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By Chris Marquart, DIRT 358-Modified Series Reporter
Hogansburg, NY — August 10, 2005 —With heavy clouds hanging over head, the situation
at Frogtown International Speedway looked bleak.
There was a slim chance that the band of showers appearing on the radar would split
to the north and south of the speedway and allow the fifth DIRT MotorSports
358-Modified Super DIRT Series event to be completed, but the weather wasn’t
cooperating.
After two bands of black clouds blew through, a third shift of clouds showered the
speedway, accented by thunder and lightning. The track surface was lost before the
event even started, and the tour experienced it’s second rain-out of the season. At
present, there are no plans to make the event up.
The speedway management opted to cancel the event and refunded the fan’s general
admission money. As teams and fans left, they found wet roads on Route 37 west and
additional rain was falling just south of the Route 37 corridor.
A pit full of cars – including 29 small block modifieds – were on hand for the
event. The DIRT Modified roster included top point-getters Alan Johnson, Brett Hearn
and Stewart Friesen.
Johnson is seeking his record-tying fourth overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels
Mr. DIRT 358-Modified title. Having finished in the top three each event, Johnson is
looking strong. “But it’s only four races,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of season
ahead of us. We’ll take it one race at a time.”
Johnson won at Merrittville (Ont.) Speedway with a brand-new car in what became the
season’s opener after Brockville rained out in June. He returned to place third at
Ransomville, following race-winner Hearn and Friesen across the line. At Brockville,
Johnson took second behind Friesen and he won again at Autodrome Edelweiss Tuesday
night.
“I like this car, but both of the cars we have are pretty quick,” Johnson said.
“Jeff (Rudalavage, car owner) is worried we’ll wear this one out. It was built for
Syracuse. But you don’t wear these out.”
Hearn won Ransomville and was solid at both Canadian tracks, taking third at
Brockville and fourth at Edelweiss. His consistency has carried him to second, just
15 points behind Johnson.
Steering the Dan Miller-owned Desks Plus no. 22 Bicknell entry, Friesen, who Tuesday
night finalized an advertising deal with DirtTrackDigest.com, rides third in points
just 52 points off Johnson’s pace. Matt Sheppard, who has a pair of top-fives and
has not been outside the top-10 yet this season, is fourth ahead of all-time DIRT
358-Modified feature winner Pete Bicknell.
Strangely absent from the pit area was Dale Planck, pilot of the Quality Concrete
no. 77X. Apparently, he was either privy to information that he did not share with
the other 29 competitors that did sign into the pits, or he lucked out by not losing
any points. Planck is currently sixth in the overall standings and sits 125 points
out of the top spot.
Frogtown Int'l Speedway joined DIRT in 1988 and has been a member for each of the
last 18 seasons. The track is a staple 358-Modified stomping ground that has seen
past 358-Mod tour champs Pat O’Brien and Doug Carlyle both score home-track
championships. Ovide Dorion and Mike Perrotte have also been regulars. O’Brien won
the tour and the track title both in 1992. The track has hosted 19 358-Modifed Super
DIRT Series events since 1988; the first event was won by none other than O’Brien.
Frogtown awarded four DIRT Sportsman titles from 1993 to 1996. Sylvain Latulippe won
the inaugural title before John Scarborough and Brian McDonald registered
title-winning efforts in '94 and '95 while Denis Larocque garnered honors in 1996.
In 19 events, Frogtown’s checkers have gone to 12 different winners. Danny Johnson
has three wins to his credit. From 1993-95, the speedway hosted two tour events per
year. Last year, Stewart Friesen took the win. Alan Johnson (2003), Brett Hearn
(2002) and Danny Johnson (2001) have each been in victory lane in the last four
years. There have been six different winners since 1999 and only three repeat
winners since 1994 (Steve Paine, Danny Johnson, Alan Johnson). Each of them had five
years between victories. The only repeat winner in a three-race span was Danny
O’Brien, winning the second race of 1993 and again the second race in '94. O’Brien
is also the only driver to log three straight top-fives. No one has driven to
back-to-back wins.
Frogtown fans have seen 41 different chauffeurs break into the top-five in those 19
events. Danny O’Brien has been the most successful, placing in the top-five eight
times with two wins. Danny Johnson has three tour wins at the speedway. No one has
ever won back-to-back tour races at Frogtown. Dave Camara has four top-fives (two
seconds, two fifths) at the track and sits 10th on the all-time top-five list. He is
the highest ranked driver without a win. Kenny Tremont has two victories and those
are his only top-fives at the track. The lowest-ranked driver with a win is Mike
Ricci (20th) and it is his lone top-five. Four times in the track’s 358-Mod tour
history has the driver who won the event gone on to win the overall Mr. DIRT 358-Mod
title. In 1998, Alan Johnson sat at the head table after winning at Frogtown. In
1996, Danny Johnson won both, so did Pete Bicknell (1991) and Pat O’Brien (1988). It
was Pat O’Brien’s lone touring win at the speedway. In 1992, Mike (1st) and Rich
(3rd) Ricci and Dan (2nd) and Rich (4th) O’Brien each placed in the top five. They
are two of the three sets of brothers to place in the top-five at Frogtown. In 1988,
1993 and 1994 both the O’Briens placed in the top five while Alan and Danny Johnson
each rang up top-fives in 1997 and 2001.
Frogtown Entry List (8/10)
CAR# DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM (Sponsor / Chassis / Engine)
007 Roy Tarbell/Hogansburg,NY Hilltop Tent Rental-REZ Racing/TEO/LaFrance
3 Donnie Wetmore,Jr./WeedsportPit Stop Convenience Stores-E&V Energy
Co./TEO/Moshier
4 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ Four Star Transmissions-Rick's Auto
Body/TEO/Morrison
5 Dan Jalbert/Cornwall, ONT Mohawk Express-Crysler Automotive/Bicknell/Crysler
6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT Gypsum Logistics-Newells Garage-730 Truck
Stop/Bicknell/Enders
8 Allan Jacobs/Hogansburg, NY Jacobs Excavating-O'Brien Floor
Center-Summerstown Marina/Bicknell/Enders
10x Richie Pratt,Jr./Sewell,NJ Lipinski Snow Services-Union Auto Glass-Lyons
Concrete/Bicknell/D.D.E.
13 Greg Monica/North Bangor, NYC&G Stables-Menke Enterprises/TEO/Precision
14j Alan Johnson/Phelps,NY WPC Associates,Inc.-Pine Line Auto
Sales/Bicknell/Morrison
19 John Lazore/Hogansburg,NY King Enterprises-NativePoker.Com-Chiefs Tobacco
Outlet/TEO/Engine Research
22 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Desks Plus-Trade Bank/Bicknell/C&C Performance
23B Kevin Fetterly/Massena, NY Dairy Queen-Dyke Engineering/Troyer/Dyke
26 Rick Richner/Niagara Falls,NNiagara Maintenance Contracting
Group/Bicknell/Gor-Den
28s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY Nick's Café-Ryan's Café-Seneca Auto/Bicknell/Enders
31 Tom Jock,Jr./Hogansburg,NY K Full Flavor Cigarettes-Jacobs
Excavating/TEO/Kevlar
37 Kyle Jacobs/Hogansburg,NY Wolfclan Truck Stop-Morey Enterprises-Sunrise
Bakery/Bicknell/West Carlton Auto
42 Pete Bicknell/St.Catharines,Merrittville Speedway-Havoline-Bicknell Race
Products/Bicknell/Fioravanti
48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY Magee Transportation-Monadnock Disposal-Kenworth
Trucks/Bicknell/Morrison
55 Perry Francis/Akwesasne,NY C & D Trucking & Excavating-East End Auto
Parts-Max's Auto/Bicknell/LaFrance
66 Kyle Dingwall/Brockville,ONTEastern Ontario Millwrighting-Harlenvino
Transportation/Bicknell/Engine Research
66x Carey Terrance/Hogansburg,NYT&D Enterprises-Total Colision/TEO/LaFrance
Performance
m70 Billy Cook/Akwesasne,NY Sonny's Garden Center-Mohawk Plumbing/Troyer/Bob
Stapleton Engines
71 Delbert LeGrow/Massena, NY LeGrow Racing/TEO/LeGrow
73 Ryan Jacobs/Hogansburg, NY Jacobs Excavating-East End Auto &
Construction-Akwak Smoke Shop/Bicknell/Enders
80 Jeff Marshall/Ft.Covington,NRPS Performance-Jacobs Excavating-Sweet Dreams
Lounge/TEO/LaFrance
80J Jeff Sykes/Edwards, NY RPS Performance-Jacobs Excavating-Sweet Dreams
Lounge/TEO/LaFrance
84 Dave Heaslip/Smiths Falls,ONArmstrong Pumping-Cornwall International
Trucks-Fender Factory/Bicknell/Doiron
85 Jim Lazore/Hogansburg,NY Feather's Edge Designs-Hum's
Convenience/Bicknell/Boyea
151kb Brian McDonald/Cornwall,ONT Quality Concrete-East End Auto
Parts/Bicknell/Engine Research
358-MODIFIED SUPER DIRT SERIES POINT STANDINGS
(through Edelweiss – August 9, 2005)
Plc-Car-Driver-Pts-Pts Behind leader
1 14J Alan Johnson 385 0
2 4 Brett Hearn 370 (15)
3 22 Stewart Friesen 333 (52)
4 28s Matt Sheppard 327 (58)
5 42 Pete Bicknell 310 (75)
6 77x Dale Planck 260 (125)
7 6 Pat O'Brien 224 (161)
8 26 Rick Richner 211 (174)
9 10x Richie Pratt Jr. 210 (175)
10 55 Perry Francis 187 (198)
11 37 Kyle Jacobs 184 (201)
12 3 Donnie Wetmore Jr.162 (223)
13 rp23 Larry Lampman Jr. 153 (232)
14 m70 Billy Cook 130 (255)
15 38 Scott Wood 130 (255)
16 21 Yan Bussiere 127 (258)
17 62 Todd Burley 119 (266)
18 48T Dave Rauscher 116 (269)
19 44 Brian Stevens 113 (272)
20 151k Brian McDonald 112 (273)
21 37p Francisco Pereira 106 (279)
22 46 Kayle Robidoux 100 (285)
23 123 Robbie Krull 100 (285)
24 66x Carey Terrance 98 (287)
25 19 John Lazore 86 (299)
26 83 Danny O'Brien 85 (300)
27 7z Danny Johnson 85 (300)
28 15J Tim Jones 81 (304)
29 124 Pierre Dagenais 80 (305)
30 5 Don Spatorico 72 (313)
31 41 Boyd MacTavish 68 (317)
32 3 Chad Brachmann 62 (323)
33 84 Dave Heaslip 60 (325)
34 22 Eric Gavureau 58 (327)
35 69 Rob Pietz 58 (327)
36 0 Joe Kubiniec 56 (329)
37 93 Richie Vinson 56 (329)
38 7 Sam Crogan 54 (331)
39 22 Dan Miller 54 (331)
40 11 Chris Jones 52 (333)
41 96 Fred Carleton 52 (333)
42 31T Tom Jock Jr. 50 (335)
43 26g Scott George 50 (335)
44 72 Mike Bliss 50 (335)
45 21k Randy Chrysler 50 (335)
46 4k Jasmin Leiville 48 (337)
47 01 Mike Adderley 48 (337)
48 32 James Strassburg 46 (339)
49 9 Ken Cosgrove 46 (339)
50 66T Cole Dingwall 45 (340)
PAST CHAMPIONS
HOOSIER TIRE / SUNOCO RACE FUELS
MR. DIRT 358-MODIFIED POINT CHAMPIONS: 1983-2004
YEAR CHAMPION (SDS wins)
ROOKIE of the YEAR
2004
Pat Ward (2)
John Lazore
2003
Tim Fuller (2)
Randy Chrysler
2002
Steve Paine (4)
Justin Haers
2001
Alan Johnson (7)
Matt Sheppard
2000
Danny Johnson (15)
Alex Hoag
1999
Steve Paine (3) / Danny Johnson (5)
Frankie Caprara
1998
Alan Johnson (6)
Todd Stewart
1997
Alan Johnson (4)
Joel Doiron
1996
Danny Johnson (8)
Tim McCreadie
1995
Pat O'Brien
Chris Jones
1994
Pete Bicknell (2)
Lee Gill
1993
Tim Fuller (1)
Billy King
1992
Pat O'Brien
Nick Lapp
1991
Pete Bicknell (3)
Mike Bruno
1990
Pat O'Brien (1)
Tom Perrego
1989
Laurent Ladouceur
Randy Conners
1988
Pat O'Brien (2)
Ron Valade
1987
Curt VanPelt (2)
Laurent Ladouceur
1986
Doug Carlyle (3)
Roger Lalonde
1985
Lin Hough (3)
Jim Chenette
1984
Jeff Heotzler (2)
Randy Ritskes
1983
Tony Corcoran (1)
-----
Get Out the Word First: RACEceiver is the Official Driver Communicator of DIRT
MotorSports. A compact radio receiver that conveniently fits into a driver’s pocket,
a RACEceiver allows each driver to hear directions from series officials, which
greatly enhances the safety and timeliness of events. A similar version available to
fans will allow RACEceiver users to hear what information series officials are
relaying to the drivers. For more information about RACEceiver, visit
www.raceceiver.com, call 866-301-7223, or look for their sales trailers at various
events.
Another Perfect Score: In DIRT MotorSports™ ongoing effort to assist every
sanctioned track with presenting the best possible race programs, DMS has teamed
with AMB i.t. which is now recognized as the Official Timing System of DIRT
MotorSports™ for the next five years. AMB i.t. is the world’s leader in automatic
race timing and scoring systems and the DIRT organization is proud to retain the
company as a valued partner in the timing and scoring of all DIRT MotorSports™
events.
Victoria 200 At Fulton Speedway Pointless: The Victoria 200 scheduled for October 1
at Fulton Speedway will be a DIRT Sanctioned event for both big-block and
small-block Modifieds but will not offer points towards the overall Hoosier-Sunoco
Mr. DIRT Championship. The event will also allow alcohol-burning engines and remains
scheduled for the first weekend in October.
THE BEST OF THE BEST
Series Records FOR THE 358-Modified Super DIRT Series Record Book (1983-2004)
Season: Most Feature Wins: 15 - Danny Johnson (2000).
Consecutive Wins: 8 - Danny Johnson (2000).
Most Top-5 Feature Finishes: 20 - Alan Johnson (2003).
Consecutive Top-5 Finishes: 9 - Danny Johnson (1996, 2000), 9 - Alan Johnson (2003).
Most Events Run: 27 (2001, 2003).
Most Tracks Hosting Events: 21 (2003).
Most Feature Winning Drivers: 14 (1994, 2001).
Most Top-5 Feature Finishers: 43 (2000, 2003).
Career wins: Most Feature Wins: 57 - Brett Hearn.
Different Track Wins: 17 - Danny Johnson, 17 - Brett Hearn.
Single Track Wins: 11 - Brett Hearn @ Rolling Wheels, 11 - Brett Hearn @ Orange
County.
Most Seasons With At Least One Win: 18 - Brett Hearn.
Most Top-5 Finishes: 125 - Alan Johnson.
Different Track Top-5 Finishes: 23 - Danny Johnson, 23 - Brett Hearn.
Single Track Top-Five Finishes: 20 - Brett Hearn @ Orange County, 20 - Brett Hearn @
Rolling Wheels.
Most Seasons With At Least One Top-5: 19 - Pete Bicknell, 19 - Brett Hearn.
Most Mr. DIRT Titles: 4 - Pat O'Brien.
Consecutive Mr. DIRT Titles: 2 - Alan Johnson, 2 - Danny Johnson.
Total Events Run: 345.
Total Tracks Hosting Events: 28.
Total Feature Winning Drivers: 66.
Total Top-5 Feature Finishers: 213.
Total Mr. DIRT Titlists: 12.
Most Single Track Events: 36 - Rolling Wheels.
Most Single Track Winners: 18 - Cornwall.
Most Single Track Top-5 Finishers: 54 - Rolling Wheels, 54 - Cornwall.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The 358-Modified Super DIRT Series will compete next at Canandaigua Speedway on
Tuesday, August 23. The event was initially scheduled for August 24, but would
conflict with the Advance Auto Parts Modified Tour event at New Egypt Speedway, so
the date was shifted back one square on the calendar this week.
2005 358-MODIFIED SUPER DIRT SERIES SCHEDULE
Day-Date Track (Laps)
Location
Mon-Aug 1 Merrittville Speedway (50L) ...........................ALAN JOHNSON
Tue-Aug 2 Ransomville Speedway (75L) ........................BRETT HEARN
Mon-Aug 8 Brockville Ontario Speedway (50L) ...............STEWART FRIESEN
Tue-Aug 9 Autodrome Edelweiss (75L) ......................... ALAN JOHNSON
Wed-Aug 10 Frogtown Int'l Speedway (75L) ......................Rain-Cancelled
Tue-Aug 23 Canandaigua Speedway (75L) ......................Canandaigua, NY
Sun-Sep 4 Cornwall Motor Speedway (100L) .................Cornwall, ONT
Sat-Sep 10 Lebanon Valley Speedway (50L) ..................West Lebanon, NY
Sun-Sep 11 Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd. (2-50L) .........LaFargeville, NY
Fri-Sep 16 Brockville Ontario Speedway (75L) ...............Brockville, ONT
Sat-Sep 17 Rolling Wheels Raceway (100L) ...................Elbridge, NY
Sat-Sep 24 Canandaigua Speedway (75L) ......................Canandaigua, NY
Wed-Oct 5 Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd. (100L) ...........LaFargeville, NY
Thr-Oct 6 Brewerton Speedway (100L) .........................Brewerton, NY
Fri-Oct 7 Rolling Wheels Raceway (100L) ...................Elbridge, NY
Sat-Oct 8 New York State Fairgrounds (150L) ..............Syracuse, NY
Sat-Oct 22 Bridgeport Speedway (100L) .........................Bridgeport, NJ
DIRT MOTORSPORTS 358 SUPER DIRT SERIES SPONSORS
The DIRT MotorSports™ 358 Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by
several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Stacker 2®, Advance Auto
Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels and DART Machinery. Promotional
Partners include AMB i.t., RACEceiver, Zippo Lighters and F.X. Caprara Car Companies
and the contingency sponsors are Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, MSD
Ignitions and Wrisco Industries.