BRIAN STEVENS VICTORIOUS IN RANSOMVILLE MODIFIED ACTION

by...Tana Robinson

6/6/97......Brian Stevens of St. Chatherines, Ont. took top honors last

Friday night in his #68 modified. Brian opted to go with the #68

this season in memory and honor of the late G. Alex Friesen. Alex

is sadly missed by all and this win was a tribute to him and all

he did for auto racing on the local front.

At the start of the 35 lap event, John Hagerman and Rick

Bitterman brougt the field down with Bitterman taking the lead.

Hagerman, Ricky Richner, Russ Zimmerman and Rick Hoctor rounded

out the top five. Richner took over second and then the lead.

Bitterman now ran second followed by Wayne Conn, Mark Sylvies and

Russ Zimmerman. Richner had built up a big lead but a caution for

Pete Bicknell slowed the field. Bicknell had a flat and made a

quick pitstop.

On the restart, Bicknell was a little anxious, jumping a few

cars and making contact with the backend of Kerwin. Both spun

bringing out the caution. They were able to continue on with

little damage to either car. On the restart, Brian Stevens took

over the top spot from his third position as yet another caution

few. Bitterman got crossed up in turn 1 collecting the cars of

Wayne Conn and Pete Bicknell. Bicknell was done for the night

with heavy damage to the right rear.

Stevens showed the way as the green came back out. Contact

between Danny Johnson and Ricky Richner on the back stretch

resulting in Richner spinning and collecting Spatarico and Tim

Murdoch. Todd Burley headed pitside with a flat tire.

Once again Stevens brought the field down for the restart.

And once again, contact between a couple of cars results in a

stop in action. Wayne Conn and Kenny Cosgrove made contact on the

back stretch with Cosgrove spinning. Don Spatarico had no where

to go and just clipped the front end of Cosgrove, sending the

Spatarico machine barrel rolling in turn three. Don was okay but

the car was definately done for the night.

Stevens and Danny Johnson ran the extreme upper groove, with

Johnson tring the bottom on occasion. Alan Johnson had worked his

way through traffic and now ran third. As the laps dwindled down,

Danny and Alan Johnson were battling for second when Danny slowed

with a flat right rear. A caution bunched up the field as Danny

headed pitside for a new right rear sneaker. Scott Wood, Rich

Vinson and Fred Cade rounded out the top 5.

On the restart, Stevens continued to show the way with Alan

Johnson tring the bottom. It was a battle to the finish as

Johnson got alongside Stevens on the back stretch of the final

lap. Going into turn three, they were side by side. Coming out of

four it was Stevens getting the bite on the top and crossing the

line first for his first of the season. A. Johnson came home

second followed by Scott Wood, Rich Vinson and Fred Cade.

THOMSON TERMINAL GROUP MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH...BRIAN

STEVENS, Alan Johnson, Scott Wood, Rich Vinson, Fred Cade, Scott

Kerwin, Vic Coffey, Tim Murdoch, Mark Sylvies, Robbie Krull,

George Jowdy, Don Martin, Danny Johnson, Todd Burley, Rick

Richner, Rick Hoctor, Doug Gordon, Russ Zimmerman, Wayne Conn,

Kenny Cosgrove, Don Spatarico, Rick Bitterman, Pete Bicknell and

Scott Harris.