Ronnie Johnson drove the A19 car to victory at Boyd’s
As part of the Spring Nationals event held at Boyd’s Speedway on Friday night, the track opted to combine the Limited and Crate Late Model classes into one division for a $1,500-to-win feature race. National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame member Ronnie Johnson added another win to his collection of many as he took advantage of a mid-race restart and charged to the win.
Johnson began the evening’s festivities by setting fast time in qualifying with a mark of 15.213 seconds around the third-mile clay oval located in Ringgold, GA. Ethan Hunter, Riley Hickman, Sam Seawright and Chip Brindle rounded out the top-5 in time-trials for this class.
Hickman earned the pole for the feature by winning the first heat race over Johnson, Bryan Pritchard, Brindle and Andy Miller. Hunter would start the main event from the outside of the front row by virtue of his win in the second heat race over Craig Burrow, Seawright, Ahnna Parkhurst and Dillon Tidmore.
Hunter jumped to the early lead at the start of the 30-lap feature with Hickman, Johnson, Burrows and Pritchard in hot pursuit. Hickman went to work quickly as he issued a challenge for the lead on the second circuit while Brindle moved into the fifth spot by employing a very low line around the track.
Hunter held of the advances of Hickman as the two were then joined in their battle by Johnson on lap 7. Brindle continued to march forward as he moved around Burrows further back in the top-5.
Slower traffic became a factor for the lead machines by lap 16 as they each employed different lines as they put other drivers a lap down. Hunter held down the top spot as Johnson worked on Hickman for the runner-up position. Further back, Pritchard engaged in a fight with Brindle, Burrows and Seawright for the remaining spots in the top-5.
A caution for fluid on the track slowed the action on lap 17 and it also provided those trailing the leader with an opportunity to pounce on the ensuing restart.
As the cars took the green flag to resume action on lap 17, Johnson grabbed the second spot away from Hickman in turn one then set his sights on Hunter. As the cars roared through turns three and four, Johnson got his chance when Hunter went high on the track. Johnson blasted by on the inside and seized the lead of the race as the cars hurried down the front stretch.
The second and final caution of the race for a crash in turn one by Tidmore allowed the competitors one last chance to gain spots on a restart but Johnson was equal to the tasks and drove away from the pack to maintain the lead.
Further back, Brindle got around Hunter to take third on lap 19 which allowed Pritchard to close in on Hunter. Those two cars battled for fourth over the remaining distance as Johnson ultimately drove under the checkered flag ahead of everyone.
Feature Finish: 1. Ronnie Johnson, 2. Riley Hickman, 3. Chip Brindle, 4. Ethan Hunter, 5. Bryan Pritchard, 6. Craig Burrows, 7. Larry Higgins, 8. Sam Seawright, 9. Andy Miller, 10. Ahnna Parkhurst, 11. Robby Mason, 12. Jody Hixson, 13. Jimmy Brown, 14. Robert Ballard, 15. Marshall Chastain, 16. Brent Beard, 17. Dillon Tidmore, 18. Chris Harris, 19. Ronnie Weeks
Johnson and supporters in victory lane
