Brett Hearn locks in pole position for Sunday’s Eastern States 200
Hindley, Dippel, Friesen, Perrego and Higbie also lock in starting positions in top six
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – October 25, 3014 – Brett “the Jet” Hearn is off to another good start for Orange County Fair Speedway’s Eastern States Weekend, locking in the pole position for Sunday’s 200-lap Super DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series race. The Sussex, N.J., driver rounded “The Hard Clay” in 20.763 seconds, narrowly ousting Tim Hindley, whose time was 20.837 seconds, from the honors.
“This is a race where you want to start near the front. It’s not the end-all, but it’s a race where you want to start near the front, stay out of heavy traffic, and control the race if you can,” Hearn said of Sunday’s Eastern States 200, a notably grueling race and one of the few Super DIRTcar Series rounds requiring a pit stop. “It’s the kind of race where, if you can control the race and set the pace at your pace, then you’re going to be in the driver’s seat.”
After shattering the Lebanon Valley Speedway lap time record, fast laps have started to become a habit for “the Jet.” He was second overall at Fonda Speedway in September and earned the Pole Position Raceway Fast Qualifier Award at Brockville Ontario Speedway in October. During NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week XLIII in Syracuse, Hearn claimed the outside pole starting position with the second fastest lap time, short of fast-timer Matt Sheppard by a margin of 0.002 seconds.
“I think we have some really good cars, I think it’s going good. It’s still 200 laps, so, anything can happen,” said Hearn, who hopes running in Saturday’s 358-Modified race at Orange County Fair Speedway will help the Madsen Motorsports No. 20 team stay strong for Sunday. “The track is in pretty nice shape. We’re going to have to run the small block race and try to come up with a strategy for Sunday that’s going to work.”
Decker’s lap time of 21.207 seconds was 13th overall, and a second-place finish in his heat will have him starting 13th on Sunday. Matt Sheppard, currently second in series points, finished sixth in his heat and will compete in a last-chance qualifier Sunday morning to determine his starting position.
If past experience has anything to say, Hearn’s fast time during Friday’s time trials bodes well going into Sunday’s race. The past two years, Hearn kicked off Eastern States Weekend with fast time and concluded it with a victory in the 200-lap event finale. For the driver who is third in Super DIRTcar Series point standings, trailing leader Decker by 85 points, it’s a trend that could mean big things going into the final races of the season.
Local runners took the spotlight Friday night in time trials, with Hindley, of Middlesex, N.Y., claiming the outside pole and Tyler Dippel, of Wallkill, N.Y., picking up the third starting spot with a lap time of 21.043 seconds. Stewart Friesen, of Sprakers, N.Y., will start fourth after clocking in at 21.052 seconds and Anthony Perrego, of Montgomery, N.Y., will start fifth after a time of 21.072 seconds. Jerry Higbie, of Goshen, N.Y., was the final driver to lock in a position through time trials, tying Perrego for speed at 21.072 seconds.
Positions 7 through 30 were set through six qualifying heats. Gary Edwards, Jr., of Montgomery, N.Y., Justin Haers, of Phelps, N.Y., Billy VanInwegen, of Sparrowbush, N.Y., Donnie Corellis, of Averill Park, N.Y. Chuck McKee, of Middletown, N.Y., and Tim Fuller, of Edwards, N.Y., picked up heat race wins. The remaining positions, 31 through 44, will be set by a combination of last-chance qualifier results and series provisionals.
The 53rd Annual Eastern States Modified Feature is set to start at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26. Competitor pits open at 8 a.m. and grandstand gates open at 9 a.m. Last-chance qualifiers will get underway at around 12:30 p.m. For more information and the latest updates about the Super DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series, click www.superdirtcarseries.com, follow @SuperDIRTcar on Twitter or “like” the DIRTcar Racing Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DIRTcar.
Super DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series Statistical Report
Eastern States 200 – Qualifying
Orange County Fair Speedway
October 25, 2014
LINEUP A-Main (Partial):
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1. 20 Brett Hearn / Sussex, N.J. |
2. 1H Tim Hindley / Monticello, N.Y. |
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3. 1T Tyler Dippel / Wallkill, N.Y. |
4. 1F Stewart Friesen / Sprakers, N.Y. |
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5. 55 Anthony Perrego / Montgomery, N.Y. |
6. 97 Jerry Higbie / Goshen, N.Y. |
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7. 21J Gary Edwards, Jr. / Montgomery, N.Y. |
8. 3 Justin Haers / Phelps, N.Y. |
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9. 10 Billy VanInwegen / Sparrowbush, N.Y. |
10. 57 Donnie Corellis / Averill Park, N.Y. |
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11. 19 Chuck McKee / Middletown, N.Y. |
12. 74F Tim Fuller / Edwards, N.Y. |
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13. 91 Billy Decker / Sidney, N.Y. |
14. 4* Tim McCreadie / Watertown, N.Y. |
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15. 98H Jimmy Phelps / Balwinsville, N.Y. |
16. 42p Pat Ward / Genoa, N.Y. |
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17. 44 Mike Ricci / Tillson, N.Y. |
18. 33 1/3 Tommy Meier / Waldrick, N.J. |
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19. 88 Steve Dodd / Middletown, N.Y. |
20. 5 Jimmy Horton / Neshanic Station, N.J. |
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21. 7s Michael Sabia / Eason, Conn. |
22. 14h Jeff Heotzler / Wallkill, N.Y. |
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23. 43 Keith Flack / Ravena, N.Y. |
24. 21m Bob McGannon / Garnersville, N.Y. |
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25. 99L Larry Wight / Altmar, N.Y. |
26. 7z Erick Rudolph / Ransomville, N.Y. |
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27. 41 Jim Davis / Ballston Spa, N.Y. |
28. 99 Ryan Phelps / Fulton, N.Y. |
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29. 4R Mike Ruggiero / Walden, N.Y. |
30. 16x Danny Creeden / Middletown, N.Y. |
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31. through 44. TBD |
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LINEUP Last Chance Qualifier 1:
1. 21a Pete Britten / Brisbane, Queensland, Australia*
2. 673 Gary Tomkins / Clifton Springs, N.Y.*
3. 74M Matt Billings / Brockville, Ontario*
4. 87x Paul Gilardi / Pittsfield, Mass.
5. 115 Kenny Tremont, Jr. / West Sand Lake, N.Y.
6. 16 Willy Auchmoody / Highland, N.Y.
7. 11z Darrell Ford
8. 71d Frank Doty / Middletown, N.Y.
9. 14 C.G. Morey / Rutland, Vt.
10. 20g Craig Hanson / Tribes Hill, N.Y.
11. 72 Ray Hall, Jr.
12. 10e Richie Eurich / Warwick, N.Y.
13. 44x Shane Jablonka / Stanfordville, N.Y.
14. 51m Dominick Buffalino / Morganville, N.J.
LINEUP Last Chance Qualifier 2:
1. 34 Andy Bachetti / Sheffield, Mass.
2. 79 Jeremy Markle / Port Jervis, N.Y.
3. 9H Matt Sheppard / Waterloo, N.Y.*
4. 24s Chris Schulz / Holmes, N.Y.
5. 66 Duane Howard / Oley, Pa.
6. 53 Ric Hill / Lafayette, N.J.
7. 11 Rich Ricci, Jr.
8. T21 Roger Chrysler / Lewiston, N.Y.
9. 4sL Bobby Hentschel / Accod, N.Y.
10. 60 Brian Berger / Castleton, N.Y.
11. 66p Sean Mandell
12. 19m Jessey Mueller / Olmsteadville, N.Y.
13. 21p Pep Corradi
14. 33h Matt Hitchcock / Stony Point, N.Y.
LINEUP Last Chance Qualifier 3:
1. 27J Danny Johnson / Rochester, N.Y.
2. 8 Rich Scagliotta / Hillsborough, N.J.*
3. 25 Mike Kolka / Circleville, N.Y.
4. 220 John Ferrier / Middletown, N.Y.
5. 265 Tyler McKee / Middletown, N.Y.
6. 21 Clinton Mills / Middletown, N.Y.
7. 21k Randy Chrysler / Lewiston, N.Y.
8. 93x Craig Mitchell / Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
9. m22 Mike Dubois
10. 35x L.J. Lombardo / Danbury, Conn.
11. 55H Brett Haas / Westfield, Mass.
12. 3s R.J. Smykla
13. 57e Rich Eggers / Walden, N.Y.
14. 20x Rob Rowe
*Denotes driver is among top-15 in series points and may qualify for provisional starting spot
Qualifying Heat Results (Top 4 Transfer)
Heat 1: Edwards, Decker, Dodd, Wight, Britten, Billings, Tremont, Ford, Morey, Hall, Jablonka. DNS: Mahaney
Heat 2: Haers, McCreadie, Horton, Rudolph, Tomkins, Gilardi, Auchmoody, Doty, Hanson, Eurich, Buffalino
Heat 3: VanInwegen, J. Phelps, Sabia, Davis, Bachetti, Sheppard, Howard, R. Ricci, Hentschel, Mandell, Corradi
Heat 4: Corellis, Ward, Heotzler, R. Phelps, Markle, Schulz, Hill, Roger Chrysler, Berger, Mueller, Hitchcock
Heat 5: C. McKee, M. Ricci, Flach, Ruggiero, Johnson, Kolka, T. McKee, Randy Chrysler, Dubois, Haas, Eggers
Heat 6: Fuller, Meier, McGannon, Creeden, Scagliotta, Ferrier, Mills, Mitchell, Lombardo, Smykla, Rowe
Time Trials: 1. Hearn 20.763, 2. Hindley 20.837, 3. Dippel 21.043, 4. Friesen 21.052, 5. Perrego 21.072, 6. Higbie 21.072, 7. Edwards 21.080, 8. Haers 21.123, 9. J. Phelps 21.164, 10. Heotzler 21.191, 11. Flach 21.198, 12. Fuller 21.204, 13. Decker 21.207, 14. McCreadie 21.209, 15. VanInwegen 21.220, 16. Corellis 21.220, 17. C. McKee 21.245, 18. Meier 21.252, 19. Britten 21.253, 20. Horton 21.261, 21. Sheppard 21.272, 22. Schulz 21.279, 23. M. Ricci 21.283, 24. Creeden 21.312, 25. Billings 21.332, 26. Eurich 21.335, 27. Sabia 21,384, 28. Ward 21.384, 29. Ruggiero 21.415, 30. Mills 21.418, 31. Tremont 21.425, 32. Rudolph 21.460, 33. Howard 21.498, 34. R. Phelps 21.515, 35. Kolka 21.539, 36. McGannon 21.555, 37. Dodd 21.561, 38. Gilardi 21.561, 39. Davis 21.568, 40. Hill 21.609, 41. Johnson 21.630, 42. Mitchell 21.634, 43. Wight 21.649, 44. Tomkins 21.656, 45. Hentschel 21.741, 46. Mueller 21.771, 47. Randy Chrysler 21.779, 48. Ferrier 21.842, 49. Jablonka 21.847, 50. Buffalino 21.849, 51. Corradi 21.863, 52. Markle 21.876, 53. T. McKee 21.915, 54. Scagliotta 21.941, 55. Morey 21.982, 56. Hanson 22.004, 57. Bachetti 22.044, 58. Berger 22.072, 59. Haas 22.090, 60. Lombardo 22.095, 61. Ford 22.149, 62. Doty 22.168, 63. R. Ricci, 64. Roger Chrysler 22.322, 65. Dubois 22.424, 66. Smykla 22.514, 67. Hall 22.577, 68. Auchmoody 22.610, 69. Mandell 22.626, 70. Hitchcock 22.791, 71. Eggers 23.089, 72. Rowe 23.315. NT: Doty.
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, ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, KSE Racing Products, Mobil 1, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD LLC, Fox Shocks, Pole Position Raceway, Racing Electronics, Superflow and Wrisco Industries.
