Jarod Larson, Andy Priest, Mike Potosky, Bruce Smith and Don Blake Jr. Receive 2004 Championship Honors and Kevin Bolland Receives Cavalcade Big Block Modified title at Tri-City Speedway Season Banquet

by Brian Spaid

FRANKLIN, PA …. Putting an exclamation point on the 50th Anniversary Season at Tri-City Speedway, track officials distributed over $30,000 in point fund money and contingencies on Saturday January 8th as the Venango County half-mile oval honored its 2004 season champions before a crowd of nearly 450 people at the Rocky Grove Fire Hall.

The top honorees were Jarod Larson (NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints), Andy Priest (Schwab’s Ford DIRT Modifieds), Mike Potosky (RPM Auto Sales/Shawgo Real Estate E Mods), Bruce Smith (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks) and Don Blake Jr. (Victory Lane Graphics Thundercars).

For the first time in his career, five-time Sharon Speedway track champion Jarod Larson of Rock Creek, Ohio, captured the Super Sprint title in his Clemson Excavating/Mark Thomas Ford Eagle No. 47. Larson scored five feature wins and defeated two-time defending track champion Rod George for the title. Jason Jacoby, Todd Bauer and Rob Eyler rounded out the top five in the final points in one of the most competitive seasons of Super Sprint racing at Tri-City.

“This means a lot,” said Larson as a thanked his family, crew and sponsors. “We were really close in 2000. We finished second in points. We had a good year then, but I crashed on the last night and broke my back. After that, every time we got back to Tri-City, we were really fast, but mentally I just couldn’t get around the place. This year, we got going right off the bat and everybody was a real big help, especially my crew. They work hard and give me a good car every week. We had a really good year.”

In the DIRT Modifieds, Andy Priest of New Castle, Pa., earned his first career title at Tri-City. Piloting Ted Hull's Emig Racing Dirt Wheels No. 41, Priest tied defending track champion Del Rougeux Jr. with four feature wins. However, Priest and Hull demonstrated superior consistency to defeat Rex King, Rougeux, Kevin Bolland and Chris Schiffer for the track title.

“I’d really like to thank Ted Hull and Emig Racing for a great team,” said Priest. “This division is really, really tough. There are a number of guys who can win every night. We just kept it together more often than they did. We also appreciate Schwab’s Ford and all they do in sponsoring our division.”

Tri-City announcer Walt Wimer presented Kevin Bolland of New Brighton, Pa., with an award for his first career Cavalcade Big Block Modified title. Bolland topped all drivers in the division throughout the region to earn the prestigious award.