A.J. Unstoppable In Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series 100 At Rolling Wheels
Elbridge, NY – September 22, 2006 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director
Big-block or small-block, it doesn’t seem to make any difference to DIRT Modified veteran Alan Johnson has he cruised on to his second Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series win Friday night at Rolling Wheels Raceway. DIRT MotorSports NorthEast’s hottest driver in 2006 overtook defending race winner Tim Fuller on lap 44 and opened up a 2.1-second lead under the checkers to kick off the 20th World Series of DIRT Track Racing Weekend at the ‘Fast Track.’
“The team is just running on all cylinders right now,” said Johnson, following his 17th open-wheel victory on the DIRT circuit this season. His latest in the Morrison-powered no. 14J NativePoker.Com-Pine Line Auto Sales-Chiefs Tobacco&Gas/Bicknell entry was worth $4,000 for car owners Tony Laughing and Jeff Rudalavage. Johnson also leads the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Modified Championship point standings with six of his division-high 15 big-block feature wins coming in Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series competition. “You just never know how big your lead is so you have to run hard enough to keep ahead and at the same time save the car until the end. The lapped cars did a good job holding their line tonight and this car could really go anywhere, high or low, any place on the track. And once the track got slick the car really came on.”
Mr. DIRT 358 contender Andy Bachetti opened the D’Amico Chrysler Dodge Jeep-The WALL 99.3 Radio-Parts Plus Auto Stores-sponsored show, besting 42 other cars in Integra Shocks Time Trials with a one-lap clocking of 20.805 sec. (108.147 mph average) around the spacious 5/8-mile Elbridge oval. Johnson was fourth quickest although Bachetti won the initial heat while A.J. Slideways chased Dale Planck across the line in the fourth and final qualifier. Bachetti looked to be the man to beat after drawing the pole to begin the 100-lap main event, with Johnson settling into sixth on the 34-car starting grid.
Bachetti out-dragged front row partner Brett Hearn on the initial green flag and the pair of #4 cars swapped the lead twice more before Hearn gave up the point for good on lap eight. Fifth-place starter Fuller moved into contention early on and blew by Bachetti on lap 15 before establishing a one-second advantage just a lap later. A pair of caution periods for minor slowdowns kept the pack tight in the early stages and with a quarter of the race scored Fuller held a commanding lead over Hearn, Johnson, last weekend’s Brockville winner Pete Bicknell and Bachetti, while current Mr. DIRT 358 points leader Pat O’Brien hung onto fifth.
Johnson shadowed Hearn for nearly 10 circuits before grabbing the second spot on lap 34 and setting his sights on early pace-setter Fuller. A slowing Vic Coffey mount required a fourth yellow flag on lap 39 and Johnson needed just five more laps to dispose of Fuller and forge the final lead change of the night. At the midway mark, ’05 Mr. DIRT champions Johnson (358) and Fuller (big-block) controlled the top two positions ahead of Bicknell, Hearn and Decker. This order remained intact for the duration with the exception of 24th starter Jimmy Phelps, who sped past Decker on lap 63 and held on to secure guaranteed starter status in the Goulds Pumps-ITT Industries 150-lap 'Salute to the Troops' Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series event on Oct. 7 of Super DIRT Week XXXV at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.
O’Brien finished seventh in the century grind and combined with a final 22nd-place tally by Bachetti, who lost six laps in the pits, extended his Mr. DIRT points lead to 36 over the Lebanon Valley Speedway champion. Hearn climbed the chart and trails the leader by 54 points as second-generation driver O’Brien from Kingston, Ont. pursues his division-high fifth DIRT Championship in the small-block ranks.
Fast Track Footnotes:
Friday night was the first time Dan Vauter ever qualified for a main event at RWR in nearly a dozen big-block and small-block Modified shows staged since 2003 ….. Fast and smooth track conditions produced close racing in the qualifiers with only .007-seconds separating Vic Coffey and Billy Decker as they crossed the line in heat #3 ‘photo finish’ ….. Five recently crowned ’06 DIRT 358-Modified track champions filled out the all-star field; Kyle Dingwall (Cornwall), Jeff Sykes (Frogtown), Andy Bachetti (Lebanon Valley), Larry Lampman Jr. (Merrittville), Brett Hearn (Orange County). Not signing in on Friday were Danny O'Brien (Brockville), David Hebert (Drummond), Laurent Ladouceur (Edelweiss), Alain Boisvert (Granby) and Todd Burley (Ransomville) ….. Pierre Dagenais revealed his plans to steer ‘Barefoot’ Bob McCreadie’s new ’07 BRP no. 9 Kinney Drugs-Syracuse Frame Service entry in Saturday’s National 200 for big-block Modifieds. Also the following day. rising star in the DIRT Sportsman ranks, Rob Bellinger, will make his big-block Modified debut aboard a Kevlar-powered Quality Concrete-sponsored Troyer mount owned by David Thompson and carrying the number 27R ….. Scheduled to start 25th in the feature, the ‘Deuce’ car of Deek Decker suffered a blown motor after Jack Johnson qualified third in the consolation round ….. Sprinkles fell over the speedway after warm-ups before rain forced a brief 10-minute delay as the companion Street Stock feature field lined up on track. The 358-Mod Championship started at 9:15 p.m. and ended just past 10 o’clock.
Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series Race #4 – Rolling Wheels Raceway, Sept. 22, 2006 20th World Series of DIRT Track Racing 100 Event Summary
FEATURE (100-laps):
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 6 14j Alan Johnson ($4,000)
2 5 19 Tim Fuller
3 10 42 Pete Bicknell
4 3 4* Brett Hearn
5 24 99j Jimmy Phelps
6 9 91 Billy Decker
7 2 6 Pat O'Brien
8 4 rp23 Larry Lampman Jr.
9 18 fx1 Frankie Caprara
10 13 93 Rich Vinson
11 26 3k Kevin Bates
12 8 66j Dale Planck
13 32 2 Todd Stewart
14 30 66 Kyle Dingwall
15 27 124 Pierre Dagenais
16 28 37 Lance Willix II
17 29 81 Jeff Sykes
18 21 66x Carey Terrance
19 14 26 Rick Richner
20 33 007 Roy Tarbell
21 19 14 Dan Vauter
22 1 4 Andy Bachetti
23 34 80 Jeff Marshall
24 20 m96 Brian McDonald
25 31 99 Mike Adderley
26 23 26g Scott George
27 12 3 Chad Brachmann
28 16 27j Danny Johnson
29 7 42p Pat Ward
30 17 7 Scott Kerwin
31 15 7x Steve Paine
32 11 32c Vic Coffey
33 22 27 Kyle Jacobs
DNS 25 deuce Jack Johnson
LAP LEADERS: Bachetti (1-2), Hearn (3-7), Bachetti (8-14), Fuller (15-43), A.Johnson (44-100).
CAUTIONS: 6 for 9 laps.
SYRACUSE 150 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER: Jimmy Phelps.
DID NOT QUALIFY(9)
m1-Cricket Mandigo
4r-Dave Reilley
12-John Mulder
21k-Randy Chrysler
t21-Roger Chrysler
24-Chris Shultz
37pFrancisco Pereira
77g-Robbie Grant
86-Justin Mason
QUALIFYING
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
1 20.805 108.147 4 Andy Bachetti
*$100 Integra Shocks Fast Qualifier Award
2 20.945 107.424 4* Brett Hearn
3 21.068 106.797 91 Billy Decker
4 21.089 106.691 14j Alan Johnson
5 21.096 106.655 3 Chad Brachmann
6 21.109 106.590 19 Tim Fuller
7 21.126 106.504 32c Vic Coffey
8 21.139 106.438 66j Dale Planck
9 21.166 106.303 7 Scott Kerwin
10 21.182 106.222 27j Danny Johnson
11 21.200 106.132 14 Dan Vauter
12 21.215 106.057 42 Pete Bicknell
13 21.276 105.753 42p Pat Ward
14 21.314 105.564 fx1 Frankie Caprara
15 21.332 105.475 rp23 Larry Lampman Jr.
16 21.354 105.367 m96 Brian McDonald
17 21.372 105.278 deuce Jack Johnson
18 21.375 105.263 26 Rick Richner
19 21.384 105.219 7x Steve Paine
20 21.392 105.180 99 Mike Adderley
21 21.419 105.047 2 Todd Stewart
22 21.465 104.822 6 Pat O'Brien
23 21.469 104.802 37 Lance Willix II
24 21.479 104.753 37p Francisco Pereira
25 21.536 104.476 93 Rich Vinson
26 21.553 104.394 124 Pierre Dagenais
27 21.559 104.365 3k Kevin Bates
28 21.578 104.273 27 Kyle Jacobs
29 21.588 104.225 66x Carey Terrance
30 21.638 103.984 80 Jeff Marshall
31 21.679 103.787 24 Chris Shultz
32 21.702 103.677 99j Jimmy Phelps
33 21.710 103.639 81 Jeff Sykes
34 21.915 102.669 26g Scott George
35 21.925 102.623 21k Randy Chrysler
36 21.949 102.510 007 Roy Tarbell
37 22.177 101.456 66 Kyle Dingwall
38 22.196 101.370 4r Dave Reilley
39 22.515 99.933 12 John Mulder
40 22.777 98.784 77g Robbie Grant
41 22.885 98.318 t21 Roger Chrysler
42 22.955 98.018 86 Justin Mason
43 25.331 88.824 m1 Cricket Mandigo
Heat Races (8 laps, top-5 finishers transferred to feature, top-3 went to re-draw)
#1: Bachetti, Ward, Brachmann, Vinson, Kerwin, J.Johnson, Terrance, Sykes, Ro.Chrysler, Dingwall, Stewart.
#2: Fuller, O’Brien, Hearn, Richner, Caprara, Dagenais, George, Marshall, Reilley, Mason.
#3: Coffey, Decker, Lampman, Paine, Vauter, Willix, Ra.Chrysler, Bates, Shultz, Mandigo, Mulder.
#4: Planck, A.Johnson, Bicknell, D.Johnson, McDonald, Jacobs, Phelps, Adderley, Tarbell, Pereira, Grant.
Consolation Round (8 laps, top-4 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Terrance, George, J.Johnson, Dagenais, Marshall, Sykes, Stewart, Dingwall, Ro.Chrysler, Reilley, Mason.
#2: Jacobs, Phelps, Bates, Willix, Ra.Chrysler, Pereira, Tarbell, Shultz, Mandigo, Grant, Mulder, Adderley.
Guaranteed: Sykes, Dingwall, Adderley.
Provisionals: Stewart, Tarbell, Marshall.
Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series Point Standings (through Sept. 22, 2006)
Rank No Driver Points Home Track Bonus Wins Top-5 Top-10 Starts
1 6 Pat O'Brien 1,290 Thunder Alley 1000 0 2 3 4
2 4 Andy Bachetti 1,254 Lebanon Valley 1000 1 1 1 4
3 4* Brett Hearn 1,236 Orange County 1000 0 1 2 4
4 m96 Brian McDonald 1,223 Brockville 980 0 1 2 4
5 37 Lance Willix II[R]1,200 Thunder Alley 980 0 0 2 4
6 66x Carey Terrance 1,196 Frogtown 980 0 0 1 4
7 66 Kyle Dingwall 1,174 Cornwall 1000 0 0 1 3
8 42 Pete Bicknell 1,170 Ransom/Merritt 980 1 2 2 2
9 17d Danny O’Brien 1,170 Brockville 1000 0 2 2 2
10 81 Jeff Sykes 1,149 Frogtown 1000 0 0 0 3
11 2 Todd Stewart 1,122 Brockville 950 0 0 1 3
12 99 Mike Adderly 1,116 Thunder Alley 960 0 0 0 3
13 124 Pierre Dagenais 1,112 Edelweiss 980 0 1 1 2
14 007 Roy Tarbell 1,108 Cornwall 914 0 0 0 4
15 80 Jeff Marshall 1,090 Frogtown 960 0 0 0 3
16 5 J.R. Heffner 1,070 Lebanon Valley 980 0 1 1 1
17 23 Larry Lampman 1,068 Merrittville 1000 0 0 1 1
18 11 Chris Jones 1,030 Cornwall 980 0 0 0 1
19 77 Jimmy Johnson 1,028 Orange County 960 0 0 1 1
20 90 Scott Parliament1,026 Thunder Alley 930 0 0 0 2
21 37p Francisco Pereira1,018 Merrittville 922 0 0 0 2
22 95 Mark Hitchcock 1,018 Cornwall 950 0 0 1 1
23 21K Randy Chrysler 1,016 Merrittville 912 0 0 0 2
24 93 Rich Vinson 1,012 Ransomville 950 0 0 1 1
25 3 Chad Brachmann1,010 Ransomville 970 0 0 0 1
26 T21 Roger Chrysler 1,010 Ransomville 906 0 0 0 2
27 115 Kenny Tremont. 1,010 Lebanon Valley 930 0 1 1 1
28 32Q Matt Quinn 1,010 Lebanon Valley 970 0 0 0 1
29 35m Adam Moore 1,008 Brockville 928 0 0 0 2
30 26 Rick Richner 1,005 Merrittville 960 0 0 0 1
31 77G Robbie Grant [R]1,002 Edelweiss 926 0 0 0 1
32 62 Todd Burley 1,000 Ransomville 1000 0 0 0 0
33 45J Wayne Jelley 1,000 Lebanon Valley 928 0 0 1 1
34 73 Alain Boisvert 1,000 Granby 1000 0 0 0 0
35 23 Laur.Ladoucuer 1,000 Edelweiss 1000 0 0 0 0
36 1 David Hebert 1,000 Drummond 1000 0 0 0 0
37 86 Justin Mason 998 Thunder Alley 938 0 0 0 1
38 22 Éric Gauvreau 998 Edelweiss 950 0 0 0 1
39 10 Randy Sherlock 990 Orange County 950 0 0 0 1
40 12 John Mulder 988 Brockville 938 0 0 0 1
41 43 Keith Flach 988 Lebanon Valley 926 0 0 1 1
42 7K Scott Kerwin 986 Ransomville 946 0 0 0 1
43 55 Gary Edwards. 980 Orange County 980 0 0 0 0
44 39 Clément Therrien980 Drummond 980 0 0 0 0
45 31x Andy Lloyd 976 Brockville 926 0 0 0 1
46 26G Scott George 974 Ransomville 934 0 0 0 1
47 51 Jim VanAnden 972 Orange County 916 0 0 0 1
48 71 David VanHorn 970 Orange County 970 0 0 0 0
49 9 Ken Cosgrove 970 Merrittville 970 0 0 0 0
50 90 Martin Roy 970 Granby 970 0 0 0 0
51 22 Mario Clair 970 Drummond 970 0 0 0 0
52 19 Paul Kinney 970 Thunder Alley 970 0 0 0 0
53 07 Tim Kerr 963 Thunder Alley 908 0 0 0 1
54 m14 Cricket Mandigo962 Thunder Alley 942 0 0 0 0
55 123 Robbie Krull 960 Ransomville 960 0 0 0 0
56 94 Ray Hoard 960 Lebanon Valley 950 0 0 0 0
57 21 Donnie Corellis 960 Lebanon Valley 960 0 0 0 0
58 46 Kayle Robidoux 960 Drummond 960 0 0 0 0
59 96 Keith Dingwall 956 Edel/Cornwall 946 0 0 0 0
60 5 Dan Jalbert 956 Frogtown 946 0 0 0 0
2006 358-MODIFIED SYRACUSE CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS
(+)-denotes Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series event.
DAY-DATE TRACK LOCATION WINNER/QUALIFIER
Sat-Apr 29 Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY Matt Quinn
Sat-Apr 29 Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown,NY Jerry Higbie
Sat-May 13 Lebanon Valley Speedway /West Lebanon,NY Andy Bachetti
Mon-May 22 Merrittville Speedway/Thorold,ONT Robbie Krull
Sat-May 27 Frogtown Int'l Speedway/Hogansburg,NY Dave Heaslip/Jeff Sykes (2nd)
Sat-May 27 Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville,QUE David Hebert
Sat-May 27 Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY J.R. Heffner
Fri-Jun 2 Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville,NY Scott Kerwin
Fri-Jun 2 Autodrome Granby/Granby,QUE Martin Roy
Sat-Jun 10 Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown,NY Tim Hindley
Sat-Jun 17 Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY A.Bachetti/Keith Flach (4th)
Sat-Jun 24 Genesee Speedway/Batavia,NY Scott Wood
Sat-Jul 1 Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY Rich Salisbury
Tue-Jul 4 Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville,ONT A.Johnson/Danny O'Brien 7th)
Sun-Jul 9 Cayuga County Fair Speedway/Weedsport,NY Chad Brachmann
Sun-Jul 9 Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall,ONT Dale Planck/Chris Jones (9th)
Thr-Jul 13 Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown,NY David VanHorn
Fri-Jul 14 Autodrome Granby/Granby,QUE D.Hebert/Mario Clair (2nd)
Sat-Jul 15 Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY Donnie Corellis
Sat-Jul 15 Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville,QUE D.Hebert/Kayle Robidoux (2nd)
Sat-Jul 15 Merrittville Speedway/Thorold,ONT Pete Bicknell
Sun-Jul 23 Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY Wayne Jelley
Thr-Jul 27 Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd./LaFargeville,NY Tim Fuller
Fri-July 28 Autodrome Edelweiss/Hull,QUE Pierre Dagenais
Sat-July 29 Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville,ONT D.O'Brien/Yan Bussiere (3rd)
Sun-Jul 30 Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall,ONT Brian McDonald
Sun-July 30 Humberstone Speedway/Port Colborne,ONT P.Bicknell/Adam Ferri (2nd)
Sat-Aug 5 Canandaigua Speedway/Canandaigua,NY V.Coffey/Just.Henderson (10th)
Sat-Aug 5 Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY A.Bachetti/Ted Teal (7th)
Sun-Aug 6 Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall,ONT B.McDonald/Kyle Dingwall (2nd)
Mon-Aug 7 Merrittville Speedway/Thorold,ONT A.Johnson/Ken Cosgrove (3rd)
Tue-Aug 8 Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville,NY Stewart Friesen
Fri-Aug 11 Ohsweken Speedway/Ohsweken,ONT A.Ferri/Rick Richner (4th)
Sat-Aug 26 Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville,QUE Clement Therrien
Fri-Sep 1 Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville,NY P.Bicknell/Boyd MacTavish(2nd)
Fri-Sep 1 Thunder Alley Speedpark/Evans Mills,NY F.Caprara/Pat O'Brien (3rd)
Fri-Sep 1 Autodrome Edelweiss/Hull,QUE Laurent Ladouceur
Sat-Sep 2 Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown,NY -rain-
Sat-Sep 2 Frogtown Int'l Speedway/Hogansburg,NY J.Sykes/Carey Terrance (2nd)
Sat-Sep 2 Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY B.Hearn/Alan Houghtaling (7th)
Sun-Sep 3+ Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall,ONT -rain-
Sun-Sep 3 Northern Region Champion/DIRT NorthEast Pat O'Brien
Sun-Sep 3 Eastern Region Champion/DIRT NorthEast Brett Hearn
Sun-Sep 3 Western Region Champion/DIRT NorthEast Pete Bicknell
Sat-Sep 9+ Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY A.Bachetti/Alan Johnson (2nd)
Kenny Tremont (5th),
Ryan Larkin (6th)
Jimmy Johnson (8th)
Sat-Sep 9 Autodrome Granby/Granby,QUE Y.Bussiere/Real LaFrance (5th)
Sat-Sep 9 Little Valley Speedway/Little Valley,NY C.Donk/George Bosse (22nd)
Sun-Sep 10+ Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd./LaFargeville,NY A.Johnson/Frank Caprara (4th)
Sat-Sep 16+ Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville,ONT P.Bicknell/Danny Johnson (2nd)
Fri-Sep 22+ Rolling Wheels Raceway/Elbridge,NY A.Johnson/Jimmy Phelps (5th)
Sat-Sep 30 Fulton Speedway/Fulton,NY
Wed-Oct 4+ Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd./LaFargeville,NY
Thr-Oct 5+ Brewerton Speedway/Brewerton,NY
Fri-Oct 6+ Rolling Wheels Raceway(2)/Elbridge,NY
Sat-Oct 7+ New York State Fairgrounds/Syracuse,NY
UPCOMING EVENTS
Four straight nights of small-block action take over during Super DIRT Week XXXV at the New York State Fairgrounds in October with Can-Am, Brewerton, Rolling Wheels and Syracuse staging extra-distance events offering valuable points towards the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Championship.
2006 MR. DIRT 358-MODIFIED SERIES SCHEDULE
*Show up points only
DAY-DATE LAPS TRACK – LOCATION / WINNER
Sun-Sep 3 100 Cornwall Motor Speedway / RAIN-CANCELLED
Sat-Sep 9 50 Lebanon Valley Speedway / ANDY BACHETTI
Sun-Sep 10 80 Can-Am Motorsports Park / ALAN JOHNSON
Sat-Sep 16 75 Brockville Ontario Speedway / PETE BICKNELL
Fri-Sep 22 100 Rolling Wheels Raceway / ALAN JOHNSON
Wed-Oct 4 75 Can-Am Motorsports Park - LaFargeville,NY
Thr-Oct 5 100 Brewerton Speedway - Brewerton,NY
Fri-Oct 6 100 Rolling Wheels Raceway - Elbridge,NY
*Sat-Oct 7 150 New York State Fairgrounds - Syracuse,NY
Sat-Oct 21 150 Orange County Fair Speedway - Middletown,NY
The DIRT MotorSports™ 358-Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., DealMaker Auto Group and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, DART Machinery, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.
|