Johnson Battles to U.S. 36 Nationals Triumph
Jason Johnson celebrates after winning the inaugural U.S. 36 Nationals presented by Racinboys.com and TBJ Promotions. The July 3rd victory is Johnson’s seventh of the 2012 season with the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV. Photo credit: Nicole Lee (High Fly’n Photos)
BY: Bryan Hulbert
CARMERON, MO (July 3, 2012) – The inaugural U.S. 36 Nationals presented by Racinboys.com and TBJ Promotions was one for the record books as Jason Johnson notched his seventh win of the 2012 season with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV.
Starting ninth, Johnson would have ground to make up as the race began with the Superior Marine No. 23 of Seth Bergman led the field to the green only to see the red fly as Jonathan Cornell met the front straight-a-way wall.
Pulling to the restart, the battle for the lead would go wheel to wheel for the first three laps as Bergman worked to hold off local favorite Jack Dover.
Settling at the front of the field, the P.P.M No. 23 would work to a ten car length advantage as the fight for second saw the Oil Medics No. 77x of Wayne Johnson going wheel to wheel with Dover for a moment before the Certified Transmission No. 53 marched to the highline to hold the runner up spot.
Chasing Bergman into slower traffic with, Dover would close the gap with Wayne Johnson and Logan Forler in tow but as slower traffic thinned, Bergman pulled away.
Moving past the half-way point, Dover would suddenly slow in order to force the caution on lap seventeen. Returning after visiting the work area, the Nebraska native would restart at the tail.
Restarting sixth with thirteen laps remaining, the MVT No. 41 of Johnson would begin his final march to the front. Battling into third over Logan Forler on lap twenty, the next car in line would be Wayne Johnson. Getting the run for the slide-job, things would get close as the Oil Medics No. 77x fell to third on lap twenty one.
Running down Seth Bergman on the same lap, Johnson would stay to the high line off the exit turn four; taking the point on the twenty-second circuit. Clicking through the closing laps, the Stenhouse/JJR No. 41 pulled a comfortable lead as the checkered flag fell
Commenting on his run to the front, the driver of the MVT No. 41 stated, “You had to put on brutal slide jobs to get by the guys. You’ve just had to shut the door on these guys because it was so slick getting off of four and you had to fight to get the run but that seemed to be the corner where I could get around these guys.”
With emotions running high, post-race interviews would become heated between Jason and second finishing Wayne Johnson, causing Lucas Oil ASCS officials to intervene in order to keep the peace.
Seth Bergman crossed the line third and commented on the antics, “it’s getting interesting back here. Feel like we’re at the WWF or something.” Bergman would also collect the night’s Weld Wheels Smooth Move of the Race after holding off Jack Dover, who had the preferred line, for the race lead.
Taking his best finish in Lucas Oil ASCS competition, Logan Forler would cross the line fourth with Brady Bacon rounding out the top five.
Brad Loyet was sixth with Johnny Herrera advancing from tenth to seventh. Tony Bruce Jr. claimed eighth after starting seventeenth with Kyle Bellm and Dustin Morgan completing the top ten.
Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV
U.S. 36 Raceway – Cameron, Missouri
July 3, 2012
Car Count: 27
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover[4]; 2. 9-Gary Wright[6]; 3. 05-Brad Loyet[5]; 4. 29-Brandon Hahn[2]; 5. 28-Jonathan Cornell[7]; 6. 93a-Alan Ambers[1]; 7. 32L-David Langford[3]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman[2]; 2. 77x-Wayne Johnson[4]; 3. 99-Brady Bacon[6]; 4. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[1]; 5. 74x-Joshua Hodges[3]; 6. 3z-Zach Davis[5]; 7. 76-Jay Russell[7]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 2-Dustin Morgan[1]; 2. 45x-Johnny Herrera[2]; 3. 4-Jordan Boston[4]; 4. 86-Kyle Bellm[6]; 5. 21k-Ryan Kitchen[3]; 6. 23s-Stu Snyder[5]; 7. 9m-Chad Ely[7]
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 5h-Logan Forler[2]; 2. 38-Cody Baker[1]; 3. 41-Jason Johnson[5]; 4. 33-Austin Alumbaugh[4]; 5. 5M-Miranda Arnold[3]; 6. 2A-Randy Hibbs[6]
B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[1]; 2. 74x-Joshua Hodges[2]; 3. 21k-Ryan Kitchen[3]; 4. 5M-Miranda Arnold[4]; 5. 9m-Chad Ely[8]; 6. 23s-Stu Snyder[7]; 7. 2A-Randy Hibbs[5]; 8. 93a-Alan Ambers[9]; DNF 3z-Zach Davis[6]; DNF 76-Jay Russell[11]; DNF 32L-David Langford[10]
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson[9]; 2. 77x-Wayne Johnson[4]; 3. 23-Seth Bergman[1]; 4. 5h-Logan Forler[5]; 5. 99-Brady Bacon[7]; 6. 05-Brad Loyet[6]; 7. 45x-Johnny Herrera[10]; 8. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[17]; 9. 86-Kyle Bellm[13]; 10. 2-Dustin Morgan[3]; 11. 4-Jordan Boston[12]; 12. 53-Jack Dover[2]; 13. 33-Austin Alumbaugh[15]; 14. 23s-Stu Snyder[22]; 15. 29-Brandon Hahn[16]; DNF 5M-Miranda Arnold[20]; DNF 9m-Chad Ely[21]; DNF 9-Gary Wright[8]; DNF 38-Cody Baker[11]; DNF 28-Jonathan Cornell[14]; DNF 74x-Joshua Hodges[18]; DNF 21k-Ryan Kitchen[19]
Lap Leader(s): Seth Bergman 1-21, Jason Johnson 22-30
Pitstopusa.com Hard Charger of the Night: Tony Bruce Jr. +9
FSR Radiator High Point Driver: Jack Dover
Provisional(s): N/A
2012 Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-7, Brady Bacon-4, Wayne Johnson-4, Tony Bruce Jr.-3, Brian Brown-1, Seth Bergman-1, Danny Lasoski-1, Jason Martin-1, Dustin Morgan-1, Danny Wood-1, Cody Baker-1
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV Points (top 10): 1. Jason Johnson 3,305 2. Wayne Johnson 3,296; 3. Brady Bacon 3,142; 4. Johnny Herrera 3,005; 5. Brad Loyet 2,949; 6. Tony Bruce Jr. 2,909; 7. Seth Bergman 2,693; 8. Danny Wood 2,572; 9. Gary Wright 2,529; 10. Dustin Morgan 2,520
