JOHNSON FAMILY BRINGS HOME 1-2 FINISH AT FONDA
It was Eye Rock 500 Night at the Track of Champions, sponsored by radio station PYX106. Skydivers landed on the infield carrying the American flag and Bob Wolfson from morning show Wakin' Up With the Wolf arrived by helicopter to start the night off. Twenty visually impaired drivers qualified through two heats to make up the main event to be run later in the evening.
As part of the special events of the evening, PYX106 sponsored a "Drag Race" with 15 men dressed in wedding gowns racing down the frontstretch on foot to win a $3,000 diamond ring from Mayfair Jewelers in Scotia. Neil Messenger won the race and fell into the wedding cake donated by Grandma Millie's Bakery.
Richard Diefendorf, with coach driver Howard Smith led the Eye Rock 500 main event at the green flag. Under an early caution period for a spinning car, Scott Flaska and coach Elmo Reckner took over the point relegating the Diefendorf machine to second. Caution flew again due to a crash in turn three, enabling Diefendorf to make a pit stop to resecure the car's hood that had flown up. This put him outside the top 6 but within a lap he was back up to third and quickly took the lead back. At the checkered flag it was Diefendorf, Scott Flaskain second and Bob Kellerhouse in third. The winner received airline tickets courtesy of Independence Air to anywhere. Diefendorf thanked all the sponsors of the event and will be heading off to Disneyland. He said he was "truly scared, but it was a fun scared". He came to run last year but had car trouble and wasn't able to race.
IMCA Modifieds
Ken VanWert and Eric Stumpf led the IMCA field to the green flag in their feature, but it was defending track champion Danny Ballard, having started third, who emerged as the leader. Jeff Jones, who came onto the track as the green flag flew was making short work of the field and was up to the seventh position by lap 5. Jones passed Danny Ody for third just two laps later and had his sights set on the second place spot held by George Catanzano.
A caution just before halfway allowed the Z1 Racing Products car of Catanzano to take the lead from Ballard. At the halfway mark it was Catanzano, Ballard, Steve Vrooman, Ody and Jones.
On lap 14, Van Wert experience engine trouble and slowed going into turn one and got hit by Tom Funk, ending the evening for them both.
Ballard appeared to be reeling in Catanzano, but never got close enough to make a serious challenge. At the finish it was Catanzano, Ballard, Vrooman, Aaron Jacobs and Ody.
In victory lane, Catanzano dedicated this season to a true champion in this division, Steve Bidwell. Bidwell, a two time IMCA champion, lost his life in an automobile accident last November. After their feature the IMCA drivers took to the stands with their helmets to collect money for fellow IMCA racer Skip Pabis who was injured in a racing accident at Afton Speedway last week.
IMCA Summary - 14 cars total; 5 qualify from each
Heat 1 George Catanzano
Danny Ody
Eric Stumpf
Tom Funk
Jo Jo Donato
Heat 2 Dan Ballard
Steve Vrooman
Phil Balmen
Aaron Jacobs
Ken VanWert
Feature Finish - 20 laps
George Catanzano, Danny Ballard, Steve Vrooman, Aaron Jacobs, Danny Ody, Jeff Jones, Phil Balmen, Jo Jo Donato, Carol Parker, Jim Roberts, Justin LaBombard, Malcum Warner, Ken VanWert, Tom Funk, Eric Stumpf
Sportsman
Neil Erickson and Mark Kislowski brought the sportsman feature to the green flag, but the Terry Morris Ford sponsored machine of Kislowski took off to an early lead. Jessica Zemken cut her way through the field from her sixth place start to take over second on the backstretch on lap 2. John McAuliffe started in tenth, but by lap 5 was running third and challenging Zemken for the second spot. McAuliffe had just taken the lead when the caution flew on lap six for contact between Erickson and David Towns which sent Towns into the turn one wall.
On the restart it was McAuliffe, Kislowski, Zemken, Elmo Reckner, Josh Hohenforst in the top 5. Justin House, who had trouble on the initial start was moving steadily through the field and up to eighth place. Reckner wasted no time moving up to take the second spot and was chasing down the leader when caution flew again for Vinnie Sanganetti spinning in turn 2.
House was really on a mission and within only a few laps was running a great race side by side with Zemken. The two swapped places for a few laps, and he emerged the victor in that battle, but McAuliffe won the war. Caution again flew on lap 16 when Chris Garrity, who had a good run going spun and got hit by Pete Sisler. A steady rain was falling and the race was checkered. McAuliffe got the win, with Reckner, Hohenforst, House and Zemken rounding out the top 5.
Sportsman Summary - 26 total cars; 5 qualify from each heat
Heat 1 Mark Kislowski
Neil Erickson
Robert Perry
Tony Farone
Chris Garrity
Heat 2 Elmo Reckner
John McAuliffe
Josh Hohenforst
Pete Sisler
Jeremiah Munson
Heat 3 Jessica Zemken
Justin House
David Towns
Eric Nelson
Drew Fallis
Feature Finish - 20 laps, shortened by rain to 16
John McAuliffe, Elmo Reckner, Josh Hohenforst, Justin House, Jessica Zemken, Tony Farone, Eric Nelson, Mark Kislowski, Robert Perry, Drew Fallis, Mark Mortensen, Jeremiah Munson, Chris Garrity, Neil Erickson, Randy Meka, Pete Sisler, Jeff Davis, Jim Meka, John Constantino, Dave Constantino, Vinnie Sanganetti, Luke Munroe, Rich Salisbury, Tom LaPlante, Dan Papa, David Towns
Modified
Jack Johnson made history again as he took home the checkers on his 142nd win at the legendary track. Young Josh Pieniazek led the field to the green flag followed by a herd of hungry competitors, some of whom have been racing since before he was born. On the inside, starting first and third were John Marsh, Sr. and Jr. On the outside, starting eighth and tenth were Jack and Ronnie Johnson. A real family affair in the modified feature, but Jack and Ronnie weren't having a reunion - they were on a mission. By the end of lap 3 Jack had moved to second and Ronnie and Jeff Trombley were making short work of it as they moved into third and fourth.
Caution flew on lap 8 for Steve Akers who stopped on the backstretch. On the restart, it was Pieniazek, Jack Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Jeff Trombley and Ryan Odasz. Last week's winner, Bobby Varin, sat just outside the top 5. Jack took the lead and Ronnie followed close behind. Trombley, Odasz and Pieniazek were three wide coming into turn four and Pieniazek got shuffled back. The final caution came out on lap 10 for Jerry Pennock, Jr. and when the race resumed, Odasz was mounting a charge, passing Trombley and closing in on Ronnie Johnson, but he never got to him. Bobby Varin and Dave Camara put on a whale of a battle for the 5th place with Varin prevailing.
The race was called complete on lap 27 due to another rain shower and Jack Johnson was declared the winner, Ronnie second and Odasz, Trombley, and Varin rounding out the top 5. In victory lane Jack thanked his team and Frank Witz. He also complemented Ronnie saying that he's going to be really good, he just needs a break. This makes the 142nd win for Johnson.
Modified Summary - 32 cars total
Heat 1 John Marsh, Sr.
Jeff Trombley
Matt DeLorenzo
Dave Camara
Steve Akers
Heat 2 John Marsh, Jr.
Josh Pieniazek
Bobby Varin
Bob Vedder
Ryan Odasz
Heat 3 Ken Aanonsen
Ken Hanson
Ronnie Johnson
Jack Johnson
Tony Pepicelli
Mod Consi 1 Billy Osta
Ray Zemken
Jerry Pennock, Jr.
Jeff Holt
Todd Ryan
Mod Consi 2 Mike Fusco
Todd Morey
Jeremy Matthies
Robert King
Joe Duncan
Modified feature finish - 30 laps shortened to 27 due to rain
Jack Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Ryan Odasz, Jeff Trombley, Bobby Varin, Dave Camara, Dave Lape, Josh Pieniazek, Jim Davis, Ray Zemken, Ken Hanson, Tony Pepicelli, Alton Palmer, Jeff Holt, Billy Osta, Todd Morey, Steve Akers, Bob Vedder, Ron Holmes, Jeremy Mathies, John Marsh, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Ken Aanonsen, John Marsh, Jr., Matt DeLorenzo
Pro Stock Summary - 20 Cars total; 5 qualify from each heat
Heat 1 Chip Smith
Butchie Irwin
Nick Stone
Roy Fifield
Luke Klob
Heat 2 Steve Welch
Lori Cary
Ken Gates
Hondo Carpenter
Jeff Patrick
The Pro Stock and Street Stock features were postponed due to rain. The sportsman division will run one extra distance race next week for double points instead of double features. Last week's feature was postponed due to curfew.