LEHIGHTON, Pa. — When the Race of Champions Dart Asphalt Modified Tour rolls into the Mahoning Valley Speedway, the Tour regulars know that the Mahoning Valley weekly modified racers are going to be tough to beat on their home track.
Saturday night was no different as Rick Kirkendall broke out of an early season slump in a big way, by winning the 75-lap feature. Kirkendall, who started second and led for a short time early in the event, made a turn-two inside pass of leader Bobby Jones with 11 laps to go.
Kirkendall then had to hold off a furious charge from Brian DeFebo over the final five laps to secure the $2,800 win, his first-career RoC win.
Rick Kluth, who always runs well here, finally got some breaks to go his way and finished a strong third with local-favorite Don Wagner finishing fourth and Paul Skodacek getting his first-career top-five finish in fifth.
The finish:
Rick Kirkendall, Brian DeFebo, Rick Kluth, Don Wagner, Paul Skodacek, Eric Beers, Jim Storace, Bobby Jones, Billy Putney, Daren Scherer, Pete Brittain, Tommy Farrell, III, Don Dreher, John Markovic, Todd Smith, Jason Bair, John Bennett, Chip Santee, Lou Strohl, Stacy Brown, Larry Fisher, Rusty Smith, Jarred Nace, Jan Leaty, Zane Zeiner, Kevin Brown.