DANNY JOHNSON, RANDY CHRYSLER, BUTCH ZIMMERMAN, TIM YOUNG, AND CORY SAWYER
ALL VICTORIOUS AT RANSOMVILLE SPEEDWAY LAST FRIDAY NIGHT
Mother Nature rained forced many speedways to pull the plug last Friday however the moisture eluded Ransomville Speedway and another great night of racing was enjoyed by many. D. H. Cloy and Son Meats presented a full card of racing which found Danny Johnson gracing victory lane once again aboard the Mighty Taco Modified thirty lap feature event. Driving his Roaring Twenties/Randy’s Smoke Shop sponsored Troyer machine, Johnson padded his points lead over Vic Coffey and Pete Bicknell.
Johnson and Don Spatarico put on an incredible show for the fans as they ran side by side, door handle to door handle for several circuits around the mid-way point. Sitting in third and adding to the fight was rookie Chad Brachmann. On lap twenty-one, Johnson was able to take to the inside of Spatarico and take over the top spot. Spatarico wasn’t about to let Johnson away that easy and looked to the inside of Johnson on lap twenty-two. These two came across the start/finishl ine in a dead heat with Johnson’s right side tires off the front stretch.Johnson was able to hold off Spatarico for his fourth win of the season. Spatarico then had his hands full of Brachmann as they battled to the checkered for second with Spatarico hanging on to the position. Brachmann, Brian Stevens, and Bicknell rounded out the top five. Heat winners were Spatarico and Ricky Richner. A note from the Johnson team...crew member John Harding whom suffered a heart attack the previous Friday underwent triple bi-pass surgery at Buffalo General last week. We have you in our thoughts and prayers John...get well soon.
Randy Chrysler survived a caution filled DIRT Sportsman event for the win in the twenty lap affair. Chrysler of Lewiston, NY took his Bicknell chassis to the lead on a lap three restart as he took the top spot away from Mark Schulz and quickly distanced himself from the remainder of the field enroute to his second feature win of the season. Kevin Wills of Ransomville advanced to second on lap eight only to find race leader Chrysler with close to a full straight away lead. Wills held on for a strong second followed by Scott George. A great three car battle between Mark Schulz, Stewart Friesen, and Rob Kott ensued for the final three go-rounds found Kott and Friesen rounding out the top five. Heat winners were Chad Chevalier and Chrysler.
Butch Zimmerman of Burt, NY took the lead at the drop of the green aboard the Ransomville NAPA Pro Stock feature event and held it to the checkered enroute to his first win of the season at the big “R”. As a matter of fact, Zimmerman, driving his Hanks Smoke Shop/Able Auto Wreckers sponsored machine, became the sixth different winner in the division which has seen only one repeat winner. Jeff Martin, Pete Stefanski, John Panattoni, and Dave Williams rounded out the top five. Stefanski took over the points lead after Scott Kerwin suffered mechanical difficulties aboard his Johnny Cocco owned machine. Heat winners were Zimmerman and Panattoni.
Tim Young of Ransomville, NY became the twelveth different winner aboard the Fish’s Automotive Streetstock division as he took the checkered in the first twin event. Young began to smoke on the final circuit but held on for the big win in his ailing machine. Jerry Condren ran a strong second and took a peak to the inside of Young on a couple of occasions but to no avail. Following Condren across the line was Kenny Washburn aboard the Eric Ben owned #7, Dave Eaton, and Bobby Clare. A total of thirteen cars took the initial green. Heat winners were Young, Condren, and Joe Rickard.
Cory Sawyer took the lead away from Joe Rickard using the inside lane on lap eight and held the top spot to the finish aboard the second Fish’s Streetstock event. Sawyer collected his third finish in the division and is still the only repeat winner in 2002. Don Barnes came from his ninth place starting position to claim second followed by Wayne Close, Derek Smith, and Rickard.
Justin Israel won the Roll-Over contest.
Pit Notes; Out for their first time this season at Ransomville included Pat Donoughe aboard the Pro Stocks, Fred Srock in the SS, and Scott Joy in the Sportsman ranks. Coming up this week is a full card of racing plus the first ever racing relay. Gates will open at 6 with racing slated for 7:15.
D.H. CLOY AND SON MEATS FEATURE SUMMARY
MIGHTY TACO MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH...DANNY JOHNSON, Don Spatarico, Chad Brachmann, Brian Stevens, Pete Bicknell, Tim Murdock, Vic Coffey, Ricky Richner, Rich Vinson, Todd Gordon, Greg Panunte, Jason Boyle, Robbie Krull, Mark Golding, Russ Zimmerman, Luke Carleton, and Sam Crogan.
DIRTSPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH...RANDY CHRYSLER, Kevin Wills, Scott George, Rob Kott, Stewart Friesen, Mark Potter, Mark Schulz, John Zimmerman, Sean Kott, Jeff McGinnis, Chad Chevalier, Dan Lacey, Tony Purgarich, John Hagerman, Dave Kubiniec, Kim Gagliardi, Phil Vigneri, PJ Allen, Dave Just, Rob Winters, and Scott Joy.
RANSOMVILLE NAPA PRO STOCK FEATURE FINISH...BUTCH ZIMMERMAN, Jeff Martin, Pete Stefanski, John Panattoni, Dave Williams, Dan Schulz, Mike Williams, Dave Schulz, Steve Lewis, Dan Mayer, Dan Shoop, AJ Schultz, Mike Ward, Pat McCoy, Scott Gribben, Roger Chrysler, and Scott Kerwin.
FISH’SAUTOMOTIVE STREETSTOCK FEATURE FINISH #1...TIM YOUNG, Jerry Condren, Kenny Washburn, Dave Eaton, Bobby Clare, John Schultz, Ben Hornquist, Roger Israel, Digger Lester, Matt Gillingham, Dave Nichols, Jaren Israel, and John Dietz.
FISH’S AUTOMOTIVE STREETSTOCK FEATURE FINISH #2...CORY SAWYER, Don Barnes, Wayne Close, Derek Smith, Joe Rickard, Rick Gorhan, Jeremy Wilson, Webb Nashwinter, Kirk Tuttle, Dave Jowdy, Tim Herriven, Martin Peunic, Jimmy Wynes, and Dan Baughman.