2000
RACE
RESULTS
July 4, 2000
Heat - John started fifth in his heat race and drove by the cars of Mike Bosma and Jay Noteboom before reaching the second position. On lap three John moved into the lead and never looked back, opening up a big lead on the field. He won the 8 lap heat race by nearly a full straightaway over the 2nd place car. The car was super fast and John drove it superbly.
A Feature - John started 4th in the heat race and slid past pole sitter Gary March on the first lap before setting his sites on the outside pole sitter Jason Weatherton. John was patient for a few laps riding right on Weatherton's bumper waiting for an opportunity to make a pass. Once again it looked like this could be the night we captured our first feature win...however, it wasn't meant to be. John lost his engine on the backstretch bringing out one of would prove to be MANY cautions in the modified feature event. Every engine eventually has its day and this one served us very well, having been in our modifieds for nearly 2 years. We'll be back at the Park on Saturday ready for another go round.
Heat - After a strong run last week, John again started at the rear of his heat. The heat race was stacked with strong running cars, and John could only manage a 5th place finish, good enough to qualify for the A feature.
A Feature - John started 19th in the A feature and was moving quickly through the field on the dry slick track when the caution came out on lap 6 when John was in 11th position. During the caution John felt that something was wrong with the car but wasn't sure what it was, when the race resumed his right rear tire which had been going down, went flat. He ran a lap and a half on the low tire, before heading to the pits for a new shoe. The caution came out one lap after John came to the pits and when he went back out he was a lap down. He continued his march through the field moving up to 11th in the order, but since he was a lap down he was scored in 21st. It was a disappointing night, but the car was strong and John was very smooth.
Standings - Although a few of the leaders had trouble, Greg Peck won the feature and Mark Wenzlaff finished 10th and they moved out in the point standings. Greg now leads the points race by 8 points over Wenzlaff who is followed by Denny Johnson in third and John fell to 4th in the point standings, 34 behind Peck and just 4 points behind Denny Johnson. John and Denny are part of a pack of 9 cars within 18 points of each other in 3rd through 11th in the standings. It's an extremely tight pack and we're fortunate to be at the top side of it. John's point average will now include a 19th, 13th, 4th, and 21st. He should start near the front of the heat race and if he is able to qualify in the top 4 of the heat will start near the front of the field in the feature. This Saturday could be a big night for the O.K. One Stop Racing Team.
Heat - After a poor finish last week, John's point average slipped a little, which provided him with a better starting position in the heat race than he'd had so far this season. He started 5th in the 4th modified heat and took advantage of that starting position by playing it smart. John was very fast in the heat joining the 4 car lead pack that opened up a huge lead on the 5th and 6th place cars. Although the car was fast enough to have made a move to the front he was satisfied with 4th position, good enough to get him a position in the A feature inverted start. John finished 4th in his heat behind Ken Fridrich, Lowell Roeber (driving Gary March's car), and Greg Peck.
A Feature - John had his best feature starting position of the season, 8th on the grid. In the first few laps John moved quickly to the front of the field, and when the caution flew on lap 3 he was in 3rd behind only Greg Peck and Ron Luitjens, who started 3rd & 4th, respectively. On the restart, John moved past Luitjens on the outside going down the front straightaway -- after the green flag was out I might add. After chasing Peck for a few laps John made a move for the lead coming out of turn 4 on Lap 7, but Greg moved to the inside to take away John's line and the two made light contact, and John needed to check up and lost 2 spots as Luitjens and Kyle Koster moved by on the outside. The caution came out again a few laps later and the top 5 was Peck, Luitjens, Koster, John, and Rich Hesse. There were no pretenders in this group! When the green came it was a war! The cars in the top 5 swapped positions numerous times, and the race was halted again after Hesse went high out of turn 4 losing his position on the track, but on the restart he was in 8th position. The battle waged on as the top runners continued to jostle for position on the race track. John made a move to the inside of Koster on the final lap in turn 1 and had the position before slipping coming out of turn 2 and giving that position back. Rich Hesse who was charging back up through the field, made a move on John out of turn 4 coming to the checkers, coming up just shy at the line. John had the solid run he needed after the last few weeks, but for a change had nothing for the leaders as the feature wound down. The top 5 finishers were: Peck, Koster, Luitjens, Klynsma, and Hesse.
Standings - Mike Collins who was in 2nd position coming into the night's racing missed the A feature by one position in the B feature and went home early. Mark Wenzlaff the point-leader had a solid run finishing 8th, but John was able to whittle 8 points off of his lead and trails by just 6 points going into July. Greg Peck who won the feature vaulted to 3rd in the standings just 4 points behind John. Chuck Clark had another tough night and will lose positions in the standings. The top 4 of Wenzlaff, John, Peck, and Hesse are separated by just 16 points. Every night and every position count from here out!