Alan Johnson Makes History In 14th Annual Victoria 200
FULTON, NY...10/2/99.....Alan Johnson spent his Friday night working with engine builder Pat Morrison putting together his 358 motor for Saturday's Nice 'N' Easy Grocery Shops Victoria 200 for 358 Modifieds at Fulton Speedway. It was time well spent as "A.J. Slideways" made history by becoming not only a first time winner of the event, but by leading every lap in the 200-lap contest. A record starting field of 50 cars came to the green flag at the start of the Victoria 200's first 100 lap segment, with Alan taking the lead from pole sitter Tom Kinnsella in the drag race to the first turn. Kinsella's car was not handling well and as he faded back through the top five, Pete Bicknell, who started fourth, moved into the second spot with Joe Plazek trailing him. Tim Fuller moved from his sixth starting spot to fourth and camped on Plazek's rear bumper. Further back in the top ten, Brett Hearn and "Barefoot" Bob McCreadie were settling in for the early laps with Mitch Gibbs and "Hurricane" Steve Paine. The first yellow flew on lap 7 for Walt Mitchell's spin in turn two.
On the restart, Bicknell lost spots as Fuller moved past him into third. Tim McCreadie tagged in behind Bicknell before he got the fourth spot on lap 12. Bob McCreadie got by Bicknell for fifth and the top five positions settled in for several laps until Plazek started to slide back in the field a bit, allowing Fuller and Bob McCreadie to hustle up to try and catch the speedy Johnson machine. Lapped traffic became an issue for the leaders as former winners Billy Pauch and Kenny Brightbill struggled to stay on the lead lap. The second caution did not fly until lap 37, and by that time Bob McCreadie and Hearn had taken over fourth and fifth. The middle third of the first segment proved to be very eventful. While Alan Johnson maintained the lead, drivers like Bobby Varin, Pat Ward, Billy Decker, and Danny Johnson were making wild three and four wide moves in an effort to stay with the lead pack. On lap 42, Tim McCreadie regained the fifth spot from Hearn, who fell back a bit. Plazek also mad his way back into the top five, passing the younger McCreadie one lap later to take fourth spot.
Tim Fuller began to slow around the lap 52 mark and fell out of the top ten, and the defending race champion's night ended on lap 57 under yellow when his car stopped in the first turn. Just one lap later, Hearn experienced a problem and retired to the pits. When the race went back to green, Steve Paine had the fastest car on the track and he moved into the top five on lap 61. The McCreadies moved into second and third while Plazek settled in fourth. Meanwhile, as Alan Johnson continued to lead steadily in and out of traffic, Danny Johnson and Billy Decker were both on a tear, cracking the top ten by the lap 80 mark. The top five positions held fast until lap 91, when Tim slipped by his father for second and Danny Johnson stormed Plazek and Paine, knocking Paine out of the top five. At the halfway point, Alan Johnson collected the $100 Terrell's Potato Chips Halfway Bonus, followed by Tim and Bob McCreadie, Danny Johnson, and Plazek. The second segment of the Victoria 200 began with Pat Ward making a moved into the top five, staying there until Plazek returned to the fifth spot on a lap 114 restart. On the same restart, Bob McCreadie returned the favor on son Tim by retaking second and chasing after Alan. The green remained out until lap 128 as the fifth spot shuffle continued, with Billy Decker, who qualified through a consolation race, making his first appearance in the top five on lap 117 and saying there for the duration. Another long green flag stretch continued until lap 151. Some shuffling of the top five continued as Danny Johnson moved into the second spot behind Tim McCreadie while Bob McCreadie shuffled back to fourth. All the while, Alan Johnson continued to maintain a comfortable margin over his foes, with the only challenges to his lead coming on restarts or in heavy traffic. While drivers like Mitch Gibbs, Pauch, and Brightbill were able to stay on the lead lap and actually made their way into the top ten at various points, Steve Paine did not have such good luck, as he quickly faded out of the top ten with mechanical problems. Tim McCreadie gave Alan Johnson everything he had in the final twenty laps, but could not catch him. While the lead duo battled, Danny Johnson closed in on them as Billy Decker ran several laps side by side with Bob McCreadie. In the final ten laps, Danny was all over Tim McCreadie, finally sneaking past him on lap 197, but by that time Alan Johnson had built another solid lead and carried it through to the checkered flag. Brother Danny came through for the second spot with Tim McCreadie having to settle for a hard fought third. Bob McCreadie took fourth while Pat O'Brien made a mad dash to fifth in the final fifteen laps. Sixth through tenth were taken by Decker, Ward, Pauch, Plazek, and Varin. 108 cars attempted to qualify for the Victoria 200, with twelve heats and six consolation races needed to set the starting field.
ORDER OF FINISH-14TH ANNUAL NICE 'N' EASY GROCERY SHOPS VICTORIA 200
FULTON SPEEDWAY-OCTOBER 2ND, 1999
ALAN JOHNSON, Danny Johnson, Tim McCreadie, Bob McCreadie, Pat O'Brien, Billy Decker, Pat Ward, Billy Pauch, Joe Plazek, Bobby Varin, Tom Kinsella, Jimmy Phelps, Frank Cozze, Pete Bicknell, Danny O'Brien, Pierre Dagenais, Mitch Gibbs, Jim Gabriel Jr., Mike Perrotte, Vince Queneville, Frank Caprara, Paul Jensen, Steve Paine, Tom Sears, Dale Planck, Steve Roberts, Mike Schane, Todd Burley, Tim Sears, Nick Barrassi, Dominic Rosselli, Ryan Baye, Roger Phelps, Brian Davis, Mike Colsten, Mike Ricci, Kenny Brightbill, Dave Camara, Bill Mullin, Brian Weaver, Brett Hearn, Tim Fuller, Ron Holmes, Peter Mantha, Bill Gill, Tim Hindley, Walt Mitchell.