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