Aug 1, 2016 08:54 PM EST
“The Doctor” Dominates Outlaw Speedway Midsummer Meltdown
Media Contact: Steven Ovens - pr@outlawspeedwayllc.com or (315) 729-3825
For Immediate Release – August 1st, 2016 – Don Romeo photo -
(Dundee, NY) – “The Doctor” Danny Johnson had been snake bit at Outlaw Speedway in 2016. Bad luck and a few mechanical failures had not allowed the Chris Gennarelli-owned, Shakelton NAPA Auto Parts, Traction Grabber Bicknell to visit Outlaw Victory Lane.
That all changed on Saturday night, as Johnson emerged from his No. 27J the winner of a cool $3,000 in the Superior Crushing Midsummer Meltdown.
Johnson used a bit of luck to take his ride away from the outside pole, alongside Corning, NY driver Cory Costa. Costa would not lead to the first turn, as it was Johnson that would start his dominance right off the drop of Greg Hixson’s green flag.
The field was made up of Small Blocks, Big Blocks and a few Crate Sportsman that qualified into the show, creating a challenge for the race leaders over the course of the thirty-lap feature that went green-to-checkered.
While Johnson dominated the event in front, the battle was a good one from second place on back. Costa and Tyler Siri raced within the top five throughout the event, but the cream of the crop at Outlaw Speedway started to rise as the event wore on.
With no caution flags to cool their tires, Costa and Siri gave way to title contenders Steve Paine and Alan Johnson. Paine made his way into the runner-up position, hoping for a caution to bunch the field back up to Johnson who had pulled away to a full straightaway lead.
David Reutimann was driving a backup No. 5* on Saturday night, starting from the fourth spot and racing within the top five early. As the race wore on, Reutimann gave way to several of Outlaw’s veteran drivers, ultimately finishing in the seventh position.
With no caution flags in sight, Johnson would not be challenged enroute to his first Outlaw victory of the season. Alan Johnson got by Paine for the second spot in a drag race to the double-checkered flags, with Costa and Siri completing the top five.
“The track and the conditions just really worked well for us tonight,” said Johnson. “The up front starting spot sure didn’t hurt us either tonight, but I thought it was a good race all in all.”
In the thirty-lap Super Gen Products Grit Racing Series event, it would be the other celebrity driver on hand in Buzzie Reutimann that would lead the field to the green flag.
Reutimann was piloting the Brady Fultz-owned No. 70 and gave it a great ride, leading the opening three laps of the race. Reutimann battled with Canandaigua-regular Karl Comfort and would see Comfort streak by on lap number four.
While Comfort led out front, one driver emerged as the fastest car on the track. Dale Welty out of Montour Falls was on a rail in his No. 123, as he had a great setup under their primarily unsponsored ride.
Welty was charging into turn one quicker than anyone else, which was his strategy in winning the two other events he has won at Outlaw in the month of May. Comfort led from laps four to fifteen, but as the field got the cross flags signal, Welty finally got by to secure the lead.
As Welty increased his lead, Reutimann battled hard within the top five positions. The handling appeared to go away on the No. 70 halfway through the race, but the Floridian who first won the Modified portion of Super DIRT Week held on to a seventh place finish. Not a bad run at all for the driver who primarily races UMP/IMCA style cars now in the Southeast.
Two-time and defending track champion Casey Pavlick started deep in the field and was mired in traffic for much of the event. Pavlick was able to turn on the afterburners late in the feature, battling with current Outlaw point leader Tommy Collins Jr. for the third position.
In the end, Welty would go on for the victory over Comfort, Collins Jr., Pavlick and Donnie Lawson the top five.
“I think we lost our way in the middle (of the season) and the track has been changing all season, but it was awesome tonight,” said Welty. “It had good bite and the car was working great. I even got to pass my childhood hero Buzzie Reutimann and I think that was the first time I ever passed him in competition after racing with him for many many years ago when we were in the coupes.”
The Fight Night All Star Street Stock Series saw a new winner in Outlaw Victory Lane Saturday night, as 2015 Outlaw Street Stock track champion Jared Hill claimed his first Fight Night Series win.
Hill redrew the outside pole and ran away early, as the Beauty Craft, Mopar, Creekside Entertainment, Turn 5 Live No. 93 looked the best that it has all season long. This would be the first victory for Hill behind the wheel of the 93, as his lone victory of the season came back on June 10, while driving his father in-law’s No. 57J while repairs were made to his own car.
With Outlaw point leader and the only Fight Night winner at Outlaw Speedway, Chuck Winslow, unable to attend Saturday night the fans and the series was assured a new winner.
One driver that really turned some heads Saturday night was Penn Yan’s Jayson Smart. Smart, driving the K&B Catering, Salute to the Troops No. 8, had his best run of his young Street Stock career as he raced his way to the runner-up position on lap five. Smart battled Sutherland for the second spot until Sutherland got by on lap nine at the start/finish line.
While Hill was fast out front, Quinn Sutherland in Schuyler’s No. 57J was fast as well but needed a caution to close the gap. Sutherland got that caution on lap twelve as Adam Whipple stopped in turn one.
On the restart, Hill was money, pulling away from the field and not letting anyone get close enough to challenge for the lead and the win. Jared Hill would claim his first Fight Night Series win of his career and second overall victory of the season at Outlaw Speedway.
Sutherland held on for second over Bob Buono, Smart and a beaten and battered No. 3L of Jon Carpenter who survived several incidents to maintain the Fight Night Series point lead.
“The track is so much better tonight,” said Hill. “I have to thank the track crew because they take a lot of heat on the Internet and they got it ten times better tonight. We were pretty good tonight and I hated to see that caution come out and break our rhythm. I looked up at the board and saw Quinn was second and thought, oh boy here we go.”
The Four Cylinder $500-to-win feature event was dominated by JJ Kreidler for the second night in a row at Outlaw Speedway. Kreidler, driving the Flyin’ X owned by Rich Sharpsteen, has been lethal since stepping aboard Sharpsteen’s car.
He would walk away from the field, but a caution flag with just one lap remaining nearly saw the $500 prize slip from his fingers. Chad Ayers was offered one last opportunity to snatch away the victory, but couldn’t get up along side to challenge his fellow driver from Dundee.
Kreidler took the victory over Ayers, Ray Hyer, Bruce Kinner and Mike Stone.
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Outlaw Speedway is located at 82 Main St in Dundee, NY and holds dirt track racing weekly on Friday nights from mid-April through Labor Day Weekend in September. The speedway also hosts special events on the grounds with special races run during the fall months of September and October. A new era is being ushered in for 2016 as Tyler Siri takes over ownership of the Yates County oval nestled in the heart of the Finger Lakes.
Outlaw Speedway Superior Crushing Night Official Results 7/30/2016:
FRIENDLY DODGE & FORD MODIFIEDS, 21 cars (30 Laps): DANNY JOHNSON, Alan Johnson, Steve Paine, Cory Costa, Tyler Siri, Brady Fultz, David Reutimann, Donnie Lawson, Brian Swarthout, Karl Comfort, Loren Lincoln, Brett Buono, Tom Collins Jr., Eric Williams, Dale Welty, Lee Bills, Fran Hilton, Derrick Podsiadlo, Randy Brokaw, Adam Hilton, Mike Jackson, Stacy Jackson, Tim Guild
Heat Race Winners: Cory Costa, Steve Paine, Tyler Siri
Lap Leaders: D. Johnson 1-30
SUPER GEN PRODUCTS CRSA 305 SPRINT TOUR, 13 cars (25 Laps): DARRYL RUGGLES, Kyle Smith, Eddie Strada, Thomas Radivoy, Dana Wagner, Dalton Herrick, Brett Jaycox, Peter Richardson, Sydney Prince, Emily VanInwegen, Steve Glover, Tim Smith, Dan Craun
Heat Race Winners: Dana Wagner, Darryl Ruggles
Lap Leaders: Ruggles 1-4, Smith 5, Ruggles 6-25
SUPER GEN PRODUCTS GRIT RACING SERIES CRATE SPORTSMAN, 20 cars (30 Laps): DALE WELTY, Karl Comfort, Tom Collins Jr., Casey Pavlick, Donnie Lawson, AJ Lloyd, Buzzie Reutimann, Stacy Jackson, Tim Guild, Josh Keesey, Brett Buono, Loren Lincoln, Nate Peckham, Frank Guererri Jr., Bob Johnson, Mike Ward, Dustin Jordan, Brent Ayers, Doug Smith, Mike Jackson
Heat Race Winners: AJ Lloyd, Loren Lincoln, Josh Keesey
Lap Leaders: Reutimann 1-3, Comfort 4-15, Welty 16-30
FIGHT NIGHT ALL STAR STREET STOCKS, 16 cars (20 Laps): JARED HILL, Quinn Sutherland, Bob Buono, Jayson Smart, Jon Carpenter, TJ Frost, Gene Balmer, Dan Babcock, Teddy Morseman, Jeredd Dennis, Brian Lloyd, Adam Whipple, JJ Kreidler, Christian Thompson, Marc Minutolo, Jeff Moore
Heat Race Winners: TJ Frost, Jared Hill
Lap Leaders: Hill 1-20
FOUR CYLINDERS, 12 cars (20 Laps): JJ KREIDLER, Chad Ayers, Ray Hyer, Bruce Kinner, Mike Stone, Billy Bowers, Dave Whetham, Zach Teed, Brian Grant Jr., Jordan Keefer, Justin Gardiner, Chris Force
Heat Race Winners: Chad Ayers, Mike Stone
