Brett Hearn Romps To Record 3rd Straight Eastern States 200 Triumph At Orange County
Sun - October 22, 2006 -- Orange Co. Fair Speedway
Middletown, NY
Author: Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director
Improving a single position from his runner-up finish in the 150-lap small-block feature the day before, big-block specialist Brett Hearn capped off the 45th Eastern States Weekend by capturing the headline Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series Modified 200 on Sunday afternoon at Orange County Fair Speedway. The $20,000 triumph for Hearn was a record third straight in Orange County’s nationally recognized short-track season-finale, with the Sussex, N.J. driver now owning eight E-S trophies since copping his first double-century grind in 1979.
“Before the race we were talking about the odds being slim to none to win three in a row so this is definitely something special in an event like this,” said Hearn, 48, who scored the trifecta steering three different TEO Pro cars, beginning with the red no. 3 Budweiser Racing-Kruger-WLR Construction entry in 2004, repeating aboard the blue no. 3 Page Trucking-Gable Auto Stores ride last year and completing the hat trick in the Madsen Motorsports no. 20 Wentworth Custom Homes-BPG Racing machine. “This hasn’t been the best of years but it shows all the hard work the guys put in finally paid off. We had a great combination of things go in our favor today which resulted in a textbook race for us. You can’t do much better than this.”
Hearn was dominant from the drop of the initial green flag, out-dragging pole-sitter Rick Mill to lead the first of his race-high total of 150 ahead of the 43-car starting field. He maintained a comfortable distance over his nearest challengers through lap 55 when he pulled the familiar blue no. 20 TEO mount pitside for his mandatory stop to relinquish the point to Tim Fuller. The Edwards, N.Y. pilot collected the $1,000 halfway bonus from Budweiser-Dana Distributors for leading lap 100 before making his own pit stop on lap 106 allowing Hearn to regain the top spot. But Hearn’s sixth victory of the season at the historic Middletown oval was far from secure as with a half-dozen laps remaining a vibration had the ‘Corporate Jet’ tip-toeing around the hard 5/8-miler trying to save his tires. Moments after Hearn raced under the checkered flag the right-rear tire went flat, as did that of runner-up Frank Cozze. Local favorite Jerry Higbie chased the pair across the line while Tommy Meier and Pat Ward completed the top-five.
“I could tell something was going on back there as the car started feeling kinda strange the last five laps. The whole race I just tried to drive the car off the right front (tire) trying to save the right rear, its pretty hard to wear out the front even if you try. A lot of cautions had to help, another 5 or 10 green flag laps run and the tire wouldn’t have made it this far,” said Hearn, as the right-rear Hoosier deflated immediately after he parked in victory lane.
While Hearn held a steady pace in the early stages, a handful of yellow flags flew to keep the field in check. The biggest accident unfolded on lap 27, one that signaled an early end to any on-track confrontation between Hearn and perennial rival Danny Johnson that was anticipated later in the race from the capacity crowd in attendance. Johnson, who drove the Eckerd 200 winning Quality Concrete/Troyer car on Sunday after the primary No. 27J short-track entry broke a rear-end in Friday warm-ups, was among a dozen cars tangled up in the turn one incident that also collected his older brother Alan Johnson, Mitch Gibbs, Justin Haers, Steve Dodd and Gary Edwards Jr., while knocking out veteran Jack Johnson, young Matt Sheppard, local pilot Steve Birchwale and Frenchman Mario Clair.
Advance Auto Parts tour traveler Gary Tomkins suffered a flat tire to incur the fourth caution period on lap 54, and with the mandatory pit stop window beginning on lap 50 many of the drivers elected to take their customary trip down pit lane. The yellow flag erased Hearn’s healthy 3.5-second advantage but that didn’t matter after he pitted and returned trackside scored in third position with Fuller inheriting the point. Local runner Ray Jashembowski started last (44th) and assumed second-place followed by Hearn and Cozze, along with Middletown regulars Chuck McKee, David VanHorn and Tommy Meier, plus second-generation drivers Ronnie Johnson, Mark Flach Jr. and Jerry Higbie to complete the new top-10. Flach’s stellar run only lasted another dozen circuits after his involvement in a turn three pile-up which resulted in the sixth slowdown of the afternoon.
The Smith Excavating & Paving ‘Z’ car of Pennsylvanian Butch Tittle came to a stop on lap 105 to bring out the yellow that Fuller was looking for to make his own required stop in the pits. And that was all Hearn needed to regain the top position, one that he would not give up for the duration of the race. With 125 laps complete, DIRT’s all-time open-wheel winner remained ahead of Cozze, VanHorn, Higbie, Meier, Ward, Ronnie Johnson and Jeff Heoztler. That order stayed intact over the final 75 circuits with the exception of VanHorn (finished 19th), who suffered a flat right-rear tire on lap 187, and Johnson, who dropped from a solid top-10 tally to 18th after cutting a tire of his own a dozen laps from the end.
“We made a compromise this season to run the no. 74 car for Steve (Hastings) and Joe (Knoth) every Saturday and in the first Series race (finished 5th in July) and end the year with the no. 20 at Eastern States,” said Hearn, who not only collected his 15th Orange County big-block points championship in the no. 74 Smith Bros. Concrete Foundations-Hudson Valley Concrete/TEO ride, he added his eighth 358-Modified title at OCFS driving Vinny Salerno’s no. 4 Four Star entry. After Sunday’s dominating performance, Hearn has now amassed 276 open-wheel (161 big-block Modified, 113 small-block, 2 sprint) feature wins at the Wisner Avenue location.
One of only four back-to-back winners in the history of the Eastern States 200, runner-up Cozze was as happy as Hearn to see the checkered flag come out seemingly in the nick of time. “We like to get our money’s worth out of the tires,” smiled Cozze, while watching the right-rear tire go down on his no. 44 Waite’s General Contractor-Carquest Auto Parts-Bert Transmission/TEO mount during post-race festivities. Cozze (1989-1990) was the third driver to repeat after inaugural winner Frankie Schneider (1962-63) and Floridian Willy Cagle (1970-71) pulled off the double, while Danny Johnson (1992-93) and Brett Hearn (2004-05) followed in their tire tracks. “We didn’t have anything for Brett today, he could just get out there and cruise. We’re lucky to hold on for second, a couple more laps and things probably would’ve been a lot different. But that’s the way things go around here a lot of times, luck is a big part of any long race.”
2005 Eastern States 150 small-block race winner Higbie settled for the show position in the no. 47 G&G Diesel Freightliner Trucks-Team Shaver/Bicknell mount, yet was not as content as his forerunners upon reaching the podium. “I wish the last 50 laps ran more green, I had better tires and was doing everything I could to get the car to the front but just missed out,” said Higbie, alluding to the deflated tires that sat on the frontstretch beside both Hearn and Cozze. “The crew did a great job and they kept telling me to conserve the tires, I think I still had about 25-30 laps left on them. But anytime you can run with the #20 and #44 cars you’re in good company and can run a safe race. I’m just glad the rain held off today and we got the show in for all these fans.”
Alan Johnson placed ninth and was officially crowned the overall 2006 Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Championship at Orange County, with his four previous titles taken in 2002-03, 1983, 1981. This year ‘A.J. Slideways’ (2,443) outdistanced himself from Billy Decker (2,271) by 172 points to secure owners Jeff Rudalavage and Tony Laughing DIRT MotorSport NorthEast’s highest big-block Modified title. Defending Mr. DIRT champion Tim Fuller (2,237) placed third followed by Hearn (2,086), Gary Tomkins (1,975), Pat Ward (1,970), Jimmy Phelps (1,935), Matt Sheppard (1,919), Danny Johnson (1,890) and Steve Paine (1,730). 2006 DIRT Modified Rookie of the Year Kenny Stafford finished 16th on the final points chart with 940 markers.
With Eastern States Weekend now officially in the record book, all eyes turn to the 31st annual DIRT MotorSports Champions Banquet Saturday, November 18, 2006 , 7pm at the Oncenter Complex in Syracuse, New York where over $400,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to the top teams in competition. The banquet will honor the 2006 champions in the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series Modified (Alan Johnson), 358-Modified (Brett Hearn), Sportsman (Russ Hefti) and Pro Stock (Pete Stefanski) divisions. DIRT-Sanctioned Track Champions will also be honored at the 2006 awards luncheon on Saturday afternoon in the Empire Room on the NYS Fairgrounds.
Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series Race #25 – Orange County Fair Speedway, Oct. 22, 2006 Eastern States 200 Championship Event Summary
FEATURE (200-laps):
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER LAPS $WON$
1 2 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ 200 20,000
2 3 44c Frank Cozze/Wind Gap,PA 200 10,000
3 19 47 Jerry Higbie/Slate Hill,NY 200 6,000
4 33 33-1/3 Tommy Meier/Waldwick,NJ 200 4,000
5 14 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY 200 3,000
6 28 66 Jeff Heotzler/Wallkill,NY 200 2,000
7 26 r24 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ 200 1,600
8 4 19 Chuck McKee/Middletown,NY 200 1,200
9 24 14j Alan Johnson/Phelps,NY 200 1,000
10 31 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY 200 800
11 9 8 Frank Jashembowski/Middletown,NY 200 700
12 29 93x Craig Mitchell/Wappingers Falls,NY 200 600
13 16 1j Bobby Varin/Sharon Springs,NY 200 500
14 6 19f Tim Fuller/Edwards, NY 200 480
15 13 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY 200 460
16 22 14 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA 200 450
17 1 73 Rick Mill/New Windsor,NY 200 440
18 8 2 Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg,NY 200 430
19 5 71 David VanHorn,Jr./Phillipsburg,NJ 200 420
20 15 3 Justin Haers/Phelps,NY 199 420
21 41 32c Vic Coffey/Leicester,NY 199 350
22 39 25 Mike Kolka/Circleville,NY 198 350
23 27 55 Gary Edwards Jr./Bloomingburg,NY 197 350
24 34 124 Pierre DagenaisGatineau,QUE 194 350
25 18 115 Kenny Tremont/W.Sand Lake,NY 191 350
26 36 88 Steve Dodd/Middletown,NY 179 350
27 44 81 Ray Jashembowski/Howells,NY 174 350
28 37 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY 145 350
29 21 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY 133 350
30 40 Z Butch Tittle/Saylorsburg,PA 104 350
31 35 79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY 101 300
32 12 21k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY 80 300
33 10 77f Mark Flach,Jr./Coxsackie,NY 68 300
34 42 7 Donnie Wilson/Ramsey,NJ 58 300
35 43 16 A.J. Romano/Johnstown,NY 57 300
36 20 84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY 50 300
37 7 22g Mitch Gibbs/North Norwich,NY 42 300
38 25 10 Rich Eurich/Warwick,NY 28 300
39 30 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY 26 300
40 17 44s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY 26 300
41 32 12a Jack Johnson/Duanesburg,NY 26 300
42 11 33 Steve Birchwale/Sussex,NJ 26 300
43 38 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE 25 300
44 23 99 Dave Franek/Wantage,NJ 0 ---
LAP LEADERS: Hearn (1-55), Fuller (56-105), Hearn (106-200).
TOTAL LAPS LED: 150-Hearn, 50-Fuller.
CAUTIONS: 12 for 60 laps.
BUDWEISER $1,000 HALFWAY (LAP 100) LEADER: Tim Fuller.
BERT HARD CHARGER: Tommy Meier.
AREA AUTO RACING NEWS HARD LUCK AWARD: Kenny Stafford.
WLR CONSTRUCTION POLE WINNER: Rick Mill (21.789sec/103.263mph).
INTEGRA SHOCKS FAST TIMER: Rick Mill (21.789sec/103.263mph).
HEAT WINNERS: Decker, Ward, Haers, Varin, Sheppard, Tremont, Higbie, Tomkins.
CONSI WINNERS: Planck, Clair, Kolka, Tittle.
CARS ENTERED: 86.
DID NOT QUALIFY(41)
X Ben Rizzo/Middletown,NY
1LB Allan Kellogg/Mt.Cobb,PA
r2 Rusty Smith/Bethlehem,PA
4SL Bob Hentschel/Pine Bush,NY
6n Drew Ricco/Bellmawr,NJ
7k Kirk Horton/Eldred,NY
7x1 Bill Wilson/Mahwah,NJ
9 Mike Ketcham/Otisville,NY
10s Randy Sherlock/Milford,PA
10w Mike Walther/Sussex,NJ
12 Tim Bayles/Sussex,NJ
12c Bobby Hayes Jr./Valley Cottage,NY
15 Brett Tonkin/Carbondale,PA
17jr. Jeff Heotzler,Jr./Wallkill,NY
20c Craig Hanson/Tribes Hill,NY
21L Danny Ody/Coxsackie,NY
21m Bob McGannon/Garnerville,NY
t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
22 Doc Young/Middletown,NY
24 Chris Shultz/Pawling,NY
27f Perry Francis/Akwesasne,NY
27s Andy Schlagel/Warwick,NY
28 Ric Hill/Lafayette,NJ
44 Mario Page/Hillsborough,NJ
44b Jim Bobbitt/Phillipsburg,NJ
49 Donnie Elliott/Middletown,NY
49d Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
51 Jim VanAnden/Stormville,NY
53 Joey Barbagallo Jr./Branchville,NJ
60 Kenny Stafford/Homer,NY
62 John McGill/Plattekill,NY
66j Jared Petruska/Wayne,NJ
69jr. Randy Banks/Middletown,NY
73 John Marsh/Johnstown,NY
77 Jimmy Johnson/Bloomingburg,NY
85 Eric Nelson/Amsterdam,NY
88h Steve Hulsizer/Bridgeport,NY
91 Tom Greiner/Matamoras,PA
118 Mike DePalma/Wallkill,NY
7-17 Everett Haubrich/Lafayette,NJ
923 Colin Jackson/Peckville,PA
SUNDAY QUALIFYING
Consolation Round (8 laps, top-2 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Planck, Coffey, Tonkin, Ricco, Petruska, K.Horton, Kellogg, Bayles, Hulsizer, Ketcham (DNS), VanAnden (DNS), Greiner (DNS), Page (DNS).
#2: Clair, D.Wilson, Marsh, B.Wilson, Sherlock, Barbagallo, J.Heotzler Jr., Ody, Hill, Bobbitt, Walther (DNS), Rizzo (DNS).
#3: Kolka, Romano, Elliott, Shultz, Smith, Nelson, Jackson, Ro.Chrysler, A.Schlagel, DePalma (DNS), Hayes (DNS), Francis (DNS).
#4: Tittle, R.Jashembowski, Stafford, Hanson, Dunn, Hentschel, McGannon, Haubrich, Ji.Johnson, McGill (DNS), Young (DNS), Banks (DNS).
FINAL Overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Modified Championship Point Standings (through Orange County – October 22, 2006)
Rank No. Driver Points Home Track Bonus Wins Top-5 Top-10 Starts
1 14J Alan Johnson 2,443 Fulton 300 6 19 21 25
2 91 Billy Decker 2,271 Brewerton 284 3 17 20 25
3 19 Tim Fuller 2,237 Fulton 300 3 14 19 25
4 20 Brett Hearn 2,086 Orange County 300 4 12 16 25
5 84 Gary Tomkins 1,975 Canandaigua 300 1 11 16 25
6 42p Pat Ward 1,970 Cayuga County 278 0 6 17 25
7 98h Jimmy Phelps 1,935 Fulton 272 2 8 18 25
8 44s Matt Sheppard 1,919 Cayuga County 292 1 4 15 25
9 27J Danny Johnson 1,890 Cayuga County 272 2 3 14 25
10 7x Steve Paine 1,730 Canandaigua 296 0 2 10 25
11 77x Dale Planck 1,698 Cayuga County 260 1 2 12 24
12 44c Frank Cozze 1,567 Rolling Wheels 103 0 5 10 25
13 8J Tom Sears Jr. 1,186 Fulton 238 0 1 2 20
14 3 Justin Haers 1,169 Can Am 264 0 1 3 17
15 32c Vic Coffey 1,166 Canandaigua 284 0 2 7 16
16 60 Kenny Stafford [R] 940 Can Am 244 0 0 0 14
17 Z Butch Tittle 759 Canandaigua 206 0 0 0 13
18 99 Ryan Phelps 708 Cayuga County 240 0 0 2 10
19 42B Kevin Bates [R] 702 Fulton 240 0 0 0 9
20 62 Todd Burley 700 Canandaigua 276 0 0 3 7
21 6J Joe Isabell [R] 684 Brewerton 214 0 0 0 8
22 11 Kyle Jacobs [R] 675 Can Am 230 0 1 1 9
23 66 Jeff Heotzler 665 Orange County 266 0 1 3 8
24 99b Chuck Bower 649 Canandaigua 248 0 0 0 7
25 3b Chad Brachmann 615 Canandaigua 232 0 1 1 8
26 39 Tim McCreadie 598 Brewerton 203 0 3 4 7
27 18 Sean Beardsley 570 Canandaigua 218 0 0 0 8
28 42 Jimmy Horton 548 Orange County 20 1 2 4 8
29 2 Ronnie Johnson 543 Cayuga County 55 0 1 1 10
30 6 Pat O’Brien 527 Can Am 292 0 2 2 3
31 88 Steve Hulsizer 517 Brewerton 250 0 0 0 7
32 115 Kenny Tremont. 513 Lebanon Valley 288 0 1 1 4
33 47 Jerry Higbie 488 Orange County 260 0 1 2 3
34 49 Billy Dunn 487 Thunder Alley 276 0 0 0 4
35 29B Jeff Brownell Jr. 484 Canandaigua 266 0 0 1 4
36 33.3 Tommy Meier 465 Orange County 260 0 1 1 3
37 73h J.R. Heffner 464 Lebanon Valley 274 1 2 2 2
38 14 Rick Laubach 463 Orange County 62 0 0 0 9
39 7J Jeff Isabell 452 Brewerton 169 0 0 0 5
40 56 Vince Vitale 419 Cayuga County 232 0 0 0 4
41 777 Kevin Bolland 400 Lernerville 300 0 0 0 2
42 FX1 Frankie Caprara 395 Thunder Alley 300 0 0 0 3
43 1J Bobby Varin 392 Canandaigua 38 0 0 2 6
44 93x Craig Mitchell 391 Orange County 258 0 0 1 2
45 20D Del Rougeux Jr. 391 Lernerville 254 0 0 0 3
46 71 David VanHorn 389 Orange County 220 0 0 1 3
47 4 Andy Bachetti 376 Lebanon Valley 288 0 0 0 2
48 15 Brett Tonkin 367 Fulton 140 0 0 0 6
49 45 Wayne Jelley 367 Lebanon Valley 266 0 0 0 2
50 99 Charlie Donk 367 Canandaigua 262 0 0 1 2
51 21 Gary Edwards Jr. 366 Orange County 234 0 0 1 2
52 73 Ryan Jacobs 366 Can Am 159 0 0 0 3
53 10 Richie Eurich 365 Orange County 270 0 0 0 2
54 19 Chuck McKee 356 Orange County 248 0 0 1 2
55 X Chad Phelps 347 Fulton 226 0 0 0 4
56 48T Dave Rauscher 346 Canandaigua 204 0 0 0 2
57 21k Randy Chrysler 338 Canandaigua 195 0 0 0 3
58 24 Chris Shultz 338 Orange County 208 0 0 0 2
59 73 Rick Mill 336 Orange County 238 0 0 0 2
60 65 Rex King 336 Tri-City 296 0 0 0 1
61 21p Derrick Podsiadlo 335 Canandaigua 210 0 0 0 2
62 44w Shannon Whaley 330 Canandaigua 208 0 0 0 2
63 83 Br. Swartzlander 328 Lernerville 288 0 0 0 1
64 24 Jim Witko Jr. 326 Fulton 224 0 0 0 2
65 OBs Ric Hill 324 Orange County 246 0 0 0 1
66 53 Dave Franek 321 Orange County 238 0 0 0 2
67 25 Mike Kolka 318 Orange County 246 0 0 0 1
68 37md Jer.Shingledecker 318 Tri-City 278 0 0 0 1
69 31 Jim Weller 310 Lernerville 270 0 0 0 1
70 8 Fr.Jashembowski 307 Orange County 194 0 0 0 2
71 98 Eddie Marshall 306 Lebanon Valley 264 0 0 0 1
72 21 Donnie Corellis 303 Lebanon Valley 262 0 0 0 1
73 88 Steve Dodd 302 Orange County 252 0 0 0 1
74 8 Tim O’Brien 298 Thunder Alley 288 0 0 0 0
75 47 Scott Prentice 297 Fulton 256 0 0 0 1
76 93 Ryan Bartlett 292 Thunder Alley 272 0 0 0 0
77 06 Bob Bennett 292 Can Am 252 0 0 0 1
78 118 Mike DePalma 288 Orange County 234 0 0 0 1
79 2 Mark Flick 286 Lernerville 246 0 0 0 1
80 28 Tom Winkle 280 Lernerville 280 0 0 0 0
81 99 Mike Adderley 279 Can Am 210 0 0 0 1
82 12a Jack Johnson 272 Brewerton 20 0 0 0 6
83 61 Dave Murdick 270 Lernerville 270 0 0 0 0
84 43 Keith Flach [R] 270 Lebanon Valley 230 0 0 0 1
85 6n Drew Ricco 268 Orange County 208 0 0 0 0
86 77 Jimmy Johnson 262 Orange County 242 0 0 0 0
87 85 Dan Vauter 262 Fulton 194 0 0 0 1
88 03 Zach Aubertine 260 Thunder Alley 220 0 0 0 0
89 8g Ke.Swartzlander 260 Lernerville 208 0 0 0 1
90 41 Andy Priest 258 Tri-City 258 0 0 0 0
91 25 Joe Crawford 258 Tri-City 258 0 0 0 0
92 7 Donnie Wilson 254 Orange County 194 0 0 0 1
93 79 Jeremy Markle 253 Orange County 172 0 0 0 2
94 7k Kirk Horton 248 Orange County 228 0 0 0 0
95 83 Tim Sears 248 Fulton 206 0 0 0 1
96 8 Chanda Reitz 246 Tri-City 236 0 0 0 0
97 14 Lorne Browe [R] 246 Lebanon Valley 246 0 0 0 0
98 91h Chad Homan 246 Canandaigua 186 0 0 0 0
99 66 J.R. McGinley 244 Lernerville 234 0 0 0 0
100 87x Paul Gilardi 242 Lebanon Valley 202 0 0 0 1
Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Modified Champions
YEAR CHAMPION (wins) ROOKIE of the YEAR
2006 Alan Johnson (6) Kenny Stafford
2005 Tim Fuller (6) Stewart Friesen
2004 Gary Tomkins (4) Justin Hears
2003 Alan Johnson (6) Matt Sheppard
2002 Alan Johnson (5) Joe Beyea
2001 Brett Hearn (7) Frankie Caprara
2000 Steve Paine (4) Jeff Brownell
1999 Danny Johnson (2) Josh Skarzenski
1998 Billy Decker (6) Todd Milton
1997 D.Johnson (7)/B.Hearn (5) Tim McCreadie
1996 Brett Hearn (5) Vic Coffey
1995 Bob McCreadie (6) Tim Fuller
1994 Bob McCreadie (9) Jamie Mills
1993 Brett Hearn (5) Scott Schrader
1992 Danny Johnson (6) Ricky Elliott
1991 Doug Hoffman (5) Lenny Boyd
1990 Brett Hearn (7) Scott Prentice
1989 Danny Johnson (7) John Ventura
1988 Jack Johnson (2) Mike Jeffery
1987 Jack Johnson (2) Steve Behrent
1986 Charlie Rudolph (1) Jim Ruston
1985 Jack Johnson (1) Rich Burgess
1984 Jack Johnson (3) Ray Underwood
1983 Alan Johnson (4) Jimmy Begolo
1982 Jack Johnson (2) Randy Glenski
1981 Alan Johnson (2) Craig Keel
1980 Jack Johnson (5) Roger Phelps
1979 Will Cagle Jim Jarvis
1978 Will Cagle Jerry Knox
1977 Dave Lape Rick Martell
1976 Will Cagle -----
SKIDMARKS
Mr. DIRT Title Criteria: In 2006 the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Modified Champion was determined by adding a driver’s best five (5) feature race finishes (through Labor Day) from a designated home track to the points earned in Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series events. With many drivers accustomed to competing at multiple tracks on a regular basis, only the best finishes at one track were counted. The 31st Mr. DIRT Championship was scheduled to be contested at 19 tracks throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Ohio, along with the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Twenty-seven tour events were slated to carry valuable points counting directly towards the coveted title, with the champion crowned after eight months of ground-pounding short-track activity.
2006 Tour 12: For the second straight year DIRT MotorSports™ signed up the best big-block Modified teams in the Northeast to compete in every Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series show. The list of a dozen contracted drivers (in alphabetical order) included popular Pennsylvania pilot Frank Cozze, four-time Eckerd 200 titlist Billy Decker, 2005 Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT champion Tim Fuller, all-time Advance Auto Parts SDS race winner Brett Hearn, DIRT’s winningest big-block Modified driver and newest Mr. DIRT Alan Johnson, five-time DIRT MotorSports NE Driver of the Year Danny Johnson, Canandaigua (NY) Speedway record-setter Steve Paine, second-year tour mainstay Jimmy Phelps, first-year full-time Series follower Dale Planck, rising star Matt Sheppard, former Mr. DIRT champion Gary Tomkins and 30-year open-wheel veteran Pat Ward.
Surprize Start: Possibly the biggest surprise of the weekend was 2004-05 Orange County Sportsman points champion Rick Mill claiming his first Eastern States 200 pole. The New Windsor, N.Y. open-wheel veteran had only even cracked the top-12 once before and that was in 1995 when he timed 12th-fastest ---- ironically in a race that was eventually won by Brett Hearn. On this occasion, the Cracker Motorsports no. 73 Frank Stevens & Son Roofing-Peak Racing Equipment/Bicknell entry was nearly a tenth of a second quicker than second-fast timer Hearn, after not even qualifying for last year’s 200-lap title race. In 2006 Mill returned to the big-block ranks for the first time since 1997 and ended up ninth in the final OCFS point standings. He completed all 200 laps on Sunday en route to a 17th-place finish, with his previous best 200-lap finishes recorded in 1993 (15th) and 1994 (20th).
No Surprize Hearn Takes 200: Since the current Mr. DIRT champ trail was written up, there have now been exactly 151 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series races run counting towards the overall title which have been scheduled as “200 lappers” --- including the Syracuse Eckerd 200 held during Super DIRT Week. Orange County is one of 13 tracks to host a double-century grind, with Rolling Wheels Raceway’s total of 29 the most. Half of the 32 drivers posting feature wins have done it more than once, with Brett Hearn (27), Bob McCreadie (18), Danny Johnson (14), Jack Johnson (12), Alan Johnson (11) and Billy Decker (11) the lone pilots to reach double figures. Sunday marked the 22nd running of the Eastern States 200 accounted for in the Advance Auto Parts record book with the ’03 edition the lone victory for Bobby Varin and the longest in Series history at 207 laps (the 2002 Eckerd 200 won by Vic Coffey on the Syracuse Mile extended to 203 laps was the longest distance-wise). Rich Ricci Jr. claimed the shortest “200” that was rain-shortened to 109 laps at Lebanon Valley Speedway in 1997.
ORANGE COUNTY "EASTERN STATES 200" MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP
DATE LAPS FIRST - SECOND - THIRD - FOURTH - FIFTH
10/22/06 200 Brett Hearn – Frank Cozze – Jerry Higbie – Tommy Meier – Pat Ward
10/23/05 203 Brett Hearn - Wayne Jelley - David VanHorn - Kenny Tremont - Frank Jashembowski
10/24/04 200 Brett Hearn - Billy Decker - Gary Tomkins - Alan Johnson - Doug Hoffman
10/26/03 207 Bobby Varin - Chuck McKee - Tim McCreadie - Jeff Heotzler - Vic Coffey
10/27/02 200 Brett Hearn - Tim McCreadie - Alan Johnson - Jerry Higbie - Chuck McKee
10/21/01 200 Danny Johnson - Alan Johnson - Steve Paine - Kenny Tremont - Pat Ward
10/22/00 200 Chuck McKee - Alan Johnson - Vic Coffey - Steve Paine - Tim McCreadie
10/24/99 204 Alan Johnson - Billy Decker - Danny Johnson - Brett Hearn - Andy Bachetti
10/25/98 200 Billy Decker - Doug Hoffman - Jimmy Horton - Alan Johnson - Danny Johnson
10/26/97 200 Danny Johnson - Alan Johnson - Kenny Brightbill - Tim McCreadie - Chuck McKee
10/27/96 200 Brett Hearn - Jack Johnson - Dave Camara - Dale Planck - Alan Johnson
10/22/95 200 Jimmy Horton - Brett Hearn - Bob McCreadie - Tommy Meier - Jeff Heotzler
11/5/94 200 Bob McCreadie - Jimmy Horton - Doug Hoffman - Kenny Tremont - Rich Eurich
10/24/93 200 Danny Johnson - Brett Hearn - Bob McCreadie - Doug Hoffman - Jeff Heotzler
10/25/92 200 Danny Johnson - Brett Hearn - Jeff Trombley - Mike Ricci - Alan Johnson
10/27/91 200 Jimmy Horton - Doug Hoffman - Jack Johnson - Joe Plazek - Alan Johnson
10/21/90 200 Frank Cozze - Steve Paine - Danny Johnson - Brett Hearn - Roger Horvath
10/22/89 200 Frank Cozze - Danny Johnson - Dave Lape - Brett Hearn - Kenny Tremont
10/23/88 200 Rich Eurich - Frank Cozze - Jack Johnson - Billy Decker - John Strupp
10/25/87 200 Doug Hoffman - Jack Johnson - Kevin Collins - Dave Lape - Alan Johnson
4/25/87 200 Brett Hearn - Jack Johnson - Kevin Collins - Jimmy Horton - Chuck McKee
10/27/85 200 Jack Johnson - Carl Reynolds - Charlie Rudolph - Steve Bottcher - Doug Hoffman
10/28/84 200 Dave Lape - Jack Johnson - Carl Collis - Jeff Heotzler - Bob McCreadie
10/30/83 200 C.D. Coville - Brett Hearn - Jack Johnson - Jimmy Horton - Charlie Shire
10/17/82 200 Harry Behrent - Carl Reynolds - Carl Pittenger - Bobby Malzahn - Charlie Shire
10/25/81 200 Brett Hearn - Larry Brolsma - Richie Smith,Jr. - Harry Behrent - Sammy Beavers
10/19/80 200 Kenny Brightbill - Harry Behrent - Jimmy Horton - Frank Cozze - Jeff Heotzler
10/21/79 200 Brett Hearn - Billy Osmun - Lou Lazzaro - Carl Collis - Darryl Welty
10/22/78 200 Lou Lazzaro - Kevin Collins - Brett Hearn - Buzzie Reutimann - Clayton Husted
10/23/77 200 Gary Balough - Kevin Collins - Sammy Beavers - Don Kreitz,Sr. - Jimmy Horton
11/6/76 200 Gerald Chamberlain - Buzzie Reutimann - Tommy Hager - Jimmy Horton - Don Kreitz,Sr
10/26/75 200 Wayne Reutimann - Rich Eurich - Kenny Brightbill - Gary Balough - Buzzie Reutimann
10/27/74 200 Bobby Bottcher - Kenny Brightbill - Buzzie Reutimann - Ed Delmolino - Charlie Shire
10/28/73 200 Gerald Chamberlain - Tommy Corellis - Will Cagle - Dick Tobias - Johnny Haroll
10/25/72 200 Buzzie Reutimann - Will Cagle - Bobby Malzahn - Wayne Reutimann - Bobby Bottcher
10/31/71 200 Will Cagle - Buzzie Reutimann - Bobby Gerhart - Danny Mitchell - Bobby Malzahn
10/25/70 200 Will Cagle - Bobby Bottcher - Gerald Chamberlain - Rags Carter - Buzzie Reutimann
10/26/69 200 Al Tasnady - Joe Kelly - Buzzie Reutimann - Bobby Malzahn - Whip Mulligan
10/27/68 200 Will Cagle - Bobby Gerhart - Frankie Schneider - Ralph Chittenden - Larry Voss
10/22/67 100 Frankie Schneider - Bobby Malzahn - Al Tasnady - Whip Mulligan - Jackie Evans
10/23/66 100 Will Cagle - Bobby Malzahn - Sammy Reakes - Buzzie Reutimann - Whip Mulligan
10/24/65 100 Ron Lux - Kenny Shoemaker - Rags Carter - Frankie Schneider - Ray Cook
10/25/64 100 Rags Carter - Bobby Malzahn - Al Tasnady - Frankie Schneider - Rene Charland
10/27/63 100 Frankie Schneider - Al Tasnady - Ernie Gahan - Ed Ortiz - Billy Deskovick
10/28/62 100 Frankie Schneider - Bobby Malzahn - Don Stumpf - Ernie Gahan - Kenny Shoemaker
Day Of Champions: Brett Hearn (1979, 1981, 1986, 1996, 2002, 2004-06), was among 10 past champions ---accounting for 22 of the last 28 wins--- that attempted to qualify for the headline Advance Auto Parts Series Eastern States 200 for big-block Modifieds when the weekend kicked off Friday at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Middletown. Those that joined Hearn in quest of the 45th annual affair were past E-S 200 champions Danny Johnson (1992-93, 1997, 2001), Frank Cozze (1989-90), Jimmy Horton (1991, 1995), Bobby Varin (2003), Chuck McKee (2000), Alan Johnson (1999), Billy Decker (1998), Rich Eurich (1988) and Jack Johnson (1985). 1994 winner Bob McCreadie was in the pits on raceday spearheading the efforts of popular Canadian chauffeur Pierre Dagenais, who improved from 34th to 24th on Sunday after finishing 11th from his 30th-place start in Saturday’s small-block showdown.
Johnson’s Quarter-Century Of Success: At first distinguished as a talented young teenager on the fledgling DIRT of Central New York circuit for group founder Glenn Donnelly in 1976, Alan Johnson is now one of the most seasoned veterans in the nationally renowned DIRT MotorSports organization today recognized around the entire country. His first overall Mr. DIRT Championship was garnered in 1981 and after a quarter-century has passed the native Phelps, New Yorker stands to wear his fifth crown in the 31st season-ending ceremonies come November. “Racing seemed a lot easier when you’re young, but whenever you do well it’s not so much of a drag no matter how old you are,” said Johnson, 49, who remains DIRT NorthEast’s all-time big-block feature winner with a division-high 15 scored in 2006 to bring his career total to 344. He is the only driver to win at least one big-block feature every year of DIRT’s existence. “Lou Lazzaro once told me racing has a lot of highs and a lot of lows, no matter what happens there’s always another race to get better.” Johnson has captured all five titles driving cars with his patented no. 14J adorning the side panels. Tico Connelly owned the championship cars in 1981 and ’83, Elaine and Jim Bechy financed the winning team in 2002-03, while Jeff Rudalavage and Tony Laughing are responsible for keeping the wheels under ‘A.J. Slideways’ in ’06. “The one thing I know is I did the best not owning my own cars. What I had this year is probably the best I’ve ever had, and when things go this good it’s a shame the season has to end. You never know how many good ones you have left.”
Alan Johnson’s DIRT Modified Diary
DIRT NorthEast Advance Auto Parts Hoosier-Sunoco
Year Circuit Wins Series Wins Mr. DIRT Points
2006 15 6 1st
2005 12 1 11th
2004 6 -- 9th
2003 14 6 1st
2002 14 5 1st
2001 3 -- 2nd
2000 6 1 3rd
1999 3 1 6th
1998 6 1 2nd
1997 5 -- 12th
1996 10 1 9th
1995 8 1 9th
1994 14 2 7th
1993 3 -- 6th
1992 5 1 15th
1991 4 -- 18th
1990 7 -- 8th
1989 7 1 6th
1988 19 1 4th
1987 11 -- 5th
1986 13 1 6th
1985 15 -- 5th
1984 31 3 5th
1983 23 4 1st
1982 32 3 3rd
1981 24 2 1st
1980 20 4 2nd
1979 3 -- 3rd
1978 4 -- 2nd
1977 4 -- 3rd
1976 3 -- 10th
Totals: 344 45 5 Titles
Double Dose Of DIRT: Close to half the number of DIRT big-block drivers makingthe Eastern States 200 starting grid also competed the day before in the Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series event at Orange County. Only Andy Bachetti (4th) and Mr. DIRT 358 runner-up Pat O’Brien (12th) were among the top-13 finishers in Saturday’s 150-lap main event that did not file a big-block entry. Frontrunners comprising that elite group both days were top small-block finishers Billy Decker (1st), Brett Hearn (2nd), Danny Johnson (3rd), Pat Ward (5th), David VanHorn (6th), Rick Laubach (7th), Vic Coffey (8th), Mario Clair (9th), Mitch Gibbs (10th), Pierre Dagenais (11th) and Kenny Tremont (13th).
Homepage Highlights: The Official DIRT MotorSports NorthEast Web site at http://www.dirtmotorsports.com/DirtNE/SDS includes Advance Auto Parts Series driver biographies with individual statistics and pictures, race-by-race statistics, detailed track information and race coverage, series news and team press releases. There are also specific links to the 2006 DIRT MotorSports Media Guide, the Official Rulebook and the 2006 DIRT MotorSports Membership form.
Get Out The Word First: With RACEceiver now recognized as the Official Driver Communicator of DIRT MotorSports™ in 2006, fans, as well as the competing drivers, were able to hear first hand everything that was happening throughout the entire Eastern States Weekend show. A compact radio receiver that conveniently fits into a driver’s pocket, a RACEceiver allows each driver to hear directions from series officials, which greatly enhances the safety and timeliness of events. A similar version available to fans allows RACEceiver users to hear what information series officials are relaying to the drivers. For more information about RACEceiver, visit www.raceceiver.com, call 866/301-7223, or look for their sales trailers at various events.
Tracks Know The Score: In DIRT MotorSports™ ongoing effort to assist every sanctioned track with presenting the best possible race programs, DMS has teamed with AMB i.t. which continues to be recognized as the Official Timing System of DIRT MotorSports. AMB i.t. is the world’s leader in automatic race timing and scoring systems and the DIRT organization is proud to retain the company as a valued partner in the timing and scoring of all DIRT MotorSports events.
Next Events: Over $400,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded at the 31st annual DIRT MotorSports Champions Banquet Saturday, November 18, 2006 , 7pm at the Oncenter Complex in Syracuse, New York. The banquet will honor the 2006 series champions in the Advance Auto Parts Modified, 358-Modified, Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions. Additionally, DIRT-Sanctioned Track Champions will be honored at the 2006 Media Luncheon on Saturday, November 18 at 12 noon in the Empire Room on the NYS Fairgrounds. Track promoters and operators will convene on Friday, November 17 at 9am for the annual DIRT sanctioned track meetings at The Marx Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Syracuse.
2006 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series Schedule
NP=Non-Point event.
DAY-DATE LAPS TRACK WINNER/ECKERD QUAL. (LOCATION)
Wed-Feb 15 30-NP Volusia Speedway Park JIMMY HORTON
Thr-Feb 16 30-NP Volusia Speedway Park TIM FULLER
Fri-Feb 17 30-NP Volusia Speedway Park BRETT HEARN
Sat-Feb 18 50-NP Volusia Speedway Park BRETT HEARN
Sat-Mar 25 100 Hagerstown Speedway BRETT HEARN
Sun-May 7 50 Rolling Wheels Raceway BILLY DECKER
Sun-May 7 50 Rolling Wheels Raceway TIM FULLER
Sun-May 28 100 Cayuga Co Fair Speedway DANNY JOHNSON
Wed-Jun 14 100 Lernerville Speedway B.DECKER/PAT WARD
Thr-Jun 15 100 Susquehanna Speedway JIMMY HORTON
Wed-Jun 21 100 Ransomville Speedway ALAN JOHNSON
Wed-Jun 28 100 Fulton Speedway Rain-Cancelled
Mon-Jul 3 100 Rolling Wheels Raceway Rain-Cancelled
Tue-Jul 4 100 Brockville Ont Speedway A.JOHNSON/PAT O’BRIEN
Sun-Jul 9 100 Cornwall Motor Speedway DALE PLANCK
Mon-Jul 10 105 Autodrome Drummond B.HEARN/GARY TOMKINS
Thr-Jul 13 100 Orange Co Fair Speedway B.DECKER/JEFF HEOTZLER
Wed-Jul 19 100 Grandview Speedway A.JOHNSON/JIMMY PHELPS
Sat-Aug 5 100 Eldora Speedway T.FULLER/STEVE PAINE
Mon-Aug 7 100 Merrittville Speedway A.JOHNSON/PETE BICKNELL
Thr-Aug 10 100 Canandaigua Speedway G.TOMKINS/JEFF BROWNELL JR.
Wed-Aug 16 100 New Egypt Speedway T.FULLER/FRANK COZZE
Wed-Aug 30 100 Brewerton Speedway J.PHELPS/TODD BURLEY
Sun-Sep 3 100 Cayuga Co Fair Speedway A.JOHNSON/MATT SHEPPARD
Mon-Sep 4 100 Rolling Wheels Raceway A.JOHNSON/JUSTIN HAERS
Sat-Sep 9 200 Lebanon Valley Speedway J.R. HEFFNER
Fri-Sep 15 100 Canandaigua Speedway M.SHEPPARD/CHARLIE DONK
Sat-Sep 23 200 Rolling Wheels Raceway B.HEARN/VIC COFFEY
Sat-Sep 30 200-NP Fulton Speedway D.JOHNSON/MITCH GIBBS
Sun-Oct 8 200 New York State Fairgrnds DANNY JOHNSON
Sun-Oct 15 100 Williams Grove Speedway JIMMY PHELPS
Sun-Oct 22 200 Orange Co Fair Speedway BRETT HEARN
The DIRT MotorSports™ Advance Auto Parts Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., DealMaker Auto Group and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, DART Machinery, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.