JOHNSON RETURNS TO VICTORY LANE FOLLOWING A SIX YEAR ABSENCE
WEEDSPORT, NY...It has been since July of 1996 that Alan Johnson, from Phelps, entered the victory lane in a big block at the Cayuga County Fair Speedway. Last Sunday he finally returned to the winner's circle for the 50th time in his career at that track, winning the 35-lap Hoffman Hots feature. Shawn Donath repeated his feat from last week and won back-to-back sportsman features. James Henry, from Naples, won his first ever Cayuga County Fair Pro-Stock main event. And Greg DeChick won the 25-lap 4-cylinder enduro Pit Stop Convenience Stores feature.
The 35-lap DIRT Modified feature got started off with Jimmy Phelps taking the early lead. By taking the green flag Justin Haers clinched the 2002 DIRT 358-Modified title at Cayuga County on that first lap. Alan Johnson pulled into second on lap three but was not closing the short gap that Phelps had created.
On lap six the yellow flew when Justin Haers coasted to a stop on the front stretch. He pitted and returned to the race. The restart saw the lead two cars pull away from the rest of the field. Johnson drew Phelps in close and on lap 12 he was just .013 second ahead in a side-by-side duel. Johnson surge only last the one lap as Phelps regained the lead on the next lap by a mere .068 seconds.
Johnson waited for just three laps to finally pass Phelps for good. By now Tim McCreadie was running in third and closing on the two lead cars. Mccreadie passed Phelps for second and took off after Johnson. McCreadie pulled onto the rear bumper of the Johnson machine, but lapped traffic kept McCreadie from attempting any move. McCreadie repeatedly ducked to the low grove, but each time a lapped car was in the way.
With just one lap remaining Tim Fuller was booted into the infield forcing the yellow flag to fly. This set up a one lap dash to the checkers in which Johnson prevailed. McCreadie finished second followed by Chuck Bower, Phelps and Pat Ward.
The 20-lap DIRT Sportsman feature saw Ryan Phelps go side-by-side with Rob Relfe to take the lead on the second lap. the yellow flew on lap four when Donnie Wetmore Jr. spun and tagged the outside wall between turns three and four.
Phelps pulled out to a 2 second advantage over John Pfeffer, Eldon Payne Jr., and Loren Lincoln. A bust of energy in the Shawn Donath car running sixth, quickly propelled him into fifth. With just three laps remaining Donath performed a miracle, by using the high line in the turns to take the lead on the last lap from Phelps for the win. Donath's margin of victory was a mere .439 seconds over Eldon Payne Jr. as the top three cars exited the fourth turn three wide and in a major drag race to the line. Phelps came home in third followed by Pfeffer and Lincoln.
The 15-lap Pro-Stock main event proved to be one of the strangest events ever run at Cayuga County. With just one lap remaining in what had been a green-to-checkers run the yellow flag was displayed with Derek Excell in the lead. A lapped car split the top two cars and contact between the lapped car and second place Mike Cooper, sent Cooper spinning into the infield.
A attempt to restart the race saw Keith Butler hit the front stretch wall to cause the yellow to fly again. As the cars were slowly circling the track James Henry, noticed the lead car's right rear tire going flat. He motioned to Excell and Excell pitted for new rubber. He returned to the back of the field.
As it worked out the third place car, with one lap remaining finished first and the two lead cars had to go back to the rear. Brian Kotarski finished second with Ricky Breed in third. Cooper worked the last lap to take fourth. Paul Stoneburg finished in fifth.
This Sunday is the final race of the 2002 season at Cayuga County. On tap will be a special 100-lap Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series for the DIRT Modifieds along with a regular DIRT Sportsman event. Gates open around 4 p.m., which will be proceeded by the annual "Super Sale" of DIRT wearing apparel at the speedway's warehouse. Time trials are expected to start at 6:30 p.m. sharp.
HOFFMAN HOTS/BIG SISTERS AND BROTHERS NIGHT SUMMARY
4 CYLINDER ENDURO
FEATURE - TOP THREE: GREG DeCHICK, Dan Alford, Sean Gardner.
PRO-STOCK
HEAT 1: D. Excell, R. Breed, F. Dennis, P. Stoneburg, M. Watkins, P. Bowler.
HEAT 2: B. Kotarski, J. Henry, M. Cooper, K. Butler, T. Cook, M. Minutolo.
FEATURE (20-laps): JAMES HENRY, Brian Kotarski, Ricky Breed, Mike Cooper, Paul Stoneburg, Derek Excell, Mike Watkins, Fred Dennis, Tom Cook, Keith Butler, Mike Minutolo.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: E. Payne Jr., R. Phelps, J. Pfeffer, E. Richardson, L. Lincoln.
HEAT 2: J. Juhl, M. Yorker, J. Yannone, M. Cammuso, W. Chyrywaty.
HEAT 3: R. Richardson, T. Sears, R. Relfe, T. Perrego, S. Reakes IV
CONSI: D. Wetmore Jr., J. Livingston, G. Doust, S. Binns, Shw. Donath, R. Loveless, A. Vargo, M. Conrow, W. McArdell, D. Burke.
FEATURE (20-laps): SHAWN DONATH, Eldon Payne Jr., Ryan Phelps, John Pfeffer, Loren Lincoln, Eric Richardson, Ryan Richardson, John Juhl, Tim Sears, Jim Livingston, Tom Perrego, Ron Loveless, Mark Yorker, Rob Relfe, Mark Cammuso, Don Wetmore Jr., Mike Conrow, Jamie Yannone, Walt Chyrywaty, Sammy Reakes IV, Walt McArdell, Scott Binns, Andy Vargo, Don Burke, Greg Doust.
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: S. Prentice, G. Tomkins, T. Juhl, C. Bower, B. Varin, B. Payne.
HEAT 2: P. Ward, B. Decker, R. Bliss Jr., S. Beardsley, T. VanAllen, M. Bliss.
HEAT 3: T. Fuller, T. McCreadie, J. Phelps, A. Johnson, R. Swarthout, J. Haers.
CONSI: V. Vitale, M. Ward, S. Hulsizer, T. Sears Jr., G. Horning, J. Burke.
ADDED: R. Shields, J. LaRock, D. Axton.
FEATURE (35-laps): ALAN JOHNSON, Tim McCreadie, Chuck Bower, Jimmy Phelps, Pat Ward, Ray Bliss Jr., Gary Tomkins, Billy Decker, Tom Sears Jr., Tom Juhl, Scott Prentice, Bobby Varin, Rich Swarthout, Mike Ward, Tim Fuller, Vince Vitale, Justin Haers, Brian Payne, Dave Axton, Jim LaRock, Steve Hulsizer, Shawn Beardsley, Roy Shields, Mike Bliss, George Horning, Troy VanAllen, Jim Burke.