Hearn Returns To Conquer Coors National 200 Field For 6^th Time At The Valley

A week delay for rain had little effect on Brett Hearn as he returned to the high banks of Lebanon Valley Speedway on Saturday, September 15 to capture his sixth Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series event of the season in the prestigious 39^th Annual Coors National 200.

Hearn inherited the lead on lap 116 when Billy Decker made his mandatory pit stop and staved off every challenge offered by runner-up Eddie Marshall en route to his 97^th career Advance Auto Parts Series victory worth $10,000. His sweep of the two Series races at the West Lebanon, N.Y. oval in ’07 increased his track total to 14 at the site of his inaugural tour triumph in 1981.

Marshall assumed the lead position as he paced the field back on September 8 before rain forced postponement of the event to one week later. Front row partner Decker ducked low out of turn four to grab the top spot on lap 32 and he remained out front until turning pitside for gas only on lap 116. Integra Shocks Time Trialer Hearn was in perfect position to move to the point after make his lone pit stop following a lap 56 caution and never looked back despite Marshall sliding underneath on a handful of occasions .

Andy Bachetti held off recently crowned Lebanon Valley Big-Block points champion J.R. Heffner after a race-long battle for the show position while current overall Hoosier-Sunoco Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block Modified points leader Tim Fuller settled for fifth. Decker and Valley regulars Jeff Trombley and Keith Flach, the Bert Hard Charger, were the last drivers to be scored on the lead lap out of 17 cars that took the final checkered flag.

The last Advance Auto Parts Series point event of the month arrives next Saturday before teams make their final run toward the coveted Mr. DIRTcar Championship in October. The Advance Auto Parts Triple 50s presented by Budweiser during World Series Weekend at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on September 22 comes next with a guaranteed starting spot up for grabs in the Rite Aid 200 Championship during Super DIRT Week XXXVI at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.

Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Race #25 – Lebanon Valley Speedway, September 15, 2007 Coors National 200 Big-Block Modified Event Summary

FIN    STR   CAR#    DRIVER/HOMETOWN

1          10        20h     Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ

2          1          98        Eddie Marshall/Ridgefield,CT

3          8          4          Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA

4          13        74        J.R. Heffner/Pittsfield,MA

5          4          19        Tim Fuller/Edwards, NY

6          2          91        Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY

7          3          21j       Jeff Trombley/Altamont,NY

8          19        43        Keith Flach/Ravena,NY

9          5          60        Brian Berger/Castleton,NY

10        11        87        Hector Stratton/Bennington,VT

11        7          45        Wayne Jelley/Pittsfield,MA

12        18        77x      Dale Planck/Cortland,NY

13        17        20        Matt Quinn/New Ashford,MA

14        14        7x        Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY

15        31        347     Skip Fox/Springfield,MA

16        23        21L     Danny Ody/Albany,NY

17        20        34        Steve Hough/East Greenbush,NY

18        12        98h     Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY

19        15        115     Kenny Tremont/West Sand Lake,NY

20        21        473     John Alberti/Schodack,NY

21        16        87x      Paul Gilardi/Pittsfield,MA

22        9          42        Guy Sheldon/Nassau,NY

23        27        r24      Rich Salisbury/Averill Park,NY

24        25        55        Mike King/Nassau,NY

25        29        49        Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY

26        22        24        John Hewitt/Troy,NY

27        32        10        Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY

28        24        27j       Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY

29        6          44s      Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY

30        30        2b        Ron Cartwright Jr./Portageville,NY

31        28        25        Mike Kolka/Circleville,NY

32        26        24s      Chris Shultz/Pawling,NY

GATER NEWS LAP LEADERS: Marshall (1-31), Decker (32-115), Hearn (116-200).

CAUTIONS: 3 for 19 laps; 1 RED FLAG (lap 25).  

RITE AID 200 QUALIFIER: Eddie Marshall(P).

BERT HARD CHARGER: Keith Flach.

QUALIFYING (run 9/8)

            FAST              AVE               

            TIME               MPH               CAR# DRIVER

1          20.428            88.114            20h     Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ

2          20.531            87.672            19       Tim Fuller/Edwards, NY

3          20.538            87.642            98h     Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY

4          20.583            87.451            44s     Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY

5          20.681            87.036            4         Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA

6          20.700            86.957            87       Hector Stratton/Bennington,VT

7          20.712            86.906            98       Eddie Marshall/Ridgefield,CT

8          20.750            86.747            45       Wayne Jelley/Pittsfield,MA

9          20.761            86.701            42       Guy Sheldon/Nassau,NY

10        20.781            86.618            91       Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY

11        20.828            86.422            60       Brian Berger/Castleton,NY

12        20.878            86.215            21j      Jeff Trombley/Altamont,NY

13        20.910            86.083            74       J.R. Heffner/Pittsfield,MA

14        20.921            86.038            20       Matt Quinn/New Ashford,MA

15        20.929            86.005            473     John Alberti/Schodack,NY

16        20.950            85.919            87x     Paul Gilardi/Pittsfield,MA

17        20.962            85.870            7x       Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY

18        20.986            85.771            115     Kenny Tremont/West Sand Lake,NY

19        21.052            85.503            24       John Hewitt/Troy,NY

20        21.073            85.417            24s     Chris Shultz/Pawling,NY

21        21.081            85.385            27j      Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY

22        21.092            85.340            43       Keith Flach/Ravena,NY

23        21.100            85.308            34       Steve Hough/East Greenbush,NY

24        21.311            84.463            77x     Dale Planck/Cortland,NY

25        21.352            84.301            55       Mike King/Nassau,NY

26        21.417            84.045            49       Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY

27        21.499            83.725            r24      Rich Salisbury/Averill Park,NY

28        21.518            83.651            25       Mike Kolka/Circleville,NY

29        21.739            82.800            10       Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY

30        21.886            82.244            2b       Ron Cartwright Jr./Portageville,NY

31        22.163            81.216            347     Skip Fox/Springfield,MA

32        22.804            78.934            21L     Danny Ody/Albany,NY

Heat Races (run 9/8, 10 laps, all transferred to feature, top 4 went to re-draw)

#1: Marshall, Decker, Sheppard, Hearn, Heffner, Gilardi, Flach, Hewitt, King, Kolka, Fox.

#2: Jelley, Bachetti, Berger, Fuller, Paine, Quinn, Hough, Ody, Shultz, Dunn, A.Johnson(DNS).

#3: Sheldon, Stratton, Trombley, Phelps, Tremont, Planck, Alberti, D.Johnson, Salisbury, Cartwright.

SKIDMARKS

2007 Tour Travelers: For the third straight year tour officials once again signed up the best Big-Block Modified teams in the Northeast to compete in every Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series show. The star-studded group of drivers accepting contract extensions are reigning Mr. DIRTcar points king and winningest Big-Block Modified driver Alan Johnson, current Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series points leader Tim Fuller, all-time DIRTcar Modified win leader Brett Hearn, five-time DIRTcar NorthEast Driver of the Year Danny Johnson, ‘04 Mr. DIRTcar titlist Gary Tomkins, recently crowned Cayuga County & Fulton points king Jimmy Phelps, Canandaigua Speedway record-setter Steve Paine, New Egypt Speedway points champion Matt Sheppard, full-time tour follower Dale Planck, Keystone State open-wheel veteran Frank Cozze, four-time Super DIRT Week Rite Aid 200 champion Billy Decker and Central New York talent Justin Hears.

Get Out The Word First: RACEceiver is the Official Driver Communicator of DIRTcar Racing. 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 will allow 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 select events.

Tracks Know The Score: In the ongoing effort to assist every sanctioned track with presenting the best possible race programs, DIRTcar has teamed with AMB i.t. which continues to be recognized as the Official Timing System of DIRTcar racing. 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 DIRTcar Racing events.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series returns to action at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on September 22 for Big-Block Modified Triple 50s presented by Budweiser during World Series Weekend at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park . All three feature races offer valuable points towards the overall Hoosier-Sunoco Mr. DIRT Championship plus a guaranteed starting spot in the Rite Aid 200 Championship on Oct. 7 of Super DIRT Week XXXVI at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.