|
FAIR HAVEN, VT – Ronnie Johnson has accomplished many things as a racecar driver. On Tuesday night at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway he added to those accomplishments. The 33-year-old second generation driver had never won extra distance race and he had never won at the 1/3 mile Vermont oval in a Modified.
All that has now gone by the wayside as the pilot from Duanesburg, N.Y. picked up the victory in Let Freedom Ring 100.
“I haven’t won a race here since I was the Sportsman champion,” said Johnson after the victory. “We don’t run here a lot so to come up here and win against the competition that is here is great.”
Matt DeLorenzo came home in second followed by Jack Johnson, Todd Stone and Vince Quenneville Jr.
Stone and Cass Bennett led the 32 car starting field to begin the 100-lap affair with Stone taking the lead immediately with his no. 1x.
Johnson, who started third, jumped into the runner-up position immediately and stayed right with stone through the first twenty laps.
By lap 25, Johnson began to work the top side of the speedway as he tried to make a pass for the lead. Several times he pulled alongside Stone off of turn two but he was just short of making the pass at the start finish line.
On lap 33, Johnson had finally made the pass on the back straightaway on the outside of turn two but the caution came out for Ron Proctor negating his pass for the top spot.
“It took me a while to get find the right line to race with him (Stone),” stated Ronnie Johnson. “He runs here every Sunday and knows how to get around this place.”
When the race resumed, Johnson again began working the outside lane of the speedway with Stone doing all he could to protect the bottom.
But, on lap 37, Stone slipped up the speedway and Johnson drove underneath off of turn four to take the race lead in his Enders powered Teo Pro Car.
“I was able to come right back at him (Stone) when we started racing again,” commented Johnson. “I had him earlier before the caution and I knew it was a long race so I just waited for my opportunity and he gave it to me.”
After taking the lead, Johnson immediately switched lanes to run the bottom of the speedway in his no. 2 as that was the preferred line.
Several drivers made their way into the runner-up position to put pressure on Johnson including Kenny Tremont.
Tremont made several bids to the outside as Johnson continued to be steady on the inside of the speedway but his power steering went away with thirty laps remaining.
On lap 92, the race almost went south for Johnson as Bennett spun in middle of turns one and two bringing out the yellow. Bennett spun right in front of Johnson almost collecting him.
“I thought I hit him (Bennett),” said Johnson. “I don’t know how I got by him but I got really lucky because he was right in the middle of the turn and I didn’t think I had enough room to get by.”
When racing action resume, Johnson took to the inside with his father, Jack, beginning to work the outside in an attempt to take the lead away. Jack couldn’t get the necessary momentum on the outside to pull off the pass giving R. Johnson the victory.
“I wasn’t going to get off the bottom at the end,” stated Johnson. “I was going to run my race and if someone was faster than me they were going to have to go around me.”
DeLorenzo, using an Enders powered Teo Pro Car, snuck by J. Johnson in the closing laps as he attempted to pass R. Johnson for the lead to secure second.
“Jack and I ran door to door for a few laps,” stated DeLorenzo. “It was a really good race and I had a lot of fun. I’m glad we decided at the last minute to make the trip up here.”
DeLorenzo started the event from the 15th starting position and quickly made his way forward. By lap 25 he was running inside the top five only to fade just before the midway point before ultimately racing all the way back up to second.
“I messed up on a few of the restarts,” said DeLorenzo. “And then I made some adjustments to the brakes so I could roll in on the bottom and it took some time for me to get going under green and I think that cost a little bit.”
J. Johnson, of Duanesburg, N.Y., had his best finish to date aboard Alton and Carol Palmer’s Enders powered Teo Pro Car. He made one last attempt in the closing laps to get by his son but in doing so gave up the second spot.
“I was going to make him (Ronnie) earn it,” stated the elder Johnson. “I wanted to go for the win so I went to the outside there just wasn’t enough there for me.”
In other action, Lori Cari won the Pro Street feature; Joey Trudeau and D.J. Brundige each won a Limited feature; Richard Edwards won the Mini/Duke Stock feature event.
Bowl Bits
Heat races for the 33 cars in attendance were won by Don Mattison, Matt Depew and Stone. There was no consolation event as all cars started the feature.
Robert King had a night to forget as brought out several cautions with his no. 72vt. The Granville, N.Y., pilot had mechanical problems after driving his mount over the inside retaining wall in turn four on the very first lap of the event.
J. Johnson utilized an Enders spec. engine in his no. 76. Johnson started deep in the field after bouncing the car off the outside wall on the front straightaway in the heat race. The contact gave him a right rear flat.
Quenneville’s run into the top five was very impressive after he got a pair of flat tires on lap 48 and worked his way back through the field.
The feature was red flagged on lap 15 when six cars got together in turn one.
LET FREEDOM RING 100: RONNIE JOHNSON, Matt DeLorenzo, Jack Johnson, Todd Stone, Vince Quenneville Jr., Gene Munger, Tim Laduc, Don Scarborough, Ray Hoard, Ron Proctor, Dustin Delaney, Gardner Stone, Frank Hoard Sr., Robert King, Ken Tremont Jr., Stan Lemiesz, Cass Bannett, Jim Ryan, Don Ackner, Brent Lacoste, Keith Flach, Rich Salisbury, Tyler Curtis, John Proctor, Neal Stratton, John Sowle, Matt Depew, Tony Kawalchuk, Brian Whittemore, Rob Langevin, Kris Vernold.
PRO-STREET STOCKS: LORI CARY, Fred Little, Chuck Towslee, Cale Kneer, Ed Thompson, Justin Perry, Dan Eastman, Walt Brownell, Mike Bussino, Jon Bates, Richard Glode, William Hull, Jeremie Younger, John Turco, Jeff Washburn, Jesse Edwards, Carl Vladyka.
LIMITEDS (HELD OVER FROM JULY 1): JOEY TRUDEAU, Kevin Elliott, Merv Blackwell, Francis Clark Jr., D.J. Brundige, Bill Vradenburg, Randy Alger, Jeremy Jones, Tim Brunelle, Justin Parker, Nicholas Byrne, Bill Duprey, Mike Labell.
LIMITEDS: D.J. BRUNDIGE, Joey Trudeau, Randy Alger, Adam Forbes, Dave Billings, Mark Wallet, Tim Brunelle, Justin Parker, Bill Decker, C.J. Vitagliano, Shannon Donnelly, Mike Duclos, Bill Vradenburg, Kevin Elliot, Jeremy Jones, Francis Clark Jr.
MINI/DUKE STOCKS: RICHARD EDWARDS, Tim Anagnos, Ron Zagata, Cliff White, Chris Murrey, Shane Marks, Justin Rheome, Bill Parker, Russ Farr, Naomi Gould, Chris Atwood, Justin Parker.
|
|
