DANNY JOHNSON SCORES IN THE "SHOWDOWN AT SUNDOWN" AT FULTON
FULTON, NY......Danny Johnson, driving a new car that had just been finished that afternoon, bested older brother Alan to score the win in the 99-lap Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series event Wednesday night at Fulton Speedway. Mark Yorker scored his first ever win in the companion Sportsman event.
Billy 'The Kid' Pauch led the starting field to the drop of the green flag in the 99-lap DIRT Modified feature event and took the early lead from the pole. Chuck Bower moved into the second spot with Alan Johnson slipping into third on lap 3. 'Barefoot' Bob McCreadie was moving up quickly as Alan began to battle with Bower for the second spot, grabbing it on lap 12. One lap later, the first yellow flag of the night flew as Pat Ward pulled down low on the front chute with a mechanical problem.
Pauch continued to lead on the restart, but Alan applied pressure and the two ran side by side for several laps while Bob McCreadie cracked the top five. The yellow flew again on lap 21 as Billy Decker slowed with a tire going down. He pitted and was able to change the tire without losing a lap. On the restart, Alan slipped past Pauch to take the lead while Tim McCreadie moved in to challenge Frank Cozze for the fourth spot. As Alan opened up a lead, Chuck Bower slowed with a flat tire on lap 30. Brake problems also occurred for Bower, who was out of contention.
Danny Johnson had snuck into the top five and picked his way up into the second spot, and on the lap 30 restart he took the lead from Alan. As the pair battled for the lead, Cozze moved into the third spot. Pauch began to fade as Danny and Alan pulled away from Cozze. Steve Paine and Steve Bottcher both had problems on lap 40, with Paine going to the pits for a tire change. Kenny Brightbill moved past Pauch to take over the fourth spot as the yellow flew again on lap 48, this time for Brett Hearn, who flattened a right rear.
As the race moved past the lap 50 mark, Pauch dropped out with a sour motor, moving Brightbill to the 3rd spot. Brightbill moved in on Alan to challenge for second position as Danny moved into lapped traffic. The final yellow of the feature flew on lap 76 when Kenny Tremont slowed with a flat. Bob McCreadie moved in on Brightbill and took third, but Brightbill was able to repass him.
In the final stages of the feature, Danny drove smoothly through traffic, pulling away from Alan, and capped his dominating drive with his second Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series win of the year. Alan and Brightbill came across the line together for second and third, with Brightbill receiving the guaranteed starting spot for the Eckerd 300 at Super DIRT Week in October. Jeff Rudalavage was the top finishing 358 Modified regular and received a guaranteed starting spot in the Sunoco Race Fuels 200 at Super DIRT Week as well. McCreadie was fourth and Jimmy Horton took the fifth spot. Heats for the DIRT Modifieds were won by Cozze, Paine, Doug Hoffman, and Bob McCreadie. Consolation races were won by Kenny Tremont and Pat Ward.
The companion 20-lap Sportsman feature saw Tim Johnson jump into the early lead and hold it until Mark Yorker, driving a backup car, passed him with five laps to go for the lead. Yorker held off John Cunningham to net his first career Sportsman feature win over Cunningham, Tony Buffa, Johnson, and Ron Richardson. Sportsman heats were won by Johnson, Richardson, and Russ Hefti.
Saturday night the Fulton Speedway hosts a regular show of DIRT 358 Modifieds and Sportsman plus double features for Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks. Gates open at 5pm and racing starts at 7pm.
RACE SUMMARY-RURAL BOLT "SHOWDOWN AT SUNDOWN"
FULTON SPEEDWAY-JULY 28, 1999
DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE-DANNY JOHNSON, Alan Johnson, Kenny Brightbill, Bob McCreadie, Jimmy Horton, Brett Hearn, Frank Cozze, Billy Decker, Doug Hoffman, Tim McCreadie, Scott Prentice, Bobby Varin, Mitch Gibbs, Jeff Rudalavage, Jim Gabriel, Steve Paine, Gary Tompkins, Kenny Tremont, Jimmy Phelps, Tom Sears, Billy Pauch, Tim Fuller, Vic Coffey, Steve Bottcher, Chuck Hebing, Todd Burley, Chuck Bower, Dale Planck, Pat Ward, AJ Romano.
DIRT SPORTSMAN FEATURE-MARK YORKER, John Cunningham, Tony Buffa, Tim Johnson, Ron Richardson, Russ Hefti, Greg Carner, Jeremy Pitcher, Bill Shantel Sr., Rich Keller, Greg Doust, Dave Bargabus, Mark Tily, Mike Holmes, Cliff West, Stewart Freisen, Ron Davis, Jim Spano, Jim LaRock, Dan Vail, Tim Searrs, John Phelps, Paul Benz, Clayton Brewer (DQ), Walt McArdell (DQ).