May 31, 2009

Jack Johnson scores popular win to become fifth winner in six events
at Utica-Rome Speedway

ERNON, NY- If youth is a state of mind, then Jack Johnson is reliving his younger years as he turned back the clock this past Sunday evening to score the $2,000 Modified win at Utica-Rome Speedway. It was the 64 year old veteran’s second win of the weekend as he scored a win at Fonda Speedway on the evening before, bringing back memories of years past when he would win multiple features on weekends quite frequently. The win warmed the hearty souls that again braved cool and windy conditions in the grandstands.

Casey Williams and John Ramsey led the 26 car Modified field to the green flag to start the 30 lap feature event with Williams gaining the early advantage. Brad Alger charged from the fifth starting spot to the second spot by lap three with thoughts of getting the lead. The second caution of the night flew on lap eight, and on the restart Alger took over the top spot with sixth place starter Jack Johnson following him through for second. Another caution slowed the field again on lap 12, which was all that the legendary Johnson needed. The restart saw Johnson jump out front with Todd Burley, Williams, Mitch Gibbs, and Pat Ward also slipping by the rim riding Alger. At the halfway point it was Johnson, Gibbs, Burley, Alger, and Ward leading the field.

On lap 16, contact between Gibbs and Burley sent their two machines sliding up the banking in turns one and two in front of the field, bringing out the caution flag for the fifth time and sending the two veterans to the rear of the field. Alger was now in second spot again behind Johnson with Ward, Williams, and Ronnie Johnson now in the top five. Through the later stages of the race, Jack Johnson would survive two more caution periods to race away to his 27th win at the famed Vernon oval. Ward would eventually work his way to the runner up spot but he had nothing for the winner, while Ronnie Johnson would take the third spot. Stewart Friesen methodically made his way to the fourth spot with Williams hanging on to a fine fifth place finish. Rounding out the top ten was Brian Weaver, Alger, Burley, Bobby Varin, and Gibbs.

Sportsman action saw Jack Miller lead the field for the first two laps of the 20 lap event, with John Scarborough slipping by for the lead on the third circuit from his sixth starting spot. With Scarborough out front, the battle was on for the second spot between eighth place starter Steve Way and 13th starter Matt Janczuk. Scarborough would hang on to score his first ever Utica-Rome Speedway victory with Janczuk winning the battle for second. Way, Jeff Leslie, and Mike Button rounded out the top five spots.

Pole sitter Mark Effner led the first three laps of the Pro Stock feature with Dan Peo taking over on the fourth circuit. Peo’s turn at the front of the field would be short lived as sixth place starter Bret Belden would charge to the front on the sixth lap. Belden would survive several caution flags and point leader Tom Denton’s advances to score the 20 lap victory. Denton settled for the second spot followed by Shawn Frost, Chris Mackey, and Mark Effner.

Frank Hyatt powered to the lead at the drop of the green in the 15 lap Pure Stock main from his fourth starting spot to lead the first 10 laps. Ron Hawker and Chris Carr charged from ninth and tenth to get in the second and third spot, and when the top trio came down the front stretch three wide for the lead on lap 11, Carr was scored as the leader. Carr would race off to his third win of the season with Hyatt, Hawker, Cale Hoffman, and Bill Mason chasing.

The next event on the Utica-Rome Speedway calendar comes up on June 7 on New York Central Mutual presents the Race of Champions Dart Dirt Sportsman Series plus a regular show of Modifieds, Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks . Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at racing 5:30 p.m. For more information on the RoC Sportsman Series, log on to www.rocdirt.com.

MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 LAPS)- JACK JOHNSON, Pat Ward, Ronnie Johnson, Stewart Friesen, Casey Williams, Brian Weaver, Brad Alger, Todd Burley, Bobby Varin, Mitch Gibbs, John Ramsey, Paul Kinney, Jamie Christian, Willy Decker, Dave Rauscher, Lance Willix, Danny Varin, Jeff Kotary, Mike Trautschold, Craig Terrell, Bob Henry Jr., Ken McGuire, Alan Barker, Paul Jensen, Ted Lamb, and Tim Mayne.

SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS)- JOHN SCARBOROUGH, Matt Janczuk, Steve Way, Jeff Leslie, Mike Button, Jeremy Vunk, Jason Rood, Bill Trexler Jr., Greg Doust, Jack Miller, AJ Filbeck, Jim Rothwell, Claude Hutchings Jr., Craig Pope, Aaron Jacobs, and John Deforest. DNS- Michael Teachout and Glenn Forward.

PRO STOCK FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS)- BRET BELDEN, Tom Denton, Shawn Frost, Chris Mackey, Mark Effner, Bill Knapp, Jim Normoyle, Dan Peo, Rob Seavy, Jim Normoyle Jr., Dave Meeks, Jack Terrell, AJ Digsby, Ed Ostrander, Eric Vanderhoof, Rich Duanehauer, Jeff Pastorella, and Rocky Warner.

PURE STOCK FEATURE FINISH (15 LAPS)- CHRIS CARR, Frank Hyatt, Ron Hawker, Cale Hoffman, Bill Mason, Phil Norman, Rob Thieme, Jim Thomas, Chris Cunningham, Keith Stevenson, Andy Potter, Mike Harrison, and Jim Richmond.