HERRERA STRONG AT LAND OF LEGENDS, TOMKINS REPEATS
CANANDAIGUA, NY..6/6/97.Johnny Herrera has things go his way once and a while on the famed World of Outlaws circuit. Last Thursday was his night as he led all 25 laps of the World of Outlaws A-Main. Gary Tomkins got his second win of the year at the Canandaigua Speedway in a special 25-lap DIRT Modified special. Bob McCreadie chose to pilot his small block 358 car with hopes of earning a guaranteed start spot at Syracuse in the Prolong 358-Modified Championship race. Things did work McCreadie's way as he will be in the big 358-Modified race come October.
Johnny Herrera blasted from his outside pole starting position to grab the lead from fast timer Jac Haudenschild. Haudenschild had earlier set a new track record mark for sprint cars with a speed of 121.844 mph or 14.773 seconds. The first yellow came on lap seven as the lapped car of Dion Hindi came to a stop on the inside of the second turn after slowing drastically on the speedway. Top runners Todd Shaffer and Joe Gaerte took advantage of this yellow to pit, returning at the back of the field for the restart. One attempt to restart saw Gaerte sputter back on the front straight, causing the start to be aborted. Gaerte returned to the pits to finish changing a flat tire.
Herrera remained in command of the event as the green flag flew again. The battle was on for second between Haudenschild and Sammy Swindell. Swindell took advantage of Haudenschild, passing on the back stretch, but before the duo could reach the start finish line, Haudenschild was back in second.
On lap 17 the yellow was displayed after Steve Kinser screamed down the front straight with a nerf bar rubbing his right rear tire. The restart saw Swindell complete the pass on Haudenschild for second. In the closing laps both Swindell and Haudenschild thrilled the huge crowd with front straight wheel stands as their Goodyears bite deep into the tacky clay of Canandaigua. But neither one was able to reel in the high flying Herrera.
Swindell and Haudenschild followed Herrera to the finish line followed by Dave Blaney and Stevie Smith Jr. rounding out the top five.
The 35 cars called for four heat races, with wins going to Haudenschild, Gaerte, Swindell and Jeff Swindell. The Vivarin dash was won by Haudenschild, making him the favorite going into the A-Main. Andy Hillenburg easily won the B-Main race.
In DIRT Modified action Gary Tomkins proved to be the dominated car as he easily took the 25-lap special feature race. Early in the race outsider Steve Paine (once a regular at this track) was able to use the high side of the speedway to pass a number of cars and challenge Tomkins.
The first yellow came on lap five when Darryl Ruggles came to a stop on the back stretch just before pit road. He was able to pit and return to the back of the field. Bobby Varin was in command of third followed by Alan Johnson and Pat Ward. Johnson was the car on the move. On lap 13 the yellow reappeared when Tim Burnett broke a right rear suspension part while exiting the fourth turn. He had to be towed from the speedway. Johnson was able to pass Varin on the ensuing restart. After just one lap Scott Schrader lost a wheel, which flew into the crowded pit area. Fortunately no one was hit.
Tomkins remained in command, pulling out a quarter lap advantage over the rest of the field, but the yellow flew again on lap 19 when Scott Boudinot also tossed a wheel into the pits, following the lead of Schrader. Again no one was hit.
Johnson now remained glued to Tomkins' rear bumper, but was unable to complete the pass for the win. At the finish line it was Tomkins, Johnson and Paine in the front three spots. Varin and Ward rounded out the top five.
Regular weekly action returns this Saturday at the Canandaigua Speedway, as the Outlaws speed across country to the Illinois mile.
CANANDAIGUA WORLD OF OUTLAWS NIGHT SUMMARY
DIRT MODIFIED
HEAT 1: S. Paine, B. Turner, V. Coffey, G. Tegg Jr., B. McCreadie, J. Plazek.
HEAT 2: G. Tomkins, S. Schultz, P. Ward, T. Fuller, T. Griffin, J. Moravec.
HEAT 3: C. Donk, B. Varin, A. Johnson, S. Schrader, J. Johnson, D. Ruggles.
CONSI: B. Hearn, T. Burley, T. Burnett, R. White, R. Bliss Jr., S. Boudinot, T. Bauer.
FEATURE (25-laps): GARY TOMKINS, Alan Johnson, Steve Paine, Bobby Varin, Pat Ward, Joe Plazek, Tim Fuller, Jack Johnson, Charlie Donk, Vic Coffey, John Moravec, Bob McCreadie, Gil Tegg Jr., Troy Griffin, Todd Burley, Ted Bauer, Darryl Ruggles, Brett Hearn, Steve Schultz, Ron White, Scott Boudinot, Scott Schrader, Tim Burnett, Ray Bliss jr.
WoO SPRINT CARS
TIME TRAILS: Jac Haudenschild 14.773 (121.844 mph-New Track Record), Johnny Herrera 14.943, Sammy Swindell 14.976, Danny Lasoski 15.096, Stevie Smith Jr. 15.102, Dave Blaney 15.118, Steve Kinser 15.120, Mark Kinser 15.168, Greg Hodnett 15.235, Joe Gaerte 15.290, Don Kreitz Jr. 15.310, Billy Pauch 15.311, Donny Schatz 15.335, Todd Shaffer 15.421, Andy Hillenburg 15.475, Jeff Swindell 15.559, Lance Blevins 15.658, Tim Kuhn 15.739, Dion Hindi 15.750, Craig Keel 15.814, Paul McMahon 15.872, Dave Ely 15.908, Mike Woodring 16.027, Bob Bennett 16.142, George Ely 16.296, Chuck Roan 16.378, Mike Lauderborn 16.517, Bobby Parrow 16.690, Lee Sanders 16.698, Lance Yonge 16.782, Rob Hart 16.930, Christine Karnes 16.974, Barry Krouse 17.491, George Scholdt 17.962
HEAT 1: J. Haudenschild, G. Hodnett, L. Blevins, S. Smith Jr., D. Schatz.
HEAT 2: J. Gaerte, D. Blaney, D. Ely, J. Herrera, T. Shaffer.
HEAT 3: S. Swindell, S. Kinser, D. Hindi, D. Kreitz Jr., M. Woodring.
HEAT 4: J. Swindell, B. Pauch, D. Lasoski, M. Kinser, C. Keel.
VIVARIN DASH: Jac Haudenschild, Johnny Herrera, Danny Lasoski, Sammy Swindell, Stevie Smith Jr., Dave Blaney, Steve Kinser, Mark Kinser.
B-MAIN (10-laps): Andy Hillenburg, Bob Bennett, Mike Lauderborn, Tim Kuhn, Lee Sanders, Lance Yonge, Bobby Parrow, Chuck Roan, Rob Hart, Barry Krouse, Christine Karnes, George Scholdt, Paul McMahon, George Ely.
A-MAIN (25-laps): JOHNNY HERRERA, Jac Haudenschild, Sammy Swindell, Dave Blaney, Stevie Smith Jr., Danny Lasoski, Greg Hodnett, Billy Pauch, Andy Hillenburg, Mark Kinser, Joe Gaerte, Donny Schatz, Lance Blevins, Todd Shaffer, Jeff Swindell, Tim Kuhn, Steve Kinser, Mike Lauderborn, Don Kreitz Jr., Dion Hindi, Dave Ely, Mike Woodring, Bob Bennett, Craig Keel.