The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Midgets: Johncox Surprise NAMARS Winner at Columbus

18 May 1998

By LES MESZAROS

COLUMBUS, OH: Ronnie Johncox, of Jackson, MI, was the surprise winner of the 30 lap NAMARS Auto Value midget feature Saturday night at the Columbus Motor Speedway. This was Johncox's first ever NAMARS feature win. In four races this season, NAMARS has had 3 first time feature winners. Johncox won over a very competitive field of 42 midgets, driving the Jim Welty owned Hawk chassis with a Gaerte power plant.

At the drop of the green flag, Mark Boice shot into the lead followed by Gene Lee Gibson. While Boice was out front the legendary Mel Kenyon was moving up and jumped into second on lap 3. It took Kenyon only 2 laps to figure out a way around Boice as he swung low in turn 3 and dashed into the lead. Kenyon brought Johncox with him. Two laps later Jimmy McCune and Jim Hettinger joined Kenyon and Boice at the front as these four now ran in tight nose to tail formation.

Every one was looking to move up and trying high and low. Nick Fornoro joined these four and Chris Hayes on lap 16 as six cars battled. The front six were now encountering heavy lapped traffic and the veteran Kenyon used this opportunity to lengthen his lead over Johncox. The entire complexion of the race changed when Jim Hettinger and Chris Hayes got tangled up with lapped traffic in turn 4. Hettinger spun to the outside and stopped just short of the wall and Hayes spun to the infield and kept going. This was the only caution of the race.

When the green flag flew Johncox took advantage, ducked inside of Mel Kenyon in turn three, and surprised everyone at the speedway. Kenyon had looked like he had the race won but this lead change surprised everyone. Johncox was out front closely followed but Kenyon. Speculation was Kenyon would wait for one last shot at Johncox at the end but with 2 laps to go Kenyon slowed with engine failure and coasted to a stop in the pits. This was the second straight week Kenyon has dropped out of a feature with mechanical problems. Kenyon's demise caused a mad scramble behind Johncox and at the checkered, it was Ronnie Johncox the winner followed by Jimmy McCune, Mark Boice, Nick Fornoro and A.J. Davis rounding out the top 5.

Jim Hettinger set fast time with the only 13-second lap as he posted a 13.993 lap time. Heat race victories went to Brandon Hartsell, Mel Kenyon, David Thompson and Wayne Chinn. Doug Wright was the Semi-feature winner. NAMARS NOTES: Competition has become so fierce on the NAMARS circuit that top ten in the points Matt Westfall, Jim Sawyer and Donnie Lehmann did not make the feature line up. Scooter Ellis gets the long haul award as he towed in from Seattle, WA ..... Mel Kenyon's son Brice Kenyon was driving one of the Rally Super trucks as they put on another exciting exhibition race. Brice finished second.

The summary:

Qualifications: 1. Jim Hettinger, Don Smith, 71, 13.993; 2. Doug Wright, Doug Wright, 19, 14.191; 3. Jimmy McCune, Joe Michner, 26, 14.197; 4. Ronnie Johncox, Jim Welty, 60, 14.238; 5. J.R. Armstrong, Chuck Rencurrel, 56, 14.262; 6. Mel Kenyon, 3K Racing, 61, 14.267; 7. David Gough, Amy Gough, 6, 14.289; 8. Jason Setser, Don Johnson, 16, 14.322; 9. Gene Lee Gibson, Gene Lee Gibson, 0, 14.328; 10. Mark Boice, Team Boice Racing, 4, 14.355; 11. Nick Fornoro, McClellan Motorsports, 2, 14.374; 12. Todd Sears, Bob Sears, 26, 14.385; 13. Randy Dailey, Stephanie Dailey, 78, 14.410; 14. Chris Hayes, Gregg Steele, 43, 14.410; 15. Jim Sawyer, Jim Sawyer, 59, 14.416; 16. J.D. Turner, Bruce Turner, 53, 14.446; 17. Don Moore, Moore Family, 55, 14.469; 18. Matt Westfall, Jack Hammonds, 54, 14.566; 19. Kevin Besecker, McClellan Motorsports, 3, 14.576; 20. Don Lehmann, Lehmann Racing, 31, 14.583; 21. Brandon Hartsell, Ed Hartsell, 14.604; 22. A.J. Fike, A.J. Fike, 69, 14.610; 23. Kevin Newton, Steve Newton, 14, 14.637; 24. Wayne Chinn, Chinn Motorsports, 71, 14.725; 25. Jay Mason, Jay Mason, 4M, 14.727; 26. Jeff Hilbert, Mike Nowicke, 16, 14.804; 27. Chad Davenport, Chad Davenport, 43, 14.845; 28. Jason Fuller, Keith Faulkner, 9, 14.911; 29. Kevin Myers, Dale & Beth, Miller 45, 14.915; 30. Tom Johnson, Tom Johnson, 11, 15.016; 31. Marc Longworth, Marc Longworth, 34, 15.071; 32. Scooter Ellis, Scooter Ellis, 73, 15.144; 33, Ken Drangmeister, Ken Drangmeister, 76, 15.362; 34. Bruce Adkins, Bill Eubank, Jr., 37, 15.832; 35. David Thompson, David Thompson, 24, 15.846; 36. Kevin Blue, Kevin Blue, 51, 18.501; 37. Pam Drangmeister, Pam Drangmeister, 78, NT; 38. A.J. Davis, Margaret Owen, 28, NT; 39. Sean Smith, Sean Smith, 84, NT; 40. Charley Judd, Charley Judd, 75, NT; 41. John Evers, John Evers, 63, NT; 42. Larry Gibson, Dick Myers, 5, NT.

First Heat (8 laps): Hartsell, G.L. Gibson, Hettinger, Myers, Dailey, Moore, Mason, K. Drangmeister, Armstrong, P. Drangmeister.

Second Heat (8 laps): Kenyon, Fike, Hilbert, Davis, Boice, Adkins, Hayes, Johnson, Wright, Westfall.

Third Heat (8 laps): Thompson, Fornoro, Davenport, Newton, McCune, Besecker, Gough, Sawyer, Longworth.

Fourth Heat (8 laps): Chinn, Turner, Gibson, Fuller, Sears, Setser, Johncox, Lehmann, Ellis.

Semi-feature (15 laps): Wright, Johnson, Gough, Hayes, Westfall, Lehmann, Sawyer, Setser, Besecker, Moore, Johnson, K. Drangmeister, Armstrong, Ellis, P. Drangmeister.

Feature (30 laps) (Finishing position, starting position, name, hometown): 1. (5) Ronnie Johncox, Jackson, MI; 2. (6) Jimmy McCune, Sylvania, OH; 3. (1) Mark Boice, Noblesville, IN; 4. (7) Nick Fornoro, Reeders, PA; 5. (21) A.J. Davis, Spartanburg, SC; 6. (2) Gene Lee Gibson, Richwood, OH; 7. (24) Larry Gibson, Richwood, OH; 8. (3) David Gough, Machesney Park, IL; 9. (17) Chris Hayes, Rockford, MI; 10. (14) Brandon Hartsell, Joilet, IL; 11. (10) Todd Sears, Middletown, IN; 12. (22) David Thompson, Minooka, IL; 13. (16) Kevin Newton, Terre Haute, IN; 14. (25) Doug Wright, Lafayette, IN; 15. (13) A.J. Fike, Galesburg, IL; 16. (9) Randy Dailey, Kalamazoo, MI; 17. (15) Wayne Chinn, Tipp City, OH; 18. (17) Chad Davenport, Crawfordsville, IN; 19. (20) Jason Fuller, Plymouth, IN; 20. (18) Jeff Hilbert, Louisville, KY; 21. (4) Mel Kenyon, Lebanon, IN; 22. (19) Kevin Myers, Wapakoneta, OH; 23. (8) Jim Hettinger, Mason, MI; 24. (11) J.D. Turner, Cincinnati, OH; 25. (25)Bruce Adkins, Indianapolis, IN.