Home >  Sports >  Notebooks

Sunday, May 26, 2002

By Chris Dolack, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Some things were expected when the dirt season started. Ed Ferree is strong in his late model at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. Ed Lynch Jr. is winning almost at will at Lernerville Speedway. Rain has washed out several nights of racing in May. Some things happen with regularity.

	Victory Lane Racing Roundup Montoya zips to pole spot NASCAR Q & A Tony Stewart By the numbers A Perfect Start Drivers to Watch

In any case, after winning the V-8 modified title at Lernerville last season, it wouldn't have been a surprise to see Brian Swartzlander leading the way again this year. Or even Dave Murdick, who was challenging Swartzlander's lead right into the final night of points racing.

But the driver who has emerged to dominate in the big-block modified division is Kevin Bolland, who finished fifth in points last season. He had three victories and two second-place finishes going into this weekend and if it wasn't for tire trouble in the Bill Emig Memorial at Mercer Raceway Park last weekend, he might be leading the Cavalcade points, too. As it stands, he is second to Ron Smoker of New York.

But it's not as if Bolland, 42, is new to racing. He was a star the AMA Motocross series in the late '70s and early '80s before his collarbone and an arm were broken in separate crashes.

"I was out for about 17 months," he said. "With multiple surgeries and everything else, once I got that fixed up, we decided we needed to get something around me with some roll cages."

He and his father, Don, bought a car, and in 1983, his rookie season, Bolland was the Western Pennsylvania rookie of the year with seven victories. His father had built performance racing engines -- they run Bolland Machine in Beaver Falls -- and still builds the engines in the flashy No. 777 car.

"We don't do a lot of performance stuff for a lot of the local people, but I think some people have recognized that we have some horsepower," said Bolland, who is a two-time champion at Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, Pa.

That's an understatement this year. But what might have been enough to push him into the points lead is his 2002 Bicknell chassis. Jim Weller, who is second in points, also is driving a new Bicknell chassis.

Another key to Bolland's success this season is his team's stability. After driving for a different owner for six years, he is in his fourth year as co-owner of his current team.

As an owner, Bolland, a salesman for Bolland Machine away from the track, also spends much of his time attracting sponsors. He is one of the best at that task. In the off-season, he often puts his modified in car shows, and on some racedays, his car is on display at Brighton Hot Dog Shoppes.

"I understand people," he said. "People think today that you go ask somebody for $500 or $200 or $2,500 or $10,000 and you forget about them. In my opinion, you've got to go out and give your sponsor two to three times more than they're going to give you."

Expect Bolland to continue running up front. He had 19 career wins at the Sarver oval before Friday, but that should change before the end of the season.

"You've got to keep the car out of trouble, and I think we've done that so far," he said. "We just need to stay focused on our game. Hopefully, we can be there at the end.

"It's a long season out there. You've just got to pay attention and go with the day. There's nothing handed to you that you can just jump in the car and win a race. You've got to work for every minute while you're in the pits and read the track and know your competition. My guys in the garage have gotten us into a position to finish races."

Getting started

If you can't get enough racing today with the Indianapolis 500, the Coca-Cola 600 or the Grand Prix of Monaco, then head over to Latrobe Speedway, which will have a special micro-sprint show in addition to its regular program of late models, e-mods, chargers and street stocks. Gates at Latrobe, which has been rained out the past two weeks, open at 3 p.m., hot laps are at 5:30.

Looking ahead

Friday: The World of Outlaws circuit makes its inaugural visit to Sharon Speedway.

June 7: Motordrome Speedway runs the Eastgate Dodge 100, the first its of three extended-lap features.

June 8: The USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series returns to Jennerstown Speedway.

June 8-9: NASCAR Winston Cup comes to Pennsylvania for the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond.

June 13-16: Making its closest stop to Pittsburgh, the NHRA competes in the Pontiac Excitement Nationals at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio.

Chris Dolack can be reached at cdolack@post-gazette.com.