Dave Murdick, a former champion of the BRP/Hoosier Tire Modified Tour, won the series’ annual visit to the Trumbull County Fair. The race was presented by one of the series’ new sponsors, Bully Dog, which provided $1,000 in contingencies to the racers.

Murdick, who struggled in his heat race, wasn’t very happy with his car early in the night. “I told my guys to do whatever they wanted with it because they weren’t going to fix it tonight, but they must have done a pretty good job with it.” The changes were perfect, he was able to race his way to the lead twice, and he even held off a late race challenge from Chris Haines.

Murdick started the race in the seventh spot, but he had to chase down Joe Kubiniec and Shawn Fleeger, who were out front from the start. Murdick got a break when Fleeger damaged his car by hitting a utility tire located in turn two. Fleeger limped down the backstretch and finally lost the wheel in turn three. His disabled car was struck hard by Randy Chrysler, who had no opportunity to take evasive action. That set up a Delaware double file restart that enabled Murdick to vault from third to first.

Murdick led for two laps, until Brian Weaver, driving one of Kevin Hoffman’s cars, also used the Delaware restart to take the lead away. It took Murdick three circuits around the huge oval to regain the lead. While he would lead the rest of the way, Weaver was always hanging close.

Murdick, who learned a trick watching a recent Late Model show, changed his approach on the restarts. “I think you’re a sitting duck as the leader, and I thought they were going to jump me again.” So, he tried to switch lanes in order to block both racers from row two. “It’s just a way of protecting yourself on those Delawares.” Unfortunately, the maneuver resulted in several cars checking up which, in turn, set off a chain reaction pile-up that eliminated a number of cars from the race.

On the final restart, with just a few laps left in the contest, Murdick stayed put, and Haines got a good run into turn one, pulling even with him on entry. “I really didn’t notice him there, then I saw Chris a little bit going in, but we were so good down there, I kinda figured we’d be OK.” He was right, and Weaver followed him past Haines. Weaver ran second until the final lap, when he ran out of fuel.

Rex King, Jr. closed fast to grab the second spot, much to the delight of the large crowd of fair-goers. Haines crossed in third, his best outing with the series. Likewise, Kubiniec tallied his best effort, a fourth. Mike Turner completed the top five.

Mark Frankhouser and Steve Feder finished sixth and seventh. Weaver was credited with eighth. Ron Cartwright was ninth and Rex King, Sr. was tenth after starting at the tail with a back-up car.

Heat races were claimed by Jeremiah Shingledecker, Kubiniec, and Chrysler.

Contingency Connection prize packages were awarded to Dave Murdick, Chris Haines and Joe Kubiniec.

The Bully Dog beneficiaries were Murdick, King, Jr., Haines, Turner, Frankhouser, Feder, Cartwright, Jim and Justin Rasey, and Rougeux.

The next races on the BRP/Hoosier Tire Modified Tour schedule will be the Richmond Gear Weekend Warrior events. The races will be held on Saturday, August 18, at Mercer Raceway Park, and Sunday, August 19, at Dog Hollow Speedway. Points earned in those races will determine the winners of the special awards posted.

BRP/Hoosier Tire Modified Tour, Round 3 (July 5, 2012): Dave Murdick, Rex King, Jr., Chris Haines, Joe Kubiniec, Mike Turner, Mark Frankhouser, Steve Feder, Brian Weaver, Ron Cartwright, Jr., Rex King, Sr., Jim Rasey, Jeremiah Shingledecker, Justin Rasey, Del Rougeux, Jr., Carl Murdick, Shawn Fleeger, Randy Chrysler, Kevin Hoffman, Eric Gabany.

The roster of 2012 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; ATL Fuel Cells; Big Daddy’s Speed Center Inc.; Bilstein Shocks – Fastline Performance; Brisk Spark Plugs; Bulldog Rear Ends – Diversified Machine, Inc.; Bully Dog; Controlled Thermal Processing, Inc.; Engles Trucking Services, Inc.; ISC Racers Tape; Hall’s Safety Equipment Corp.; JE Pistons; King Brothers; Kirkey Racing Fabrication Inc.; Landrum Spring; Mallary Ignition Performance; McCool’s Signs and Graphics; Motorsports World; Oyler Photos & More; PerformanceParts.com; Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP; Preist Enterprises, Inc.; Pyrotect; R2C Performance Products; RaceQuip; Ray’s Racing Collectibles; Redhorse Performance; Richmond Geer; Rod End Supply; Scorpion Racing Products; Turbo Start Batteries; Turn One Power Steering; Ultra-Shield Race Products; Winters Performance Products Inc.; and Wrisco Industries Inc. Watch for further additions to the list of 2012 sponsors.

Now in its fifteenth 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 a substantial points fund. The Modified Tur has had great success at bringing together the top stars at the area speedways