A family affair at North Central Speedway

Saturday night is family night for two drivers in the A-Modified class.

Both Charles Cooper IV and Brett Johnson have raced for years.

For Cooper, a Saturday track appearance is a family tradition.

Johnson is starting over after two years away from racing. In the summer of 2007, Johnson's family wasn't sure if they would have another night at the track. While getting ready for a feature race, Johnson collapsed with a heart attack. He was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. As Johnson explains, the fact he survived is a miracle.

"I raced in the heat race and got off the track and wasn't feeling well," he said. "I got out of the car up by the draw building because Tim Alexander was in the next heat race and I wanted to see how he was running.

"I started walking up the hill and collapsed. That's the way it happened. It happened fast and at 42 years old you don't think it will happen to you. It was a shocker to everyone and a helluva thing to go through I can tell you that. It's a life-altering thing."

Johnson's condition was critical when he arrived at the hospital. Doctors had one option for Johnson, a procedure which has worked on only a handful of people.

"They took me in and I had bypass surgery. I was only the 27th person to come through this type of thing. The only way that I was going to survive is that they put me in a freeze down for 24 hours. So it was a miracle that I made it through that. I guess the big guy upstairs was looking out for me."

This year Johnson consulted his doctor about racing again. His doctor said if he did it before the heart attack, he should start again.

Johnson is starting slowly racing one night a week. He knows getting back to where he was before the heart attack will take time, but he and his family are thankful he is back.

For Cooper, racing is a chance for his entire family to get away each week. Having his wife and children with him is a big part of the experience.

"You know we are always having fun," Cooper said. "I don't pay a lot of attention to the points race. My wife does and she enjoys that. I'm here to run well and if you do that every week the points are there. It's a one night a week deal for me and that's why we come to the track."

Saturday night, Cooper had a start from the front row in the heat race, which is determined by a draw at the beginning of the evening. He has a good luck charm in his corner for the draws, his son Charles V.

"My 4-year-old son Charlie loves racing and loves to do the draw," said Cooper. "He likes to do all that and be involved. All of the kids come with.

"My wife is great. In all the years of running around racing, she has never missed a night. The kids always come with and it's a family deal for us. I don't know how much longer I will be able to keep doing it, but we keep running for the fun of it."

Pure Stock Feature: Rookie Jacob Jordan took his first feature victory with a run past Mike Smude.

Jordan started from row one and lead for the entire race. Smude moved into second place on lap seven and finished in second place. Daaron Johnson placed third.

Street Stock Feature: Scott Baron started from row two and moved into first place on the first lap. Baron never gave up his spot in a feature that saw cars five wide on the second lap. Tim Johnson finished second and Mark Johnson was third.

Midwest Modified Feature: Shane Sabraski earned another first-place trophy with a pass on lap 12 around Ryan Studanski, who held first for the first 12 laps. Dan Ebert finished second and Studanski third.

Super Stock Feature: Mike Folik won his third feature at NCS since returning after a 10-year break. Tim O'Brien held down first for the first four laps until he was caught by Tim Johnson. Johnson would run in first for eight laps before having car problems.

John Yilek took advantage of Johnson's misfortune and moved into first trying to get his first win of the season. Frolik caught him on the back stretch with one lap to go. Frolik then held off Ebert and Yilek.

A-Modified Feature: Dave Cain won the A-Modified Feature on the opening night of the 2009 season and he came through with his second victory Saturday.

Cain started on row three and held off a charge from Brian Strand and Shane Sabraski who finished second and third.

Pure Stock

Heat 1: 1-Daaron Johnson, 2-Tim Otterness, 3-

Heat 2 :1-Mike Smude, 2-Gary Ohnstad Jr., 3-Max Dondelinger

Heat 3 :1-Jacob Jordan, 2-Derek Olson, 3-Jim Love-Ringheimer

B Feature: 1-Dan Bartick, 2-Bradley Nelson, 3-Richard Holmin

Feature: 1-Jacob Jordan, 2-Mike Smude, 3-Daaron Johnson

Street Stock

Heat 1: 1-Tim Johnson, 2-Tony Yezek, 3-Howard Kropuenske

Heat 2: 1-Dan Severson, 2-Scott Baron, 3-Mark Johnson

Feature: 1-Scott Baron, 2-Tim Johnson, 3-Mark Johnson

Midwest Modified

Heat 1: 1-Ryan Studanski, 2-Wes Hines, 3-John Thompson

Heat 2: 1-Shane Sabraski, 2-Mark Anderson, 3-Rick Jacobson

Heat 3: 1-Ryan Kriese, 2-Dan Ebert, 3-Jerry Esler

B Feature: 1-Jeff Nelson, 2-Corey Juaire, 3-Chad Finckbone

Feature: 1-Shane Sabraski, 2-Dan Ebert, 3-Ryan Studanski

Super Stock

Heat 1: 1-Mike Frolik, 2-Dan Ebert, 3-John Yilek

Heat 2: 1-Tim Johnson, 2-Dan Gullickson, 3-Derek Sweet

Feature: 1-Mike Frolik, 2-Dan Ebert, 3-John Yilek

A-Modified

Heat 1: 1-Brian Strand, 2-Shane Sabraski, 3-Danny Vang

Heat 2: 1-Mark Blood, 2-Dave Cain, 3-Eric Martini

Heat 3: 1-Shawn Fletcher, 2-Charles Cooper IV, 3-Luke Hines

Feature: 1-Dave Cain, 2-Brian Strand, 3-Shane Sabraski

Busch earns another Nationwide win

MADISON IL. (AP) - Kyle Busch dominated the NASCAR Nationwide Series again, cruising to victory in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 on Saturday.

Busch, who leads the series standings by 212 points (3,121-2,909) over Carl Edwards, won for the sixth time in 19 races season and also captured the 27th win of his career. The 27 wins ties him for fourth all-time in Nationwide wins with Jeff Burton.

Reed Sorenson finished second and Carl Edwards was third. Mike Bliss and Brad Coleman rounded out the top five.

Brown edges Schumacher in NHRA finals

KENT, Wash. (AP) - Antron Brown beat Tony Schumacher by 0.008 seconds to take the Top Fuel final at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways Sunday.

Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) were the other winners.