WHAT A RUSH DANNY JOHNSON WINS MR. DIRT TRACK USA

WEST LEBANON, NY-8/7/97... Danny Johnson took the lead late in
the 97 lap race to tkae home the $17,500 top prize.
Brett Hearn looked like he was on his way to his sixth
Mr. DIRT Track USA, but it did not happen. Lapped
traffic played heavily into the equation. Mr. DIRT Track
USA was presented by Busch Beer.
Jack Johnson and Tim Mc Creadie led the feild
down to the green flag in the Skoal Super DIRT Series
race. Only five caution flags would slow the field in
this race. The first yellow flag flew on lap three for
Jody Tornabene. Tim Mc Creadie lost the lead to Jack
Johnson on the restart. Brett Hearn would take third on
that same restart.
Danny Johnson took eighth spot on lap four.
Hearn would battle Tim McCreadie for second on lap five.
The yellow flew again on lap seven. Chris Moore's night
would come to an early end, pulling into the pits on lap
seven. Alan Johnson's night came to an end during the
caution. The left rear suspension broke and Johnson was
done for the evening.
Danny Johnson too fifth on the restart. Billy
Decker moved up from 17th to seventh by lap ten. Dickie
Larkin and Hearn would run side by side for several laps
for the third spot. Jack Johnson checked out early. He
had a twenty car advantage by lap 12. Decker and Donnie
Corellis raced for sixth on lap 13.
Hearn would take second from McCreadie on lap
18. Hearn would close the gap that Jack Johnson had
opened up. The leaders would hit lapped traffic by lap
lap 22. Hearn took the lead on lap 25. Decker took fifth
on lap 27. The leaders would encounter heavy traffic
again on lap 28.
Hearn ran out to a 25 car advantage by lap 32.
Danny Johnson took third on that same lap. Jimmy Horton
was up to sixth by lap 35. Danny Johnson took second on
lap 37. Two yellow flag periods happened between laps
42-51. Tim McCreadie would take second from Danny on the
restart. Decker would lose third to Johnson on lap 56.
Meanwhile back in the pack, Kenny Tremont and
Dave Camara would run side by side for the eleventh spot
on lap56. Eddie Marshall was running eighth on lap 59.
Hearn continued to dominate up front, while Danny tried
to run him down. Jimmy Horton was moving up through the
pack, he grabbed fourth on lap 64. Horton would pass
McCreadie for third on lap 72.
Heavy lapped traffic loomed in front of the
leaders. This allowed Danny to close up on the back
bumper on Hearn's car. Hearn would lead lap 77. That lap
was special because it paid $1,777.oo to lead. The lap
was sponsored by the Finish Line Chapliancy in memory
of Norm Thomas.
Heavy traffic was still holding up the leaders
on lap 81. Danny would battle Brett for the top spot on
lap 82. Hearn would get trapped behind the lapped car of
Bob McCreadie. This allowed Danny to get by Hearn for
the lead.
Hearn would try and battle back but could not
catch the front running Johnson. Danny Johnson crossed
the stripe first. It was the first career win for
Johnson in the Mr. DIRT Track USA race. He was followed
across the line by Hearn who was second, Horton was
third. Tim McCreadie had a fine run in fourth. This was
the first time McCreadie had raced at the Valley.
Rounding out the top five was Billy Decker.


Mr. DIRT Track USA Results

1 DANNY JOHNSON 6
2 BRETT HEARN 3
3 JIMMY HORTON M1
4 TIM MC CREADIE 24T
5 BILLY DECKER 91
6 JEFF HEOTZLER OC 33
7 EDDIE MARSHALL 98
8 KENNY TREMONT JR. 115
9 DALE PLANCK 74
10 RICH RICCI JR 55R
11 RANDY SHERLOCK 10S
12 RICK MILL OC 348
13 BOB MC CREADIE 9
14 JACK JOHNSON 87
15 DAVE CAMARA NF 26C
16 STEVE PAINE 7X
17 A.J. RAMANO 12B
18 DONNIE CORELLIS 57
19 BOBBY ALBERT 96
20 BRIAN BERGER 60
21 GUY SHELDON S
22 DOUG HOFFMAN 1H
23 STEVE DEVINE 42
24 RUSS BLAIR 12
25 MIKE KING * 55K
26 DICKIE LARKIN 99
27 KENNY BRIGHTBILL 19B
28 STEVE BOTTCHER 31
29 JOHN HEWITT 24
30 TIM FULLER 19F
31 JODY TORNABENE * R 2J
32 CHRIS TUTHILL 7M
33 DONNIE ACKNER 97
34 GARRY WATERS 93
35 ALAN JOHNSON R24
36 CHRIS MOORE 10

56 cars attempted to qualify


Lebanon Valley Modified Points
as of 8/02/97

1 BRETT HEARN 3 878
2 KENNY TREMONT JR. 115 734
3 RICH RICCI JR 55R 727
4 BILLY DECKER 91 706
5 EDDIE MARSHALL 98 656
6 DONNIE ACKNER 97 645
7 CHRIS MOORE 10 621
8 DONNIE CORELLIS 57 601
9 DICKIE LARKIN 99 563
10 BOBBY ALBERT 96 553
11 GUY SHELDON S 535
12 JOHN HEWITT 24 532
13 JR HEFNER 14 485
14 JODY TORNABENE * R 2J 431
15 MIKE KING * 55K 427

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