Emerling Runs To First RoC Victory Of 2017 At Spencer

Story By: RACE OF CHAMPIONS – WILLIAMSON, NY – Patrick Emerling of Orchard Park, N.Y., worked his way to the lead on lap 45 and ran to his first victory of the 2017 season in the TBRC (Troyer Bob Retirement Championship) at Spencer Speedway this past Friday night. Emerling is the defending series champion.

“We had a good night and things came to us,” offered Emerling from Race of Champions Modified Series victory lane fueled by Sunoco. “All of my guys work incredibly hard at this. There is some great competition and competitors in this series. Tonight we had things go our way. It’s great to win on a night that honored Bob Mueller, who is retiring from Troyer Race Cars and Parts, he’s done so much for this division over the years.”

The series most recent winner, Bryan Sherwood of Binghamton, N.Y., started from the pole position but had mechanical troubles and slipped backward as Chuck Hossfeld of Ransomville, N.Y., took the early lead. Hossfeld had to fend off the advances of Mike Leaty of Williamson, N.Y., who made several attempts to pass Hossfeld on the outside.

Leaty led two laps before Hossfeld took back over and chose the outside on a restart with Emerling to his inside. Emerling was able to use the inside starting position to hold off Hossfeld and take the lead on lap 45.

Emerling was able to hold on and moved into the series point lead.

Matt Hirschman of Northampton, Pa., posted the fastest overall time during group time trials and worked his way through the field to finish second. Hossfeld held on for third.

Tommy Catalano of Ontario, N.Y., advanced from 13th to 4th at the finish while George Skora of Eden, N.Y., rounded out the top five.

Leaty, Hirschman and Hossfeld won the three qualifying races.

The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The 67th annual Race of Champions weekend will take place in 2017 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pennsylvania and is the second longest consecutive auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.

For more information, contact;

Race of Champions Media at media@rocmodifiedseries.com

Feature Finish

Troyer Bob Retirement Championship ‘75’

Spencer Speedway, Williamson, NY.

Finishing Position, Car Number, Driver, Laps Completed, Reason Out (If Any)

Pos No. Name Laps

1 07 Patrick Emerling 75
2 60 Matt Hirschman 75
3 22 Chuck Hossfeld 75
4 54 Tommy Catalano 75
5 65 George Skora 75
6 12x Andy Jankowiak 75
7 25 Mike Leaty 75
8 17 Roger Coss 75
9 66 Austin Kochenash 75
10 64 Amy Catalano 75
11 32 Tyler Rypkema 75
12 10 Daryl Lewis 75
13 3 Daren Scherer 75
14 11 Kirk Totten 75
15 1 Chris Ridsdale 74
16 40 Tommy Rought 73
17 51 TJ Potrzebowski Out
18 59 Karl Hehr Out
19 95 Bryan Sherwood Out

Time of Race: 1 hour 52 seconds Average Speed 37.413 mph

Margin of victory: 0.220 seconds Fast Qualifying Lap: Matt Hirschman / 18.848 seconds @ 95.501 mph

Lead Changes: 4 among 3 drivers (Chuck Hossfeld Lap 1-42, Mike Leaty 43-44, Chuck Hossfeld 44-45, Patrick Emerling 45-75)

Qualifying Race Results:

Qualifying Race 1

Pos No. Name

1 25 Mike Leaty
2 65 George Skora
3 32 Tyler Rypkema
4 95 Bryan Sherwood
5 54 Tommy Catalano
6 3 Daren Scherer
7 40 Tommy Rought

Qualifying Race 2

Pos No. Name

1 60 Matt Hirschman
2 07 Patrick Emerling
3 51 TJ Potrzebowski
4 11 Kirk Totten
5 64 Amy Catalano
6 1 Chris Ridsdale

Qualifying Race 3

Pos No. Name

1 22 Chuck Hossfeld
2 10 Daryl Lewis
3 12x Andy Jankowiak
4 66 Austin Kochenash
5 17 Roger Coss
6 59 Karl Hehr

Point Standings following Spencer Speedway (Including Fastest Qualifying Time and Qualifying Race Bonus) 06/02/2017:

Pos No. Name Total

1 07 Patrick Emerling 293
2 12x Andy Jankowiak 280
3 65 George Skora 259
4 95 Bryan Sherwood 228
5 54 Tommy Catalano 222
6 25 Mike Leaty 218
7 32 Tyler Rypkema 214
8 3 Daren Scherer 195
9 22 Chuck Hossfeld 183
10 10 Daryl Lewis 179
11 64 Amy Catalano 171
12 11 Kirk Totten 160
13 59 Karl Hehr 146
14 51 TJ Potrzebowski 116
15 1 Chris Ridsdale 108
16 40 Tommy Rought 104
17 71 Jimmy Zacharias 72
18 01 Cam Barber 69
19 7ny Kevin Miller 60
20 40 Alan Bookmiller 54
21 4 Kreig Heroth 48
22 25r John Ramsay 20