HEARN SWEEPS FIFTH EASTERN STATES
by Hank Nagelhout
Middletown, NY ... In one of the most thrilling Eastern States 200’s in recent memory, Brett Hearn continued his career year with a record-setting fifth win Sunday in the 41st running of the prestigious classic at the Orange County Fair Speedway. With Hearn’s DynoMax 200 triumph, his 2002 feature win total now stands at 43, a 28-year career high.
Admittedly, some unconventional strategy and lots of good old fashioned luck were the ingredients for Hearn’s excitement filled win over runner-up Tim McCreadie.
Polesitter Hearn, 44, from Sussex, NJ, led the first 50 laps at which time he and the rest of the front runners made their mandatory pit stops. While coming back through the pack, Hearn and crew were less than pleased with their car’s performance and decided to make an unscheduled second pit stop to change the right rear tire under a lap 112 yellow flag, giving up his fifth running spot.
"We were fading back to fifth. . sixth, and we had nothing for the leaders," explained the thrilled winner. "We had to do something. My crew made a great choice, Jay’s on the tires, and we knew we had a good car." Continued Hearn, "Everyone knows the last half of the Eastern States 200 is an awful hard place to pass. We had to come in."
Coming from deep in the field, Hearn brought his familiar self-owned Teo No. 3 back into the top ten by lap 137 of the 200 lap grind. Dodging numerous crashes and near misses the crafty veteran was making the second stop strategy pay off, taking third spot with 25 circuits to go.
But, despite the strategy factor, Hearn needed the second ingredient, luck. Jeff Heotzler, the home town favorite, was running a flawless race aboard the Ray Tuit, Mike Sparta Trucking Bicknell No. 673. Appearing to have his first Eastern States title wrapped up with ten laps remaining, Heotzler, 45, of Wallkill, NY, saw disaster strike as he attempted to overtake the lapped car of Jason Barney.
As McCreadie closed in on his bumper, Heotzler found daylight between the inside turn four Jersey barrier and Barney’s machine. The two racers made initial contact, then continued through the corner where contact resumed when Barney came back down. Heotzler sailed airborne over Barney’s left front tire and front end. He was then forced to pit with a punctured right rear tire, eliminating a dominant winning effort with a third place finish.
Benefiting from Heotzler’s misfortune, McCreadie and Hearn managed to avoid the fracas and were now running one-two with more drama and excitement to come. Racing resumed with five laps to go. Hearn hounded McCreadie for a lap as Alan Johnson, Jerry Higbie and Chuck McKee trailed.
Then, with four laps to go, Hearn saw the opening, rubbing wheels with McCreadie in the infamous turn four and flashed into the lead as the huge crowd went wild.
"When I went by Timmy," admitted Hearn, "there wasn’t a whole lot of room. I filled the hole and he tried to pull it down. We were rubbin’ all the way through three and four."
Hearn wasn’t challenged the last three laps to record his first Eastern States win since 1996. McCreadie trailed by about ten car lengths at the checkered flag followed by Alan Johnson, Higbie and McKee.
"We had so many lucky breaks,", acknowledged Hearn. "Got hit a couple of times. It was an amazing run for the Budweiser team. I’m thrilled," concluded Hearn. "What a way to end the year."
Despite not winning, McCreadie was happy with a second place finish. "We got beat because he had a better car at the end,’ offered the second generation future superstar from Watertown, NY. ‘I’m just happy for (car owner) John Finch. We needed a good run. We’ve been terrible in these 200 lappers. This is the first one I finished in two years. But," added McCreadie, "I feel bad for Jeff. He had a great race car." Heotzler wasn’t available for comment, having left the track immediately after taking the checkered flag.
Hearn pretty much had thing go his way in the race’s early stages. He would built up substantial leads over a strong running Chris Whitehead until yellow flags would evaporate the advantages. The first of those yellows was for defending Eastern States champion Danny Johnson, who broke the rear end in the Smith Bros. No. 74 on lap six, relegating Johnson to a last place finish. Other early yellow flag victims were AJ Romano, Gary Tompkins and Tom Hindley.
Hearn would benefit from the caution periods, inheriting a clear track, free of lapped cars, on each restart. Bob McCreadie finally dropped Whitehead to third on lap 43, while Hearn held a comfortable lead.
A 49th lap Ray Jashembowski yellow allowed most of the top runners to make the mandatory stop. The narrow pit road was jam-packed with some cars completely blocked by others who were forced to change tires in the middle of pit road when they weren’t able to reach their designated spots along the front stretch inside guard rail.
When the green waved on lap 54, Kirk Horton led, giving way to Steve Paine a few laps later. Tim Fuller went around off turn four on lap 67, involving Kenny Tremont, who was able to continue. Paine now led Gary Edwards as Alan Johnson, the first of the drivers to pit on lap 50, was back to third.
Yellows flew for Steve Dodd on lap 75 and Chris Shultz, who blasted the turn three wall on lap 80. David Van Horn then continued the caution spree, slowing off turn four on lap 86. Scott Goodrich, unable to avoid the disabled Van Horn, crashed hard. Horton clipped the third turn wall just before leader Paine collected the $1000 Budweiser half-way leader award.
Heotzler overtook Johnson for second on lap 102 after which sixth place Bob McCreadie retired with suspension problems. Leader Paine finally pitted on the Mario Clair 112th lap yellow, and Hearn, running fifth, returned to pit road for a right rear tire replacement.
The "Jeffer" took charge over Alan Johnson, McCreadie and Jack Johnson and continued to lead the way despite yellows for Frankie Caprara on lap 120 and Ric Hill on the 132nd tour. By lap 140 Heotzler was on cruise control, leading McCreadie, Alan Johnson, Jack Johnson and Vic Coffey. Marco Potvin brought out yellow on lap 145 as did Craig Mitchell and Rick Virkitis who got together on lap 148.
Tony Paes slowed on lap 159 for yet another yellow and then fifth runner Coffey, the Eckerd 200 winner, went around coming off turn four on lap 161. Higbie and Hearn overtook Jack Johnson just ahead of a fourth turn 166th lap pileup involving Whitehead, Bobby Varin, Edwards, Potvin and Claire.
With 25 to go, Heotzler continued his mistake-free drive, leading McCreadie by about 15 car lengths. Alan Johnson held steady in third as Hearn swept outside Higbie for fourth. Two laps later, Hearn powered past Johnson for third.
Heotzler, clearly the class of the field, slowed momentarily for lapped traffic allowing runnerup McCreadie to narrow the gap. Then, suddenly on lap 189, disaster struck Heotzler while attempting to put a lap on Barney, forcing Heotzler to the pits and advancing McCreadie to the top spot.
Green waved with five to go and a lap later Hearn made his winning move, under McCreadie in turn four. He stayed on top the ret of the way, collecting the $20,000 winners share over McCreadie, Alan Johnson, Higbie and McKee. Jack Johnson, Paine, Edwards, Chuck Bower and Tommy Meier completed the top ten.