ALAN JOHNSON TAKES MODIFIED MAIN, CHRYSLER MAKES LAST LAP MOVE TO TAKE SPORTSMAN FEATURE DURING MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY’S COSCO HAULAGE TREVOR WILKENS MOD CLASSIC

Alan Johnson (14j) dominated the Merrittville Speedway oval on Canada’s Civic Holiday, winning the 9^th Annual Trevor Wilkens Memorial 100-lap modified feature, but not without some challenges from his brother Danny (27j). Rick Baker (78) won the 20-lap prostock feature and Randy Chrysler (21k) kept Chad Brachmann (3b) at bay in the most exciting sportsman feature of the season to win the 50-lap event.

Monday August 6th's 100-lap event was sure to be an event that a developing Trevor Wilkens would have won and so it was only fitting that it is dedicated in his honour as the Trevor Wilkens Memorial Modified Classic. Eight events have been held since the summer of his passing and tonight Alan Johnson’s name was added to the annual trophy donated by Pete and Linda Cosco. Along with the Cosco’s, The Wilkens' family have worked hard to make the 9^th Annual Trevor Wilkens Event a huge success – free scooter draws were held for lucky Merrittville fans, and lap money was raised and distributed throughout each purse for the evening.  On behalf of everyone – fans, drivers and Merrittville Speedway – our thanks to both families for their commitment to the event.

Steve Devos (13) and Rick Baker (78) started the pro stock feature on the lead row, and stayed side by side for the first lap. Devos took the early lead out of turn two on the second lap. Shawn Keus (7s) and Ken Sargent (25) sat back duking it out for third and fourth spot on the second lap.  The top five on the fifth lap were Baker, Devos, Sargent, Keus and Dave Schulz (1s). Schulz moved up to challenge Keus on lap eight, but ended up breaking and heading off to the pits. Sargent moved up to challenge Baker for the lead on lap 10, and got around him, just in time for the first caution to come out. Tom Green (15) found himself pointing the wrong way against the guardrail in turn four causing the yellow flag. Sargent took off by himself, but Devos crept up on Baker’s back bumper to put the heat on him on the restart. Dan Schulz (66) moved into fourth spot on lap 17, but brought out the caution a lap later when he lost control and spun out collecting Keus and Mike Ward (95w).
Baker made a try on Sargent with two to go and it played out, as he crossed the start/finish line ahead of him. Devos came in third, followed by Jeff Dayman (5) and Dan Gilbert (400).

Pete Bicknell (1p) drew the pole position for the 100-lap modified feature. Matt Sheppard (9s) was quick to relieve Bicknell of the lead position, taking it on the green flag. The second lap saw the first caution as Jamie Turner (11) lost control in turn four, and headed to the tail of the pack for the restart. Sheppard chose the outside line for the restart, and the move was a smart one as he dangled the lead in front of Bicknell’s nose. Danny Johnson (27j) moved up and secured second spot on lap four. After starting the race in 14^th spot, Alan Johnson (14j) made waves through the field landing in seventh spot on the sixth lap. Alex Hoag (7h) lost the handle in turn four and took Turner with him, bringing out the second caution on lap ten. The top five after ten were: Sheppard, Bicknell, Johnson, Vic Coffey (32c) and Brett Hearn (20). The yellow came back out on lap 12 as Adam Ferri (1), Fred Cade (12) and Hoag were all collected in turn four. Bicknell jumped Sheppard on the restart, leaving him in third spot, although he was running in the lead. Danny Johnson moved up to challenge Sheppard for the lead on lap 17. The yellow came out again on lap 18 as Paul Ashton (3a), lost the handle in turn one. Fred Carleton (96) lost control on the restart, bumping quite a few cars, but luckily avoided any major incidents and the yellow didn’t fly. On lap 22 Alan Johnson moved up and around Bicknell to secure third spot. Coffey got around Bicknell a lap later leaving Bicknell in fifth spot. Sheppard started lapping traffic on lap 25. Danny Johnson moved into the lead on lap 27, and Alan Johnson followed him up into second spot a lap later. Scott Wood (38) came from deep within the pack to pass Bicknell for fifth spot on lap 39. The top five on lap 40 were: Danny Johnson, Alan
Johnson, Sheppard, Coffey and Wood. Steve Paine (7x) moved up to challenge Bicknell for sixth spot and secured it on lap 43. The top five at the half way mark were Danny and Alan Johnson, Sheppard, Wood and Paine. Wood, driving his best race of the season to date, got around Sheppard for third on lap 52. The Dr. Danny Johnson got hung up in some lap traffic on lap 56, giving his brother some time to catch up to him, but Alan didn’t get around him until lap 70. By lap 65 there were only 11 cars left on the lead lap. The top five with 20 to go were: Alan and Danny Johnson, Wood, Paine and Bicknell. With only ten laps to go there were still 26 cars running out of the 30 that started, and they were working on 71 laps in the green.
Alan held it down to the line and was followed in by his brother Danny, Scott Wood, Steve Paine and Pete Bicknell. Scott Wood – who calls Merrittville his home track, was not only the top local finisher – he also nabbed the spot for the Dirt Series in Syracuse this October.

The Sportsman came out for the final feature of the evening – an exciting event starting 22 cars for
50 laps. Randy Chrysler (21k) and John Hagerman  (71h) started the feature on the lead row, but Chrysler pulled ahead for the early lead. There was a bit of bumper cars in turn four as Wayne Conn in the 4w back-up car, Brian Elliotson (30), Guy Bougie (67), Tim Lipsitt (29) and Chris Ricker (13) all got together. Rob Knapp (Y2K) pulled into third spot on lap two. Hagerman went too high in turn two losing his position to Tim Jones. Chad Brachmann (3b) was up to fifth spot on lap five. A caution came out on lap seven as Elliotson and Lipsitt tangled in turn four. Top five on lap eight were: Chrysler, Jones, Hagerman, Brachmann and Knapp. Brachmann pulled into third spot on the restart. Jones moved into the lead on lap 10. Yellow on lap 15 as Gary Kruchka (21) and Jeff Leggett (3l) tangled high between turns three and four. Chrysler regained the lead on lap 16. Brachmann moved into second on 18. Pete Cosco (17c) took himself out on lap 20, bringing out another caution. Chrysler and Brachmann duked it out side by side from lap 20 to lap 23, when Brachmann eased himself slightly ahead. The yellow came out on lap 28 as Cosco ended up turned the wrong way again in turn two. The caution remained out as Garry Moreash (124) and Hagerman got caught up together on the restart, leaving them both in the front wall. Brachmann and Chrysler battled back and forth, changing the lead until Chad Chevalier brought out the caution on lap 31, then were back at it until Doug Spiece (88) brought out the caution on 34 and Knapp singled the yellow on lap 36. Brachmann got the better of Chrysler and started to run away with it, until Chrysler caught back up on lap 42. Brachmann got caught up in some lap traffic on lap 47, and it was to be the end of him. Chrysler nabbed the lead out of turn four coming down to the checkered as Brachmann found himself stuck behind Dennis Giancola.
It was Chrysler’s first feature win at Merrittville this season. Jones finished third followed by Adam Ferri (1) and Boyd MacTavish (93).

Join us at Merrittville Speedway next weekend when WA Baker Trucking presents Doug Rose's Green Momba Car Meltdown + Fabulous 50th Full Card and the long awaited Mechanics Race.

Prostock Feature Finish: Rick Baker (78), Ken Sargent (25), Steve Devos (13), Jeff Dayman (5), Dan Gilbert (400), Roger Chrysler (t21), Bill Bleich (108), Stan Zanchin (9), Dave Gifford (34c), Tom Green (15), Dan Schulz (66), Shawn Keus (7s), Mike Ward (95w), Dave Schulz (1s) and Brian Halliwell (1a).

Modified Feature Finish: Alan Johnson (14j), Danny Johnson (27j), Scott Wood (38), Steve Paine (7x), Pete Bicknell (1p), Brett Hearn (20), Matt Sheppard (9s), Robbie Krull (123), Vic Coffey (32c), Billy Krull (z1), Ken Cosgrove (9), Pat Ward (42p), Dan Miller (22), Keith Hoffman (5k), Todd Gordon (8eh), Ryan Baye (2), Don Spatorico (65), Rick Richner (26), Greg Panunte (99p), Andy Green (24), Ken Winfield (82), Joe Plazek (1), Luke Carleton (21), Chris Ricker (13), Alex Hoag (7h), Fred Cade (12), Todd Burley (89b), Fred Carleton (96), Paul Ashton (3a), and Jamie Turner (11).

Sportsman Feature Finish: Randy Chrysler (21k), Chad Brachmann (3b), Tim Jones (9), Adam Ferri (1), Boyd MacTavish (93), Gary Kruchka (21), Tim Lipsitt (29), Jay Mallory (19m), John Hagerman (71h), Jeff Leggett (3l), Chad Chevalier (12), Gary Moreash (124), Rob Knapp (Y2K), Guy Bougie (67), Brad Gravestock (90), Dennis Giancola (13), Pete Cosco (17c), Doug Spiece (88), Brian Elliotson (30), Wayne Conn (4c), George Bosse (1b) and (27c).