Full Throttle Racing - 2009 News Page 2

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2009 News - Page 2

	4th Place Feature Finish for Johnny in Peterborough Speedway after several previous races were rained out. May 23, 2009 – Race 1 Report Peterborough Speedway – The Full Throttle Racing team and the INEX Ontario Legends Series finally got their 2009 season underway after three consecutive rain-outs delayed the season opener. The afternoon weather was warm and overcast but the skies looked like they were going to turn blue by race time so the pits were filled with a very excited and ready to go racing bunch of driver’s. The Martin-Coleman Sales, Doug Parmenter Auto Services, and Vetteworks of Canada sponsored #36 Ford Coupe was in tip top shape and Johnny was more than ready to hit the oval to lay some fast practice laps to get set for the night. Once Johnny was suited up in his CSC Racing gear it was time for his first test session. The car was handling very well and Johnny was feeling good so we would not make any adjustments after the first session. We would test in one more session and with the car tuned in it was time to just sit back and wait for race time. Johnny would draw a decent starting position for Heat #2 and would start his first heat of the 2009 season in the number 2 spot. With 21 Legends cars making the trip to Peterborough, the fans were in for a good night of racing. In his first Heat as a Pro-division driver, Johnny would be lined up in front of some fast cars and with the #1 of Kevin Fletcher beside him on pole a good start would have to be in order. As the #1 and #36 led the pack around for the green the #36 Ford Coupe would get a fantastic push down the front straight from the #24 of Andy Warbutton. Johnny would enter turn 1 in the lead with Warbutton driving hard in second. Johnny would be pressured in every corner for the lead from the #24 of Warbutton but was able to keep the #36 up front. With 3 laps to go #55 of Kevin Foisy was pressuring Warbutton for second which gave Johnny a little more breathing room. Johnny would keep his foot into it to avoid being passed and would lead every lap to the checkered and would win the first Heat race. After a photo with the pit crew and the checkered flag it was time to check over the car for Heat 2. For his second Heat Johnny and his #36 Ford would be starting from the back of the pack as the field is inverted from the previous heat. This was going to be a challenge to get to the front for this one but Johnny was happy with the car handling so he was ready for the task. On the green Johnny would have a good start and would settle into 7th for the first corner. Coming smoothly out of turn 2 he would put a run on the car in front to move into the 6th spot. He would make another pass in lap 2 to move up to 5th. With 3 laps to go, Johnny would drive deep into turn 3 to make a clean pass and would exit the corner in 4th. The #36 would get some help with a little contact in front of him from between the 2nd and 3rd place cars, allowing him to sneak down low and make a pass on the #20 of Frank Johnson to take over 3rd. The #36 would take the checkered in 3rd. After the Heats were done it was time to take the cars onto the track for fan appreciation night. This is an opportunity for all of the spectators to come down onto the track and meet the drivers. Johnny handed out a ton of autographed photos of the Martin-Coleman Sales, Parmenter Auto Services, Vetteworks of Canada #36 Ford Coupe to dozens of fans and signed lots of shirts and hats. Once the track was cleared it was time for the INEX Ontario Legends feature race. Johnny would start the feature in row 2 in the 4th position. New this year would be a parade lap were the Legend cars would form up 4 wide to drive by the grandstands to salute the fans. With all the various body styles and colors this was a very impressive display and the crowd showed their appreciation by standing and cheering as the cars drove by. Great job by all the driver’s to pull this off for the first time. The 2008 points champion #88 Bruce Grimes and the 2008 second place finisher #24 of Andy Warbutton would lead the pack around to the green for the first feature race of 2009. A great start by the front cars left them all two by two through turns 1, 2 and 3 and exiting turn #4 the front 6 cars would all fall into single file and the chase was on. Johnny nestled into 5th and was being hunted by the #99 of Derek Frohlich while chasing the #79 of Adam Cuthburtson. In lap #7 Whalen and Frohlich would make a move together in draft and would pass the #24 of Warbutton. The #36 was now running in 4th and gaining on the #55 of Kevin Foisy. The front group maintained position through lap traffic until lap #17 when contact between the #55 and the #1 of Fletcher would bring out the first caution of the night. Johnny was lucky enough to avoid contact with the #55 as he had to go wide and hard on the brakes. On the restart with 8 laps to go Johnny and his #36 Ford Coupe would be in the number 3 spot right behind race leader Grimes as the #55 of Foisy had to go to the back of the lead lap cars because of the incident. Johnny had a good start but left just enough room for #79 Cuthburtson to squeeze down and take over the inside line behind the #88. They would be in that order until lap 22 when Frohlich would stick a clean nose in on Johnny and the #36 would have to give up the 3rd position. With 3 laps to go the #4 of Bill Mason would pressure Johnny but to no avail and the #36 would cross the line in 4th right beside the #99 of Frohlich. A tremendous start to the 2009 race season for Johnny and the Full Throttle Race Team. Next up, the ½ mile oval of Mosport Speedway. We would like to Thank our sponsors Martin-Coleman Sales, Doug Parmenter Auto Services and Vetteworks of Canada for their support. Congratulations to #88 Bruce Grimes for his feature win. Winner Heat #1 - 79 Adam Cuthburtson Winner Heat #2 - 36 Johnny Whalen Winner Heat #3 - 99 Derek Frohlich Winner Heat #4 - 24 Andy Warbutton Feature Top 5 #88 Bruce Grimes #79 Adam Cuthburtson #99 Derek Frohlich #36 Johnny Whalen #4 Bill Mason
	©2006 Full Throttle Racing

4th Place Feature Finish for Johnny in Peterborough Speedway after several previous races were rained out.

May 23, 2009 – Race 1 Report

Peterborough Speedway – The Full Throttle Racing team and the INEX Ontario Legends Series finally got their 2009 season underway after three consecutive rain-outs delayed the season opener.

The afternoon weather was warm and overcast but the skies looked like they were going to turn blue by race time so the pits were filled with a very excited and ready to go racing bunch of driver’s. The Martin-Coleman Sales, Doug Parmenter Auto Services, and Vetteworks of Canada sponsored #36 Ford Coupe was in tip top shape and Johnny was more than ready to hit the oval to lay some fast practice laps to get set for the night.

Once Johnny was suited up in his CSC Racing gear it was time for his first test session. The car was handling very well and Johnny was feeling good so we would not make any adjustments after the first session. We would test in one more session and with the car tuned in it was time to just sit back and wait for race time.

Johnny would draw a decent starting position for Heat #2 and would start his first heat of the 2009 season in the number 2 spot. With 21 Legends cars making the trip to Peterborough, the fans were in for a good night of racing.

In his first Heat as a Pro-division driver, Johnny would be lined up in front of some fast cars and with the #1 of Kevin Fletcher beside him on pole a good start would have to be in order. As the #1 and #36 led the pack around for the green the #36 Ford Coupe would get a fantastic push down the front straight from the #24 of Andy Warbutton. Johnny would enter turn 1 in the lead with Warbutton driving hard in second. Johnny would be pressured in every corner for the lead from the #24 of Warbutton but was able to keep the #36 up front. With 3 laps to go #55 of Kevin Foisy was pressuring Warbutton for second which gave Johnny a little more breathing room. Johnny would keep his foot into it to avoid being passed and would lead every lap to the checkered and would win the first Heat race.

After a photo with the pit crew and the checkered flag it was time to check over the car for Heat 2. For his second Heat Johnny and his #36 Ford would be starting from the back of the pack as the field is inverted from the previous heat. This was going to be a challenge to get to the front for this one but Johnny was happy with the car handling so he was ready for the task.

On the green Johnny would have a good start and would settle into 7th for the first corner. Coming smoothly out of turn 2 he would put a run on the car in front to move into the 6th spot. He would make another pass in lap 2 to move up to 5th. With 3 laps to go, Johnny would drive deep into turn 3 to make a clean pass and would exit the corner in 4th. The #36 would get some help with a little contact in front of him from between the 2nd and 3rd place cars, allowing him to sneak down low and make a pass on the #20 of Frank Johnson to take over 3rd. The #36 would take the checkered in 3rd.

After the Heats were done it was time to take the cars onto the track for fan appreciation night. This is an opportunity for all of the spectators to come down onto the track and meet the drivers. Johnny handed out a ton of autographed photos of the Martin-Coleman Sales, Parmenter Auto Services, Vetteworks of Canada #36 Ford Coupe to dozens of fans and signed lots of shirts and hats.

Once the track was cleared it was time for the INEX Ontario Legends feature race. Johnny would start the feature in row 2 in the 4th position. New this year would be a parade lap were the Legend cars would form up 4 wide to drive by the grandstands to salute the fans. With all the various body styles and colors this was a very impressive display and the crowd showed their appreciation by standing and cheering as the cars drove by. Great job by all the driver’s to pull this off for the first time. The 2008 points champion #88 Bruce Grimes and the 2008 second place finisher #24 of Andy Warbutton would lead the pack around to the green for the first feature race of 2009.

A great start by the front cars left them all two by two through turns 1, 2 and 3 and exiting turn #4 the front 6 cars would all fall into single file and the chase was on. Johnny nestled into 5th and was being hunted by the #99 of Derek Frohlich while chasing the #79 of Adam Cuthburtson. In lap #7 Whalen and Frohlich would make a move together in draft and would pass the #24 of Warbutton.

The #36 was now running in 4th and gaining on the #55 of Kevin Foisy. The front group maintained position through lap traffic until lap #17 when contact between the #55 and the #1 of Fletcher would bring out the first caution of the night. Johnny was lucky enough to avoid contact with the #55 as he had to go wide and hard on the brakes.

On the restart with 8 laps to go Johnny and his #36 Ford Coupe would be in the number 3 spot right behind race leader Grimes as the #55 of Foisy had to go to the back of the lead lap cars because of the incident. Johnny had a good start but left just enough room for #79 Cuthburtson to squeeze down and take over the inside line behind the #88. They would be in that order until lap 22 when Frohlich would stick a clean nose in on Johnny and the #36 would have to give up the 3rd position.

With 3 laps to go the #4 of Bill Mason would pressure Johnny but to no avail and the #36 would cross the line in 4th right beside the #99 of Frohlich. A tremendous start to the 2009 race season for Johnny and the Full Throttle Race Team.

Next up, the ½ mile oval of Mosport Speedway.

We would like to Thank our sponsors Martin-Coleman Sales, Doug Parmenter Auto Services and Vetteworks of Canada for their support. Congratulations to #88 Bruce Grimes for his feature win.

Winner Heat #1 - 79 Adam Cuthburtson
Winner Heat #2 - 36 Johnny Whalen
Winner Heat #3 - 99 Derek Frohlich
Winner Heat #4 - 24 Andy Warbutton

Feature Top 5

#88 Bruce Grimes
#79 Adam Cuthburtson
#99 Derek Frohlich
#36 Johnny Whalen
#4 Bill Mason