Danny Johnson ready to take on t I-96 Speedway in new ride

Western swing features second-ever Super DIRTcar Series race at Michigan track

LAKE ODESSA, MICH. – Monday, July 29, 2013 – Last year’s historic, first-ever Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modfiied Series race at I-96 Speedway took Danny Johnson to Victory Lane, and he’s ready to wheel his new ride there this year. The premier Big-Block Modified tour invades the Michigan track Tuesday, Aug. 6, making its farthest trip west of the season for the $7,500-to-win “Michigan 100.”

“We’re looking forward to going there again,” Johnson said of I-96 Speedway. “We’ll just see how things go. We’ll do the best we can with what we’ve got. So far we’ve been able to keep it together.”

In 2012’s inaugural 100-lapper, Johnson sped past polesitter Tyler Siri in the 5* and early race leader Jimmy Phelps to take the lead. This year Johnson will be piloting Siri’s 5*, and the new driver-owner partnership is stronger than ever going into the two-day trip westward that also includes a Monday, Aug. 5, feature event at Merrittville Speedway in Thorold, Ontario.

“It seems to be working out well for both of us,” Johnson said of the new team, which started him in the 5* at theseries opener atRolling Wheels Raceway Park and has since seen him take a win at Canandaigua Motorsports Park, where the team races weekly. “Tyler’s a good boy,” Johnson said.

For Siri, things couldn’t have worked out better. A rookie last year on the Super DIRTcar Series, Siri took his passion for racing to the track to claim 13th in overall Championship point standings in 2012. However, health problems kept him out of the driver’s seat at the onset of the new season. When legendary driver Johnson needed a ride, Siri seized the opportunity and the pieces fell into place.

“Danny’s a lot like me, he’s pretty fun, wild,” said the 5* car owner Siri. “It worked out great. He’s a hell of a driver, and the timing couldn’t be any better for me or him.”

So far, Johnson has claimed two top-tens and one top-five out of six starts, his best finish of the season being a third atNew Egypt Speedway for July’s “Dirty Jersey 60.” He came close to a win at Autodrome Drummond last Monday, July 22, but succumbed to a right-rear flat while leading.

“We’ve definitely got the speed there, we just need a little bit of racing luck to seal the deal,” said Siri, who was lucky enough last year when he, as a driver, redrew the pole at I-96 Speedway. “That was my first year in a Big-Block so I didn’t know what to expect when I got there. The track was really nice, it was big, fast. We did really good in the heat race and redrew the pole. Then I didn’t make the changes I needed to for the feature – that was a big rookie mistake on my part. Overall, I really like the place. The facility was nice, the people were great, and I really look forward to going back there.”

Siri is on the mend and hoping to get back behind the wheel in September, when he plans on upping the ante to a two car team in the series, but until then it’s up to Johnson to bring the team victory.

“I’m just trying to do the best I can getting prepared for it,” Johnson said.

Pit gates open for the Tuesday, Aug. 6, Michigan 100 at 3 p.m. and grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase advance-sale tickets, visit www.i96speedway.com

AT A GLANCE:

Michigan 100

Divisions: Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series (100 laps on the half-mile); UMP Modifieds (half-mile); Street Stocks, Pro Stocks, and Pro Trucks and Sport Compacts on the 3/8-mile

Date: Tuesday, August 6

Time: Pit gates open at 3 p.m., grandstand gates at 5 p.m.; racing starts at 7 p.m.

Location: I-96 Speedway, 3823 W. Portland Rd, Lake Odessa, Michigan

For more information: (616) 642-0555 or www.i96speedway.com

POTENTIAL DRIVER ENTRY LIST:

20h – Brett Hearn – Sussex, N. J.

9s – Matt Sheppard – Waterloo, N. Y.

7z – Dale Planck – Cortland, N. Y.

49d – Billy Dunn – Watertown, N. Y.

84 – Gary Tomkins – Clifton Springs, N. Y.

98h – Jimmy Phelps – Baldwinsville, N. Y.

5* – Danny Johnson – Rochester, N. Y.

3h – Justin Haers – Phelps, N. Y.

21a – Peter Britten – Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

91d – Billy Decker – Unadilla, N. Y.

8s – Rich Scagliotta – Bound Brook, N. J.

66x – Carey Terrance – Akwesasne, N. Y.

10c – Tim Currier – Auburn, N. Y.

48t – Dave Rauscher – Waterloo, N. Y.

74 – Matt Billings – Brockville, Ontario, Canada

6m – Mat Williamson – St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada

10v – Billy VanInwegen – Sparrowbush, N. Y.

25 – Erick Rudolph – Ransomville, N. Y.

19w – Justin Wright – Pittsford, N. Y.

77f – Keith Flach – Greenville, N. Y.

72 – Tommy Flannigan – Port Robinson, Ontario, Canada

83 – Brian Swartzlander – Leechburg, Penn.

37d – Jeremiah Shingledecker – Pole, Penn.

71 – Mike Bowman – St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

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Twitter: @SuperDIRTcar

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I-96 Speedway

Twitter: @i96speedway

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2013 SUPER DIRTcar SERIES SCHEDULE:

The Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast Region is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners including Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Chevy Performance Parts, NAPA Auto Parts, and Safety-Kleen. Contingency partners include the University of Northwestern Ohio, Contingency sponsors are ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD Performance, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Superflow and Wrisco Industries.