Erick Rudolph Wins DIRTcar Modified Main at Humberstone Speedway

PORT COLBORNE, ONTARIO… Erick Rudolph from Ransomville, NY drove away from the field and picked up the win for the DIRTcar Modifieds. Josh Sliter from Ridgeway, Ontario went two for two on the weekend after he picked up the win in the TUSA Modified Lite event. James Thompson from St. Catharines, Ontario won his second straight JC Auto Street Stock feature. Third generation driver Taylor Vanderzanden from Fenwick, Ontario picked up his first win of the season in the Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks while Kyle Rothwell from Welland, Ontario picked up the Trackside Decals Mini Stock feature. Sam Iftody from Fenwick, Ontario picked up his second consecutive win in the Frontier Auto Dismantlers Pure Stocks. Glen Hills was victorious in the Eve of Destruction Flag Pole Race qualifier

“The Real Deal” Chris Steele and Erick Rudolph led the field of DIRTcar Modifieds to the green flag for their 35 lap feature event with Rudolph using the outside to his advantage and taking over the lead on the opening circuit. “Mighty Mouse” Mat Williamson, racing in his Big Block quickly got around Steele for second and tried to reel down Rudolph. Robbie Krull used the outside and entered the top five after passing Bill Bleich Sr out of turn two on lap ten. Just one lap later, Justin Wright, also in a Big Block, got around Bleich for sixth place. At the races halfway point, Rudolph continued to show the way with Williamson in second with Steele, Chad Chevalier and Justin Wright running in the top five. Robbie Krull went back to work and got around both Wright and Chevalier to race in fourth place with under ten laps remaining. Krull continued to be one of the fastest cars on the track, went side by side with Chris Steele for third place and passed Steele with thirty laps shown on the lap counter.

Erick Rudolph went on a Sunday night cruise and picked up the victory in the DIRTcar Modifieds. Mat Williamson finished in second and he was followed to the line by Robbie Krull, Chris Steele and Justin Wright.

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Rudolph and Knapp score first wins of Season in Lococo’s Night at Merrittville

Jim Irvine Merrittville Speedway Public Relations 905-892-8266 … jimirvine@cogeco.net or www.twitter.com/merrittville

Race Fans that braved the unseasonably cold temperatures were treated to a night of hot on track action that in some cases led to overheated tempers.

Third generation driver Erick Rudolph and Kevin Knapp scored their first 2013 wins in Lococo’s Wholesale Night  at Merrittville Saturday May 11th in the Bobcat of Hamilton 358 Modified and Hoosier Stock Divisions respectively.

Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series action also saw three drivers make their second straight visits to Victory Lane – Kyle Pelrine, Josh Sliter and Brad Rouse in the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder, J&S Heating and Air Conditioning Modified Lites and the Rick’s Delivery Sportsman Features.

“We have been working more than a year to get this one,” thanked Erick Rudolph in Bobcat of Hamilton 358 Modified Victory Lane for the first time in his career, “thanks to my crew and my sponsors – you had to be passive and aggressive at the same time. Now we have to be here when it’s a dry and slick!”

It has probably been close to 25 years since a Rudolph has been in Victory Lane at the Thorold facility and Erick’s dad – former racer Charlie was one of the first to congratulate him.

Around the halfway point and beyond of the 35 lap event, Rudolph and then leader Mike Bowman staged quite a battle for the lead with Chris Steele also in the fray.

The first serious challenge by Rudolph came on lap 20 after pulling alongside Bowman with Steele challenged by Scott Wood. With Bowman running high and Rudolph low – both drivers were looking for the advantage – one that Rudolph found on lap 23 after taking the lead. Caution on lap 25 would slow the pace. Again the two front-runners were side by side until Bowman regained top spot only to be slowed once again.

Rudolph was able to power back past Bowman for good with Pete Bicknell taking control of second on lap 28. The 22 time points champion still looking for his first win of the season could not catch Rudolph by the Checkered Flag however.

http://www.merrittvillespeedway.com/Press%202013/press-may12.html