HEARN'S TENTH WIN XTRA SPECIAL, CLINCHES POINT TITLE

8/16/97...Brett Hearn took home the victory in the 30 lap

modified feature Saturday night. It was his tenth

victory at the Valley this season. Art Collins won the

20 lap sportsman feature. Dave Streibel won the street

stock portion of the program, sponsored by Xtra Mart.

Full moon madness led to many caution periods

during the modified feature. Russ Reckner, driving the

#55R Rich Ricci back-up car, was the early leader. Brian

Berger would grab second in the early going. Rich Ricci

Jr. would take second from Berger on lap 2. Consecutive

cautions flew on lap three and four. The restarts

allowed Guy Sheldon to move up to sixth and Kenny

Tremont to seventh. Hearn would make his way up to

eighth on lap five. Ricci would challange Reckner for

the lead on lap six. Meanwhile, Hearn passed Tremont

for position seven. The restart following the caution

on lap eight allowed Ricci to get around Reckner for

the lead. Hearn was up to second by lap ten. Some great

action for the fifth spot. Garry Waters, Kenny Tremont

and Guy Sheldon would go three wide for the position.

Tremont would grab third on a lap 13 restart.

Hearn would grab the front spot from Ricci on that same

lap. Hearn would open up a fifteen car length lead by

lap 17. Garry Waters had a good run going. He was fifth

on lap 21, but would drop out on the final lap. Two

cautions on lap 21 allowed Ricci to get right on the

back bumper of Hearn. Hearn held off the challange.

Tremont would briefly look to take second from Ricci on

lap 22. Brian Berger had a strong run as well. He was

still fourth on lap 23 and would finish there. Hearn

easily cruised home for his tenth win of the season. He

was followed by Ricci, Tremont, Berger and Sheldon. John

Hewitt had a good run in sixth. Hearn locked up the 1997

modified point championship. Going into the race he

needed to finish in the top twenty to secure the title.

This is his first point championship at the Valley.

The sportsman feature was plagued by yellow

flags as well. A 13 car pileup would occur on the front

stretch on lap 1. Ed Riiska was the early race leader.

Mike Mason would grab second on the lap one restart. Ron

Blake would take second away on the next lap. Riiska and

Blake would battle for the lead on lap three. Bobby

Chalmers would join in the fray, making it three wide

for the top spot. Blake would take the lead. Chris

Kokosa would take second on a lap six restart. He and

Blake battled for several laps for the lead. Chalmers

took second on lap eight. Art Collins was up to third by

lap nine. Ten laps to go would find Collins racing

Chalmers for second. George Marcus was not up to his

usual pace. He was only seventh on lap 11. A right rear

flat on lap 15, ruined any shot at winning for Marcus.

Collins took the lead for good on lap 12. He would win

by half a straightaway. Blake would come in second,

followed by Kokosa, Hawley Smith and Jeff Cassidy.

The street stocks were the only division without

yellow fever. Only two cautions in their 20 lap feature.

Ray Hall would take the commanding lead on the start.

Dave Streibel would take fifth on lap five. Ed bachand

was third by lap seven. Danny Sanchez was fifth on that

same lap. Bachand would take second on lap nine. Sanchez

would take that second spot from Bachand at halfway.

Robbie Speed was fourth and Jim Langenback was fifth by

lap ten. Sabchez would take the lead on lap 11.

Langenback would retire from the raceon lap 13. Streibel

was third on lap 14. The front running cars of Sanchez

and Bachand would touch as they battled for the lead.

Both would crash and be done for the evening. Streibel

would inherit the lead and take home his first win of

1997. Lorne Browe made a great late charge to take home

second and Robbie Speed was third.