September 8, 2005
Brewerton Deals River Card, Makes Johnson & NativePoker.Com A Winner
By Chris Marquart, DIRT Motorsports 358-Modified Series Reporter
Brewerton, NY — October 6, 2005 — Jeff Ball looked down at his hands and smiled. Those hands may have been the reason that his driver, Alan Johnson, and The NativePoker.Com-WPC Associates-Pine Line Auto Sales no. 14J Team Rudalavage/Bicknell was in victory lane. But that was the furthest thought from the teams mind.
Of course, winning DIRT MotorSports 358-Modified Super DIRT Series event at Brewerton Speedway, presented by Leaf Racewear, was important. But, Alan had won before. He won five big-block races at Brewerton this year; collecting a track championship and the Brewerton small-block win was his fifth on the tour this year. The team was more focused on the small ticket in Ball’s hand that won the 50/50.
“I guess he earned his day’s pay,” commented team owner Jeff Rudalavage. Ball and the crew pulled a Morrison power plant out of the no. 14J and stuffed the spec motor back between the rails.
“We changed the heads,” Johnson said. “They pulled it off the Dyno this morning and were thrashing on it all day to get ready for tonight.” Johnson set fast time at Brewerton then proceeded to pick his way to the lead after starting seventh.
Ronnie Johnson looked sharp in the early going leading from the pole. The track was exceptionally tacky in the early stages of the event, and Johnson had Andy Bachetti keeping him company as they raced two wide. Their battle was interrupted as Carey Terrance spun through the third turn on lap six. On the restart, Jimmy Phelps bolted to second and quickly ran down Johnson. Behind them, Alan Johnson and Brett Hearn were coming fast.
The yellow flew again ---for the last time--- on lap 15 when a car left the speedway. On the final restart Hearn blasted away from third-place Alan Johnson and quickly reeled in Phelps and Ronnie Johnson. In short order, Hearn passed both of them on the top of turns three and four, leading lap 17. Hearn looked exceptional on the point, but Alan was not to be counted out on his home turf.
Once the race resumed on lap 15, it never slowed again until the checkers. Over the last 60 laps, Johnson was masterful at navigating both the evolving surface and the heavy lapped traffic. “The track got slicker than I expected it to,” Johnson said. “I guess you never know a track. At the end, it was better in the middle in one and two and better on the bottom of three and four.”
Johnson was able to run the top after the restart and drove through the cars that Hearn was leaving behind the Delaney sponsored No. 4* Teo. Johnson caught Hearn on lap 30 and displaced him on lap 33. But the drama wasn’t over. Tim Fuller was moving up the lap counter’s list of top-five runners, and looked to put pressure on Johnson. He took second from Hearn on lap 58, but needed a yellow to be a factor. Late in the race, Pat O’Brien knifed through the field to take third, and then watched as Tim Fuller flirted with a lapped car.
“I watched (Fuller) and he was holding steady, but we were both closing on the lapped car ahead of him,” O’Brien said. “Sure enough, on that last time around the lapped car got good bite off of four and Fuller slipped and I got the spot.” O’Brien’s runner-up showing was the best finish he has had on the tour this season, stealing second by a bumper. Hearn faded to fourth.
Fuller explained his miscue and further clarified how Alan Johnson won the race.
“I tried to push him around the bottom,” Fuller said. “I got boxed in and Pat had the right line. I know this track, but I think Alan knew it better than all of us.”
Johnson kept an eye on the ever-changing surface, and didn’t realize he was so far ahead. “I really drove that last lap,” Johnson said. “I had no idea I was so far ahead. On the last lap, I saw a nose under me and I could have sworn it was Fuller.” It wasn’t, and Johnson could have cruised to the win. However, behind them, there was no easy cruising.
Pat Ward, Ronnie Johnson, Pete Bicknell and Danny Johnson had a war with Dale Planck and Jack Johnson. The pack of cars battled in and out of traffic, dicing around lapped cars as they raced as much as four-wide. Hearn was just ahead of the knot; Ward came out on top by running the bottom and took fifth. Ronnie Johnson, Bicknell, Danny Johnson, Planck and Jack Johnson rounded out the top 10.
The tour heads to Rolling Wheels on Friday for its final short-track race before tackling the Syracuse Mile on Saturday. “It was nice to be back on a short track,” Johnson said. “We haven't had much luck so far this week at Syracuse so this is going to do good things for the team morale.” The win was increasingly special as representatives from NativePoker.com were on hand to see Johnson take his fifth win of the year. “They came on a few weeks ago,” Johnson concluded. “And its nice anytime we can get a win for them.”
DIRT MotorSports 358-Modified Super DIRT Series – Brewerton Speedway - Thursday – October 6, 2005 Event Summary [Official Box Score posted on www.DirtMotorSports.com and can be viewed by first selecting 'DIRT NorthEast' on the Corporate Homepage, choosing 358-Modified SDS, then clicking '358-Modified Series' link on the top left.]
FEATURE
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 7 14j Alan Johnson/Phelps,NY ($4,000)
2 5 6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
3 11 19 Tim Fuller/Edwards, NY
4 6 4* Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
5 10 91X Pat Ward/Genoa, NY
6 1 2J Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg, NY
7 18 42 Pete Bicknell/St.Catharines,ONT
8 25 7z Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
9 24 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
10 4 12a Jack Johnson/Duanesburg,NY
11 15 62 Todd Burley/Spencerport,NY
12 12 22 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
13 19 rp23 Larry Lampman,Jr./Port Colborne,ONT
14 32 99B Chuck Bower/Lansing, NY
15 14 28s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
16 20 10x Richie Pratt,Jr./Sewell,NJ
17 22 1x Willy Decker/Vernon,NY
18 9 83 Danny O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
19 31 85 Dan Vauter/Forest City, PA
20 23 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
21 8 94 Ray Hoard/Granville,NY
22 28 3W Donnie Wetmore,Jr./Weedsport,NY
23 17 66 Kyle Dingwall/Brockville,ONT
24 2 4B Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
25 30 10 Don Mattison/Wells, VT
26 26 26 Rick Richner/Niagara Falls,NY
27 29 55 Perry Francis/Akwesasne,NY
28 34 124 Pierre Dagenais/Gatineau,QUE
29 3 99J Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville, NY
30 27 37 Kyle Jacobs/Hogansburg,NY
31 21 xXx Todd Gordon/St.Catharines,ONT
32 13 2g Mitch Gibbs/North Norwich,NY
33 16 B2 Bob Henry Jr./Baldwinsville, NY
34 33 66x Carey Terrance/Hogansburg,NY
DID NOT QUALIFY (16)
007-Roy Tarbell/Hogansburg,NY
15-A.J. Romano/Johnstown,NY
17c-Pete Cosco/St.Catharines,ONT
21k-Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
t21-Roger Chrysler/Lewiston, NY
22-Eric Gauvreau/Chelsea,QUE
35-Don Hart,Jr./Bainbridge,NY
37p-Francisco Pereira/Etobicoke,ONT
76-Brett Graham/Accord, NY
78-Vince Quenneville/Middlebury, VT
80-Jeff Marshall/Ft.Covington,NY
80j-Jeff Sykes/Edwards, NY
82s-Roy Shields/King Ferry,NY
99-Billy Cook/Akwesasne,NY
99p-Tim Jones/Sanborn,NY
124-Bob McCreadie/Watertown,NY
Lap Leaders: R.Johnson (1-16), Hearn (17-32), A.Johnson (33-75).
Bert Hard Charger: Chuck Bower.
QUALIFYING
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
1@ 14.622 82.068 14J Alan Johnson/Phelps,NY
2@ 14.643 81.950 22A Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
3 14.713 81.561 12A Jack Johnson/Duanesburg,NY
4 14.736 81.433 4B Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
5 14.779 81.196 91X Pat Ward/Genoa, NY
6 14.828 80.928 4* Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
7 14.853 80.792 6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
8 14.871 80.694 2G Mitch Gibbs/North Norwich,NY
9 14.878 80.656 2J Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg, NY
10 14.884 80.623 62 Todd Burley/Spencerport,NY
11 14.942 80.311 B2 Bob Henry Jr./Baldwinsville, NY
12 14.950 80.268 66X Carey Terrance/Hogansburg,NY
13 14.955 80.241 19 Tim Fuller/Edwards, NY
14 14.969 80.166 28S Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
15 14.983 80.091 94 Ray Hoard/Granville,NY
16 14.998 80.011 99J Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville, NY
17 15.004 79.979 66 Kyle Dingwall/Brockville,ONT
18 15.032 79.830 48T Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
19 15.036 79.808 RP23 Larry Lampman,Jr./Port Colborne,ONT
20 15.040 79.787 22G Eric Gauvreau/Chelsea,QUE
21 15.060 79.681 26 Rick Richner/Niagara Falls,NY
22 15.069 79.634 83 Danny O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
23 15.103 79.454 42 Pete Bicknell/St.Catharines,ONT
24 15.108 79.428 10 Don Mattison/Wells, VT
25 15.111 79.412 10X Richie Pratt,Jr./Sewell,NJ
26 15.113 79.402 xXx Todd Gordon/St.Catharines,ONT
27 15.113 79.402 1X Willy Decker/Vernon,NY
28 15.119 79.370 3W Donnie Wetmore,Jr./Weedsport,NY
29 15.135 79.286 15 A.J. Romano/Johnstown,NY
30 15.138 79.271 77X Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
31 15.165 79.130 85V Dan Vauter/Forest City, PA
32 15.188 79.010 21K Roger Chrysler/Lewiston, NY
33 15.189 79.005 99B Chuck Bower/Lansing, NY
34 15.259 78.642 35 Don Hart,Jr./Bainbridge,NY
35 15.295 78.457 7Z Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
36 15.323 78.314 78 Vince Quenneville/Middlebury, VT
37 15.326 78.298 124 Bob McCreadie/Watertown,NY
38 15.343 78.212 007 Roy Tarbell/Hogansburg,NY
39 15.422 77.811 99P Tim Jones/Sanborn,NY
40 15.445 77.695 37 Kyle Jacobs/Hogansburg,NY
41 15.477 77.534 80J Jeff Sykes/Edwards, NY
42 15.481 77.514 37P Francisco Pereira/Etobicoke,ONT
43 15.541 77.215 76 Brett Graham/Accord, NY
44 15.563 77.106 99 Billy Cook/Akwesasne,NY
45 15.741 76.234 55 Perry Francis/Akwesasne,NY
46 15.851 75.705 80 Jeff Marshall/Ft.Covington,NY
47 16.170 74.212 T21 Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
48 -NT ----- 17C Pete Cosco/St.Catharines,ONT
49 -NT- ----- 72 Pierre Dagenais/Gatineau,QUE
50 -NT- ----- 82s Roy Shields/King Ferry,NY
@Top-2 locked into pre-race feature draw.
Heats (10 laps, 4 transfer to feature; top 2 redraw)
#1: J. Johnson, Fuller, Gibbs, Bicknell, Rauscher, Bower, Wetmore Jr., Tarbell, Graham, Cosco.
#2: Bachetti, R. Johnson, Sheppard, Lampman Jr., Hart Jr., Mattison, Cook, Jones, Dagenais, Romano.
#3 Ward, Hoard, Burley, Pratt, D. Johnson, Planck, E. Gauvreau, Jacobs, Francis.
#4 Hearn, Phelps, Henry Jr., Gordon, Quenneville, Richner, Vauter, Sykes, Marshall.
#5 P. O'Brien, D. O'Brien, Dingwall, W. Decker, Pereira, Ra. Chrysler, Ro. Chrysler, Terrance, Jones (DNS).
Consolation Round (10 laps, winners transfer to feature)
#1: Rauscher, Mattison, Gauvreau, Sykes, Jacobs, Wetmore Jr., Quenneville, Marshall.
#2: Planck, Vauter, Hart Jr., Dagenais, Ra. Chrysler, Pereira, Jones, Graham, Cosco.
#3: D. Johnson, Bower, Richner, Romano, Cook, Tarbell, Terrance, Francis, Ro. Chrysler.
Overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT 358-Mod Point Standings
(through Oct. 6, 2005):
No. Driver Home Track Bonus PointsTotal Diff Money
1 14J Alan Johnson Fulton 1000 992 1,992 0$22,375
2 42 Pete Bicknell Merritt/Ransom 1000 930 1,930 -62$13,150
3 28s Matt Sheppard Fulton 980 734 1,714 -278 $9,420
4 77x Dale Planck Cornwall 1000 696 1,696 -296 $5,150
5 6 Pat O'Brien Brockville 1000 677 1,677 -315 $6,520
6 10x Richie Pratt Jr. Bridgeport 1000 652 1,652 -340 $4,060
7 4 Brett Hearn Edelweiss 910 714 1,624 -368$11,750
8 22 Stewart Friesen Ransomville 912 676 1,588 -404 $8,670
9 26 Rick Richner Merrittville 942 626 1,568 -424 $3,540
10 37 Kyle Jacobs Edelweiss 946 576 1,522 -470 $3,120
11 3 Donnie Wetmore Jr.Fulton 970 539 1,509 -483 $2,825
12 55 Perry Francis Brockville 926 549 1,475 -517 $2,750
13 66x Carey Terrance ® Frogtown 960 486 1,446 -546 $2,440
14 124 Pierre Dagenais Edelweiss 1000 421 1,421 -571 $3,590
15 m70 Billy Cook Frogtown 942 443 1,385 -607 $1,895
16 48T Dave Rauscher Fulton 960 366 1,326 -666 $1,590
17 62 Todd Burley Ransomville 980 319 1,299 -693 $3,020
18 83 Danny O'Brien Brockville 980 285 1,265 -727 $2,220
19 7z Danny Johnson Ransomville 914 333 1,247 -745 $4,900
20 rp23Larry Lampman Jr. Merrittville 980 267 1,247 -745 $2,300
21 26g Scott George Ransomville 942 281 1,223 -769 $1,465
22 19 John Lazore Fulton 946 234 1,180 -812 $2,120
23 93 Richie Vinson Merrittville 938 208 1,146 -846 $1,070
24 84 Dave Heaslip Cornwall 980 145 1,125 -867 $1,720
25 21 Yan Bussiere Drummond 930 189 1,119 -873 $1,250
26 123 Robbie Krull Ransomville 970 140 1,110 -882 $700
27 3 Chad Brachmann Ransomville 960 142 1,102 -890 $750
28 46 Kayle Robidoux Drummond 980 100 1,080 -912 $450
29 23 Laurent Ladouceur Edelweiss 980 96 1,076 -916 $525
30 007 Roy Tarbell Cornwall 918 157 1,075 -917 $670
31 44 Brian Stevens Merritt/Ransom 950 113 1,063 -929 $620
32 21k Randy Chrysler Merrittville 906 156 1,062 -930 $670
33 01 Mike Adderley Brockville 916 138 1,054 -938 $640
34 66 Kyle Dingwall Brockville 950 95 1,045 -947 $1,100
35 8 Alan Jacobs Frogtown 1000 44 1,044 -948 $200
36 66 Yannick Ledoux Granby 942 90 1,032 -960 $2,000
37 7 Sam Crogan Ransomville 934 94 1,028 -964 $430
38 31T Tom Jock Jr. Frogtown 928 90 1,018 -974 $470
39 5 Don Spatorico Ransomville 946 72 1,018 -974 $600
40 80J Jeff Sykes Frogtown 916 101 1,017 -975 $400
41 9 Ken Cosgrove Merrittville 960 56 1,016 -976 $220
42 1F Adam Ferri ® Merrittville 930 84 1,014 -978 $450
43 80 Jeff Marshall Frogtown 930 81 1,011 -981 $200
44 72 Mike Bliss Ransomville 918 90 1,008 -984 $400
45 78 Vince Quenneville Granby 904 100 1,004 -988 $1,500
46 90 Martin Roy Drummond 1000 0 1,000 -992 $0
47 28 Steve Poirier Granby 1000 0 1,000 -992 $0
48 44 Sebastien Gougeon Drummond 942 58 1,000 -992 $350
49 151kBrian McDonald Cornwall 946 43 989 -1,003 $3,455
50 22 Dan Miller Merrittville 934 54 988 -1,004 $230
Pit Notes
* Nearly 50 cars registered for action on Thursday, with nine drivers making their first starts on the tour this season. Alan Johnson set fast time in qualifying; lapping the 1/2-mile in 14.622 seconds at 82.607 mph. Stewart Friesen, wheeling a rough looking no. 22 mount for Miller Motorsports, was second quick at 14.643.
* Earlier in the day, Hearn set fast time at the Syracuse Mile during qualifying for the Goulds Pumps-ITT Industries Salute to the Troops 150-lap 358-Modified Championship on Saturday.
* Nine drivers were added to the Brewerton feature field: Richner, Francis, Jacobs, Wetmore were added as guaranteed starters; Mattison, Vauter and Bower were added as track option starters and Terrance and Dagenais were provisional starters.
* Among those making their first 358-Mod Super DIRT Series starts were Bob Henry Jr., driving the no. B2; Mitch Gibbs, driving the no. 2G; Ronnie Johnson, at the wheel of the no. 2J and Accord Speedway regulars Don Hart Jr. (No. 35) and Brett Graham (No. 76).
* Joan and Harvey Fink celebrated their 44th Wedding Anniversary at the track. The event marked the close of the 2005 season the Brewerton Speedway.
HOOSIER TIRE / SUNOCO RACE FUELS
MR. DIRT 358-MODIFIED POINT CHAMPIONS: 1983-2004
YEAR CHAMPION (SDS wins) ROOKIE of the YEAR
2004 Pat Ward (2) John Lazore
2003 Tim Fuller (2) Randy Chrysler
2002 Steve Paine (4) Justin Haers
2001 Alan Johnson (7) Matt Sheppard
2000 Danny Johnson (15) Alex Hoag
1999 Steve Paine (3) / Danny Johnson Frankie Caprara
1998 Alan Johnson (6) Todd Stewart
1997 Alan Johnson (4) Joel Doiron
1996 Danny Johnson (8) Tim McCreadie
1995 Pat O'Brien Chris Jones
1994 Pete Bicknell (2) Lee Gill
1993 Tim Fuller (1) Billy King
1992 Pat O'Brien Nick Lapp
1991 Pete Bicknell (3) Mike Bruno
1990 Pat O'Brien (1) Tom Perrego
1989 Laurent Ladouceur Randy Conners
1988 Pat O'Brien (2) Ron Valade
1987 Curt VanPelt (2) Laurent Ladouceur
1986 Doug Carlyle (3) Roger Lalonde
1985 Lin Hough (3) Jim Chenette
1984 Jeff Heotzler (2) Randy Ritskes
1983 Tony Corcoran (1) -----
Get Out the Word First: RACEceiver is the Official Driver Communicator of DIRT MotorSports. A compact radio receiver that conveniently fits into a driver’s pocket, a RACEceiver allows each driver to hear directions from series officials, which greatly enhances the safety and timeliness of events. A similar version available to fans will allow RACEceiver users to hear what information series officials are relaying to the drivers. For more information about RACEceiver, visit www.raceceiver.com, call 866-301-7223, or look for their sales trailers at various events.
Another perfect score: In DIRT MotorSports™ ongoing effort to assist every sanctioned track with presenting the best possible race programs, DMS has teamed with AMB i.t. which is now recognized as the Official Timing System of DIRT MotorSports™ for the next five years. AMB i.t. is the world’s leader in automatic race timing and scoring systems and the DIRT organization is proud to retain the company as a valued partner in the timing and scoring of all DIRT MotorSports™ events.
On the heels of Super DIRT Week XXXIV, the 2005 358-Modified Series has two weeks off until the season finale at Bridgeport (NJ) Speedway, Oct. 22.
2005
358-MODIFIED SUPER DIRT SERIES SCHEDULE
Day-Date
Track (Laps)
Winner/Location
Mon-Aug 1 Merrittville Speedway (50L) ...........................ALAN JOHNSON
Tue-Aug 2 Ransomville Speedway (75L) ........................BRETT HEARN
Mon-Aug 8 Brockville Ontario Speedway (50L) ...............STEWART FRIESEN
Tue-Aug 9 Autodrome Edelweiss (75L) ......................... ALAN JOHNSON
Wed-Aug 10 Frogtown Int'l Speedway (75L) ...................... Rain-Cancelled
Tue-Aug 23 Canandaigua Speedway (75L) ...................... ALAN JOHNSON
Sun-Sep 4 Cornwall Motor Speedway (100L) ................. PETE BICKNELL
Sat-Sep 10 Lebanon Valley Speedway (50L) .................. ANDY BACHETTI
Sun-Sep 11 Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd. (50L) ............ TIM FULLER
Fri-Sep 16 Brockville Ontario Speedway (75L) ............... Rain-Cancelled
Sat-Sep 17 Rolling Wheels Raceway (100L) ................... TIM FULLER
Sat-Sep 24 Canandaigua Speedway (75L) ..................... ALAN JOHNSON
Wed-Oct 5 Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd. (100L) .......... PAT WARD
Thr-Oct 6 Brewerton Speedway (75L) .......................... ALAN JOHNSON
Fri-Oct 7 Rolling Wheels Raceway (100L) .................. Elbridge, NY
Sat-Oct 8 New York State Fairgrounds (150L) ............. Syracuse, NY
Sat-Oct 22 Bridgeport Speedway (100L) ........................ Bridgeport, NJ
The DIRT MotorSports™ 358 Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Stacker 2®, Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels and DART Machinery. Promotional Partners include AMB i.t., RACEceiver, Zippo Lighters and F.X. Caprara Car Companies and the contingency sponsors are Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, MSD Ignitions and Wrisco Industries.