 Canandaigua, NY – July 6, 2013 – Dave Roberts, Canandaigua Motorsports Park PR Correspondent
Danny Johnson had to wait until Saturday night to get his first win of 2013 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Never the less, it was a popular win for the Rochester, NY racing star as the crowd in attendance at CMP was on its feet as Johnson crossed the finish line more than a second faster than runner-up finisher and current division points leader Matt Sheppard in the 35-lap Team Tiremasters Big-Block Modified feature.
The win came when many of our fighting men and women were in the grandstands celebrating Military Appreciation Night presented by Rochester Optical at the storied Ontario County Fairgrounds oval.
 The victory was the 80th career conquest for Johnson at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. It was also the first for car owner/driver Tyler Siri, who teamed up with Johnson some six weeks back. Johnson led the entire 35-lap distance en route to the win.
“It hasn’t been easy,” said Johnson as he explained his night to the happy crowd. “We’ve been patching this motor up all year long. I want to thank Peter Britten. He’s been helping us try and get this car moving.”
Johnson started from the outside-pole and enjoyed a nice lead as the field got itself under control from the drop of the green flag. Dave Marcuccilli held the runner-up position for several laps, but was never a challenge for Johnson in the early stages of the event.
Sheppard, who started 17th in the event, once again moved through the field without a yellow flag. When the first caution of the race did appear on lap 23, the three-time CMP Modified champion was up into the sixth-place position.
By lap 30, Sheppard was riding in the runner-up position but just couldn’t make up enough ground to offer a serious challenge to Johnson.
“It really helps when you start at the front and the car is running well,” Johnson added. “We’ve been struggling but this really helps.”
Running third with another top finish was Vince Vitale, who had the second-place position for several laps before Sheppard went by. Rounding out the top-five were Chad Homan and Marcuccilli, both with excellent runs as the front runners had to go through lapped traffic in the early stages of the event.
Heat race winners were Vince Vitale, Chad Homan and Dave Marcuccilli. Jimmy Phelps won the consolation event.
In the 25-lap Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman feature, Dan Wiesner won his second of the season at CMP. Wiesner, of Geneva, NY, started ninth and took the lead just after the halfway point of the event.
Wiesner also won at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on May 25.
“I’m just glad to be here again,” Wiesner said in victory lane. “It was my cousin James' birthday and I was glad to win it for him.”
AJ Lloyd led the first dozen laps. Wiesner quickly moved into the top-five and once into the lead, opened up a comfortable margin.
“I was able to stay up high and save my tires,” Wiesner said. “Then when my tires were able to warm up, I found my marks and the car ran well.”
The race was held up at the beginning by a couple of yellow flags.
Kane Bristol ran to a second-place finish followed by Steve Gray. Finishing fourth was Kevin Ridley with Karl Comfort in fifth.
Heat race winners were Jimmy Maier, AJ Lloyd and Tyler Meeks.
In the Parts Plus Street Stock division, full-fender veteran Steve Pesarek netted his first win in 15 years at Canandaigua.
Pesarek took over the lead on lap 13 and just nipped Adam DePuy at the finish line as the two came down to the starter's stand side-by-side.
DePuy had the lead on lap 12 with eight-time 2013 winner Mike Welch right beside him. As the two went down into turns one and two, both drivers came together resulting n DePuy spinning out. Track officials sent Welch to the tail position for his involvement in the incident.
Pesarek then held off DePuy at the finish in what turned out to be one of the more exciting finishes of the season at CMP. Blane Smith was third followed by Mike Welch and Bill Weller in fourth and fifth.
“We had three motors go on us this year,” said Pesarek, who earned his last win in 1998. “I finally gave Russ Marsden a block and he put together a motor for us. This is what it did for us tonight.”
“We’ve had a lot of rough sledding this year. We’ll take this one.”
Pesarek is a seven-time CMP points titlist and was crowned the first-ever Mr. DIRT Street Stock champion in 1995.
Adam DePuy won the qualifying event for the Parts Plus Street Stocks.
In the 15-lap Pure Stock feature, Marc Minutolo won his second in a row and did it in dominating fashion.
The second-generation driver took the lead on lap five and was untouchable after that. Minutolo took the lead after Wayne Ellison led the first four laps.
“The car was good tonight,” Minutolo said afterwards. “On top of the track and down low, it didn’t really matter tonight.”
Following a victory at CMP on June 22, Minutolo admitted that he pretty well left the car alone for Saturday’s feature.
“We changed the left rear (tire) and that was it.”
Wayne Ellison held on for second followed by Eric Chapman. Rounding out the top-five were Nick Dandino and Brad Steinruck.
The heat race winner was Wayne Ellison.
In the Castner Performance 305 Sprints, Charlie Donk won his fifth of the season.
Donk took the lead on lap 13 from Justin Henderson and was never headed in the 20-lap main event.
“I just found a line out there,” Donk said afterwards. “We’re having fun. We’ve got a new motor coming soon. We’ve got a good race car right now.”
Justin Henderson held on for second in one of his better performances of the year. Third went to Steve Glover followed by Nick Cooper in fourth and Steve Doell Jr. in fifth.
Both Donk and Darryl Ruggles came into the night tied in points. Ruggles suffered a flat tire that relegated him to tenth on the final scoresheet.
The qualifying heat race winners in the Castner Performance 305 Sprints were Alysha Ruggles and Justin Henderson.
In the 10-lap Community Car Care of Waterloo New Legends Sportsman finale, Frank Guererri Jr won his first of the season in his first outing. Guererri took the lead from Bruce Batzel on turn three of the final lap to get the win.
“I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to catch those guys,” Guererri said in victory lane. “All I know is that the car was fast.”
“I have to thank Nick (Guererri) for allowing us to use his car. I’ve had a lot of support from the family and this feels good.”
Bruce Batzel held on for second followed by Ray Hendershot in third. Fourth and fifth were Jason Scales and Jordan Siri.
Summer continues to sizzle at Canandaigua Motorsports Park when Big Motor Media and Dig Safely New York present a full program of Team Tiremasters Big-Block Modified, Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman, Castner Performance 305 Sprint Car, Parts Plus Street Stock, Pure Stock and Community Car Care of Waterloo New Legends Sportsman action on July 13. The first qualifier goes green at 7pm with pit gates opening at 4pm and grandstand seating starting at 5pm.
SKIDMARK – Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart returns to Canandaigua Motorsports Park in just 10 more days as the headliner of the '360 Smoke Shootout' on Tue., July 16. The 'Rushville Rocket” will be contending for his first win at the storied Canandaigua half-mile clay oval with $3,000 on the line for the A-Main victor. A full program of open tire Sportsman and Crate Late Model racing fills out the 7:30pm card presented by Regional International Truck & Trailer and Monroe Wheelchair.
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