JEREMY SMITH WINS FIRST EVER FULTON SPEEDWAY DIRT 358 MODIFIED FEATURE IN PHOTO FINISH OVER ALAN JOHNSON

 

FULTON, NY...Jeremy Smith won his first ever Fulton Speedway DIRT 358 Modified feature race in a photo finish over Alan Johnson last Saturday on Riverside Inn Night. Smith took the lead back from Johnson on the final lap and the lead duo split a lapped car on the way to the finish line. Smith edged Johnson at the line by .02 of a second. The win for the young Whitney Point, N.Y. driver was worth $1,500.

     Russell Hendrickson raced out to the early lead at the start of the Riverside Inn DIRT 358 Modified feature from the pole starting position. After five laps Hendrickson continued to lead and was being followed in the top five by Smith, Gordy Button, J.J. Michaels and Tim Burnett. On lap seven Smith took the lead away from Hendrickson. With just ten laps complete Smith, Button, Matt Sheppard, Jimmy Phelps and Alan Johnson raced in the top five spots.

     At the halfway point Smith continued to lead and was being followed in the top five by Sheppard, Johnson, Button and Phelps. The last half of  the race featured plenty of two and three wide competition for the win. It appeared for quite a while that Smith was enroute to his first ever win. A bit later it appeared that Sheppard had the fastest car. Then it was time for Johnson to make his patented charge.

     Johnson took the lead away from Smith on lap 25. Normally when Johnson takes the lead in the late going the show is over. That wasn't the case on this occasion as Smith hung tough after losing the lead, while Sheppard closed in on the lead duo. The battle for the win quickly turned into a three car affair. Through lap 34 Johnson would hold the lead with both Sheppard and Smith right behind.

     On the final lap Smith was able to pass Johnson going down the back stretch. Smith beat Johnson into the third turn going around a lapped car. Both Smith and Johnson cleared the lapped car and headed to the finish line. Johnson got a good run coming out of the fourth turn and the race to the finidh line was on. Smith got the win by .02 seconds over Johnson. Sheppard, Tom Sears and Button completed the top five feature finishers.

     Tim Sears passed Donnie Wetmore Jr. on the final circuit to claim the win in the 20-lap DIRT Sportsman feature last Saturday night. Wetmore led the opening 19 laps of the feature race. Greg Doust, Jim Livingston and Daryl Hagen completed the top five feature finishers. The win was the second of the season for Sears, the defending Track Champion in the class.

     Lee Burnett won his first ever DIRT Pro Stock feature race at Fulton Speedway last Saturday night. Burnett was followed across the finish line by Jeremy Clark, Jason Rood, Dave Bruno and Jack Terrell. Burnett took the lead away from Rood on lap 11 and went on to the win in the 20-lap affair.

     Phil Marsden won his third Pure Stock feature race of the season last Saturday night. Marsden was followed across the finish line by Bruce Stanton, Chris Cunningham, Darren Kelso and Mark Davison. Marsden took the lead away from Stanton on lap seven and led the rest of the way in the 15-lap event.

     Jeff Isabell won his first ever Dwarf Car feature race last Saturday night. Darren Forbes, Tod Simons, Tim Burdick and Scott Nash followed Isabell in the top five. Isabell took the lead away from Forbes on lap 10 and led the rest of the way in the 15-lap event.

     Rodney Buskey claimed the win in the 25 car Four Cylinder Enduro. Ray Wilson, Dan Hoffman Sr., Jay McGillicuddy and Sam Carista completed the top five finishers in the 25-lap event.

     Racing will continue this Saturday at Fulton Speedway with the DIRT 358 Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, DIRT Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks all in action. One on One Spectator Races and Ladies Races will also be contested. Action will start at 7 p.m.in the Promotion Speed Supply race program.

     Burke's Home Center will present the 5th annual Showdown at Sundown on Tuesday, July 2. The special is a 100-lap Turning Stone Casino Super DIRT 358 Modified Series Race. The Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks will also be in action. Race time is set for 7:30 p.m.

     For more information please contact the Fulton Speedway office at (315) 593-6531 or go on line to www.fultonspeedway.com.

                            RIVERSIDE INN FEATURE RACE SUMMARY

DIRT 358 MODIFIED FEATURE---Jeremy Smith, Alan Johnson, Matt Sheppard, Tom Sears Jr., Gordy Button, Jimmy Phelps, John Barker, Tim Fuller, Jim Mahaney, Tim Burnett, Ryan Baye, J.J. Michaels, Rich Vinson, Justin Haers, Russell Hendrickson, Ty Hunt, Ron White, Jeff Rudalavage, Tom Juhl, Kenny Johnson, Pete Taylor, Roy Shields, Don Spatarico, Mike Payne.

DIRT 358 MODIFIED "B" MAIN---Tom Juhl, Roy Shields, Rick Miller, Jim Burke, Adam Smith, Andy Powell, John Ventura, Jim Larock, Jim Witko Jr., Lenny Liebold, John Knapp, Joe August Jr.

DIRT SPORTSMAN FEATURE---Tim Sears, Donnie Wetmore, Greg Doust, Jim Livingston, Daryl Hagen, Mike Button, Billy Shantel Jr., Shane Donath, Jeremy Pitcher, Ron Loveless, Ryan Richardson, Chad Phelps, Jim Bowman, Dave Bargabos, Shawn Donath, Rich Keller, Terry Knobloch, Steve Davis, Jim Kite, Sammy Reakes IV, Bob Bradt, Mike Bowman, Scott Binns, Walt McArdell.

DIRT PRO STOCK FEATURE---Lee Burnett, Jeremy Clark, Jason Rood, Dave Bruno, Jack Terrell, T.J. Fitzgibbons, Chad Ray, Mike Watkins, Dave Fox, John Underwood, Spike Smith, Bernie Merithew, Scott Moyer, Bobby Newman, Anna Elkema, Paul Stoneburg, Keith Butler, Ricky Breed, Paul Bowler, J.B. Dockstader.

PURE STOCK FEATURE---Phil Marsden, Bruce Stanton, Chris Cunningham, Darren Kelso, Mark Davison, Dave Marcicculli, Todd Koegel, Mark Denny, Kevin Raymond, Joe Buske, Steve Woodworth, David Kirk, Ken Conners, John Phillips, Jerry Button, Gary Barton, Les Lewis, Curt Prevo, Rob Whipple, Russ Marsden, Paul Becker, Jamie Glimpse, Michael Barney.

DWARF CAR FEATURE---Jeff Isabell, Darren Forbes, Tod Simons, Tim Burdick, Scott Nash, Dan Boyce, Steve Miller, Ken Gamlen, Kevin DonHauser, Dan Williams, Shawn Hort, Eric Daddona, Mike Mattice, Lowell Zehr, Brenda Rice, Doug Williams, Kreig Heroth, Jeff Barker, John Behr, Wayne Younglove.

FOUR CYLINDER ENDURO TOP FIVE---Rodney Buskey, Ray Wilson, Dan Hoffman Sr., Jay McGillicuddy, Sam Carista.

-30-