HEARN RETURNS TO VICTORY LANE, HARKINS & BLACKBURN ALSO WIN

July 13, 2002, WEST LEBANON, NY – A "Radical Night of Racing" was held at Lebanon Valley Speedway on Saturday night. It was a night of features and an exciting night. Den Besten Enterprises and T-Net Taconic Technology sponsored the night’s events.

"The crew had been working hard to get the car to handle the way it did the first three weeks" said Brett Hearn after winning his fifth modified feature event of the season at the high banked oval. "I didn’t know how close these guys were to me so I just tried to run consistent laps."

Ron Blake grabbed the lead at the start of the 30 lap modified feature event but his moment of glory would be short lived as second place runner Hector Stratton was hungry for his first ever modified win and took over the top spot on lap 7.

But Brett Hearn, who started ninth, was on the hunt and as usual Hearn was extremely fast. Blake Denny Soltis, Dave Leckonby followed Stratton and Hearn a four-time feature winner so far this season was making it look too easy.

After a lap 11 restart Andy Bachetti and Kenny Tremont were starting to make their presence known Hearn was breathing down Stratton’s back and took the lead on the 15th circuit. Leckonby, Soltis and Bachetti followed the duo.

After a lap 17 caution Hearn pulled out and was carrying a half a straightaway lead on the rest of the field who were constantly changing positions.

On lap 25 Bachetti pulled in front of second place man Stratton, with Tremont getting by Stratton on the next circuit and the crowned went wild when a lap 27 yellow came out for John Hewitt closing the field up for the final three circuits.

The race was restarted but before anyone could make a difference the caution lights again leaving two laps on the counter. The running order with two laps remaining was Hearn, Bachetti, Tremont, Stratton and Eddie Marshall. With the exception of Stratton and Marshall they would finish the event exactly that way.

The win was Hearn’s 589th career victory and his third in a row as Hearn had graced victory lane on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night this week. Todd Den Besten of Den Besten Enterprises put up and additional $1,500 for the winner of the modified feature and presented it to Hearn in victory lane.

Mike Keeler took the lead at the start of the sportsman feature event. Current points leader Artie Collins appeared to be extremely fast in the early stages of the event and was already sitting sixth on the racing surface when a lap 3 caution came out for K. C. Goewey.

On the restart Keeler, the 2001 sportsman division rookie of the year, slid across the track and hit the front retaining wall while the rest of the field were all over the front stretch. Frank Harper and John Scarborough were the victims of the melee.

The race was restarted and the field continued in erratic style. Ed Harkins was now in command and Rapid Roy Bridge was also moving and put himself in the runner up position before 10 laps were even recorded in the event while Bobby Knipe, Lorne Browe and Artie Collins all secured top five runs.

After another caution the race was restarted and the race between the top five was a continuous battle. With five laps remaining the field displayed a single file appearance. With only three laps remaining lap cars would come into play for Harkins but it didn’t matter as he went on to victory lane.

Harkins joins K. C. Goewey as the only driver to secure two sportsman wins this season. "We’ve been struggling all year but the track was super tonight," said Harkins who received a $500 bonus from Todd Den Besten in victory lane. "We had a couple of lucky breaks early in the race and it helped."

Both the modified and sportsman divisions held B-Mains to qualify as part of the night racing schedule. For both divisions the top six in points were guaranteed since they would compete in "Black Flag Races" later in the evening. Along with the top five from each B-Main those 16 drivers would be handicapped for the feature event as normal.

Despite real strong challenges from Denny Soltis’ Albreada Waste sponsored automobile Ron Blake held the lead for the entire 12-lap distance in the first modified B-Main.

Andy Bachetti’s Coor’s Light sponsored automobile was extremely strong in the second modified B-Main. Bachetti came from the rear of the field to easily secure the top spot.

Jeff Carr, a former IMCA modified chauffeur, took the lead on lap 3 and never looked back in the first 10 lap sportsman B-Main.

Once Mike Keeler took the lead, on the fourth circuit, he was gone and claimed the second sportsman B-Main.

The "Black Flag Races" for the modified and sportsman divisions were a crowd pleaser. The top six in track points were inverted for the six-lap event and each lap the last place car was black flagged until a race winner was declared.

Kenny Tremont, the most winningest driver at The Valley, started in last place and was the first to be dismissed. Rich Ricci Jr. would accept the win honors.

"The car is good but the motor feels a little flat so who knows how we’ll do later," Ricci said in victory lane.

Frankie Harper picked up the win in the sportsman classes’ "Black Flag Race". "We’re starting 12th tonight and the car is working real good so we’ll see what happens," said Harper who was fifth in points going into the night.

Ed Bachand won the first of the two six lap pro stock B-Mains. Bachand held off the strong challenges of 2nd place runner Robbie Speed taking the win by a foot over Speed.

After giving up the race lead to Valley veteran Jim Langenback in the late stages of the pro stock main event last weekend, Al Blackburn held on this week and grabbed the second pro stock B-Main of the night.

The final event of the night and the most exciting was the 20 lap pro stock event.

Al Blackburn took the lead early and appeared to be on a Sunday drive but towards the latter stages of the event Danny Sanchez and Jim Langenback all appeared to have a two foot chain separating them.

With only one circuit remaining Sanchez gave it a shot but Blackburn would get the lime light on this night. "I saw Danny but I didn’t know who was with him," Blackburn said during post race ceremonies. "I knew they had to be there because these guys are consistent every week."

Blackburn picked up the $200 winners purse plus a $500 bonus added by Todd Den Besten. Den Besten also put up a $1,000 bonus if the race was won by a driver who had not yet visited victory lane in 2002. This was Blackburn’s first victory of 2002 and Den Besten peeled off 10 crisp one hundred-dollar bills and presented them to Al.

The rookie pro stock race was won by Ray Hall Jr. while pure stock races were won by Mike Davis, Kory Sandstedt, Bob Palmer and Guy Hughes.

The "2nd Over the Line Wins Race" was won by Guy Hughes. Al Relyea was first across the line and took the second place honors while Jason Casey was third.

Race Bits: Valley veteran Tommy Corellis was visiting from North Carolina to watch his son Donnie on the high banked oval…Another veteran, Stanley Wetmore had something go in the steering in the first modified B-Main and was forced into the pits…Dave Leckonby and Mike King were the show in the second modified B-Main for spots two and three…Two weeks ago Kim LaVoy secured her first rookie pro stock win and backed it up this week with a fifth place run. LaVoy was a former go-kart racer…Heavy damage on both Jay Corbin and Ralph Hotchkiss automobiles after the racing went four wide in the final stages of the rookie pro stock race…Frankie Harper was involved in an early race incident in the sportsman feature. Harper went to the pits but on the way out the front end dropped on his racer…Mike King had to scratch a front row starting spot in the modified main due to engine problems.

The 358 modifieds will return in action next Saturday July 20th along with all the regular divisions as Rifenburg Construction sponsors the event. Gates open at 5pm with racing at 6pm. General admission is just $10 with kids under 12 just $2. Call the speedway office for more info 518-794-9606 or visit www.lebanonvalley.com.

7-13 DEN BESTEN ENTERPRISES / T-NET MODIFIED RESULTS (30 LAPS) - 1) Brett Hearn, 2) Andy Bachetti, 3) Kenny Tremont Jr, 4) Eddie Marshall, 5) Hector Stratton, 6) Dave Leckonby, 7) Denny Soltis, 8) Rich Ricci Jr, 9) Donnie Corellis, 10) Matt Quinn, 11) Chris Moore, 12) Rob Pitcher, 13) J.R. Heffner, 14) Maynard Forrette, 15) Don Ackner, 16) Steve Devine, 17) Stanley Wetmore, 18) Mel Schruffer, 19) Russ Reckner, 20) Charlie Humes, 21) Dave McFeeters, 22) Dave Baranowski, 23) John Hewitt, 24) Dave Mosher, 25) Hawley Smith, 26) John Ruchel, 27) Ron Blake, 28) David Sanchez, 29) Jeff Sukup, 30) Ernie Palmer Jr, 31) Sparky Lowe

SPORTSMAN RESULTS (20 LAPS) - 1) Ed Harkin, 2) Roy Bridge, 3) Lorne Browe, 4) Bobby Knipe, 5) Art Collins, 6) Will Galm, 7) Jeff Carr, 8) K.C. Goewey, 9) Dan Humes, 10) Mike Molloy, 11) Kory Gurney, 12) Jay Haviland, 13) Jeff Watson, 14) Joe Bennett, 15) Walt McKay, 16) Stan Lemiesz, 17) Whitey Slavin, 18) Dave Tanguay, 19) John Hotchkiss, 20) Bob Matthews, 21) Ryan Larkin, 22) Mike Mason, 23) Tony Ferriero, 24) Frank Harper, 25) Mike Keeler, 26) John Scarborough, 27) Ryan Hotchkiss, 28) Bill Bushee, 29) Don Miller

PRO STOCK RESULTS (20 LAPS) - 1) Al Blackburn, 2) Danny Sanchez, 3) Jim Langenback, 4) Rob Yetman, 5) Bob Duzlak Jr, 6) Robbie Speed, 7) Paul LaRochelle, 8) Victor Hopkins, 9) Jason DiBello, 10) Dan Blackburn, 11) Jeff Kelmel, 12) Rick Spencer, 13) Brian Keough, 14) Ed Bachand, 15) Don Ely, 16) Rick Fosby, 17) Adam Haas, 18) Chris Crews, 19) Paul Rogers

ROOKIE RESULTS (10 LAPS) - 1) Ray Hall Jr, 2) Charlie Woodard, 3) Bill Hammell, 4) Henry Warner, 5) Kim LaVoy, 6) Joe Mabb Jr, 7) Jery Helms, 8) Jim Keough, 9) Jim Hankle, 10) Ralph Hotchkiss, 11) Jay Corbin, 12) John Hynes, 13) Bill Lobdell, 14) John Santolin, 15) Mike Fachini

PURE STOCK #1 RESULTS (8 LAPS) - 1) Michael Davis, 2) Pete Everett, 3) Ronald Johnson, 4) Chris Streeter, 5) Michael Middleton, 6) Ryan Coon, 7) George Miles III, 8) John Denue, 9) Jeff Wilbur, 10) Larry Ball, 11) Dan Crosby, 12) Joe Landry, 13) Paul Harding, 14) Mark Huston, 15) Dwayne Dauski

PURE STOCK #2 RESULTS (8 LAPS) -1) Kory Sandstadt, 2) Ronny Jacobsen, 3) Poncho Hankey, 4) Bob Chenette, 5) Nick Hilt Jr, 6) Rich Douglass, 7) Jeff Douglass, 8) Chrissy Hilt, 9) Tom Harkins, 10) William Fuchs, 11) Alan Hill, 12) Don Coon, 13) Randy Myers, 14) Dave Houser, 15) Mark Stevens, 16) Dave Atwater

PURE STOCK #3 RESULTS (8 LAPS) -1) Bob Palmer, 2) Peter Wiegand, 3) George Miles Jr, 4) Ron Tritschler, 5) D.T. Pickard, 6) John Betz, 7) Earl Soulier Jr, 8) Michael Dianda, 9) David Stickles, 10) John Chapman, 11) Joe DiStefano, 12) Keith Barlow, 13) Pete DeFiglio, 14) Brian Sandstedt, 15) Mike Witherell

PURE STOCK #4 RESULTS (8 LAPS) -1) Guy Hughes, 2) Jim Fachini, 3) Bob Burl, 4) Jay Martin, 5) John Rivers Jr, 6) Kevin Dolan, 7) Jason Casey, 8) Shannon McDermott, 9) Mike Grehl Jr, 10) Ramon Perry, 11) Dave Shepard, 12) Mike Eichstedt, 13) Jim O'Neil, 14) Marcus Tifft, 15) John Fachini, 16) Steve Hatch