HEARN CEMENTS FOURTH WIN, KOKOSA WINS SPECIAL SPORTSMAN MAIN

WEST LEBANON, NY- The severe weather held off at Lebanon Valley as Brett Hearn picked up his fourth modified feature win Saturday night. Chris Kokosa picked up his first sportsman win of the year in the special 30-lap sportsman main. The sportsman ran an extra distance event that paid $1,000 to win compliments of Capital Speed. Todd Goldstein took home top honors in the 20 lap street stock feature.

The night did not start out great for Brett Hearn. He did not qualify in his heat race and started 16th on the grid, right alongside the #115 of Kenny Tremont. Mike Benson took the lead on the initial green flag with Dave Leckonby in pursuit. Leckonby would grab first from Benson on a lap two restart. Hearn was already making short work of the field moving up to eighth by lap three. Donnie Corellis looked strong in the early going. He took third on lap three and second on lap four.

Mike Ricci was on hand Saturday night driving his brother's backup car. Mike Ricci and Hearn went side by side for several laps racing for seventh position. Meanwhile Leckonby and Corellis were pulling away from the pack by lap eight. Corellis would challenge Leckonby for the top spot on lap nine. Kenny Tremont was having trouble getting through the field, he was still 15th on lap ten.

Hearn would take third on after a lap ten restart and set his sights on Corellis. Mike Ricci, Mike Benson, and Maynard Forrette went three wide for fourth on lap 12 as the top three began to separate from the pack. Hearn would catch Corellis and make the pass for second by lap 16. This set up a great race for the top spot. Hearn tried to pass Leckonby on the restart, but Leckonby was able to hold Hearn off. Leckonby and Hearn raced side by side for the lead for the next four laps. Hearn was finally able to make the pass on the outside of Leckonby coming off of turn two.

Rich Ricci Jr moved up to fifth by lap 21. Tremont began to make a late race charge on lap 23. He took seventh on lap 26 and would get up to sixth by the end of the race. Hearn was untouchable at the front and cruised home to the victory. Leckonby had his strongest run of the season coming home second. Corellis came home third, Rich Ricci fourth and Mike Ricci rounded out the top five. Maynard Forrette has a strong fourth going late in the race, but was spun on a lap 28 restart and did not finish.

Chris Kokosa had not had a very good start to the 1998 season, but that all ended with his win Saturday night at Lebanon Valley when he won the special 30-lap feature. The extra cash was sponsored by Capital Speed.

Kokosa took the lead on lap one of the feature and never let the lead go. George Marcus had a very good record on this extra distance race. In the "90 he had won every one of these extra distance races sponsored by Capital Speed. This would not be his night as he was involved in an accident on lap four and would lose several laps in the pits. Bobby Hackel was one of Kokosa more serious challengers. He took second on the lap four restart, but would have a right rear tire go flat on lap 12 while running third.

Art Collins also tried to take the top spot from Kokosa, but would have to settle for second. Ron Blake went to the pits for a new right rear tire on lap twelve and would come back to finish a very strong fourth. Bobby Chalmers continues to run up front week in and week out. He would finish third on this night. Wayne Jelly was in action Saturday night. Jelly left the Valley several years ago and moved to North Carolina. Jelly returned for the night and ran up front all race long, he would take home fifth.

Hawley Smith was back in competition after an early season injury had kept him out of competing. He would finish sixth in the 30-lap event.

Todd Goldstein picked up his first win of the season in the 20-lap street stock feature. Rob Yetman was the early race leader. Robbie Speed blew a motor down the backstretch on lap two; he was running third at the time. The field had to scramble to avoid the disabled racecar, but several cars got caught up in the incident. Bob Duzlak would take the lead on the restart as Dave Striebel caught the turn two wall hard bringing out another yellow. Lorne Browe would take third on the ensuing restart. Todd Goldstein was up to third by lap five. The winner from two weeks ago, John Routhier would break an axle and be finished on laps six. Dave Sanchez would drop out while running second on lap nine. Adam Haas would move up to fourth by lap 10.

Goldstein made a bold move for the lead going into turn three. His car looked like it had been shot out of a cannon as his moved passed Duzlak for the lead. Scott Goversten went to the rear of the field midway through the feature and was back up to fifth by lap 15. Duzlak had a momentary loss of power that allowed Browe and Haas to slip by, relegating Duzlak back to fourth. No one could catch the front running Goldstein as he crossed the finish line first, Browe took second, Haas third, Goversten fourth and Duzlak rounded out the top five.

Next week will be the first of two fireworks shows at the Valley. All divisions will be in competition. Race time is 6:30

MODIFIED SUMMARY-BRETT HEARN, Dave Leckonby, Donnie Corellis, Rich Ricci Jr, Kenny Tremont Jr, Mike Ricci, Guy Sheldon, J.R. Heffner, Todd Wilkinson, John Hewitt, Eddie Marshall, Dickie Larkin, Donnie Ackner, Mike Benson, Jason Goff, Jody Tornabene, Al Mc Coy, Jeff Lutes, Maynard Forrette, Dave Mosher, Chris Moore, Steve Devine, Skippy Fox, Craig Boehler, Denny Young, John Royals, Chip Mitchell

SPORTSMAN SUMMARY--CHRIS KOKOSA, Art Collins, Bobby Chalmers, Ron Blake, Wayne Jelley, Bobby Hackel, Hawley Smith, Lee Gagliardi, Mike Mason, Carmon Carnibucci, Tony Ferrieao, Frank Harper, Phil Arnold, Wes Powell, K.C. Goewey, Joe Bennett, George Marcus, Tony La Porta, Dave Sanchez, Jeff Cassidy, Mike Boomhower, Jeff Betit, Mike Visconti, Dave Baronowski, Ed Riiska, Roy Bridge, Scott Puckett, Jason Tompkins

IMCA MODIFIED SUMMARY--RICH COLESANTI, Jeff Carr, Don Denue, Karl Hacker, Craig Simmons, George Catanzano, Anthony Markou, Jim Rajczi, Kevin Priest, Paul LaRochelle, Bill Lander, Chris Crews, Jay Casey, Kevin Buff, Steve Hough, Brian Wilbur

STREET STOCK SUMMARY--TODD GOLDSTEIN, Lorne Browe, Adam Haas, Scott Govertsen, Bob Duzlak, Rob Yetman, Chris Morris, Dave Kokindo, Bobby Blackburn, Shane Peele, Ryan Perlowsky, Victor Hopkins, Danny Sanchez, Steve Brownell, John Routhier, Tom Bortle, Ray Hall, Ricky Duzlak, Henry Tanner, Rick Fosby, Dave Streibel, Spencer Hughes, Robbie Speed, Larry Turner

ROOKIE STREET STOCK SUMMARY--JOE PLATT, Brian Keough, Bill Moon, Don Collins, Tim Emmons, Walt Clark, John Denue, Mike Block, Chris Claus, Geo Stalker Jr, Jim Schmidheini, Paul Rogers, Wayne Keyes, Mike Bungay, Richard Sigler

PURE STOCK A SUMMARY--WILLIAM HAMMELL, Bob Palmer, Bruce Moffit, Carl Baillargeron, Joe Mottosheski, Geo. Stalker Jr, Bill Krug, John Reed, Dave Colwell, Anthony Lopresti, Eric Sbrega, Rich Schumann, Dwayne Lockrow

PURE STOCK B SUMMARY--HENRY WARNER, Peter De Figlio, Jeff Hassan, Philip Moffit, Steve Laskow, Pete Leffler, Mark Huston, Anthony Cotugno, Art Lafferty, Ryan Crellin, Ed Ashley, Ron Tritchler, Tom Meltz

PURE STOCK C SUMMARY--BILL HUGHES, Ron Fredericks, George Miles, Scott Kilmer, Kirk Stanaway, Ralph Hotchkiss, Tim Drumm, Josh Webb, Tom Sanchez Jr, Louis Mellan, Danny Ensign, Tony Zerbarini, Danny Burl