Third for Johns in Delaware opener Friday
Pat Payton, Sports editor DELAWARE - Worn tires probably cost Shawn Johns second place in his Delaware Speedway season opener here last Friday night.
The St. Marys racer had to settle for a third in an exciting 25-lap Challenger Motor Freight trucks feature race.
Top-five finishes have become almost routine for Johns, who’s beginning his sixth season in the competitive trucks class. In one stretch last summer, he posted nine top-five finishes in 10 races and had the track title in his sights. A string of bad luck late in the season ended those hopes, but he still finished a solid fourth overall in the points standings.
He’s one of the top contenders in the division again, and he’s looking for a
consistent year in 2008.
“We’re getting closer every year,” Johns said with a smile. “Obviously we’re
going for the title this year because we were so close last year.
“We’re going for wins, and we’re going to try and go out there and run with
the best of them.”
Johns feels he charges into the corners much better now than in previous
years. He and his ‘00’ crew have also made some chassis adjustments that
they hope will help.
Starts in sixth spot
For the feature, Johns started sixth in a 17-truck field.
The race had just one caution—on the very first lap. On the re-start, the
St. Marys driver was quickly up to third by the third lap.
Johns moved up to second spot on Lap 10, and was now chasing leader Chad
Rijnen, of London, who enjoyed a big lead and cruised to victory.
Paul Fothergill, of London, meanwhile, made a late charge. After being back
in fifth place, the defending track champ was able to nip Johns on the
outside at the finish line, and claim second.
“We ran well in practice and the heat race, but just burnt the tires off it
(in the feature),” Johns said following the race. “I think (Fothergill) got
me by just a fender. It was close.
“But it’s positive; we’re really happy with the third.”
Humphrys makes debut
It was a new experience, meanwhile, for Matt Humphrys last Friday.
The St. Marys racer, who competed in the trucks class the last two summers,
made his debut with a Monte Carlo in the Peterbilt of Ontario Super Stocks
division.
Humphrys started 16th in an 18-car field, and finished 15th in a
caution-free, 25-lap feature race. Defending champ Ray Morneau, of Windsor,
was the race winner.
“Next week will be a better week for us,” Humphrys predicted. “This was the
first real good, full-throttle run we’ve had with this car. We only got one
practice in (this spring), and the car was too loose tonight.
“It’s time to go back to the drawing board and tightened this thing up for
next week.”
What will be his biggest adjustment after switching classes, Humphrys was
asked.
“Basically, I’m really going to have to practice getting in and off the
brake and on the gas,” he replied. “There’s competitive guys who have been
running here for 10 to 12 years, and I’m going to have to sharpen my pencil
up a little bit.
“It’s a totally different beast, and it’s totally different going into the
corners. You go into the corners a lot faster, and you have to get on the
throttle a lot sooner. It’s just little things that I’m going to have to
adjust to.”
Delaware track notes:
•Shawn Johns and his ‘00’ crew have a new main sponsor this year: AKKO
Cement Finishers Ltd., of Strathroy. Local sponsors of the Chev. truck
include: GOCO Fuels, Tadd Auto Parts Centres, and Goris Electric.
•Matt Humphrys and his ‘04’ crew have several local sponsors as well,
including: New Orleans Pizza, Solis Mexican Foods, Robson Scrap Metals, Tadd
Auto Parts Centres, Ashton Tire and Dowler-Karn Ltd.
•Johns won his 10-lap heat race last Friday, after grabbing the lead on the
second lap.
Prior to his feature, the ‘00’ crew discovered a leak in the truck’s
exhaust. They replaced an exhaust ‘donut’ just under the engine.
•After being rained out May 2, St. Marys driver Scott Lindsay and the ‘20’
crew kick off their Delaware APC Late Model schedule this Friday, May 16.
The Trucks and Super Stocks are also on the program, as well as the Throne
Kings of the Hill Spectator’s Race.