Johnson Makes King of Dirt Series History
Calabrese Wins Ron Casey Memorial Sportsman Shootout
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Marc Johnson made history on Tuesday, June 13, at The Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, winning the first-ever race for the new King of Dirt Series (KOD) Small Block Modified tour. “The White Knight” from Guilderland, N.Y., sailed through the 40-lap “Vermont Modified Mayhem” event sponsored by A-Verdi Storage & Office Solutions, to kick off the new series with a $3,000 victory.
Johnson started seventh and navigated his way through limited visibility on a dusty surface in the early laps. Five caution flags slowed the pace in the first nine laps, but action picked up once the race got into a rhythm and the dust lifted. Johnson was tested by Jessey Mueller on four restarts in the final 26 laps – including a green-white-checker restart with two laps left – but held his ground up front for the big payday.
Olmstedville, N.Y., driver Mueller, an 11-time winner on the 1/2-mile Asphalt Track at Devil’s Bowl, ran in second place for most of the race and matched his career-best finish in dirt competition as the runner-up. Allison Ricci of New Paltz, N.Y., ran inside the top five all race long and parked her Halmar Racing entry on the podium in third place. Tim Fuller came out on top of a late battle with Kenny Tremont Jr. for fourth place.
Jack Lehner finished sixth behind Tremont and ahead of defending Devil’s Bowl track champion Bobby Hackel. Neil Stratton finished eighth despite pitting under caution for a flat tire with 13 laps left. Brian Gleason and Demetrios Drellos completed the unofficial top 10 finishers.
Brian Calabrese of Johnstown, N.Y., was a convincing winner in the inaugural 20-lap “Ron Casey Memorial” Shootout, a special non-points race for Sportsman Modified drivers who had not previously won a feature race at The Dirt Track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Calabrese made short work of it, driving from seventh at the start to second place. Hometown favorite Billy Lussier led the first four laps before the race’s lone caution period, when Calabrese got a good restart and took command, leaving the field behind for the win and the $500 top prize.
Lussier finished second with Jimmy Ryan third. Lenny Pillsbury and rookie James Fadden completed the top five. Calabrese, whose car has minimal sponsorship, traveled over two hours with just his brother as his lone crew member. The family of Ron Casey presented him with the trophy and a commemorative decal.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway returns to action with the annual Father’s Day “Topless Weekend” on June 17-18. The Sportsman Modifieds take their roofs off on The Asphalt Track on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. with Twin 20-lap features, along with Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Bandit Youth Mini Stocks, and the New England Antique Racers. Topless racing continues on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. on The Dirt Track, with roofless Sportsman Modifieds and wingless Catamount Mini Sprints, plus Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Kids Bicycle Races.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at Facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – A-Verdi Storage & Office Solutions Night
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Dirt Track – West Haven, VT
Tuesday, June 11, 2017
King of Dirt Series Small Block Modified Feature (40 laps)
“Vermont Modified Mayhem”
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
1. (7) Marc Johnson, Guilderland, N.Y.
2. (5) Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, N.Y.
3. (3) Allison Ricci, New Paltz, N.Y.
4. (10) Tim Fuller, Watertown, N.Y.
5. (8) Kenny Tremont, Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
6. (2) Jack Lehner, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
7. (9) Bobby Hackel, Rensselaer, N.Y.
8. (12) Neil Stratton, Bennington, Vt.
9. (15) Brian Gleason, Altamont, N.Y.
10. (20) Demetrios Drellos, Queensbury, N.Y.
11. (11) Matt DeLorenzo, Cropseyville, N.Y.
12. (18) Michael Sabia, Easton, Conn.
13. (16) Justin Barber, Gansevoort, N.Y.
14. (17) Dave Allen, Palmyra, N.Y.
15. (23) Shawn Pangman, Cobleskill, N.Y.
16. (6) Ronnie Johnson, Duanesburg, N.Y.
17. (1) Mike Ricci, Rosendale, N.Y.
18. (22) Nick Lussier, Clifton Park, N.Y.
19. (13) Mike Maresca, Potsdam, N.Y.
20. (4) Jeremy Wilder, Fort Plain, N.Y.
21. (14) Frank Hoard III, Manchester Center, Vt.
22. (19) James Introne Jr., Hartford, N.Y.
23. (24) Brian Whittemore, Pittsford, Vt.
24. (21) Ricky Davis, Arlington, Vt.
Did Not Start: Elmo Reckner, Ballston Lake, N.Y.
Heat Winners: Kenny Tremont Jr., Tim Fuller, Marc Johnson
Consi Winner: James Introne Jr.
Central Vermont Motorcycles Sportsman Modified Feature (20 laps)
“Ron Casey Memorial Shootout”
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
# – denotes rookie
1. (7) Brian Calabrese, Johnstown, N.Y.
2. (1) Billy Lussier, Fair Haven, Vt.
3. (6) Jimmy Ryan, Whiting, Vt.
4. (3) Lenny Pillsbury, Cornish, N.H.
5. (9) # James Fadden, Plainfield, N.H.
6. (10) Cody Hunt, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.
7. (5) Walt Hammond, Jr., Canaan, N.H.
8. (8) Mike Block, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
9. (2) # Marty Kelly III, North Bennington, Vt.
10. (4) Justin Severance, Pittsford, Vt.
Heat Winners: Brian Calabrese, Jimmy Ryan
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Brian Calabrese
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Justin Severance
Sources: Justin St. Louis/Devil’s Bowl Speedway PR
Barry Snelling/Devil’s Bowl Speedway photos