DANNY JOHNSON, STEWART FRIESEN, MIKE WILLIAMS, ROGER ISRAEL, AND DAN BAUGHMAN CAPTURE WINS AT THE BIG "R"
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(Helen and Alex Bruce Photos)
DANNY JOHNSON
Ransomville, NY...Friday, July 18th, 2003…Danny Johnson of Rochester, NY captured his third Mighty Taco Modified feature of the season last Friday night. In a wild finish, Ricky Richner took a violent flip in turn one bringing out the red as the field was in turn three and four of the final lap. The leader at the time-Vic Coffey-certainly thought they should have went checkered but safety is always a priority and making sure Richner was okay was the main goal. Richner emerged a-okay and the final lap was run with Johnson making the winning pass in turn three.
Pete Cosco held the early lead with Coffey challenging on the lowside. Coffey made the bottom work as he took over the lead on lap two over Cosco, Ricky Richner, Randy Chrysler, and Chad Brachmann. Contact between Rob Pietz and Robbie Krull in turn one resulted in Krull going around and bringing out the caution. Coffey maintained the lead on the restart with Richner and Chrysler battling for second. Contact mid field resulted in Scott Kreutter collecting the turn one guardrail hard.
Coffey once again led the field back to green flag racing and maintained the top spot as Chrysler took over second. Brachmann followed suit in third with Scott Wood and Danny Johnson rounding out the top five. Brachmann challenged Chrysler on the bottom on lap sixteen taking over the runner up spot. Chrysler continued to challenge for the position as Coffey pulled away to a half a straight-away lead. Johnson pulled in on Wood in fourth and took the position on lap twenty. With just four laps remaining, the caution flew for Robbie Krull who came to rest in turn three. This put Brachmann on Coffey's tail with Chrysler, Johnson, and Wood rounding out the top five. Coffey led the field to the white flag with Johnson emerging a challenge in second. What was thought to be the finish ended up being a red as Ricky Richner took a wild ride in turn one. Richner was okay!! Johnson made the winning pass on the final circuit and took his third win of the season. Coffey, Brachmann, Chrysler, and Brian Stevens rounded out the top five.
Stewart Friesen of Niagara on the Lake, Ontario topped the Original Pizza Logs Sportsman feature main for the second time in the 2003 season last Friday night. Friesen took over the top spot on lap eleven and led the remaining circuits to victory.
John Smith led the first circuit of the twenty-five lap event with Jeff McGinnis a strong second. Pat McCoy, Mark Potter, and Rob Kott rounded out the top five. Friesen broke into the top five by lap six and quickly reeled in the top three. Friesen moved challenged McGinnis on the high-side for second and secured the position on lap nine. Friesen then set his sights on Smith-taking the lead on lap ten. The hottest driver in the Original Pizza Logs Sportsman ranks as of late-Scott George-broke into the top five on lap eleven as leader Friesen pulled away from the remainder of the field. George took over the fourth position running the topside. George pulled in on McGinnis and Smith to challenge for second. The caution flew on lap sixteen as Potter came to rest in turn three. Friesen seen his huge lead go by the wayside.
Friesen led the field back to green flag racing and maintained the top spot over Smith, McGinnis, George, and Mark Schulz. George made a two car pass of Smith and McGinnis for second as Kevin Wills spun in turn four bringing out the caution once again. Friesen maintained the advantage on the restart with George second. Friesen continued to show the field to the checkered and picked up his second win of the season over George, McGinnis, Schulz, and Scott Kerwin.
Mike Williams of the Tuscarora Nation led the only lap that truly counts-the last one-as he captured the Bobcat of Buffalo ProStock feature main event. Williams had the fans on their feet as he drag raced Dave Schulz off turn four and took the win in a photo finish at the line. It was Williams first win of the season.
Tom Greene and Steve DeVos led the twenty-one car strong Bobcat of Buffalo ProStock feature to the green. Devos grabbed the early lead over Mike Martin, Greene, Steve Lewis, and Scott Gribben. Trouble for Martin as he headed to the infield on lap two. Dave Schulz continued his phenomenal season as he broke into the top five by lap four. DeVos continued to show the way as the caution flew for Pete Stefanski who came to rest in turn two.
DeVos led the field to the restart with Dave Williams alongside and Schulz right there in third. DeVos maintained the top spot as Schulz challenged for the runner up position at half-way. Schulz took over the second spot and moved in to challenge Devos for the lead. DeVos ran the extreme topside with Schulz on the bottom as they came around to complete lap thirteen, DeVos continued to show the way. DeVos got dangerousy high in turn one but was able to maintain the top spot as they got the five to go signal. Going down the backstretch, Schulz was able to power past DeVos for the top spot just as the caution flew for Greene who spun while running in the top five. Schulz looked to have things well in hand but Mike Williams emerged in second on lap eighteen. Williams quickly pulled in on Schulz and looked to the bottom as they received the white flag. Williams continued to work the low lane and pulled alongside of Schulz as the duo entered turn three. As they came off turn four, it was a photo finish with Williams taking the win by a bumper. Schulz, DeVos, Dave Williams, and Lewis rounded out the top five.
Roger Israel of Wilson, NY captured his second win of the 2003 season aboard the first Clarks Burgerhouse Streetstock feature go. Israel took over the lead on lap 3 and held off persistent challenges from Joe Rickard in the final laps enroute to victory in the twenty lap special. Israel was also able to extend his points lead.
Rookie contender Derek Boyle took the lead at the drop of the green and the way through two circuits prior to the first yellow coming out for Dave Stolzenburg who spun in turn four. Joe Passero also had a tire come loose and unfortunately for Rick Simon, he found it. These three drivers headed pitsite. Stolzenburg was able to continue on.
On the restart, Boyle chose the outside lane putting Israel on the inside. Boyle maintained the top spot but slipped high in turn four losing several positions and giving the lead to Israel. Joe Rickard, Steve Shoop, Dave Jowdy, and Aaron Baker now rounded out the top five. Israel maintained the number one position through a couple of additional cautions capturing the win over Rickard, Jim Nashwinter, Shoop, and Baker.
Dan Baughman of Lockport, NY collected his second win aboard the Clarks Burgerhouse Streetstock division in the second twenty-lap affair. Baughman inherited the lead on lap thirteen when Lucas Jonathon and Alex Morris came together in turn two.
Jonathon led the way through lap one followed by Mike Short, Bill Holtz, John Schultz, and Morris. Digger Lester had difficulties early on as he spun into the infield on lap three but kept going without the need of a caution. Schultz and Morris made their way by Holtz and battled for third as they reeled in the top two. The first caution flew on lap five for Martin Peunic who spun into the front stretch moat. Short took over the top spot but lost the handle in turn four giving the lead back to Jonathon.
Jonathon chose the inside lane and held it through the ninth lap with Morris challenging hard. Dan Baughman watched the battle from third with Schultz a tight fourth. Jonathon and Morris made contact up front with Schultz getting by for the lead. His lead was very very short lived as he had an axle break going down the back stretch. Baughman found himself in the lead and maintained it to the finish collecting his second win of the season. A tight four car battle for second found Lester rebounding from his early race incident to place second. Dave Nichols, Short, and Shawn Graham rounded out the top five.
Pitnotes: Congratulations to Danny Johnson and Rob Kott who welcomed new additions to their families last week. Congratulations also to Mike Martin who captured his first heat win in the Pro Stock ranks. Great to see so many entries in all divisions, especially the Bobcat of Buffalo ProStocks which had some twenty-one entries last Friday, twice as many as many Saturday night tracks. Welcome to RJ Kingdollar, Herb Porter, Dave Flanagan, Greg Ayers, and Jeremy Wilson who made their first starts of the season at Ransomville. Coming up next week is a full card of racing plus a demolition derby.
GREATER NIAGARA & RHINO LININGS OF NIAGARA SUMMARY:
MIGHTY TACO MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: DANNY JOHNSON, Vic Coffey, Chad Brachmann, Randy Chrysler, Brian Stevens, Scott Wood, Tim Murdock, Rich Vinson, Mark Golding, Rob Pietz, Pete Bicknell, Ricky Richner, Pete Cosco, Ed Cain, Robbie Krull, Scott Kreutter, and Todd Gordon.
Heat Winners: Randy Chrysler, Ricky Richner, and
Vic Coffey. Dash for Cash winner: Robbie Krull.
ORIGINAL PIZZA LOGS SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH: STEWART FRIESEN, Scott George, Jeff McGinnis, Mark Schulz, Scott Kerwin, Tony Purgarich, Rob Kott, Rob Winters, Jon Smith, Pat McCoy, Dave Just, Dave Kubiniec, Jon Miller, Kevin Wills, Mark Potter, RJ Kingdollar, Doug Coons, Sean Kott, Mike Nash, Ryan Weipert, Herb Porter, Kyle Inman, Scott Just, and Dave Flanagan.
Heat Winners: Scott George, Dave Just, and Jeff McGinnis.
BOBCAT OF BUFFALO PROSTOCK FEATURE FINISH: MIKE WILLIAMS, Dave Schulz, Steve DeVos, Dave Williams, Steve Lewis, Sean Keus, Roger Chrysler, Dan Mayer, Dan Schulz, John Koeppen, Scott Gribben, Kevin House, Tom Greene, Brett Martin, Matt Hartsock, Nick Micallef, Pete Stefanski, Dan Shoop, Steve Miller, Mike Martin, and Butch Zimmerman.
Heat Winners: Steve DeVos, Roger Chrysler, and Mike Martin.
CLARKS BURGERHOUSE STREETSTOCK FEATURE #1 FINISH: ROGER ISRAEL, Joe Rickard, Jim Nashwinter, Steve Shoop, Aaron Baker, Eric Ben, Wayne Close, Dave Jowdy, Dave Stolzenburg, Derek Boyle, Joe Passero, and Rick Simons.
Heat Winners: Wayne Close, Roger Israel, and Joe Rickard.
CLARKS BURGERHOUSE STREETSTOCK FEATURE #2 FINISH: DAN BAUGHMAN, Digger Lester, Dave Nichols, Mike Short, Shawn Graham, Matt Gillingham, Jaren Israel, Bill Holtz, Alex Morris, Lucas Jonathon, Charles Harvey, John Schultz, Jeremy Wilson, Webb Nashwinter, Greg Ayers, and Martin Peunic.