Alan Johnson showed that once again he will be a threat to win the DIRTcar Big Block Modified track title in 2008. Alan dominated the caution free 35-lap main on Saturday night by a half a track over defending track Champion Jimmy Phelps.
In other action history seemed to be made as the father and son team of Sammy Reakes III and Sammy Reakes IV won a pair of 20-lap DIRTcar Crate Sportsman features. Dave Mannise took top honors in the 20-lap UMP Street Stocks, Doug Williams backed up his win at Brewerton Friday night in dominating fashion taking the Mod-Lite feature, Former Enduro runner Mark Olmstead found victory lane in the Rookie Crate Sportsman class with Jon Shumway winning the Enduros.
JIR Motorsports team mates Danny Johnson and Alan Fink led the 26-car starting field down to the first green flag of the season with Johnson grabbing the lead heading into the first turn. Brother Alan Johnson jumped from his fourth starting position to second, setting up what everyone in the stands thought would be another classic Johnson brother battle. Timmy Sears joined the fray making it a tight three car battle for the top spot.
In classic Johnson’s style with Danny on the top side and Alan running the low side, the two battled side by side with Sears right there waiting for the top two to make a mistake. On lap-10 going through turns one and two Danny slid up the track allowing Alan to grab the lead going down the back straight. As the top three came across the start finish line on lap-11 Danny suddenly slowed and headed to the pits with mechanical problems ending his night.
By lap-12 Alan was already in heavy lapped traffic, but he started opening up a comfortable lead. With Sears running second defending track champion Jimmy Phelps made his way from his eighth starting spot and was putting pressure on Sears for the runner up spot, with Tommy Sears making it a three way battle for second.
As the race hit the halfway point Johnson had a half a straightaway lead. Attention than turned to the battle for second as the Sears Brothers and Phelps raced in and out of lapped traffic with noone really gaining an advantage.
On lap-27 Phelps was able to wrestle second from Tommy Sears but wouldn’t go any further as Johnson’s , Bully’s Truck Stop, No.14j was on rails and won by a half a track in the green to checkers main. Phelps, Tommy Sears, Timmy Sears and Ryan Phelps completed the top five.
“The car was really good, I was fortunate to start up front,” Said Johnson after his win. “I don’t know what happened to my brother, (Danny) he was awful quick. I don’t know if we would of had anything for him.”
Johnson said he had no idea the lead he had, “You just race as hard as you can because you never know who’s behind you or how close they are. The track was real good tonight and I could put the car anywhere.”
In the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified 20-lap feature continued from May 3rd , Sammy Reakes III cruised to the easy win. Defending track champion Jeremy Pitcher came home runner up with Jordan Bennett, Timmy Sears Jr. And Greg Carner rounding out the top five.
” It’s never easy, it was a little hairy getting through lapped traffic. We stayed out of trouble, it’s great to get that first win of the year. I just love this place,” said Reakes from victory lane.
Not to be out done by his son Sammy Reakes III drove a flawless race parking the other Whittakers Trophy Auto Sales, No.17 in victory lane. Tom Juhl, Matt Hulsizer, Billy Clark Jr. And Sammy Reakes IV. Were second through fifth.
“I still feel like a rookie,” said smiling Reakes. I haven’t been in a car in 12-years. The track was awesome, I have to thank Jeremy Corcoran and Art Halliday and the crew, I hope it’s like this every week.
Dave Mannise grabbed the lead right at the start and was never seriously picking up the victory in the 20-lap UMP Street Stocks. Steve Crouse, Ron Hawker, Nick Rizzo and Steve Woodworth completed the top five.
In the Rookie Crate Sportsman Modifieds, sixth starting Mark Olmstead Jr. Grabbed the lead on lap-7 from Claude Hutchings Jr. And from there cruised to the easy win, parking one of Todd Town’s, Town Mechanical, No.17’s in victory lane. Hutchings Jr., John Wilber, Katelyn Kane and Chris Pullen rounded out the top five.
Doug Williams got some mid-race pressure from Tim Devendorf, after that Williams pulled away for win number two on the weekend in the ESDCA Mod-Lite, 20-lap main. Devendorf held on for second followed by Lowell Zehr, Terry Lapham and Andrew Schatner.
Jon Shumway picked up win number one on the season in the Four Cylinder Enduros. Charles DeGroff, Matt Dawson, Jerry Herbert and Les Baker completed the top five.
Coming this weekend the action will start Friday night at the Brewerton Speedway. On tap will be the DeanHubbs Memorial for IMCA Modifieds plus Big Block Modifieds, ESDCA Mod-Lites, Four Cylinder Super Stocks and Four Cylinder Enduros. Gates open at 5:30 with racing at 7:30. At Fulton Speedway Saturday night it’s Syracuse.com night with the Big Block Modifieds, Crate Sportsman Modifieds, Street Stocks, Rookie Crate Sportsman Modifieds and Four Cylinder Enduros. Gates open at 5:00 with the first green flag at 7:00. For more information check out the track websites at www.brewertonspeedway.com or www.fultonspeedway.com.
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