HEARN TOPS ADVANCE AUTO RUN AT ROLLING WHEELS
ELBRIDGE, NY...Brett Hearn, from Sussex, NJ, knocked down career victory number 20 at the Rolling Wheels Raceway last Thursday evening during the running of that track's 31st annual Firecracker Special. Paul Guererri, from Geneva, NY, won the 20-lap DIRT Sportsman accompanying event.
Hearn and rookie Steve Gray brought the field of 31 cars down for the green flag. Hearn immediately jumped into the led with Gray second. Billy Decker positioned himself in third followed by Alan Johnson, Pete Bicknell and Pat Ward. Decker had been the J.E. Pistons Fast Timer from time trials, turning in a 21.877 second lap, a speed of 102.848 mph. In the redraw process Decker had picked the third starting spot.
On lap 19 the yellow flew when Gary Tomkins came to a stop in the first turn. Tomkins's car had to be pushed back into the pits and out of the race. The restart saw the Chuck Bower in sixth with the other front runners remaining the same.
On lap 23 the yellow flew when Bob McCreadie broke a rear end and came to a stop in the first turn. McCreadie, who had second fast time during time trials had been suffering horrible luck all night. As he had cross the finish line on his last time trial run he blew the motor in his primary car. He was forced to start at the back of the qualified cars, losing his chance to redraw, as he was changing cars. Now he was out of the race all together.
The restart Vic Coffey looped his number 32c in the first turn to immediately bring out another yellow on lap 24. The restart attempt saw a number of cars at the back of the field come together in the third turn. Involved were Joe Beyea, Tommy Sears Jr., Vic Coffey, Ryan Baye and Tim Fuller.
Brett Hearn was now able to pull away from the rest of the field. He built a three second lead over Gray Decker and Johnson, who were all running together. Bicknell was a full three seconds behind this group in fourth with Bower closing on his position.
On lap 71, Decker made his move to take second from Gray, ducking low on the front straight to complete his pass. Three laps later, lap 74, Tim Fuller slowed with a flat tire to bring out the yellow. He would lose three laps in the pits changing his tire.
Decker looked as if he could stay with Hearn until lap 87 when Hearn had built an eight car advantage. Decker slowing shortened the distance in the closing laps.
Danny Johnson was now making his moves. He passed Bower on lap 96 and then sailed across the line challenging Bicknell for fifth. As this small pack of cars exited the second turn Bicknell was sent spinning into the infield stirring up a whirlwind of dust. The yellow flew forcing the race to end green-white-checkers.
The final two laps of green saw The front cars all hold their positions. Danny tried to challenge his brother, but Alan drifted in front of his younger brother and then slowed, forcing the younger Johnson to lose his momentum. On lap 102 the checkers flew with Hearn in first followed by Decker, Gray, Alan Johnson, Danny Johnson and Ward. Hearn thrilled the large crowd by turning donuts in victory circle. The race averaged 75.307 mph, with six laps of cautions.
The 20-lap Sportsman feature saw Greg Doust led all but the closing laps of the race. Doust held back Paul Guererri, who ran a close second all night, and Eldon Payne Jr., who also stayed with the two lead cars in a tight three car pack.
One yellow slowed the race. On lap five the yellow flew when Randy Chrysler slowed on the track with a flat tire. Chrysler was in third at the time.
With just two laps remaining Guererri ducked low on the inside of the second turn and passed Doust for the lead. On the final lap Payne Jr, was also able to get by the Doust car for second. Doust came home in third followed by John Plumb, who sported new car following his series flip at Oshweken Speedway, Friday June 28. Mark Potter and Sam Wescott rounded out the top five finishers. The race averaged 75.986 mph.
The next event at Rolling Wheels will be the make up race from May 19. This event will be run on Thursday, July 25, the night following the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series race at Can-Am International Speedway. Races will be scheduled to beginning at 7 p.m. sharp.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS SUPER DIRT SERIES/PAUL F. VIATLE-ROBINSON CONCRETE/SAM DELL CAR & TRUCK STORES presents the 31st annual FIRECRACKER 100 NIGHT SUMMARY
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: G. Doust, P. Guererri, M. Potter, R. Richardson, J. Potter.
HEAT 2: D. Wiesner, E. Payne Jr., R. Loveless, S. Jablonka, D. Wetmore Jr.
HEAT 3: R. Chrysler, J. Plumb, R. Bussey, G. Gallerie, G.R. Smith.
HEAT 4: R. Phelps, P. Vigneri, S. Wescott, A. Sturhann, E. Richardson.
CONSI: F. Burnell, B. Haley, S. Binns, S. Way, G. Hurlburt, R. Keller.
FEATURE (20-laps): PAUL GUERERRI, Eldon Payne Jr., Greg Doust, John Plumb, Mark Potter, Sam Wescott, Ryan Richardson, Phil Vigneri, Gary Gallerie, Alan Sturhann, Dan Wiesner, Ron Loveless, Rob Bussey, Randy Chrysler, Stan Jablonka, Bill Haley, Jason Potter, Rich Keller, Donnie Wetmore Jr., Frank Brunell, Gus Hurlburt, Scott Binns, Steve Way, G.R. Smith, Eric Richardson, Ryan Phelps.
TIME TRIALS: Billy Decker 21.877 (102.848 mph), Bob McCreadie 21.948, Vince Vitale 21.997, Bobby Varin 22.148, Brett Hearn 22.151, Steve Gray 22.270, Chuck Bower 22.285, Pat Ward 22.286, Alan Johnson 22.382, Steve Paine 22.418, AJ Romano 22.439, Pete Bicknell 22.486, Ron Smoker 22.502, Vic Coffey 22.518, Dave Axton 22.602, Chris Shultz 22.625, Gary Tomkins 22.694, Jerry Higbie 22.703, Tim McCreadie 22.720, Billy Pauch 22.751, Jimmy Phelps 22.753, Jimmy Horton 22.758, Ryan Baye 22.785, Joe Beyea 22.790, Frank Cozze 22.810, Tim Fuller 22.831, Ray Bliss, Jr. 22.849, Frankie Caprara 23.049, Brian Swartzlander 23.051, Kenny Tremont 23.253, Tom Sears Jr. 23.259, Todd Burley 23.315, Gary Hager 23.538, Bill Trexler 23.627, Rich Laubach 23.639, Oscar Boria 23.911, Paul Kinney 24.447, Danny Johnson 29.342.
HEAT 1: V. Vitale, C. Bower, T. McCreadie, A.J. Romano, R. Baye.
HEAT 2: B. Varin, P. Ward, P. Bicknell, C. Shultz, J. Beyea.
HEAT 3: B. Hearn, A. Johnson, R. Smoker, J. Phelps, G. Tomkins.
HEAT 4: S. Gray, S. Paine, V. Coffey, T. Sears Jr., D. Johnson.
CONSI: T. Burley, F. Cozze, R. Laubach, R. Bliss Jr., T. Sears Jr., K. Tremont, J. Horton.
ADDED: T. Fuller, F. Caprara Jr.
FEATURE (100-laps): BRETT HEARN, Billy Decker, Steve Gray, Alan Johnson, Danny Johnson, Pat Ward, Chuck Bower, Tim McCreadie, Ron Smoker, Vince Vitale, Jimmy Phelps, A.J. Romano, Steve Paine, Chris Shultz, Vic Coffey, Todd Burley, Pete Bicknell, Tim Fuller, Kenny Tremont, Rich Laubach, Frank Cozze, Bobby Varin, Joe Beyea, Bob McCreadie, Brian Swartzlander, Frankie Caprara Jr., Jimmy Horton, Gary Tomkins, Ray Bliss Jr.