BlackRockSpeedway.com

Jun 29, 2015 01:59 AM EDT

History In The Making- Alan Johnson Wins First Modified Feature of 2015

DUNDEE, NY – For Immediate Release – June 29th, 2015 – 

2014 nearly saw a winning streak 39 years in the making come to an end for ‘AJ Slideways’ Alan Johnson.  The Middlesex, NY driver hadn’t won a feature event, until he parked the #55J in victory lane last October stretching the streak to 40 years.  Friday night- the streak extended to 41 years.

It has been well documented that Johnson has struggled so far in 2015, but the Friendly Ford 14J would find itself rolling away from the outside pole at the green.  ‘Hollywood’ Daryl Hilkert powered away to the lead for the first three circuits before a mechanical failure sent the Extreme Renovations #4 to the pits on lap 3.

Johnson would assume the lead and would pull away from the field on several restarts in a feature that suffered from a case of yellow fever.  Penn Yan’s Derrick Podsiadlo gave the Penn Yan Express Stop 21 car its best run of the season with a fine second place finish.  

A broken brake caliper on the Podsiadlo 21 car would allow Johnson to maintain a comfortable lead as ‘D-Pods’ had to use the cushion heavily to help slow and steer the car through the turns.  Several late restarts gave Podsiadlo a fighting chance but Johnson was not going to be denied a winning streak 41 years in the making.

“You never really think about a streak like that until the wins aren’t coming like they used to and you run a chance of breaking it,” said an elated Johnson in Champion Power Equipment Victory Lane. 

Johnson, a fairly cool and calm driver in the pits and in interviews was ready to celebrate with his crew as several mechanical failures have put them behind the eight ball to start out 2015.  Brady Fultz was very strong in his small block Troyer Racecars #70 coming home in third, Dale Welty recovered from a lap 1 incident that saw debris completely block his vision out the front of the car for fourth and Mike Bills with a rare Black Rock start completed the top five.

The Crate Sportsman competed in two feature events; as they would run a June 19th make up event lost to Dundee village curfew.  Middlesex, NY driver ‘The Iceman’ Steve Gray would go on to win both the June 19th make up as well as the regularly scheduled 25-lap feature event. 

The pair of wins brought his Black Rock season total to four and also made it three wins in 4 nights as Gray and the Proctor Enterprises 29g team picked up a win at Weedsport Speedway on Tuesday.

“This track was very tricky tonight, I didn’t want to show my hand to Casey (Pavlick) too early and show him I could use to the top to make my pass,” said Gray about using the high side to make his pass for second and eventually, the lead. 

Chris Fisher, who has had a pretty tumultuous season himself, led laps 1 through 19 before losing the lead to Gray on lap 20.  He would have to settle for second, Pavlick had a strong night all around for third, Chris Silvers had a great run for fourth and Brett Buono completed the top five- tying his best run of the season. 

In the make up feature Gray would get the win over Pavlick, Dale Welty in the Darrell Welty-owned 123, Doug Smith with another great run for fourth in the Wheeler Motorsports entry and Loren Lincoln with a great run to complete the top five. 

The Morseman Racing Chassis Street Stocks touted the most thrilling finish of the night as point leader Jared Hill tried to pull off a second straight win with more late-race-heroics.  But Jake Karlnoski was too tough to tame on this night as ‘Snake in the Sand’ beat Hill at the line by half a car length to collect win #2 of 2015 on the ‘Fast-Four-Tenths-Mile’.

Karlnoski was challenged all race long from his sixth starting position as Kurt Stebbins took the lead from the pole for the opening three circuits.  Karlnoski would motor by on lap 4, before Stebbins nosed ahead again on lap 5.  Stebbins and Karlnoski fought hard for the lead, swapping paint several times as Karlnoski again took the top spot on lap 6. 

As the race wore on, Stebbins slid back to fourth but it was Hill and CJ Guererri in the Damick Painting CJ1 that were hard on the charge.  Hill, who is starting to gain the nickname ‘the closer’, won the Jeff Searles Memorial with a three-wide pass with two to go on Chuck Winslow and Nate Daggett the week before.  Friday night he found himself in the same position trying to steal away the win from Karlnoski.

A bobble by Karlnoski in Turn 1 allowed Hill to draw even down the backstretch and dive down low in Turn 3 on the white flag lap.  However Karlnoski drove the cushion to perfection in the ‘money corners’ and edged out Hill by six feet at the double checkers. 

“That was a lot of fun racing like that and putting on a good show for the fans,” said Karlnoski.

“The track was rough, but it hasn’t been like that this year so we’re confident Mike (Jackson) will get that figured out for next week.  Tonight was about survival and making a perfect lap coming to the checkered flag.”

Hill extended his point lead in second, Guererri came home third, Stebbins fourth and Bob Buono cracked the top five. 

In the June 5th rained out make up feature, it was Chuck Winslow who survived the rough track conditions to come home with his third win of the 2015 season.  The conditions were not ideal but Winslow, LaVerne Knickerbocker, Bob Buono, CJ Guererri and Nate Daggett put their cars in position to come home in the top five positions. 

Winslow dominated the second half of the 20-lap event and spoke in Victory Lane about how on edge he and his fellow competitors were on a double feature night.

“There’s a lot of nerves because you don’t want to have a problem that prevents you from racing the second one.  That could hurt a lot at the end of the season in points.” 

Eddie Sites is now batting .500 with his second win of 2015 in the M&M Auto Sales & Service IMCA Modified division.  Sites would take advantage of his pole starting position to lead every lap of the 20-lap feature event.  The driver of the #15 also steered that ride to a win during the Empire State Series’ visit to Black Rock.  Sites still maintains the points lead in the IMCA Empire State Series.

Few cautions slowed the IMCA feature down, as everyone appeared to be protecting the bottom side of the speedway.  Todd Stone had a tough time navigating the bumps as he took a pretty wild ride through the infield.  Stone had another strong run within the top five before problems forced him off the speedway. 

Logan Terry chased Sites down late in the race but Sites wasn’t to be denied on this night.  Terry would settle in line for second, Rich Karlnoski followed up a heat win with a third place showing, point leader Keith Lamphere rebounded from a terrible double-feature night last week to finish fourth with Harry Ely still searching for his first win of 2015 in fifth.

In the NAPA Know How 4 Cylinders in 2015, the rear wheel drive Ford Mustangs have been the dominant force.  That was until Friday night when Codie Baker made a daring move on early race dominator Joe Povoski to take the 20-lap win.

Baker quietly picked his was through the field after starting 12th on the starting grid.  Povoski wasted no time moving to the front as he started 14th and took the lead away from Jarod Brown on lap 4.  Brown was strong as well in his front wheel drive #09 as he rounded out the top ten in the finishing order. 

With two laps two go, Baker had the former Black Rock Speedway track champion in his clutches and went to work on the outside.  Povoski led by the smallest of margins as they received the white flag, but a perfect corner in Turn 1 saw Baker drive by in Turn 2 and go on to the win. 

Baker got the front wheel drive upset to win over Povoski, point leader Rich Sharpsteen, John Hand Jr in a rare appearance and Zach Teed with a great top five finish for the youngster out of the Teed camp. 

Jeff Daugherty continued his dominance in the Creekside Entertainment Bandit division.  The Elmira, NY pilot had to work to get around Brandon Kinner and Billy Bowers but was able to come out on top in what was an exciting three-car battle.

The largest field of Creekside Entertainment Bandits this season was on hand Friday, as seven drivers age 12-16 signed in for competition.  Brandon Kinner, Cody Hicks, Billy Bowers and ShiAnn Labar completed the top five.  Lady racers Pixie Kinner and Polly Anna Dean completed the field of Bandit drivers in their 10-lap feature. 

The track surface was rough during the night’s racing action as track preparation varied from normal procedure during the past week trying to work more moisture underneath the surface.  The attempt at additional moisture and the removal of countless rocks from the racing surface culminated in rough conditions.

After the Street Stock and Crate Sportsman make up features, the weekly racing program was delayed to allow for the grader to come onto the racing surface to attempt to smooth things out.  Another grader session resumed after the heat races were completed, but the surface never fully cooperated. 

T-shirt giveaways and free pass giveaways helped fill the track maintenance time for the race fans.  Several fans participated in trivia questions on the front stretch, winning free passes for this week’s $10,000 fireworks show.

Promoter Mike Jackson wishes to thank all of the drivers, teams and fans for sticking it out Friday night as they attempted to several times correct what the track was giving them.  Adding new clay to the ‘Fast-Four-Tenths-Mile’ is something in serious discussion between track ownership, the promoter and a local business that has offered clay to the speedway.

Additionally, Black Rock Speedway Race Director Greg Hixson wishes to send his sincere thanks to the IMCA Modified and 4 Cylinder drivers for both putting on fantastic races in their heats and features.  Yellow fever was not an issue in either division, which was discussed in the pre-race driver’s meeting.

Friday July 3rd will see Black Rock’s $10,000 Fireworks Show lift off with all weekly divisions and make up features for the Modifieds and NAPA Know How 4 Cylinder division. 

General admission is set at $15.00 with Seniors and ages 12-17 paying $13 for admission.  Children under 12 are always free at Black Rock so don’t forget to bring the kids!  Gates open at 5PM with the first green flag waving at 7PM.  For more information log on to www.blackrockspeedway.com or visit Black Rock Speedway on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

Blue Heron Construction Night @ Black Rock Speedway 6/26/15 Results:

Modifieds (30 Laps): ALAN JOHNSON (1), Derrick Podsiadlo, Brady Fultz, Dale Welty, Mike Bills, Steve Paine, Ron Cartwright Jr, Chris Ostrowsky, Brian Doolittle, Scott Boudinot, Daryl Hilkert, Gary Tomkins, Cory Costa, Marcus Dinkins, Lee Bills, Joe Dgien, Tyler Siri, Stacey Jackson  DNS: Don Slover

Lap Leaders: Hilkert 1-3, Johnson 4-30

Heats: Daryl Hilkert, Alan Johnson 

 

Crate Sportsman (25 Laps): STEVE GRAY (4), Chris Fisher, Casey Pavlick, Chris Silvers, Brett Buono, Jordan Siri, Stacey Jackson, Tim Guild, Jimmy Morton, Mike Williams, Brandon Rauscher, Loren Lincoln, Russ Morseman, John Agnew, Dale Welty, Josh Keesey, Doug Smith, John Rathburn  DNS: Jake Dgien, Brent Ayers, Lance Irwin

Heats: Chris Fisher, Josh Keesey, Steve Gray

Lap Leaders: Fisher 1-19, Gray 20-25

 

Crate Sportsman June 19th Make Up Feature (25 Laps): STEVE GRAY (3), Casey Pavlick, Dale Welty, Doug Smith, Loren Lincoln, Jordan Siri, Russ Morseman, Chris Fisher, Stacey Jackson, Chris Silvers, Jake Dgien, Lance Irwin, Josh Keesey, Brent Ayers, John Agnew  DNS: Eric Bell, Zach Ziegenhagen 

 

Morseman Racing Chassis Street Stocks (20 Laps): JAKE KARLNOSKI (2), Jared Hill, CJ Guererri, Kurt Stebbins, Bob Buono, Jeremy Potrzebowski, Chuck Winslow, Nate Daggett, Roger Kerrick, Dennis Cummings, LaVerne Knickerbocker, Teddy Morseman, John Burritt, Tracy Dunn, Frank Chapman, Jeremy Bunn, Bill Miller, Gene Balmer, Ralph Champion, Carl Cleveland, Rich Rider  DNS: Bruce Kinner, Allison Teed

Heats: Jake Karlnoski, Kurt Stebbins, Dennis Cummings

Lap Leaders: Stebbins 1-3, Karlnoski 4, Stebbins 5, Karlnoski 6-20

 

MRC Street Stocks June 5th make up (20 Laps): CHUCK WINSLOW, LaVerne Knickerbocker, Bob Buono, CJ Guererri, Nate Daggett, Carl Cleveland, Roger Kerrick, Bill Miller, John Burritt, Jared Hill, Allison Teed, Gene Balmer, Tracy Dunn, Frank Chapman, Ralph Champion, Bruce Kinner, Dennis Cummings, Teddy Morseman, Kurt Stebbins, Jake Kalnoski 

 

M&M Auto Sales & Service IMCA Modifieds (20 Laps): EDDIE SITES (2), Logan Terry, Rich Karlnoski, Keith Lamphere, Harry Ely, Mark Griffin, Brad Smith, Ken Buck, Jason Benjamin, Brandon Mathews, Ray Hyer, Nicole Spalding, Bobby Maynard, Todd Stone, Tony Harris, Sparky Hills  DNS: Scott Sebring

Lap Leaders: Sites 1-20

Heats: Rich Karlnoski, Eddie Sites 

 

NAPA Know How 4 Cylinders (20 Laps): CODIE BAKER (2), Joe Povoski, Rich Sharpsteen, John Hand Jr, Zach Teed, Adam DelGrosso, Chad Ayers, Jayson Smart, Donnie Clemons, Jarod Brown, Erica Bell, Sarah Gooch, David Whetham, Chris Davis, Dave Kinner, Jeff Moore, Desi Force, Dan Smart, Del Cummings, Bryan Thompson, Amy Buck, Scott Bradley, Jeremy Trank

Lap Leaders: Brown 1-3, Povoski 4-19, Baker 20

Heats: Joe Povoski, Erica Bell, Rich Sharpsteen

  

Creekside Entertainment Bandits (10 Laps): JEFF DAUGHERTY (7), Brandon Kinner, Cody Hicks, Billy Bowers, ShiAnn Labar, Pixie Kinner, Polly Anna Dean

Friendly Dodge

Friendly Ford

Insinger Racing Fuels

Doug Gross Construction

Winners Circle Deli

Friendly Dodge

Friendly Ford