“The Doctor” Danny Johnson scored his first Super DIRTcar Series win of the season at Weedsport Speedway to open the King of the Hill weekend in dominating fashion.
Mat Williamson and Tim Kerr led the 31-car starting field to the initial green, with Kerr establishing himself at the top of the charts in the opening circuits. Tim Fuller quickly made his way past Williamson and into the runner up spot in the opening laps, then immediately went to work on Kerr. Fuller was able to grab the lead away on lap 10, just before a caution for Rob Bellinger, who lost a right rear wheel.
On the ensuing restart, a number of cars tangled together, drawing another quick caution and sending Billy Decker and Ryan Arbuthnot on a detour through the infield. Tim Fuller bolted out front on the restart on lap 21, but Danny Johnson was able to wrestle the middle podium step away from Kerr and began to chase after Fuller. Johnson was able to snatch the lead away from Fuller on lap 28, but lost it the following lap. The pair remained side by side for a number of circuits, trading the lead back and forth at the line multiple times until a lap 36 caution for a large pileup in turn 1, involving Brett Hearn, Ryan Phelps, Rich Scagliotta, Chad Brachmann, Rob Bellinger, and others. While all the attention was focused on the intense battle between Fuller and Johnson, Matt Sheppard had quietly made his way into third.
Danny Johnson powered his way around Fuller on the lap 45 restart and immediately opened up a solid gap. At the same time, Larry Wight rode the cushion around Matt Sheppard to reclaim the final podium position, and then briefly stole second from Fuller. Halfway through, Johnson led Wight, Fuller, Sheppard, and Peter Britten.
Wight’s stint in second was short lived, as Fuller took the spot back on lap 56, and Sheppard moved back to third on lap 62. Peter Britten’s strong run came to an abrupt end, as he pulled into the infield while running in the top 5 on lap 70. While the pack was battling, Danny Johnson built up a sizable lead through the later stages of the event, upwards of a straightaway at times over Matt Sheppard. Meanwhile, Stewart Friesen had steadily worked his way through the pack and into the top five as the lap counter reached into the 80’s.
While Matt Sheppard closed slightly on Johnson during the last laps of the race, Danny Johnson was able to score his first Series triumph of the year to kick off the King of the Hill weekend. Chasing him across the line was Matt Sheppard, followed by Tim Fuller, Stewart Friesen, and Larry Wight. Completing the top 10 were Billy Decker, who was involved in the second caution of the night, Mike Mahaney, Pat Ward, Justin Haers, and Rob Bellinger, who had to be towed off after losing an entire right rear tire on lap 11, and was then involved in the lap 36 pileup. The win comes at a much needed time for the Gennarelli Racing team, as Danny Johnson was involved in a violent accident in the opening stages of the Super DIRTcar Series event at Brewerton the previous night.
The NAPA Sportsman Shootout Series joined the Modifieds in the pits for their penultimate points-paying event of the season. Adam Hilton, who has one win at the track to his credit this season, jumped out to the early lead in the 25 lap affair. Hilton established a comfortable lead over the rest of the field, but a determined Ronnie Davis III was rapidly closing. On lap 18, Davis was able to slip by Hilton for the lead in traffic, but nearly lost the lead the following corner after a close call with a lapped car. Davis would lead the final circuits en route to another Weedsport win, following his huge Sportsman Classic 75 win in July. Adam Hilton followed, with Rocky Warner, Ricky Newton, and Dave Maruccilli completing the top five.
Results
SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES KING OF THE HILL 100:
DANNY JOHNSON ($10,000), Matt Sheppard, Tim Fuller, Stewart Friesen, Larry Wight, Billy Decker, Mike Mahaney, Pat Ward, Justin Haers, Rob Bellinger, Mat Williamson, Chad Phelps, Jimmy Phelps, Keith Flach, Max McLaughlin, Justin Wright, Ryan Arbithnot, Tim Kerr, Mike O’Brien, Rich Scagliotta, Mike Maresca, Roy Bresnahan, Peter Britten, Frank Cozze, Chad Brachmann, Brett Hearn, Ryan Phelps, Vince Vitale, Gary Tomkins, Dave Allen, AlanJohnson
NAPA SPORTSMAN SHOOTOUT 25:
RONNIE DAVIS III ($1,000), Adam Hilton, Rocky Warner, Ricky Newton, Dave Marcuccilli, Kyle Inman, Zach Sobotka, Todd Root, Tyler Trump, Connor Cleveland, Glenn Forward, Rocco Leone, Will Shields, Mike Taylor, Matt Guererri, Corey Barker, Nick Krause, Nick Guererri, James Carlson, Tyler Singleton, Tim Baker, Jim LaRock, Jim Spano, Amy Holland