Lonnie Wheatley, CAMERON, Mo. (June 17, 2011) – Wayne Johnson made a triumphant return to victory lane by winning Friday night’s 25-lap Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest vs. Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior feature event atop the high-banked, 3/8-mile U.S. 36 Raceway.
The Oklahoma City native now calling Knoxville, IA, home raced into the lead on the second round then withstood a late charge from Jack Dover to post the win aboard Bryan Sundby’s Parker-powered No. 38 Maxim.
“This really is an emotional win,” Johnson explained in victory lane. “This is my first win since the crash last July where I almost lost my leg; it’s great to be back here after that.”
While Johnson started the feature outside the front row, it was 18-year-old pole starter Cody Baker gunning into the lead at the drop of the green flag. Baker held off Johnson for little more than a lap though, as the 2000 ASCS National champion took command on the second circuit and began to slip away from the field.
After a caution for Jordan Boston’s disabled mount after eight laps, fourth-starter Dover made quick work of Baker for second and chased Johnson into traffic. Johnson held command until a caution after 15 laps for Randy Hibbs, with Trevor Grossenbacher then tagging the wall exiting turn four on the restart.
While Dover disposed of a lapped car in short order on the restart, Johnson held an advantage of several car-lengths until a lapped car got out of shape exiting turn four with just three laps to go. Dover closed to Johnson’s tailtank over the final pair of circuits.
The veteran shoe held off the 21-year-old at the stripe by little more than a car-length, with Bronson Maeschen claiming the show position. Bryan Gossel posted a career Regional-best finish of fourth, with Don Droud, Jr., giving Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest reps a sweep of the top five.
Danny Lasoski was sixth, with current Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior points leader Brad Loyet in seventh. Baker was eighth at the stripe, with 15th-starter Jonathan Cornell the final car on the lead lap in ninth. Kyle Bellm completed the top ten.
Loyet, Boston, Gossel and Dover each picked up $500 bonuses for winning their respective heat races, with Cornell surviving near disaster with Bellm at the drop of the green flag to win the “B” Main.
Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest versus Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Results from U.S. 36 Raceway:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 05-Brad Loyet, 2. 1j-Bronson Maeschen, 3. 0-Jeff Osborn, 4. 33a-Austin Alumbaugh, 5. 86-Kyle Bellm, 6. 09-Josh Stephens, 7. 11-Chad Corken. DNS: 3-Mark Shirshekan.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 4-Jordan Boston, 2. 3z-Zach Davis, 3. 2-Don Droud, Jr., 4. 2a-Randy Hibbs, 5. 28-Jonathan Cornell, 6. 23F-Matt Fox, 7. 17-Gage Dorr, 8. 10-Mike Trent.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 6g-Bryan Gossel, 2. 9m-Cody Baker, 3. 38-Wayne Johnson, 4. 5m-Miranda Arnold, 5. 14-Randy Martin, 6. 76-Jay Russell, 7. 165-Haley Arnold.
Fourth Heat (8 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. 33-Danny Lasoski, 3. 35-Trevor Grossenbacher, 4. 21-Brian Brown, 5. 92j-J.R. Topper, 6. 1-Ty Williams, 7. 11c-Dakota Carroll.
“B” Main (12 Laps): 1. 28-Jonathan Cornell, 2. 86-Kyle Bellm, 3. 5m-Miranda Arnold, 4. 33a-Austin Alumbaugh, 5. 92j-J.R. Topper, 6. 14-Randy Martin, 7. 76-Jay Russell, 8. 3-Mark Shirshekan, 9. 09-Josh Stephens, 10. 1-Ty Williams, 11. 17-Gage Dorr, 12. 23f-Matt Fox, 13. 165-Haley Arnold, 14. 11-Chad Corken, 15. 11c-Dakota Carroll, 16. 10-Mike Trent.
"A" Feature (25 Laps): 1. 38-Wayne Johnson, 2. 53-Jack Dover, 3. 1j-Bronson Maeschen, 4. 6g-Bryan Gossel, 5. 2-Don Droud, Jr., 6. 33-Danny Lasoski, 7. 05-Brad Loyet, 8. 9m-Cody Baker, 9. 28-Jonathan Cornell, 10. 86-Kyle Bellm, 11. 5m-Miranda Arnold, 12. 14-Randy Martin, 13. 3z-Zach Davis, 14. 21-Brian Brown, 15. 0-Jeff Osborn, 16. 35-Trevor Grossenbacher, 17. 33a-Austin Alumbaugh, 18. 2a-Randy Hibbs, 19. 92j-J.R. Topper, 20. 4-Jordan Boston.
Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Points (Top Ten): 1. Wayne Johnson 795, 2. Jack Dover 790, 3. Brian Brown 700, 4. Jordan Boston 619, 5. Bryan Gossel 596, 6. Don Droud, Jr. 577, 7. Lee Grosz 567, 8. Ryan Roberts 524, 9. Danny Lasoski 508, 10. Trevor Grossenbacher 480.
Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Brad Loyet 419, 2. Mark Shirshekan 385, 3. Randy Martin 375, 4. Kyle Bellm 355, 5. Jonathan Cornell 344, 6. Austin Alumbaugh 334, 7. Josh Stephens 320, 8. Cody Baker 319, 9. Danny Lasoski 300, 10. Tyler Blank 255.
- Admin Account on Jun 20, 2011
- Article Date: 6/20/2011 by Lonnie Wheatley