Hearn “looking forward to big things” at Lebanon Valley’s Super DIRTcar Series “Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A.”
Point leader fueled by momentum from win in Michigan
WEST LEBANON, N. Y. – Thursday, August 8, 2013 – Perhaps the biggest comeback story of the season last year happened atLebanon Valley Speedway during the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series “Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A.” After a two-race hiatus from the series, brought on by sudden illness, Brett Hearn got back behind the wheel and pulled off a thrilling victory.
“At that point last year when I did that race, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know if I was going to have the strength, I didn’t know if I was going to have the stamina,” said Hearn, who ended up wrecking in his heat race and starting 23rd in his backup car. “It just ended up being a really magical night.”
Hearn, of Sussex, N. J., leveraged double-file restarts to steadily gain ground early in the race, breaking the top five in lap 39. After battling the early race leader, Jimmy Phelps, of Baldwinsville, N. Y., through lapped traffic, Hearn finally claimed the lead in lap 83 and never looked back.
“I would like to be able to recreate that, but the chances of doing that are slim. Just to win it the normal way would be nice,” said Hearn. His impressive victory at “The Valley of Speed” was the first of several last season, including winning the prestigious NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week VP Small Engine Fuels 200. Hearn finished the Super DIRTcar Series season second in points to Matt Sheppard by a margin of just 45.
The Super DIRTcar Series returns to Lebanon Valley Speedway this year for the 100-lap, $17,500-to-win “Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A.” Thursday, Aug. 15, and, while Hearn doesn’t expect to pull off a feat like last year’s, he still has some tricks up his sleeve.
“I’m looking forward to big things,” said Hearn, whose recent success at Merrittville Speedway in Thorold, Ontario, and victory at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich., has helped propel him to the series point lead.
“We got a lot of momentum from Merrittville,” Hearn said just after Tuesday’s win in Michigan. “To come from 13th last night after a lackluster heat race, and to get to third, that was a big deal for me last night. I didn’t think that was going to happen, I didn’t think it was possible. That gave me a little confidence going into today. Now, coming off this, and getting ready for next Thursday night, I feel really good about this car, and I’m really comfortable in it.”
Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and grandstand gates at 5 p.m. for the Lebanon Valley Speedway “Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A.” Thursday, Aug. 15. General admission tickets are $20 for adults or $7 for children. Assigned seating is also available at $22 per ticket. For more information, call (518) 794-9606 or visitwww.lebanonvalley.com/LVS_Home.html.
AT A GLANCE
“Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A.”
Divisions: Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series (100 laps) plus budget Sportsman
Date: Thursday, August 15, 2013
Time: Pits open at 3 p.m., grandstands at 5 p.m. Practice at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m.
Location: Lebanon Valley Speedway, 1746 Route 20, West Lebanon, N. Y.
For more information: (518) 794-9606 or www.lebanonvalley.com/LVS_Home.html
Potential Drivers:
Brett Hearn
Matt Sheppard
Dale Planck
Gary Tomkins
Billy Dunn
Jimmy Phelps
Danny Johnson
Justin Haers
Pete Britten
Rich Scagliotta
Billy Decker
Tim Currier
Dave Rauscher
Matt Billings
Bobby Varin
Donnie Corellis
Eddie Marshall
Kolby Schroeder
Matt Pupello
Keith Flach
Wayne Jelley
Mike King
Mike Hough
Mark Flach, Jr.
Rob Pitcher
Kyle Armstrong
Paul Gilardi
Brian Berger
Kim Lavoy
Kyle Hoffman
Vince Vitale
Dylan Scribner
Kyle Sheldon
Super DIRTcar Series Driver Points
Top 30 drivers, as of 8/6/13
| No. | Driver | Total | Series | Bonus | Diff | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Starts | |
| 1 | 20 | Brett Hearn | 677 | 677 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| 2 | 9s | Matt Sheppard | 664 | 664 | 0 | -13 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
| 3 | 7z | Dale Planck | 586 | 586 | 0 | -91 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 |
| 4 | 84 | Gary Tomkins | 561 | 561 | 0 | -116 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| 5 | 49 | Billy Dunn | 557 | 557 | 0 | -120 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| 6 | 98H | Jimmy Phelps | 535 | 535 | 0 | -142 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 7 | 5* | Danny Johnson | 486 | 486 | 0 | -191 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 8 | 3 | Justin Haers | 458 | 458 | 0 | -219 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| 9 | 21a | Pete Britten | 456 | 456 | 0 | -221 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| 10 | 8 | Rich Scagliotta | 393 | 393 | 0 | -284 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 11 | 91d | Billy Decker | 346 | 346 | 0 | -331 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 12 | 74 | Matt Billings | 299 | 299 | 0 | -378 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 13 | 10c | Tim Currier | 291 | 291 | 0 | -386 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 14 | 48T | Dave Rauscher | 284 | 284 | 0 | -393 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 15 | 1F | Stewart Friesen | 254 | 254 | 0 | -423 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 16 | 66x | Carey Terrance | 252 | 252 | 0 | -425 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 17 | 66 | Bobby Varin | 248 | 248 | 0 | -429 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 18 | 10V | Billy VanInwegen | 242 | 242 | 0 | -435 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 19 | 1 | David Hebert | 194 | 194 | 0 | -483 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 20 | 7x | Steve Paine | 190 | 190 | 0 | -487 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 21 | 10J | Alan Johnson | 166 | 166 | 0 | -511 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 22 | 77J | Keith Flach | 164 | 164 | 0 | -513 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 23 | 6 | Mat Williamson | 152 | 152 | 0 | -525 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 24 | 26 | Ryan Godown | 139 | 139 | 0 | -538 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 25 | 21 | Yan Bussiere | 134 | 134 | 0 | -543 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 26 | 99L | Larry Wight | 133 | 133 | 0 | -544 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 27 | 22c | Mario Clair | 126 | 126 | 0 | -551 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 28 | 83 | Brian Swartzlander | 115 | 115 | 0 | -562 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 29 | 19w | Justin Wright | 113 | 113 | 0 | -564 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 30 | 64 | Daniel Nadeau | 110 | 110 | 0 | -567 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
The Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast Region is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners including Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Chevy Performance Parts, NAPA Auto Parts, and Safety-Kleen. Contingency partners include the University of Northwestern Ohio, Contingency sponsors are ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD Performance, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Superflow and Wrisco Industries.
