RICH RICCI REALLY RICHER AT THUNDER IN THE VALLEY IV
September 6, 2002, WEST LEBANON, NY- New Paltz native Rich Ricci Jr. walked away with the $13,020 payday Friday night at Lebanon Valley. The 100-lap event was the twice-postponed Thunder in the Valley IV for 358-modifieds. Ricci convincingly picked up the victory after leading all 100 laps in the Gable Motorsports #1R car. The pro stocks were also in action on Friday night and Ed Bachand was victorious in their 20-lap main event. Due to scheduling conflicts NASCAR stars Tony Stewart and Dave Blaney were unable to compete on Friday, but are expected to race Sunday in the CARQUEST 200 for modifieds.
Rich Ricci Jr. and Brett Hearn led thirty-six cars to the green flag for the 100-lap 358-modified feature. A problem for Billy Decker early, as he brushed the wall on the first lap, but was able to continue on. Ricci held the early advantage over Hearn. Eddie Marshall became the first retiree from the event on lap two. Ricci was setting a torrid pace and had caught the back of the pack by lap 13. Ricci and Hearn were battling each other hard and the two bounced off each other on lap 18. That bumping incident would come back into play later. Kenny Tremont Jr had worked his way up from 12th to sixth by lap 28. The most serious incident of the night came on lap 30 as Wayne Jelley suddenly slowed on the frontstretch with a blown motor. The front of the field tried to avoid his disabled car, but Tim Hindley clipped Jelley’s rear end and flipped several times on the frontstretch. Hindley’s car was pretty badly damaged but fortunately all the drivers were all right.
The complexion of the race changed dramatically on the restart. Hearn was sent to the rear for violating the zero tolerance policy of changing lanes on the restart. The was just the beginning of Hearn’s problems as just a couple of laps later one of the rear calipers broke on his car as a result of banging wheels with Ricci on lap 18. Hearn was credited with an uncharacteristic 29th place finish. The top ten at the halfway point were: Ricci, Andy Bachetti, Tremont, Steve Paine, Matt Quinn, Jack Johnson, Bud Christmann, Donnie Corellis, Alan Johnson and Pete Bicknell. There were still twenty-five cars running at lap 50. Bicknell dropped from the event on lap 52. Another top ten runner, Jack Johnson dropped from the race on lap 63. Alan Johnson got around Christmann for seventh on lap 64. Lapped traffic was once again coming into play for the leaders on lap 69. But the caution flag flew again on lap 71 as Ryan Baye made contact with the turn two wall.
Near disaster for the leader on the lap 75 restart. Ricci was not expecting to take the green flag on that lap and never fired coming off turn four. Bachetti however saw the green and started pushing Ricci down the frontstretch. Ricci made heavy contact with the frontstretch wall, but was amazingly able to continue. There were twenty cars still running on lap 80. The final caution flag of the race came on lap 83 for Frankie Caprara as something broke in the rear of his racer. Tremont made his charge on the restart and moved into second on lap 89. This set up a great ten-lap battle between Ricci and Tremont for the victory. Tremont tried every possible way around the Ricci car, but could not make a pass stick. The two drivers raced hard, but clean in the final stages. Ricci was hold on to the victory by less than a car length over Tremont. Bachetti, Paine and Donnie Corellis rounded out the top five. The caution flag flew seven times for 27 laps. Ricci picked up the guaranteed starting spot for the 358-modified Sunoco Super Dirt Week race. Jerry Higbie picked up the BERT hard charger award coming from 28th to eighth.
Dan Blackburn was the early race leader in the 20-lap pro stock feature. If he had a rearview mirror he would have seen Robbie Speed, Ed Bachand and Chris Crews duking it out three-wide for the runner-up position. Two caution periods were required on lap five. Rob Yetman was caught up in the second lap five incident, but he was able to recover and log a top five finish. Bachand would get by the younger Blackburn for the lead on the restart. The current point leader, Jim Langenback got in trouble on lap six and had to go pitside for a new left front tire and also to have the nose work of his #54L removed.
The most vicious incident of the feature came at the halfway point of the race. Adam Haas, Jason Dibello and Danny Sanchez were racing hard for second when Haas and Sanchez collided. Haas made hard contact with the outside wall and collected up Dan Blackburn as well. Haas and Blackburn were finished for the evening, but Sanchez was able to continue in the race. While under the yellow flag for this incident Robbie Speed retired from the race. Bachand had to hold off several advances from Dibello in the second half of the race to capture the feature victory. Paul LaRochelle held off Rob Yetman for third and Al Blackburn rounded out the top five.
THUNDER IN THE VALLEY IV 358 MODIFIED RESULTS (100 LAPS) - 1) Rich Ricci Jr, 2) Kenny Tremont Jr, 3) Andy Bachetti, 4) Steve Paine, 5) Donnie Corellis, 6) Matt Quinn, 7) Alan Johnson, 8) Vic Coffey, 9) Jerry Higbie, 10) Matt Shepard, 11) Bud Christmann, 12) K C Goewey, 13) Randy Sherlock, 14) Justin Haers, 15) Danny Johnson, 16) Pat Ward, 17) Lorne Browe, 18) John Ferrier, 19) Lee Gagliardi, 20) Ryan Baye, 21) Frankie Caprara, 22) Jack Johnson, 23) Dickie Larkin, 24) Guy Sheldon, 25) Pete Bicknell, 26) Billy Decker, 27) Mike Benson, 28) Chris Schultz, 29) Brett Hearn, 30) Tim Hindley, 31) Wayne Jelley, 32) Alex Hoag, 33) Lucas Baker, 34) Jeff Heotzler, 35) Lance Harting, 36) Eddie Marshall
PRO STOCK RESULTS (20 LAPS) - 1) Ed Bachand, 2) Jason DiBello, 3) Paul LaRochelle, 4) Rob Yetman, 5) Al Blackburn, 6) Danny Sanchez, 7) Tom Brandt, 8) Kevin Ward, 9) Don Ely, 10) Chris Crews, 11) Jim Langenback, 12) Victor Hopkins, 13) Adam Haas, 14) Dan Blackburn, 15) Robbie Speed, 16) Jeff Kelmel, 17) Larry Turner, 18) Brian Keough, 19) Rick Spencer, 20) Bob Duzlak Jr.