DOCTOR J WINS COLD OPENER AT 'DAGUA
by Gary Spaid
CANANDAIGUA, NY...Under near freezing conditions Danny Johnson, from Rochester, NY, cruised home to a easy victory during last Saturday's 35-lap DIRT Modified season opener at the Canandaigua Speedway. Joining the victory celebrations on opening night were Karl Comfort in the sportsman division, Kevin Smith aboard his Pro-Stock and Mike Minutolo driving his Pure Stock. Winner of the first modified heat race, Danny Johnson took command of the feature at the drop of the green flag from his pole starting spot. Pat Ward, winner of the second heat, and starting outside pole, grabbed second with Billy Decker third, Bryon Turner fourth and Tim Fuller in fifth.
The first yellow flag came on lap 5 when Gil Tegg Jr. and Darryl Ruggles came together in the fourth turn. With Johnson remaining as the leader, the second caution flag flew on lap 8 when Quebecian David Hebert and Vic Coffey made heavy contact in the third turn. Both drivers were eliminated from what seemed to be very profitable finishes.
The third and final yellow flag came on lap 24 when Scott Schrader popped the motor on his Denny's Restaurant number 58 while coming down the front stretch.
Danny JohnsonJohnson would claim the victory with Decker finishing a close second. Tim Fuller finished third some 15 cars back, with Todd Burley fourth and Chuck Hebing fifth.
Two track favorites, Bob McCreadie and Alan Johnson both ran into problems. McCreadie dropped out of the race on lap 26, while Alan Johnson's saw his car loaded in the hauler after his heat race making for a DNQ on the night.
In sportsman action Todd Henderson looked to be on his way to victory, leading for the first thirteen laps. On lap 14, Karl Comfort shot past Henderson through the fourth turn and then proceeded to pull away to a ten car advantage over Henderson to take the first sportsman victory of the young season.
Two yellow flags slowed the 20-lap sportsman feature. The first came on lap 2 when Rick VanNeil slid along the front stretch concrete wall, blowing out his right side tires. The second yellow came on lap 12 when rookie Bill Englert and Wade Czymmek came together in the first turn. During the restart following this yellow, third place Mike Button's Wilbert GM Auto Parts number 80x bogged down and luckily made it to pit road and out of harms way.
Karl ComfortComfort was followed home by a distant Paul Guererri, who took second from Henderson on lap 18 of 20. Henderson finished third followed by Vince Vitale and Rich Swarthout.
John Pfeffer had qualified for the sportsman feature, but was unable to start the main event after having flipped in the second turn of his heat race and earning the last transfer position in that qualifier. Pfeffer was the first driver to make the "Upside Down Club" in 1999 at Canandaigua.
Kevin SmithKevin Smith waited until a spin out by the two lead cars with just two laps remaining to take the lead in the Pro-stock 15-lap main event. Both Jon Unaman and Scott Fremouw found themselves sitting in the third turn after Unaman was tapped slightly by the Fremouw machine while passing for the lead.
Following Smith across the finish line were Randy Miller and Les Whyte in almost a dead heat. Miller was awarded second after review by the scorers. Whyte was declared the third place finisher followed by John Miller and Dave Conant.
Mike Minutolo picked up where he left off the 1998 season by sitting in victory lane aboard his Pure Stock.
Canandaigua will be in action this Saturday when it will be Auto Trader magazine and Computer Excellence night at the speedway. A full four star card will be on tap featuring the best clay oval racing in the northeast.
Canandaigua Speedway is located just east of the village of Canandaigua just off Route 21. The speedway can easily be accessed via the New York State Thruway by either exit 44 or 43. Race time will be at 7:30 p.m.
LIMEROCK SPEEDWAY NIGHT SUMMARY
PURE STOCK
FEATURE (12-laps): MIKE MINUTOLO, Mike Archer, Leroy Lewis, Tim Burnell, Steve Miller, Brad Steinruck, Jim VanArsdale, Todd Stanton.
PRO-STOCK
HEAT 1: J. Unaman, K. Smith, L. Whyte, B. Brown, B. Thompson, L. Burnett.
HEAT 2: T. Barron, S. Fremouw, R. Miller, J. Miller, D. Conant, J. Sullivan.
FEATURE (15-laps): KEVIN SMITH, Randy Miller, Les Whyte, John Miller, Dave Conant, Tommy Barron, Billy Brown, Lee Burnett, Chad Homan, Jerry Sullivan, Jim Gagne, Brian Thompson, Scott Fremouw, John Unaman, Jim Burba, Phil Barone, Frank Burnell.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: T. Henderson, L. Dusett, P. Guererri, D. Allen, J. Pfeffer, R. Cartwright.
HEAT 2: M. Button, V. Vitale, J. Haers Jr., K. Stell, B. Englert.
HEAT 3: R. Swarthout, D. Darling, K. Comfort, W. Czymmek, Ju. Haers, L. Lincoln.
CONSI: S. Gray, T. Johnson, R. VanNeil, R. Hefti, S. Updike, C. Parmelee.
FEATURE (20-laps): KARL COMFORT, Paul Guererri, Todd Henderson, Vince Vitale, Rich Swarthout, Lance Dusett, Steve Gray, Loren Lincoln, Jerry Haers Jr., Justin Haers, Chris Ridsdale, Wade Czymmek, David Allen, Clay Parmelee, Dale Darling, Bill Englert, Scott Updike, Mike Button, Russ Hefti, Ron Cartwright, Keith Stell, Rick VanNeil, Tim Johnson.
MODIFIED HEAT 1: D. Johnson, B. Turner, G. Tomkins, C. Donk, S. Ridley, R. Bliss Jr.
HEAT 2: P. Ward, C. Donk, S. Paine, C. Hebing, S. Schultz, J. Burke.
HEAT 3: B. Decker, T. Fuller, T. Burley, S. Schrader, V. Coffey, B. McCreadie.
CONSI: C. Bower, G. Tegg Jr., D. Ruggles, S. Glover.
FEATURE (35-laps): DANNY JOHNSON, Billy Decker, Tim Fuller, Todd Burley, Chuck Hebing, Charlie Donk, Pat Ward, Steve Paine, Bryon Turner, Ray Bliss Jr., Darryl Ruggles, Steve Schultz, Chuck Bower, Bob McCreadie, Scott Schrader, Gary Tomkins, Jim Burke, Gil Tegg Jr., Vic Coffey, David Hebert, Scott Ridley, Steve Glover.