Johnson, Hudson Celebrate Fourth of July in Victory Lane at Cheerwine Cherry Bomb 200
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Andy Cagle 910-995-2122 Johnson, Hudson Celebrate Fourth of July in Victory Lane at Cheerwine Cherry Bomb 200 ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (July 4, 2009) – ASA Late Model Series driver Brandon Johnson and Frank Kimmel Street Stock competitor Brett Hudson celebrated the Fourth of July Saturday at Rockingham Speedway with victories in their respective races in the Cheerwine Cherry Bomb 200 doubleheader. Hudson, from Owensboro, Ky., led from start to finish in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the first 100-lap race at the 1-mile track, but had to hold off a tenacious Tony Conway, of Louisville, Ky., in the closing laps for the victory. Johnson, of Longwood, Fla., breezed to victory in his Chevrolet in his 100-lap race, finishing 5.565 seconds ahead of Brian Campbell's Ford. Campbell took second from Dillon Oliver with only three laps remaining, forcing Oliver to settle for third. “The main thing we tried to do was conserve tires,” Johnson said after his first ASA Late Model victory this season. “That first (50) lap run was a test run to see if the tires would fall off. We were overheating pretty bad, so I had to keep ducking out. Once we got around (A.J. Frank) it was just clear sailing. The clean air really helped our car.” Rounding out the top five, respectively, were Jack Smith, Medina, Ohio, and Brent Downey, Avon, Ind. Hudson, who started on the pole and never relinquished the lead in the 100-lap Frank Kimmel Street Stock race, admitted his car handled better at the race's beginning than in the final 50 laps. “It was pretty loose and (Tony) Conway was eating me up pretty good in (turns) one and two,” Hudson said. “I knew he'd probably catch me, but (I) didn't think he could pass me. He was handling so much better than me in the corners. He ran me down pretty quick. I didn't think he was going to make a run like that off turn four, but he run me clean and I'd like to thank him for that.” Conway said he didn't have anything for Hudson in the power department, but noted his car handled better than his competitor's. “He'd pull a little bit away from us on the straightaways,” said Conway, who admitted he had forgotten to take the qualifying tape off the grill before the race started. “He was actually pulling me in the draft, but out of the draft I couldn't do anything with him. Every time I'd pull out (to pass) he'd pull away. About the only chance we had was what we did, using the traffic to get up beside (him) and maybe get around, but it didn't work out.” Rounding out the top five, respectively, were: Clint Watkins, Maggie Valley, N.C.; Joe Williamson, Sheperdville, Ky.; and Doug Weiss, Dallas Center, Iowa. The Frank Kimmel Street Stock Series returns to Rockingham in January 2010 for the Polar Bear 150. However, before 2009 ends, “The Rock” will host the ARCA season finale and the USAR Pro Cup Series Oct. 10-11. Photo Caption (DSC_0019) Will Moss (left), General Manager of Piedmont Cheerwine’s Raeford (N.C.) bottling plant, congratulates Owensboro, Ky.’s Brett Hudson in victory lane after the Frank Kimmel Street Stock Nationals portion of the Cheerwine Cherry Bomb 200. Photo Caption (DSC_0048) Rockingham Speedway President Andy Hillenburg (left) congratulates Brandon Johnson in victory lane at the speedway Saturday afternoon. Johnson, a Lakewood Fla. native, took the checkered flag in the ASA Late Model portion of the Cheerwine Cherry Bomb 200. # # #