ALAN JOHNSON WINS FOR SIXTH TIME AT FULTON SATURDAY;
BECOMES FIRST EVER WINNER OF BACK-TO-BACK BONUS
Fulton, NY…Alan Johnson led just one lap of the DIRT Modified 358 Feature at Fulton on Saturday, and it netted him a total of $2800. After starting in 26th spot, Johnson ran down Steve Hulsizer in the Jason Barney back-up 87 and passed him on the final lap for the $1500 victory.
Johnson also became the first ever winner of the Pre-Paid Legal Services, Independent Associates Back-To-Back Bonus, which was worth $1300. The bonus pays any driver who wins the Modified feature at Brewerton on Friday and then comes back to win the 358 Modified feature at Fulton the next night.
Other feature winners were Paul Benz in the DIRT Sportsman (his first ever), Ray Maloney in the Pro Stocks, Chad Ray in the Pure Stocks, and Bobby Scaccio in the Central New York Mini Sprint Shootout on Hoffman’s Hot Haus/Wayne Regional Orthopedic Night at Fulton.
Johnson had to start almost dead last in the tough Small Block Modified field after he was unable to qualify though his heat race. Steve Hulsizer, aboard the borrowed Stadium International Trucks Team Car 87J, shot off his front row starting position and into the early lead.
Jim Witko, Jr. ran second through the first six laps, and was trying to stay with Hulsizer when a grinding multi-car tangle on lap 7 involved Ty Hunt, Jimmy Phelps, Dale Planck, and Billy Shantel. Planck was done for the evening, while Shantel and Phelps returned several laps down.
The race had just gone back to green when Hunt and Tim Burnett got together in turn four and the second yellow occurred. Hulsizer, Witko, Dave Reilly, Jeff Rudalavage, and Rick Miller were the top five cars at this point, with Alan Johnson having moved into 6th in just 9 laps.
One lap after going back to green, The top four cars went four-wide as the crowd roared its approval of the intense competition on the hallowed high-banks. Hulsizer came out as the leader, but Rudalavage and Johnson would go side-by-side for four laps before Johnson finally took over the runnerup spot.
As Hulsizer became the NGK Spark Plugs Halfway Leader, the 14J of Johnson was driving a smooth but aggressive race trying to erase a deficit of over a full straightaway. Rudalavage continued to hold third, with Miller and the 22 of Gil Tegg following behind.
As the leaders approached lap traffic, the drama began to build. Johnson slowly but steadily reeled in the leader, closing to within a car length with five laps to go. Slower traffic played a part in the outcome, but it was Johnson’s experience and his ability to keep his composure that allowed him to draw alongside with three laps to go.
The fans were cheering wildly as the white flag was waved on lap 34. Johnson was working the low groove to perfection, but Hulsizer’s 87J was sticking well in the top groove. In the end, the black 14J of Johnson was less than half a car length ahead of Hulsizer and he won his sixth race of the season at Fulton.
Johnson, Hulsizer, Tegg, Rudalavage, and J.J Michaels were the top five finishers. For Tegg and Rudalavage, it was their best Fulton runs of the season.
The Central New York Mini Sprints rolled into town with their roof wings and open cockpits for the first annual Midsummer Shootout at Fulton. The feature began with the 76 of Paul James slowing on the front straightaway, forcing a yellow on the opening lap.
Brian Burns was the early leader with his 97B, but following him closely was the 47B of Bobby Scaccio. Scaccio was in relentless pursuit of the top spot, and he was not going to take no for an answer. Just before the 34 of Bruce Brown slowed to bring out another yellow, Scaccio shot by Burns and assumed control of the race.
The yellow flag was waved again when 14-year old sensation Corey Sparks spun his winged machine out of turn four, killing the momentum that Scaccio was beginning to build. It would not diminish his dominating performance, however, as he led the rest of the distance despite one final caution to take the win in the Papa Joe’s Restaurant of Sodus Point, NY sponsored race.
Mini-Sprint veteran A.J. Bagozzi, who finished second, followed Scaccio across the line. Third went to the 62 of Jeff Howell, with the 15M of Mike Emhoff and the 1 of P.J. Peworchik filling out the top five. Peworchik’s night almost ended prematurely, as he had to do a fast shuffle to miss Corey Sparks when he spun earlier in the event.
The Pure Stocks put on one of the finest shows they have ever run at Fulton in the eyes of many insiders. Gary Barton led at the opening green flag, but was immediately hounded by teenage hot shoe Bobby Newman. Newman raced alongside of Barton for three laps before completing the pass for the lead as he was in search of his first ever win in his young career.
The 42 of Jeremy Bargabos brushed the wall in turn four and brought out a yellow flag on lap four, losing a bumper in the process. He restarted at the rear of the field as Newman had Barton, Dave Mannise, Ken Connors, and Darren Kelso trailing.
Mannise appeared to be shot out of a cannon on the restart, blasting his way up to second and chasing down leader Newman. Chad Ray also moved from sixth to third as he now ran with the two top runners. On lap 8, Kelso, Joe Buske, and Rob Seavy collided as they raced for fourth coming out of turn two. All three drivers went to the pits for the night with damage to their racers, eliminating three fast runners.
Mannise wasted no time in snatching the lead away from Newman on the restart, and it appeared experience would win out over youthful exuberance. However, Newman came roaring back and put his 5n under the man nicknamed “Mr. Pro Stock”, showing he was not intimidated by anyone including Mannise.
Ken Connors and Chad Ray were racing for third, with Connors holding the spot on lap eleven as Scott Beeles turned around on the back straightaway, causing a caution. This yellow would set the stage for a finish that lit up the crowd.
On the restart, Mannise held the lead, but one lap later a thrilling three-wide move found Chad Ray going from third to first as Newman desperately tried to go back by him and Mannise charging from behind. At the checkers, Ray held a car-length lead over Newman, who finished second in his finest performance ever in a Pure Stock.
Ray was the happy winner, with Newman beating out Mannise, Connors, and a strong running Todd Koegel. In victory lane, Ray remarked that he had “no idea” how he had just pulled off the win as the crowed applauded approvingly. Newman was the NGK Spark Plugs Halfway Leader.
The Hollywood script was not yet completely written on this night, as the DIRT Sportsman feature had yet to be run. Paul Benz put his 29 out front at the start, but a quick spin by the 00 of Adam Van Patten forced a restart that put the 111 of Walt McCardell on Benz’ back bumper.
Lap four saw a horrifying flip by first-time Fulton runner Rick McCreadie. McCreadie made his initial appearance of the season at Fulton after Can-Am Speedway was rained out, and caught a wheel from the 9W of Cliff West. After doing a series of barrel rolls, McCreadie was able to climb from his racer and announced later that this would not be his last appearance at Fulton. He was uninjured, and the field was reset with Benz leading McCardell, Greg Doust, Tim Johnson, and Tom Juhl.
Johnson went on a tear after the restart, moving as high as second for a couple of laps before the intense battle amongst the top five found him shuffled back a bit. At the halfway point, Benz was opening up ground and fans began to wonder if this would not be his night to shine at the Fulton Speedway.
One more yellow was needed on lap 15 when Shane Donath lost the handle and looped his 28 in turn two. Juhl got hot after the restart and worked his way to second, but could not catch the high-flying Benz.
After five years of trying, Paul Benz finally tasted the fruits of his endless labor as he celebrated in victory lane with his crew, family, and supporters. Finishing second was Juhl, with McCardell, Doust, and Tim Sears rounding out the fast five. Benz led flag-to-flag, and made himself the NGK Spark Plugs Halfway Leader.
The Pro Stock Feature would provide even more storybook material, and it began with Jerry Holmes charging off the top groove from his sixth starting spot to the lead in just half-a-lap. By lap 2, Ray Maloney had moved to second. Maloney had led all but the final lap in the special midweek race just four days previous, and was seeking to garner that first win of the season.
Lap four saw two incidents occur in two different ends of the speedway. The 87 of Ryan Buskey spun in turn four, and the 14 of T.J. Fitzgibbons became entangled with the 00 of Paul Streiff in turn two. After a delay to pull the 14 and 00 apart, the race resumed with Holmes trying to fend off Maloney, Danny Winks, Ricky Breed, and Jason Rood.
Breed and Rood moved into third and fourth by lap six, shuffling Winks back to fifth. The battle between Holmes and Maloney raged on for no less than 8 laps before Fitzgibbons encountered his second misfortune of the race when he smashed into a tire barrier, causing a caution on the track.
That caution would be the key to Maloney opening victory lane’s door, as he moved past Holmes on the ensuing restart to take command. Holmes had a shot at revenge when Winks spun on the 18th lap, but Maloney would have none of it and finished the job he had started the previous Wednesday by being first across the finish line and taking the victory.
At the stripe Maloney was first, with Holmes, Breed, Rood, and Joe Jackson rounding out the top five. Holmes was the NGK Spark Plugs Halfway Leader. The entire race program was over by 10:30pm.
The next race at Fulton is Saturday, August 5th. The DIRT Sportsman, DIRT Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks will join the DIRT 358 Modifieds for another exciting night of racing. The Dwarf Car event scheduled for August 5th has been taken off the schedule.
Gates will open at 5pm, with race time scheduled for 7pm sharp. For more information, contact the speedway office at (315) 593-6531, or see them online at www.fultonspeedway.com.
358 MODIFIEDS: ALAN JOHNSON, Steve Hulsizer, Gil Tegg, Jeff Rudalavage, J.J. Michaels, Rick Miller, John Barker, Ryan Baye, Jim Mahaney, Gus Schmidt, Chris Bushnell, Jim Witko, Dave Reilly, Ty Hunt, Lance Petzoldt, Tony Buffa, Roger Phelps, Steve Roberts, Jimmy Phelps, Billy Shantel, Danny O’Brien, Pete Taylor, Tim Burnett, Jason Barney, Dale Planck, and Brent Wilcox.
CNY MINI SPRINTS: BOBBY SCACCIO, A.J. Bagozzi, Jeff Howell, Mike Emhoff, P.J. Peworchik, Eddie Warren, Paul James, Duffy Woodruff, Howard Thurlow, Ryan Lund, David Huss, Jeremy Vunk, Brian Burns, Corey Sparks, Bruce Brown, and Jeff Collins.
PURE STOCKS: CHAD RAY, Bobby Newman, Dave Mannise, Ken Connors, Todd Koegel, Jeremy Bargabos, Gary Barton, Bruce Stanton, Adam Morely, Chris Smiedy, Dennis Brown, Scott Beeles, Rob Seavy, Darren Kelso, Joe Buske, Jay Finch, and Rob Whipple.
SPORTSMAN: PAUL BENZ, Tom Juhl, Walt McCardell, Greg Doust, Tim Sears, Gregg Carner, Willy Decker, Tim Johnson, Jim Kite, Ron Richardson, Dave Bargabos, Jim Bowman, Clayt Brewer, Bill Shantel Jr., Jeremy Pitcher, Paul Kinney, John Cunningham, Lance Willis, Mark Yorker, Shane Donath, Ed Ferris, Cliff West, Rick McCreadie, and Adam Van Patten.
PRO STOCKS: RAY MALONEY, Jerry Holmes, Rick Breed, Jason Rood, Joe Jackson, Keith Butler, Dave Fox, Chuck Matthews, Ryan Buskey, Danny Winks, Paul Stoneburg, Herm Flowers, Scott Moyer, Leroy Sabin, Mike Dicquist, T.J. Fitzgibbons, and Paul Streiff.