Wayne Johnson Pockets $14.5K in Ronald Laney Memorial!

Lonnie Wheatley, TAMPA, Fla. (February 27, 2010) – Pennsylvania’s Tim Shaffer was oh so close to completing a sweep of the season-opening American Sprint Car Series Rebel Region triple in “Kings” action at East Bay Raceway Park’s 34^th Annual Winter Nationals.

But, when Shaffer’s engine soured less than two laps shy of Saturday night’s checkered flag, it was Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson taking quick advantage to snare the $14,500 winner’s share in the 40-lap Ninth Annual Ronald Laney Memorial atop the semi-banked, 1/3-mile clay oval.

Johnson paced the final two circuits to take the coveted checkered flag aboard Glenn Styres’ Ohsweken Speedway/Rochester Americans No. 0x entry, collecting his 32^nd career overall ASCS win in the process.

While Johnson enjoyed victory lane, Shaffer wasn’t the only leader to fall victim to ill fortune during the night, as two-time “Kings” winner Gary Wright cut a left rear tire after pacing the opening 20 rounds.

Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson snared a $14,500 triumph by leading the final two circuits of Saturday night's ASCS Rebel Region Ninth Annual Ronald Laney Memorial main event at East Bay Raceway Park's 34th Annual Winter Nationals in Tampa, FL.
Photo courtesy of Mike Horne

The four-time Lucas Oil National Sprint Car champion had led from the outset after starting from the pole position. Wright’s undoing came after a caution that sent Mark Smith pitside with engine woes.

After winning both the Thursday and Friday night features, fifth-starter Shaffer assumed the point and had a hefty payday within sight when his powerplant let go less than a mile from the checkered flag.

Johnson added the “Kings” crown to past Short Track Nationals and ASCS Knoxville Nationals glory, beating 2009 event winner Jesse Hockett to the stripe.

While Hockett settled for runner-up honors in the Don Ott-powered VKCC Motorsports No. 75 A.R.T., Canadian Lou Kennedy, Jr., finished off a strong weekend by taking the show position.

Travis Rilat crossed the stripe fourth, with Darren Long rounding out the top five. Tony Bruce, Jr., was sixth in front of Tommy Worley, Jr., and Idaho’s Joe Ramaker. Eastern Modified ace Stewart Friesen finished out his first full weekend of Sprint Car competition since a lone 2003 outing in ninth, with Sport Allen completing the top ten.

Friesen, Michael Miller, Bruce, Jr., and Glenn Styres topped Saturday night’s heat races, with J.D. Johnson, Michael Dupuy and David Brown winning the “B” Mains.

Wayne Johnson’s $14,500 winner’s take included the $10,000 originally posted by East Bay Speedway, $4,000 of the $7,000 kicked into the purse by the Laney family and another $500 from CnB Mushroom Farms.

American Sprint Car Series Rebel Region Ninth Annual Ronald Laney Memorial Saturday Night Results from East Bay Raceway Park's 34^th Annual Winter Nationals:

Top Six in Combined Points From Thursday and Friday Preliminary Action Locked Into Feature: 83-Tim Shaffer, 21k-Lou Kennedy, Jr., 7m-Mark Smith, 0x-Wayne Johnson, d12-Danny Smith, 9x-Gary Wright.

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 33-Stewart Friesen, 2. A12-Tommy Worley, Jr., 3. 98x-J.D. Johnson, 4. 2b-Frank Beck III, 5. 11T-T.J. Winegardner, 6. 48-David Brown, 7. 88-Shane Kreidler, 8. 82-A.J. Maddox.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 4m-Michael Miller, 2. 75-Jesse Hockett, 3. W20-Greg Wilson, 4. 21T-T.J. Luedke, 5. 6s-Jessica Zemken, 6. 35-Jared Zimbardi, 7. 11-Carl Zaniboni. DNS: 3b-Brad Greer.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr., 2. 09-Timmy Thrash, 3. 29-Travis Rilat, 4. 98-Joe Ramaker, 5. 6-Mike Schroeder, 6. 17b-Ryan Bickett, 7. 20k-Thomas Kennedy. DNS: 47-Caleb Helms.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 0-Glenn Styres, 2. 00-Michael Dupuy, 3. 12-Tim Kelly, 4. 3g-Darren Long, 5. 8x-Chris Williams, 6. 81-Sport Allen, 7. 02-Gene Lasker, 8. 92-Matt Kurtz, 9. 22d-Bruce DeWick.

First "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 98x-J.D. Johnson, 2. 98-Joe Ramaker, 3. 09-Timmy Thrash, 4. 8x-Chris Williams, 5. 92-Matt Kurtz, 6. 17b-Ryan Bickett, 7. 88-Shane Kreidler, 8. 2b-Frank Beck III. DNS: 3b-Brad Greer.

Second "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 00-Michael Dupuy, 2. W20-Greg Wilson, 3. 21T-T.J. Luedke, 4. 11T-T.J. Winegardner, 5. 47-Caleb Helms, 6. 6-Mike Schroeder, 7. 20k-Thomas Kennedy, 8. 22d-Bruce DeWick, 9. 02-Gene Lasker.

Third “B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 48-David Brown, 2. 81-Sport Allen, 3. 12-Tim Kelly, 4. 35-Jared Zimbardi, 5. 6s-Jessica Zemken, 6. 82-A.J. Maddox, 7. 11-Carl Zaniboni.

“A” Feature (40 Laps): 1. 0x-Wayne Johnson, 2. 75-Jesse Hockett, 3. 21k-Lou Kennedy, Jr., 4. 29-Travis Rilat, 5. 3g-Darren Long, 6. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr., 7. A12-Tommy Worley, Jr., 8. 98-Joe Ramaker, 9. 33-Stewart Friesen, 10. 81-Sport Allen, 11. W20-Greg Wilson, 12. 83-Tim Shaffer, 13. 0-Glenn Styres, 14. 48-David Brown, 15. 4m-Michael Miller, 16. D12-Danny Smith, 17. 9x-Gary Wright, 18. 7m-Mark Smith, 19. 98x-J.D. Johnson, 20. 00-Michael Dupuy.

ASCS Rebel Region Points
(Top Ten): 1. (tie) Tim Shaffer and Lou Kennedy, Jr. 138, 3. Jesse Hockett 135, 4. Travis Rilat 134, 5. Tony Bruce, Jr. 132, 6. (tie) Wayne Johnson and Danny Smith 124, 8. Mark Smith 123, 9. Gary Wright 120, 10. Darren Long 119.