Johnsons Finish One-Two

MALTA - Ever since he was big enough to walk, Ronnie Johnson has been following his legendary father, Jack, to racetracks around the Northeast. But on Friday night, it was Ronnie Johnson’s turn to lead.

Showing the driving skill and the hunger for victory that made him one of the top sportsman competitors in the mid 1990s, Ronnie Johnson held off a late bid from his famous father to record his first victory of the season in Friday night’s 35-lap 358 modified feature at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

Even though the Johnsons have been running together at Albany-Saratoga for a number of years, Friday night’s feature marked the first time the two had finished first and second. The victory was especially rewarding for Ronnie Johnson, who had his self-owned small block modified out for the first time this season. The win was Johnson’s first at Albany-Saratoga since June 16, 2000, a wait of almost four years.

And it was by no means a gift. Jack Johnson, who has also struggled at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in recent years, is just as hungry for a victory as his son, and a restart with two laps to go put the veteran, who is the winningest driver in the history of the Malta track, right on his son’s rear bumper. But Ronnie Johnson had enough horsepower left in his Pat Morrison small block to pull away and win by a comfortable margin of 1.160 seconds.

“I saw my father’s front end on that last restart, and he is the old pro at this place, so I knew he was going to give me a run for the money,” said Ronnie Johnson, who won the Albany-Saratoga sportsman championship in his rookie season in 1998, and then picked up two wins during his rookie year in a 358 modified in 1999.

After starting third in the feature field, Johnson only needed three laps to get to the front and was into lapped traffic by lap 18. Jack Johnson, who had started 10th, moved into second on lap 16, but Ronnie Johnson still had a cushion of lapped cars between himself and his father until lap 26, when Stewart Friesen brought out the caution, giving Jack Johnson a clear shot at the leader.

At the finish, the rest of the field was strung out behind the Johnsons, with Brett Hearn third, defending track champion Ken Tremont Jr. fourth and Ron Proctor, who had started on the outside pole, fifth. Completing the top 10 were A.J. Romano, Gene Munger, Don Scarborough, Mike Perrotte and Matt DeLorenzo.

Erik Mack, one of the most improved drivers at the speedway in recent years, charged from his seventh starting position to record his first career victory in the 20-lap Line-X Modifieds feature. The early battle was between Fred Proctor and Ricky Davis, who started side-by-side on the front row. Proctor led the first three laps before giving way to Davis, who set the pace until lap 13.

But Mack had his small block, owned by Maynard Forrette, wound up. He rocketed into the lead on lap 13, and then turned the fastest lap of the feature the next time around, stopping the clock in 18.347 seconds. From there, he stretched out his lead and won by over two seconds, with Davis having to settle for second.

Dan Bublak also turned in a strong performance, finishing third. He was followed by Tim Hartman and Derrick McGrew, who have been virtually inseparable in the Line-X Modified division this season.

Butchie Irwin picked up his second win in a row in the 20-lap Amsoil pro-street stock feature. Taking advantage of two early cautions, Irwin moved from his seventh starting position into the lead after eight laps. Adam Tranka and Lori Cary battled for the number two position for a while, until Cary fell off the pace, and Tranka then set his sights on Irwin. But Irwin, the defending track champion, held his line and hit the finish line 0.664 seconds ahead of Tranka. Robert Langevin finished third, with Chris Maxon fourth and Scott Duell fifth.

Chris Busta remained perfect in the Rentway Limited division, picking up his third consecutive victory. Busta started 11th, but grabbed the lead on the seventh lap and then had smooth sailing the rest of the way, leaving John Laviolette and Byron Westcott to battle for second.

Jamie McCarthy also remained undefeated, picking up his third straight win in the four-cylinder mini-stock feature. Randy Manhey hit the finish line first in the six-cylinder division.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway will be back in action on Friday night with its double-point Spring Championships. All divisions will be in action, and the card will include the first enduro of the season. Racing will begin at 7 p.m.

MODIFIEDS: RONNIE JOHNSON, Jack Johnson, Brett Hearn, Ken Tremont Jr., Ron Proctor, A.J. Romano, Gene Munger, Don Scarborough, Mike Perrotte, Matt DeLorenzo, Jack Cottrell, Mike Ronca, Don Ronca, Don Ackner, Tim Dwyer, Todd Ryan, Mike Ballestero, Frank Hoard Sr., Paul Cirincione, Lucas Baker, Randy Hotaling, Stewart Friesen, Chuck Higley.

LINE-X MODIFIEDS: ERIK MACK, Ricky Davis, Dan Bublac, Tim Hartman, Derrick McGrew, Tim Clemons, Joe Budka, David Towns, Mike Tholin, Tony Ballestero, Fred Proctor Jr., Neal Erickson, Jeff Sukup, Stan Lemiesz, Jimmy Cottrell, Jack Swinton, Ken Anatriello, Ed Pieniazek, Rich Ronca, Bill Cody.
LINE-X MODIFIED B MAIN: JACK SWINTON, Jimmy Cottrell, Jeff Sukup, Ken Anatriello, Bill Cody, Chris Garrity, Cass Bennett, Paul Dunham Jr., Daniel Papa, Mike Pinke, Jim Proctor, Keith Flach, Colleen Salisbury, John Calcagni Jr., William Bokus.

AMSOIL PRO-STREET STOCKS: BUTCHIE IRWIN, Adam Tranka, Robert Langevin, Chris Maxon, Scott Duell, Joe Santoro, Jeff Washburn, Jimmy Eaton, Matt Anatriello, Lori Cary, Edward Frank, Brian Holbritter, Vince Santoro, Dean Charbonneau, Jason Brownell, Bobby Santos Jr., Cale Kneer, Rob Muscanell, William Smith IV, Steve Burega, Don Piper, Bob Schmidt. DQ: Randy Brownell.

RENTWAY LIMITEDS: CHRIS BUSTA, John Laviolette, Byron Westcott, Kevin Van Chance, Brian Ashline, John Morris Jr., Curtis Condon, Adam Stoddard, Mike Pfau, Richard Burke, Ed Sears, Tim Ippoliti, John Filarecki, Tony Condon, Tom Pierce, Thomas Conroy, David Emigh, Jim Monroe, Kevin Waring. DQ: Jim Monroe Jr.
RENTWAY LIMITIEDS B MAIN: JIM MONROE JR., Mike Pfau, Tim Ippoliti, Ed Sears, Tony Condon, Bill Burlingame, Bob Smith, Joey Trudeau.

FOUR-CYLINDER MINI-STOCKS: JAMIE MCCARTHY, Mike Cranston, Bill Ryan, Ben Durie, Kevin Connors, Charlie Stoddard, Lewis Kusalonska, Gene Unser Jr., Heather Combs, Duane Bramer, Joseph Baker, Pete Jeske, Chris Cary Jr., John Baldwin.

SIX-CYLINDER MINI-STOCKS: RANDY MANHEY, Dan Petronis, Elmer Montville Jr., Brett Osgood, Brian Myers Jr., Thomas Brunell, Dan Uber, Ray Galusha, Guy Swears, Rich Mrzyglod, Jeremy Brownell, Amanda Clemens.