BRETT HEARN WINS USNA ‘SUMMER HEAT 100’ AT BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY
SYRACUSE, NY…..Brett Hearn became the second two time winner in United Speedways of North America (USNA) competition this season with a dominating performance in the Summer Heat 100 Sunday afternoon at the Bridgeport Speedway in Bridgeport, NJ. Hearn led every lap of the 100-lap contest to pocket $10,000. Hearn’s other USNA win also came at the Bridgeport Speedway on June 10.
M2 Race Systems Pole Award winner Billy Decker and outside row starter Jeff Trombley led the field down to the green flag at the start of the event, but Hearn had snuck into the lead by the second turn of the first lap. The first half of the event was caution free and while Hearn was building a big lead at the front of the field, Trombley and Decker diced for second and third. Dave Camara had a good battle going with Craig Von Dohren and Doug Hoffman, with Ricky Elliot and Jamie Mills also part of the action.
The first yellow flag of the event flew on lap 51 when Steve Bottcher slowed with a flat tire. On the restart, Hearn again pulled away. While Hearn distanced himself from the rest of the pack, action was brewing in the back half of the top ten as Toby Tobias Jr. and Von Dohren battled forward and Mills slid back momentarily. Trombley got past Decker for second, with Hoffman moving into the third spot. Another quick yellow on lap 55 bunched the field again, but Hearn still had the measure of the pack.
Trombley began to eat away at Hearn’s lead in the middle stages of the race, but whenever Trombley got too close, Hearn stepped up the pace. Trombley’s great outing ended when something broke in the rear end of his car, sending him into the infield on lap 80. Hoffman and Decker battled for second on the restart, with Hoffman getting the runnerup spot.
A final caution flag on lap 90 set the stage for a shootout finish, with lapped cars falling in behind those on the lead lap as per USNA rules. Hearn motored away as the green flew and held off Hoffman to record his second USNA win of the season. Hoffman was trailed by Decker at the finish, with Camara and Jamie Mills rounding out the top five. Spots six through ten were taken by Duane Howard, Elliot, Jimmy Horton, Tobias, and Von Dohren.
Five qualifying heats and two consis pared down the 45 car field to the 30 starters for the feature. Heat wins were taken by Trombley, Hearn, Camara, Mills, and Tobias. The two consolation races were won by Jimmy Chester and Jeff Heotzler.
The next event on the USNA schedule is the CARQUEST Auto Parts 200 at Williams Grove Speedway on Saturday, August 12.
RACE SUMMARY-USNA SUMMER HEAT 100
BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY, BRIDGEPORT, NJ
HEAT WINNERS-Jeff Trombley, Brett Hearn, Dave Camara, Jamie Mills, Toby Tobias Jr.
CONSOLATION RACE WINNERS-Jimmy Chester, Jeff Heotzler.
FEATURE-BRETT HEARN, Doug Hoffman, Billy Decker, Dave Camara, Jamie Mills, Duane Howard, Ricky Elliot, Jimmy Horton, Toby Tobias Jr., Craig Von Dohren, Mitch Gibbs, Jack Johnson, Wade Hendrickson, Billy Pauch, Bud Christmann, Jack Cottrell, Roger Laureno, Don Hallowell, Bill Tanner, Dave Adams, Jeff Heotzler, Brian Swartzlander, Jimmy Chester, Bucky Kell, Jeff Trombley, Donald Radd, Steve Bottcher, Jeff Hoffman, Scott Kania, Tom Hager.