CARQUEST NATIONAL 200 VICTORY TO BRETT HEARN, ROB YETMAN WINS PRO STOCK SERIES EVENT
September 8, 2002, West Lebanon, NY- Brett Hearn capped off a tremendous 2002 season at Lebanon Valley with a victory in the CARQUEST 200 on Sunday afternoon. It was the tenth victory at the Valley for the Gable Motorsports-Budweiser #1 of Hearn. The Beer Belly Bob #7 of Rob Yetman took the victory in the 20-lap Empire Sports Network Series event Sunday afternoon at Lebanon Valley. The top three finishers in the pro stock race were Lebanon Valley regulars. A big thanks to Rich Pallai and CARQUEST for bringing us the CARQUEST KINGS 200 WEEKEND.
John Ferrier and Brett Hearn led thirty-six big block modifieds to the green flag in the CARQUEST 200. Problems for the polesitter, Ferrier as he spun in turn one, forcing the field to scatter. Kenny Tremont and J.R. Heffner both lost many spots on the exchange. Rich Ricci Jr moved into third on lap 12. The second caution flag came out on lap 18 for Mike King in turn two. All in all the caution flag came out thirteen time for fifty-six laps. Hearn was setting a steady pace on the lead and didn’t catch the back of the pack until lap 32. At the fifty-lap mark it was Hearn, Andy Bachetti, Ricci, Billy Decker and Tony Stewart. NASCAR star, Stewart made his way past Decker for fourth on lap 54. The complexion of the race changed dramatically when the caution flag flew on lap 56. Stewart got hooked together with a lapped car and made hard contact with the turn one wall. Stewart was finished for the day.
Another controversy came during the caution flag as Tremont came down pit road before the pits were open. Tremont was penalized one lap for the pit road infraction. Tremont was not the only one to be penalized for pit road problems. Ricci and Alan Johnson also fell victim to the pit road being closed when they pitted later in the race. Most of the leaders made their mandatory pit stop the lap after Tremont, when pit road was actually open. Ricci inherited the lead when the rest of the pack went pitside. The top ten at lap one hundred was Ricci, Hearn, Bachetti, Dave Blaney, Billy Decker, Heffner, Alan Johnson, Vic Coffey and Steve Paine. Ricci made his stop on lap 101 and was penalized for pit road being closed.
Twenty-one cars were left just past the halfway point. Decker made his way past Blaney into third on lap 112. Hearn and Bachetti had opened up a full straightaway over Decker in third. Tremont continued to be a factor as he tried to get his lap back. Alan Johnson had a right rear flat tire on lap 159 and retired from the race. Trouble for Blaney on lap 167 as his right rear tire went flat as well. Steve Paine moved into the top five late in the race, but motor troubles sidelined him on lap 188. Hearn dominated both the early and late portions of the race and cruised home to his tenth victory of 2002. Bachetti was second, Decker third, Heffner fourth and Danny Johnson rounded out the top five. Seventeen cars finished the race and only eight cars finished on the lead lap.
Twenty-nine cars took the green flag for the 20-lap Empire Sports Pro Stock feature and Danny Sanchez was the early race leader. Disaster for Jim Langenback on lap four as he got into the turn two wall and flipped several times. The red flag flew for this violent crash, but fortunately Langenback was okay. The battle for first went three-wide on the restart with Bob Duzlak getting the lead. Rob Yetman took the lead from Duzlak on lap seven. The top five at the halfway point was Yetman, Sanchez, Duzlak, Rich Colesanti and Adam Haas. The top two broke away from the rest of the field by lap 12, but that was short-lived as the caution flew again on lap 13 for Chris Morris.
Colesanti began to apply pressure on Duzlak for third on lap 15. The two raced side by side for several laps in the final stages. Heartbreak for Duzlak on lap 18 as something broke in the drive train and he made hard contact with the turn one wall. Yetman never had any serious challenges as he took the checkered flag first. Sanchez finished second and Colesanti was third. Kevin Ward was the first outsider finishing fourth and Paul LaRochelle rounded out the top five.
CARQUEST AUTO PARTS NATIONAL 200 RESULTS - 1) Brett Hearn, 2) Andy Bachetti, 3) Billy Decker, 4) J.R. Heffner, 5) Danny Johnson, 6) Tim Fuller, 7) Frank Cozze, 8) Dave Blaney, 9) Kenny Tremont, 10) Rich Ricci Jr, 11) Guy Sheldon, 12) Randy Sherlock, 13) Russ Reckner, 14) Charlie Humes, 15) Steve Paine, 16) John Alberti, 17) Mel Schrufer, 18) Hawley Smith, 19) Alan Johnson, 20) John Ferrier, 21) Donnie Corellis, 22) Bill Haley, 23) Vic Coffey, 24) Scott Ferrier, 25) Matt Quinn, 26) Tony Stewart, 27) Donnie Ackner, 28) Rick Grosso, 29) Jimmy Horton, 30) Scott Flammer, 31) Rob Pitcher, 32) Denny Soltis, 33) Dave Leckonby, 34) Mike King, 35) Tom Sanchez Jr, 36) Chris Moore
CARQUEST / EMPIRE SPORTS NETWORK PRO STOCK SUPER DIRT SERIES RESULTS (20 LAPS) - 1) Rob Yetman, 2) Danny Sanchez, 3) Rich Colesanti, 4) Kevin Ward, 5) Paul LaRochelle, 6) Adam Haas, 7) Ed Bachand, 8) Dave Schults, 9) Buddy Hencke, 10) Peter Stefanski, 11) Scott Govertsen, 12) Chris Morris, 13) Victor Hopkins, 14) Jim Miller, 15) Bill Lobdell, 16) Tom Brandt, 17) Tom Barron, 18) Don Ely, 19) Joey Ladouceur, 20) Brian Keough, 21) Bob Duzlak Jr, 22) Frank Twing, 23) Jeremy Clark, 24) Rick Fosby, 25) Chris Crews, 26) Donnie Denue, 27) Danny Burl, 28) Jim Langenback, 29) Mitchell Jock, 30) Roger Chrysler