D.J. TOPS HUGE CAYUGA COUNTY FIELD ON OPENING DAY
WEEDSPORT, NY...Warm weather, a full pit area and a parking lot full of spectator cars marked the start of the 2001 racing season at the Cayuga County Fair Speedway last Sunday in Weedsport. Danny Johnson topped a field of 39 modifieds to claim the 50-lap DIRT Modified feature victory. Steve Gray picked up his first feature win of the 2001 campaign, winning the 20-lap sportsman feature.
Chuck Bower and Danny Johnson brought the starting field of 26 DIRT Modifieds down to take Dave Farney's green flag. Bower jumped quickly into the lead with Johnson in tow.
The first of just two yellows flew on lap six when consolation race winner, Alan Johnson had a left front tire go flat. Johnson exited quickly into the pits and returned with a new tire.
On lap 12 Danny Johnson made his move around Bower for the lead on the slick racing surface. With Bower in second, Tim Fuller sat firmly in third followed by Tim McCreadie and Bobby Varin. By lap 15, Bower began to fade, allowing Fuller to take second. Bower then had his hands full with Tim McCreadie. On lap 22 Mike Colsten, saw the front end on his car collapse after contact with the inside wall exiting the second turn. Colsten had no way to steer his disabled racer, as he drifted back to the inside of the back stretch in front of the leaders. Colsten's car came to rest at the entrance to the third turn and out of the race.
Johnson held on to the lead as the race would remain green for the next 28 laps. On lap 34 Johnson's teammate Vic Coffey pulled his Sweeteners Plus sponsored mount pitside with a flat tire. By lap 39 the leaders were in lapped traffic with a tremendous battle being staged for second place back. Johnson took the victory followed by Fuller, Tim McCreadie, Gary Tomkins and Tom Sears Jr.
The 20-lap sportsman feature went green-to-checkers. Justin Haers took the lead from the outside pole and drew away from the rest of the 24 starting field. Steve Gray, who started sixth, maneuvered his number 29 into third by lap three and took the runner up position by lap eight, passing Jim Bowman for the position.
By lap 12 the two leaders, Haers and Gray, were entering lapped traffic, with Bowman a distant third. Jim Spano almost brought the yellow out on lap 15, when he looped his Spano Paving mount a full 360 degrees and was able to pick up momentum and continue losing three spots during his spin-and-go.
With just two laps remaining Gray moved around Hears on the high side of the third turn to take the lead. Gray took the checkers followed by Haers, Bowman, Joe Beyea and Jim LaRock rounding out the top five. Gray's victory earned him a guaranteed starting spot during the Firecracker sportsman race at Syracuse on July 3.
CCFS NOTES: Transponders were used for the first time at Cayuga County with great success...38 sportsman and 39 modifieds were on hand for opening day...Rich Swarthout debut in his efforts to win the AARNY DIRT Modified Rookie of the Year, moving up from the sportsman ranks...Matt Sheppard is the current points leader at CCFS in 358 Modified points. Sheppard was the first 358 across the finish line, coming home in 15th. Sheppard too will be looking at a AARNY Rookie of the Year title only in the small block ranks.
This Sunday the Cayuga County Fair Speedway will be closed to make room in the schedule for the DIRT Challenge Cup at nearby Rolling Wheels Raceway.Race time at the Wheels will be at 2 p.m.. Fans arriving a little early will see the new time trail format in action as the 200 is an Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series event. Time trials will be used to line up the heat races and the dash. Also on tap at the Wheels will be a Firecracker Qualifier for DIRT Sportsman cars.
Racing at Cayuga County Fair Speedway will resume on May 6, starting at 2 p.m. sharp.
AUTO FINISHERS of AUBURN/TAYLOR RENTAL/PHELPS CEMENT/SAM DELL NIGHT SUMMARY
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: R. Hefti, T. Clemons, T. Juhl, G. Doust.
HEAT 2: J. Haers, S. Gray, M. Button, J. Spano.
HEAT 3: J. Beyea, C. Brachmann, E. Payne Jr., B. Shantel Jr.
HEAT 4: J. Bowman, J. LaRock, W. Decker, R. Richardson.
CONSI 1: J. Plumb, R. Chrysler, J. Scrabrough, K. Wills.
CONSI 2: J. Pitcher, D. Weisner, M. Lavarnway, D. Wetmore Jr.
FEATURE (20-laps): STEVE GRAY, Justin Haers, Jim Bowman, Joe Beyea, Jim LaRock, Eldon Payne Jr., Tim Clemons, Tom Juhl, Chad Brachmann, Jim Spano, Mike Button, Willy Decker, Greg Doust, Russ Hefti, Dan Weisner, Bill Shantel Jr., Randy Chrysler, Kevin Wills, John Scrabrough, Jeremy Pitcher, Mike Lavarnway, Ryan Richardson, Donnie Wetmore Jr., John Plumb.
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: C. Bower, T. Fuller, T. McCreadie, S. Paine.
HEAT 2: D. Johnson, A.J. Romano, F. Cozze, M. Sheppard.
HEAT 3: B. McCreadie, B. Varin, B. Decker, G. Tomkins.
HEAT 4: T. Sears Jr., V. Coffey, P. Ward, J. Barney.
CONSI 1: A. Johnson, J. Phelps, D. Ruggles, R. Bliss Jr., M. Colsten.
CONSI 2: J. Gabriel Jr., R. Baye, B. Wilcox, T. Morris, V. Vitale.
FEATURE (50-laps): DANNY JOHNSON, Tim Fuller, Tim McCreadie, Gary Tomkins, Tom Sears Jr., Steve Paine, Chuck Bower, Billy Decker, Bob McCreadie, Alan Johnson, A.J. Romano, Bobby Varin, Pat Ward, Jimmy Phelps, Matt Sheppard, Darryl Ruggles, Frank Cozze, Ryan Baye, Jim Gabriel Jr., Ray Bliss Jr., Jason Barney, Scott Ridley, Brent Wilcox, Vince Vitale, Vic Coffey, Mike Colsten.