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.