart, Thomas made a bid for the lead. However, Rudolph had the preferred line off of turn two and he assumed command once and for all.
The field completed the next 18 laps under the green. During the extended run, Rudolph built up a lead of more than six seconds. Willard came to a stop on the back stretch while running in the fourth position. While the field was under the yellow, King surrendered his top five position due to a flat tire.
Rudolph resumed control, with Thomas in second. Rapp, Rick Regalski, Krummert and Colton Walters making up the top five. Things changed when Rapp sustained a flat with four laps remaining.
Rudolph completed the remaining laps without incident. Thomas was a distant second, Kinney came up to third in the closing laps, with Walters getting fourth and Regalski in fifth. Rodney Beltz, King, Krummert, Rapp, and Ehrenberg completed the top 10.