| Maybe one that won't go
down in the "best of" columns of Johnny Clark Motorsports race records, but
Saturday June 11th was a great night of racing at Oxford Plains. Three seperate 50 lap
sprints with the field totally inverted after the first and second segments made for some
great viewing as hot cars worked their way up through the pack. Johnny was one of the fast
ones, but got tangled in two incidents and retired with overheating. The #54 time-trialed second at 14.754 to Cassius Clark with a
14.722, an average of over 91 miles per hour. The Dash saw a fifth place finish.
In segment one Johnny sailed around Oxford in third with Mike and Ben Rowe one and
two and Cassius Clark in fourth. A 15 lap green run at the beginning let the leaders catch
the pack and there was plenty of passing and maneuvering action.
With the field inverted for segment two, Johnny was
looking at about 26 bumpers with Mike and Ben right on his. The story of the heat was Alan
Wilson moving from 24th to the lead after a slid or two. Mike Rowe powered his way up to
second. Johnny was caught up in not one but two tangles that crushed the radiator ducting.
The first time was not so bad, but the second t-bone led to overheating even though the
crew pulled the hood off and battered the ducting back in shape as best they could. A 25th
was scored.
During the 8 minute pit break between segments, the
Clark crew raided the cooler and filled the #54 with the finest from Poland Spring. But
repair attempts didn't stop the overheating and Johnny retired from the third segment with
a 24th place finish. Overall placement was a 19th. |
