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Port Colborne, ON…Jim Johnson’s Hot Rod Lincoln has been fast in the prior three 2007 BRP CanAm Series events. Fast, but winless. On Sunday night at Humberstone Speedway Johnson was again fast. He parlayed fast with the luck of the draw for the number one starting spot. Then the Batavia, NY speedster used a lot of Gavenda built Ford power and a great handling Carley-Shaw Fusion to record his first 2007 Series win.
Johnson also used some luck when an overheating problem slowed him down a little in the final laps, but the Batavia, NY race car driver maintained his focus and kept his Jim Pfalzer owned Mike Ognibene Ford / Zoladz Limousine Service sponsored entry glued to the bottom of the perfect Humberstone racing surface.
Maintaining focus and a run from the pole to victory lane sounds easy, but you had to see it to believe it!
Johnson held off a very determined and aggressive Ron Baker for the first nine laps. On lap ten Randy Hall, the defending Series Champion and 2007 Merrittville winner, slipped under Baker and the stage was set – Johnson Vs Hall / Ford Vs Chevrolet / Carley Vs Close / Genesee Vs McKean. The stage was set, but Jeff Chesebro was preparing to steal the show.
Chesebro had worked from his eighth place starting spot to a distant third on lap 14. A caution period on lap 22 allowed Chesebro to narrow his gap to the lead pair. Narrow, but not close the gap. The lapped car of Keith Cameron separated Chesebro from Hall. A bonsai move on the ragged racer’s edge took Cameron out of the scene as the green flew. Perhaps more important, Chesebro had established a new line around the top of Pete and Linda Cosco’s perfectly prepared race track.
Chesebro passed both Hall and Johnson on the top of turns three and four to lead lap 27. Johnson was first across the stripe on lap 28 with Chesebro, Hall, and new player Matt Cobb all racing “under a blanket.” Chese was back to the lead as they raced under the white flag. However, the Farmers Valley, PA driver skated over the berm in turn one. He stayed on top down the back straight as the checkered flag was readied. Chesebro then backed his Follman Rental Properties CRS Grand Prix hard into turn three caught a rut wrested his black beauty over the cushion through the west end of the Speedway while Johnson, Hall, and Matt Cobb all charged past on the bottom.
If you have the chance to buy a video – buy it! It simply does not get any better.
Paul Grigsby celebrated his 33rd birthday was a strong and steady run to finish fifth. Grigsby earned his third $100 DART Machinery Hard Charger Award in four events with his run from 12th in his Integrity Homes Carley-Shaw Grand Prix.
Larry Knowles, Rich Michael, Ron Baker, Rick Beales, and Steve Dixon to rounded out the top ten.
Front row starters, Jim Johnson and Ron Baker, both declined the $500 Close Racing Supply Front Row Challenge.
The $100 Performance Friction Brake of the Race Award winner was Jeff Chesebro.
The Absolute Powder Coating Rookie of the Race was Keith Cameron of Tilsbury, Ontario. Cameron steers the Charles and Debbie Brush owned DB Embroidery Warrior.
Ray Henry won both the Brad Penn Pole Cat award in his first 2007 BRP CanAm start.
Dixon was an innocent victim in all three of the minor accidents that slowed the contest. As a result he lost the point lead he owned coming into the contest. A small consolation is that he earned the Suzuki Motorcycles & ATVs Hard Luck Award.
2007 BRP CanAm Series Event #4 Finish: JIM JOHNSON, Randy Hall, Matt Cobb, Jeff Chesebro, Paul Grigsby, Larry Knowles, Rich Michael, Ron Baker, Rick Beales, Steve Dixon, Neil Patterson, Rick Baker, Keith Cameron, Bob Buono, Joe Barkley, Donnie Smith, Tim Dunham, Mike Williams, Ray Henry, Jon Rivers, Bob Babbitt, Bruce Miller
The next Series event is Friday June 22 at Ransomville Speedway in Ransomville, NY. Ransomville gates will open at 5:00 with racing at 7:15. Track information at www.RansomvilleSpeedway.com. Series information at www.BRPCanAmSeries.com
Marketing Partners for the 2007 BRP CanAm Series are: Bicknell Racing Products, Absolute Powder Coating, BC Designs & Public Relations, Bob Mullen’s Pro Speed, Brad Penn Racing Oil, Can & Bottle Return of Delevan, Clevite Engine Parts, Close Racing Supply, Cousins Designs, DART Machinery, DB Embroidery, DSE1 Race Engines, EastCoastSpeed.com, Ed Carley Motorsports, F/A Products, Hoosier Tire, Lias Tire – American Racer, National Parts Peddler, Performance Friction Brakes, Signs Plus of Kanona, Southeastern Transmissions, and Suzuki Motorcycles & ATVs
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