Jason Johnson
Jason Russell
Bobby Martintoni
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Lonnie Wheatley, ELDON, Mo. (June 27, 2009) – Prior to Saturday night's Third Annual Daniel McMillin Memorial at Lake Ozark Speedway, there hadn't been a repeat winner in nine Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters feature events in 2009 including a handful of Speedweek tilts.
It took the reigning series champion, Jason Johnson of Eunice, LA, to change that stat as he denied Tommy Bryant's eye-opening upset bid to top "The Wrench" McMillin Memorial for the third consecutive year aboard Lanny Row's Wesmar-powered The Shop Motorsports No. 41 Eagle, besting a stellar 53-car field in the process.
And, even though he started from the pole position, "The Ragin' Cajun" led only the final six circuits for the $6,000 score after ASCS Gulf South contender Bryant enjoyed a 27-lap stint at the head of the pack.
"Man, Tommy (Bryant) made me work for that one!" Johnson exclaimed as he climbed out of his car in Lucas Oil ASCS National victory lane for the 41st time in his career and second time this year after a win in the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals in March. "I got by him a time or two there and he came right back after me, that was tough."
After four-time Winged Outlaw Warriors champion Randy Martin paced the opening pair of circuits from the front row outside, it was fifth-starter Bryant blasting into the lead on a lap three restart following a caution for Gary Taylor, who was forced pitside with rear end woes.
Filling in for car owner Jerry Bell, who was home with strep threat, Bryant paced his first career Lucas Oil ASCS lead laps in front of Johnson, with sixth-starter Brady Bacon and 10th-starter Shane Stewart relegating Martin to fifth by the tenth round.
Reaching lapped traffic by the tenth round, Johnson moved in to challenge Bryant for the point on several occasions, but the 22-year-old Conroe, TX, shoe nimbly worked through traffic to maintain the point.
As the laps clicked off, Johnson's challenges became more intense. And, Bryant matched Johnson's advances step for step aboard the Eckley-powered Bell's Custom Conversions No. 85 Maxim until Johnson finally made a power move off the bottom of turn two on the 30th round stick.
All the while, Shane Stewart was sneaking into the lead picture after taking third away from Bacon by the 15th circuit.
With Stewart set to make the final handful of laps a three-car duel for the win, Bryant moved in on Johnson to challenge for the lead in turn one on the 32nd lap only to loop it and finally come to a stop after tangling with the lapped machine of Mitchell Moore.
"That was fun for about 31 laps," Bryant commented afterward. "I got in there and he (Johnson) almost stopped in front of me, I just barely touched him and spun it."
While Bryant rejoined the field at the tail and salvaged a solid 12th-place run among the 14 cars on the lead lap, Johnson had Stewart on his tailtank for the final four-lap dash to the checkered flag. Johnson checked out in the final rounds to take the triumph in impressive fashion.
"This is a special one, Daniel (McMillin) was a friend of ours and it means a lot just to have this race in his honor," Johnson commented.
Stewart settled for runner-up honors in Paul Silva's Wesmar-powered ProBilt Construction No. 57 A.R.T., admitting that, "We didn't need that last caution, I think we may have got 'em without that."
Nineteen-year-old Oklahoma shoe Brady Bacon continued his impressive transition to the winged ranks by taking the show position in Mike and Megan Eubanks' Wesmar-powered Tel-Star Communications No. 99 Triple-X.
Fellow 19-year-old Jack Dover of Springfield, NE, had battled from 15th to fourth only to nearly crash out of contention with the white flag in sight. Dover kept his momentum up though and lost just one position to Paul McMahan, who slid his way into fourth in the final corner aboard the J&D Motorsports No. 3d Maxim.
Dover settled for fifth in the Eckley-powered 3D Auto Transport/Home Pride Co. No. 53 Eagle, with four-time series champion Gary Wright racing from 14th to sixth to stay within ten points of Johnson and Stewart, who are now tied for the Lucas Oil ASCS points lead.
Nearly spinning to miss the Dover excursion, Jesse Hockett surrendered a spot to Wright and finished seventh after starting 17th, with Tony Bruce, Jr., charging from 23rd to finish eighth after utilizing a provisional.
Nick Smith crossed the stripe ninth, with Randy Martin completing the top ten.
Kathryne Minter, Bacon, Johnson, Smith, Gary Taylor and Austin Alumbaugh topped heat race action, with Hockett, Josh Fisher and Aaron Berryhill winning the "B" Mains.
Matt Covington turned over in turn four in the fourth heat race before returning for "B" Main action, while Tim Newman's night was done after a wild turn two flip in the fifth heat.
The Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters returns to action next Friday and Saturday, July 3-4, with the Rock 'N Roll 50 at Riverside Speedway in West Memphis, AR.
Lake Ozark Speedway, Eldon, Missouri
Race Results for 6/27/2009
360 Winged Sprint Cars - A-Main -- 53 Cars
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 41 Jason Johnson Thomasville, PA
2 57 Shane Stewart Indianapolis, IN
3 99 Brady Bacon Broken Arrow, OK
4 3D Paul McMahan Hendersonville, TN
5 53 Jack Dover Springfield, NE
6 9X Gary Wright Hooks, TX
7 13 Jesse Hockett Warsaw, MO
8 18 Tony Bruce, Jr Liberal, KS
9 15s Nick Smith Broken Arrow, OK
10 14 Randy Martin (SP) California, MO
11 29 Travis Rilat Forney, TX
12 85 Tom Bryant ,
13 97 Aaron Berryhill Broken Arrow, OK
14 88 Tim Crawley Benton, AR
15 94 Danny Wood Norman , OK
16 86 Josh Fisher (SP) Smithton, MO
17 10 Mike Trent (SP) Rocheport, MO
18 33A Austin Alumbaugh Higginsville, MO
19 18W Chris Walker Oak Grove, MO
20 3P Rusty Potter Boonville, MO
21 43 Frank Brown Marshall, MO
22 3B Mitchell Moore Edgerton, KS
23 13K Kathryne Minter Bedford, TX
24 1 Sean McClelland Tulsa, OK
25 91 Gary Taylor Tulsa, OK
360 Winged Sprint Cars - B-Main 1
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 13 Jesse Hockett Warsaw, MO
2 88 Tim Crawley Benton, AR
3 55 Donnie Crawford Tulsa, OK
4 2 Kenneth Walker Sapulpa, OK
5 72 Sherman Davis Sand Springs, OK
6 93 Dustin Morgan Collinsville, OK
7 7 Darren Long Elida, OH
8 38 Cody Baker (SP) Lone Jack, MO
9 1 Sean McClelland Tulsa, OK
10 11 Chad Corken Highlands Ranch, CO
11 10T Clint Todd Lynchburg, MO
12 35 Derrik Ortega Alburquerque, NM
13 21T Eric Todd Falcon, MO DNS
360 Winged Sprint Cars - B-Main 2
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 86 Josh Fisher (SP) Smithton, MO
2 94 Danny Wood Norman , OK
3 18 Tony Bruce, Jr Liberal, KS
4 12 Trey Robb Newcastle, OK
5 4 Evan Martin Jefferson City, MO
6 14K Kyle Bellm Nixa, MO
7 22 Dustin Barks Farmington, MO
8 95 Matt Covington Glenpool, OK
9 6 Bryan Grimes (SP) Slater, MO
10 3X Matt Sutton Macomb, IL
11 10A Ricky Logan Knoxville, IA
12 18X Tim Newman Cameron, MO DNS
360 Winged Sprint Cars - B-Main 3
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 97 Aaron Berryhill Broken Arrow, OK
2 3B Mitchell Moore Edgerton, KS
3 3P Rusty Potter Boonville, MO
4 3 Mark Shirshekan Farmington, MO
5 21H Terry Hinck Boonville, MO
6 1P Curtis Evans (SP) Norborne, MO
7 81AU Gavin Punch Collinsville, OK
8 23 Seth Bergman Snohomish, W
9 9C Tony Crank (SP) Sedalia, MO
10 72X Curtis Boyer New Haven, MO
11 11C Dakota Carroll La Monte, MO
12 48 David Brown Marshall, MO
360 Winged Sprint Cars - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 13K Kathryne Minter Bedford, TX
2 14 Randy Martin (SP) California, MO
3 13 Jesse Hockett Warsaw, MO
4 94 Danny Wood Norman , OK
5 9X Gary Wright Hooks, TX
6 81AU Gavin Punch Collinsville, OK
7 6 Bryan Grimes (SP) Slater, MO
8 9C Tony Crank (SP) Sedalia, MO
9 3X Matt Sutton Macomb, IL
360 Winged Sprint Cars - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 99 Brady Bacon Broken Arrow, OK
2 53 Jack Dover Springfield, NE
3 86 Josh Fisher (SP) Smithton, MO
4 88 Tim Crawley Benton, AR
5 72X Curtis Boyer New Haven, MO
6 18 Tony Bruce, Jr Liberal, KS
7 10A Ricky Logan Knoxville, IA
8 23 Seth Bergman Snohomish, W
9 11 Chad Corken Highlands Ranch, CO
360 Winged Sprint Cars - Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 41 Jason Johnson Thomasville, PA
2 43 Frank Brown Marshall, MO
3 57 Shane Stewart Indianapolis, IN
4 55 Donnie Crawford Tulsa, OK
5 7 Darren Long Elida, OH
6 1P Curtis Evans (SP) Norborne, MO
7 10T Clint Todd Lynchburg, MO
8 35 Derrik Ortega Alburquerque, NM
9 72 Sherman Davis Sand Springs, OK
360 Winged Sprint Cars - Heat 4
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 15s Nick Smith Broken Arrow, OK
2 29 Travis Rilat Forney, TX
3 3B Mitchell Moore Edgerton, KS
4 14K Kyle Bellm Nixa, MO
5 12 Trey Robb Newcastle, OK
6 21H Terry Hinck Boonville, MO
7 3 Mark Shirshekan Farmington, MO
8 38 Cody Baker (SP) Lone Jack, MO
9 95 Matt Covington Glenpool, OK
360 Winged Sprint Cars - Heat 5
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 91 Gary Taylor Tulsa, OK
2 85 Tom Bryant ,
3 2 Kenneth Walker Sapulpa, OK
4 18W Chris Walker Oak Grove, MO
5 4 Evan Martin Jefferson City, MO
6 93 Dustin Morgan Collinsville, OK
7 1 Sean McClelland Tulsa, OK
8 18X Tim Newman Cameron, MO
9 21T Eric Todd Falcon, MO
360 Winged Sprint Cars - Heat 6
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 33A Austin Alumbaugh Higginsville, MO
2 3D Paul McMahan Hendersonville, TN
3 10 Mike Trent (SP) Rocheport, MO
4 97 Aaron Berryhill Broken Arrow, OK
5 3P Rusty Potter Boonville, MO
6 11C Dakota Carroll La Monte, MO
7 48 David Brown Marshall, MO
8 22 Dustin Barks Farmington, MO
Modifieds - A-Main -- 18 Cars
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 2J Jason Russell (M) Henley, MO
2 78 Danny Crane (M) Columbia, MO
3 4X Tony Dunker Quincy, IL
4 0X Steve Picou High Ridge, MO
5 1 Vance Wilson Frankford, MO
6 22 Curt Rackers (M) Holts Summit, MO
7 31 Steve Cain (M) Columbia, MO
8 11P Curt Potter Boonville, MO
9 15W Terry Wilson Bowling Green, MO
10 74 Howard Hall (M) Columbia, MO
11 N2 Mike Null Wentzville, MO
12 17 Earl Roark Henley, MO
13 10 Patrick Mahnken (M) Fulton, MO
14 11L Clay Langley, Jr. Fortuna, MO
15 16 Rick Brown Iberia, MO
16 6M Terry McClintock (M) Saint Charles, MO
17 0028 Richard Kimberling (M) Slater, MO DNS
18 11 Dane Gundaker (M) Bridgeton, MO DNS
Modifieds - Dash
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 0X Steve Picou High Ridge, MO
2 2J Jason Russell (M) Henley, MO
3 74 Howard Hall (M) Columbia, MO
4 78 Danny Crane (M) Columbia, MO
5 17 Earl Roark Henley, MO
6 22 Curt Rackers (M) Holts Summit, MO
Modifieds - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 2J Jason Russell (M) Henley, MO
2 0X Steve Picou High Ridge, MO
3 10 Patrick Mahnken (M) Fulton, MO
4 N2 Mike Null Wentzville, MO
5 15W Terry Wilson Bowling Green, MO
6 11L Clay Langley, Jr. Fortuna, MO
Modifieds - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 74 Howard Hall (M) Columbia, MO
2 17 Earl Roark Henley, MO
3 4X Tony Dunker Quincy, IL
4 16 Rick Brown Iberia, MO
5 6M Terry McClintock (M) Saint Charles, MO
6 0028 Richard Kimberling (M) Slater, MO
Modifieds - Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 78 Danny Crane (M) Columbia, MO
2 22 Curt Rackers (M) Holts Summit, MO
3 11P Curt Potter Boonville, MO
4 31 Steve Cain (M) Columbia, MO
5 1 Vance Wilson Frankford, MO
6 11 Dane Gundaker (M) Bridgeton, MO
Pro (Crate) Late Models - A-Main -- 21 Cars
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 48 Bobby Martintoni (C) Livingston, IL
2 18D Bobby Dauderman Alhambra, IL
3 43 Mike Harris Lebanon, MO
4 11 Gordy Gundaker (C) Saint Charles, MO
5 R52 Rylan Dagg Bluford, IL
6 59 Aaron Heck Mt. Vernon, IL
7 58 Charlie Heck Mt. Vernon, IL
8 0 Terry Gallaher New London, MO
9 01 Casey Montague Lebanon, IL
10 10 Steve Beach (C) Eldon, MO
11 3 Craig Bessinger (C) Pacific, MO
12 25P Javan Payne Russellville, MO
13 71 Mike Berger (C) Lake Ozark, MO
14 8 Darren Turner Hartsburg, MO
15 7X Todd McCoin (C) Barnett, MO
16 86 Brandon Imhoff (C) Lake Ozark, MO
17 25 Robbie Wright Fulton, MO
18 55 Daniel Heck Mt. Vernon, IL
19 16 Ashlee Lancaster (C) Sturgeon, MO
20 24 Darin Walker (C) Bowling Green, MO
21 34 Corey Nelson (C) Eugene, MO
Pro (Crate) Late Models - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 59 Aaron Heck Mt. Vernon, IL
2 24 Darin Walker (C) Bowling Green, MO
3 R52 Rylan Dagg Bluford, IL
4 55 Daniel Heck Mt. Vernon, IL
5 18D Bobby Dauderman Alhambra, IL
6 71 Mike Berger (C) Lake Ozark, MO
7 10 Steve Beach (C) Eldon, MO
Pro (Crate) Late Models - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 86 Brandon Imhoff (C) Lake Ozark, MO
2 11 Gordy Gundaker (C) Saint Charles, MO
3 58 Charlie Heck Mt. Vernon, IL
4 8 Darren Turner Hartsburg, MO
5 3 Craig Bessinger (C) Pacific, MO
6 7X Todd McCoin (C) Barnett, MO
7 01 Casey Montague Lebanon, IL
Pro (Crate) Late Models - Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 48 Bobby Martintoni (C) Livingston, IL
2 0 Terry Gallaher New London, MO
3 25P Javan Payne Russellville, MO
4 43 Mike Harris Lebanon, MO
5 25 Robbie Wright Fulton, MO
6 34 Corey Nelson (C) Eugene, MO
7 16 Ashlee Lancaster (C) Sturgeon, MO
