Danny Johnson Takes 358 Show At Afton July 25

Afton, NY - Danny Johnson of
Rochester, NY continued his domination
of the Sunoco Race Fuels DIRT 358
Modified tour winning the inaugural
show last Tuesday night at Afton
Speedway.
Forty Four competitors tried to make
the thirty car qualifying field for the one-
hundred lap main event. The top four
cars out of five qualifying heats earned a
spot, as well as the top four cars out of
each of the two consolation events. Two
guaranteed starters were added to make
up the thirty car field.
Dale Planck, of Homer, NY drew the
pole position during the top ten qualifiers
re-draw. Afton speedway regular Jeff
Rudalavage of Olyphant, PA drew the
outside pole.
Planck took the early lead at the start,
as with A.J. Slideways Alan Johnson of
Phelps, NY moving into second, as
Rudalavage ran into early problems with
his Parts Plus machine.
The first caution of the event came
out for Dana Wagner of Trout Creek,
NY, tightening the field back together.
Johnson got the advantage on the start
and took over the lead from Planck, as
Afton regulars Mitch Gibbs, of North
Norwich, and J.R. Hurlburt, of Otego,
battled side by side for third and fourth.
Pete Bicknell in the Pillbury
Doughboy number one took over the
fourth spot from Gibbs and lap 18, as 358
Modified Tour points leader Danny
Johnson made his way up through the
field from his thirteenth starting position.
Danny Johnson broke into the top
five on lap twenty, taking his Sweeteners
Plus 27j by Gibbs as the caution flag
came out for a four car pile-up near the
back of the field.
Hurlburt took over the second spot
from Planck as the green flag flew, with
Bicknell, D. Johnson and Gibbs doing
battle for the fourth spot. Bicknell and D.
Johnson made the move by Hurlburt on
lap 27 to take over the second and third
spots, respectively, as the caution flag fell
once again on lap 28 for Watertowns
Tim McCreadie.
Alan Johnson held the lead at the
restart, with brother Danny, Hurlburt and
Bicknell all charging for the second spot.
Lap thirty marked the turning point in the
race as Danny Johnson took over the lead
from brother Alan.
The lead pack remained with the
brothers Johnson leading the way,
followed by Planck, Bicknell, and
Hurlburt as the lead pack entered lapped
traffic on lap 35. Hurlburt seemed to get
faster as the race went on, and made the
pass to get by Alan Johnson for second
on lap 45.
Danny Johnson increased his lead
through lap traffic, putting three cars
between himself and second place runner
Hurlburt. Once Hurlburt broke free of
the lap traffic, he reeled in the
Sweeteners Plus machine of Johnson and
closed up the gap by lap seventy.
Hurlburt looked inside and outside of
Danny Johnson, but couldnt seem to get
his 6h machine around him, as Planck,
Alan Johnson and Bicknell diced for
third, fourth and fifth positions a few car
lengths back.
Hurlburt looked to have the fastest
car on the track, as he put the pressure on
Johnson. Hurlburts night came to a
disappointing end, as a right front wheel
bearing let loose on lap 81. Hurlburt
retired to the pits on lap 84, unable to
return to racing action.
Danny Johnson went on to pick up
the win of the 100 lap event, with Planck,
Alan Johnson, Gibbs, and Bicknell
completing the top five.
Butch Klinger, of Walton, NY took
the lead at the start of the 20 lap Pro
Stock feature, and lead flag to flag to pick
up the win.
Rookie driver James Cornell, of
Harpursville, ran an impressive run
chasing Klinger from the second spot,
until his car seemed to go away a bit on
lap 13. Cornell finished fifth.
Jamie Banta, of Unadilla, lead all
fifteen laos of the Four Cylinder Stock
feature to pick up his fourth win of the
season at the Afton Action Attraction.
Banta took the lead at the start from
his outside pole starting position, with
North Blenheim Dennis Vroman giving
chase. Vroman ran second most of the
race, but was unable to mount a serious
challenge on the banta 00 machine.
Vroman finished second, with Ralph
Jennings jr, Scott Johnson and Ralph
Cuozzo jr completing the top five.



SUPER DIRT SERIES 358 MODIFIED
TOUR RESULTS : Danny Johnson, Dale
Planck, Alan Johnson, Mitch Gibbs, Pete
Bicknell, Steve Payne, Vic Coffey, Keith
Hoffman, Tim Hindley, Tim Burnett,
Steve Hulsizer, Todd Burley, Pat Jordan,
Gary Smith, Billy Wilcox, Jeremy Smith,
Mike Clapperton, Dana Wagner, Henry
Sherman, Dan Miller, Rick Richner,
Steve Walsh, J.R. Hurlburt, Jeff
Rudalavage, Brett Hearn, Jerry Higby jr,
Ryan Baye, Tim McCreadie, Walt
Mitchell, Kevin Fetterly.
PRO STOCK RESULTS : Butch
Klinger, Harold Humphrey, Denny
Smith, Pat Nolan, James Cornell, Todd
Hurlburt, Winnie Winchester, Jason
Youngs, Jason Schlafer, Bob Zimmerman
jr, Gus Gould, Pete Christiansen, Bob
Zimmerman sr, Erik Knudson, Charles
Holcomb, Aaron Hacker.
FOUR CYLINDER STOCK : Jamie
Banta, Dennis Vroman, Ralph Jennings
jr, Scott Johnson, Ralph Cuozzo jr, Ralph
Cuozzo sr, Skip Pickwick, Cyrus Budine,
Harold Humphrey, Leonard Miller, Ron
Cummings, Bob Dedrick.

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