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Hearn Dominates For 10th OCFS Eastern States 358 Championship
Middletown, NY – October 20, 2007 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast PR Director
About the only things that have changed in the winner’s circle at Orange County Fair Speedway for Brett Hearn over the past 30 years are the number and color of the cars that have taken him there. For the 10th time in his career, including the inaugural trip to victory lane in 1977, Hearn captured the headline Hauser Bros. Mechanical Contractors 358-Modified Championship to kick off the 46th Eastern States Weekend at the historic Middletown , N.Y. oval.
“I can’t thank everybody enough, from the guys on the team to all my sponsors, this car was about as good as it gets out here,” beamed Hearn, following his track-high fourth DIRTcar 358-Modified feature win of the year at Orange County, easily the most lucrative as he took home $7,500 for the 50-minute jaunt on the ‘Hard Clay.’
“When its sunny during the daytime the track always gets abrasive so you do what you can to save tires. It was nice out there today with an outside groove in turns three and four when I need to go there. Early on I just sized up Pat (Ward) and when the time came I made the move that turned out to be all we needed,” said Hearn, who has won the Eastern States Small-Block title event when it began as 50-lapper in ’77, was lengthened to 100 laps before capping off at 150 laps the past dozen years. A late race caution extended Saturday’s scheduled century grind to 104 laps which mattered little to Hearn, who held on for his third Mr. DIRTcar Series win of the season.
Stewart Friesen salvaged second-place after runner-up Danny Johnson dropped from sight on the final restart, with fast time trailer Pat Ward, VRP Shocks Rookie of the Race Michael Storms and Orange County favorite Tim Hindley filling out the final front-five. Frenchman Mario Clair finished 32nd with 64 laps complete which was still good enough to clinch the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Championship.
For the second straight year, rain on Friday forced track officials to postpone the 358-Modified qualifying races until Saturday. This time around opening round Time Trials were also washed out, leaving one day to run off the entire event that attracted 81 entries.
Pat Ward from Genoa , N.Y. stopped the clocks at 21.777 sec. (103.320 mph) to collect the $250 WLR Construction Pole Award, with Friesen, Gary Edwards Jr., Hearn, Danny Johnson and Hindley also locking in top row starting positions. The 41-car starting grid was then set after six heats and three consolation round events were staged, with Rick Laubach, Tim Fuller, Tommy Meier, David VanHorn, Chris Shultz and Billy Decker scoring heat wins while young teenager Larry Wight, Andy Bachetti and Clair claimed the consis.
The initial green flag waved to begin the feature and Ward opened up an early lead while Hearn quickly took over the runner-up slot ahead of third-generation Canadian standout Friesen. Non-stop action around the fast 5/8-miler allowed Hearn to creep closer to Ward until the Sussex , N.J. superstar put Vinny Salerno’s Four Star Special underneath for good as the lead duo exit turn three on lap nine.
Once out front, Hearn was untouchable as he opened up comfortable advantages despite seven yellow flags ---mostly for flat tires--- giving his closest challengers a glimpse of the winning machine. Danny Johnson moved into second a third of the way through and had a runner-up finished sewed up until misfortune struck on the final lap 103 restart. Just as the field took the green, the #7J JIR Motorsports/Troyer mount suffered a broken drive-line entering turn one and when the checkered flag flew he was a distant 17th at the line.
Following Clair (2,123) in the final Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Championship point standings are Danny O’Brien (2,070), Carey Terrance (2,046), Mike Adderley (2,033), Roy Tarbell (1,970), Lance Willix (1,943), Pete Bicknell (1,850), Mark Smoke (1,842), Robbie Grant (1,792) and Pierre Dagenais (1,733).
Eastern States Weekend activity continues on Sunday with a full program of DIRTcar Pro Stock action, DIRTcar Big-Block Modified consolation round qualifiers and the 46th running of the Eastern States 200 Modified Championship finale. Pit gates are slated to open at 8 am and grandstands at 9 o’clock followed by the popular Race Against Drugs Pit Party, 9:30-10:30 am.
Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Race #13 – Orange County Fair Speedway , Oct. 20, 2007 Eastern States Hauser Brothers Mechanical Contractors 100 Championship Event Summary
FEATURE:
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER LAPS
1 4 4* Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ 104
2 2 ofp1 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT 104
3 1 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY 104
4 13 4s Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ 104
5 6 94 Tim Hindley/ Monticello ,NY 104
6 8 19 Tim Fuller/Edwards,NY 104
7 9 33-1/3 Tommy Meier/Waldwick,NJ 104
8 28 17 Jerry Higbie/ Slate Hill , NY 104
9 20 84 Gary Tomkins/ Clifton Springs , NY 104
10 32 4 Andy Bachetti/ Sheffield , MA 104
11 7 14 Rick Laubach/ Quakertown , PA 104
12 24 33 Craig Mitchell/Wappingers Falls,NY 104
13 3 55 Gary Edwards Jr./ Bloomingburg , NY 104
14 18 17d Danny O'Brien/Kingston,ONT 104
15 16 124 Pierre DagenaisGatineau,QUE 104
16 17 16x Danny Creeden/ Middletown , NY 104
17 5 7j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY 103
18 31 99w Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY 103
19 23 80 Dom Roselli/Middletown,NY 103
20 38 66x Carey Terrance/Hogansburg,NY 103
21 27 115 Kenny Tremont/ West Sand Lake , NY 103
22 26 10 Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY 103
23 35 r2 Rusty Smith/Bethlehem,PA 101
24 25 1x Willy Decker/ Vernon , NY 100
25 34 73 Rick Mill/New Windsor , NY 100
26 40 99 Mike Adderley/ Watertown , NY 90
27 30 12e Eric Palmer/Cresco,PA 80
28 22 211 Chuck McKee/ Middletown , NY 79
29 10 71 David VanHorn/ Phillipsburg , NJ 74
30 12 91 Billy Decker/ Unadilla , NY 69
31 15 87 Martin Gagne/ Granby ,QUE 65
32 33 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE 64
33 41 77g Robbie Grant/Malone,NY 61
34 37 1 Roy Tarbell/Hogansburg,NY 55
35 11 24 Chris Shultz/ Pawling , NY 53
36 21 21k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY 49
37 29 16r A.J. Romano/ Johnstown , NY 39
38 14 12a Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg,NY 24
39 39 9s Mark Smoke/Akwesasne,NY 21
40 19 16 Lance Willix II/Theresa,NY 12
41 36 4b Donnie Wilson/Ramsey,NJ 7
LAP LEADERS: Ward (1-8), Hearn (9-104).
TOTAL LAPS LED: 96-Hearn, 8-Ward.
CAUTIONS: 7 for 24 laps.
HIG FABRICATION HALFWAY BONUS: Brett Hearn.
VRP SHOCKS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Mike Storms.
BILSTEIN SHOCKS HARD CHARGER: Andy Bachetti.
GATER RACING NEWS HARD LUCK: Danny Johnson.
HEAT WINNERS: Laubach, Fuller, Meier, VanHorn, Shultz, B.Decker.
CONSI WINNERS: Wight, Bachetti, Clair.
WLR CONSTRUCTION POLE WINNER: Pat Ward (21.777sec/103.320mph).
CARS ENTERED: 81
DID NOT QUALIFY(40)
X-Ben Rizzo/Middletown,NY
1x-Jeff Hulseapple/ Bloomingburg , NY
1s-Dan Barnes/ Honesdale , PA
1LB-Allan Kellogg/ Mt. Cobb , PA
3-Eric Holmgren/ Middletown , NY
4c-Bill Cherry/New Windsor , NY
4r-Mike Ruggiero/ Walden , NY
4SL-Bob Hentschel/Pine Bush,NY
7k-Kirk Horton/Eldred,NY
7L-Mel Lewis/New Windsor , NY
9j-Johnny Guarino/ Nanuet , NY
17e-Elmo Reckner/ Ballston Lake , NY
19p-Michel Pelletier/Ste-Anne de Sorel,QUE
20c-Craig Hanson/ Tribes Hill , NY
22-Doc Young/Middletown,NY
23-Chris Kervatt/ Wantage , NJ
27-Rich Coons/ Middletown , NY
27s-Jake Schlagel/ Wanaque , NJ
27w-Jerry Wildrick/ Sussex ,NJ
28-Alan Barker/ Norwich , NY
28m-Steve McIlroy/Middletown,NY
36-Colin Jackson/ Peckville , PA
44x-Stan Jablonka/ Poughquag , NY
50-Frank Cristiano/ Hackensack , NJ
51-Jim VanAnden/ Stormville , NY
53-Joey Barbagallo Jr./ Branchville , NJ
54j-Roger Chrysler/ Lewiston , NY
57a-Keith VanOyan/Pine Bush,NY
70-Eric Acquaro/New Windsor , NY
85-Dan Vauter/ Forest City , PA
85n-Erik Nelson/ Amsterdam , NY
93m-Matt Papiez/Belle Mead,NJ
94-Ray Hoard/ Granville , NY
99k-Kevin Duryea/Wallkill,NY
111-Art Liedl/ Flemington , NJ
124b- Billy Dunn / Watertown , NY
151-Gary Napolitano/ Whippany , NJ
220-John Ferrier/ Middletown , PA
7-17-Everett Haubrich/Lafayette,NJ
959-Brett Graham/ Kerhonkson , NY
QUALIFYING
WLR CONSTRUCTION 358-MODIFIED TIME TRIALS
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
1 21.777 103.320 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
*$250 – WLR Construction Pole Award
2 21.918 102.655 ofp1 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
3 22.032 102.124 55 Gary Edwards Jr./ Bloomingburg , NY
22.032 102.124 4* Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
5 22.061 101.990 7j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
6 22.082 101.893 94h Tim Hindley/Monticello,NY
7 22.094 101.838 14 Rick Laubach/ Quakertown , PA
8 22.099 101.815 12a Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg,NY
9 22.110 101.764 33-1/3 Tommy Meier/Waldwick,NJ
10 22.210 101.306 124 Pierre DagenaisGatineau,QUE
11 22.224 101.242 24 Chris Shultz/ Pawling , NY
12 22.225 101.237 17d Danny O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
13 22.264 101.060 4s Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ
14 22.272 101.024 19 Tim Fuller/Edwards,NY
15 22.281 100.983 87 Martin Gagne/ Granby ,QUE
16 22.360 100.626 71 David VanHorn/ Phillipsburg , NJ
17 22.362 100.617 16x Danny Creeden/ Middletown , NY
18 22.370 100.581 91 Billy Decker/ Unadilla , NY
19 22.394 100.473 16 Lance Willix II/Theresa,NY
20 22.439 100.272 84 Gary Tomkins/ Clifton Springs , NY
21 22.445 100.245 21k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
22 22.458 100.187 94 Ray Hoard/Granville,NY
23 22.490 100.044 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
24 22.513 99.942 33 Craig Mitchell/Wappingers Falls,NY
25 22.519 99.916 1x Willy Decker/ Vernon , NY
26 22.527 99.880 17e Elmo Reckner/ Ballston Lake , NY
27 22.541 99.818 115 Kenny Tremont/ West Sand Lake , NY
28 22.548 99.787 211 Chuck McKee/ Middletown , NY
29 22.589 99.606 16r A.J. Romano/ Johnstown , NY
30 22.598 99.566 12e Eric Palmer/Cresco,PA
31 22.602 99.549 99w Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
32 22.604 99.540 10 Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
33 22.612 99.505 4 Andy Bachetti/ Sheffield , MA
34 22.640 99.382 124b Billy Dunn /Watertown,NY
35 22.658 99.303 7k Kirk Horton/Eldred,NY
36 22.668 99.259 99k Kevin Duryea/Wallkill,NY
37 22.682 99.198 9s Mark Smoke/Akwesasne,NY
38 22.684 99.189 22 Doc Young/Middletown,NY
39 22.707 99.088 9 Johnny Guarino/ Nanuet , NY
40 22.716 99.049 27 Rich Coons/ Middletown , NY
41 22.721 99.027 85v Dan Vauter/ Forest City , PA
42 22.781 98.767 99 Mike Adderley/ Watertown , NY
43 22.783 98.758 51 Jim VanAnden/ Stormville , NY
44 22.795 98.706 1 Roy Tarbell/Hogansburg,NY
45 22.816 98.615 93m Matt Papiez/Belle Mead,NJ
46 22.817 98.611 66x Carey Terrance/Hogansburg,NY
47 22.847 98.481 80 Dom Roselli/Middletown,NY
48 22.890 98.296 4b Donnie Wilson/Ramsey,NJ
49 22.900 98.253 73 Rick Mill/New Windsor , NY
50 22.934 98.108 959 Brett Graham/Kerhonkson,NY
51 22.978 97.920 85 Erik Nelson/ Amsterdam , NY
52 22.986 97.886 r2 Rusty Smith/Bethlehem,PA
22.986 97.886 28 Alan Barker/ Norwich , NY
54 22.992 97.860 7-17 Everett Haubrich/Lafayette,NJ
55 23.035 97.677 53 Joey Barbagallo Jr./ Branchville , NJ
56 23.037 97.669 20c Craig Hanson/ Tribes Hill , NY
57 23.069 97.533 1LB Allan Kellogg/ Mt. Cobb , PA
@58 23.088 97.453 4r Mike Ruggiero/Walden,NY
59 23.288 96.616 151 Gary Napolitano/ Whippany , NJ
60 23.318 96.492 19p Michel Pelletier/Ste-Anne de Sorel,QUE
61 23.385 96.216 27s Jake Schlagel/Wanaque,NJ
62 23.393 96.183 X Ben Rizzo/ Middletown , NY
23.393 96.183 23 Chris Kervatt/ Wantage , NJ
64 23.414 96.096 54j Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
65 23.452 95.941 3 Eric Holmgren/ Middletown , NY
66 23.471 95.863 50 Frank Cristiano/ Hackensack , NJ
67 23.493 95.773 36 Colin Jackson/Peckville,PA
68 23.652 95.129 27w Jerry Wildrick/Sussex,NJ
@69 23.662 95.089 4c Bill Cherry/New Windsor , NY
@70 23.779 94.621 111 Art Liedl/Flemington,NJ
@71 24.342 92.433 44x Stan Jablonka/ Poughquag , NY
@72 24.527 91.736 57a Keith VanOyan/Pine Bush,NY
@73 24.698 91.100 7L Mel Lewis/New Windsor , NY
74 25.208 89.257 70 Eric Acquaro/New Windsor , NY
75 - NT- ----- 1h Jeff Hulseapple/Bloomingburg,NY
76 - NT- ----- 1s Dan Barnes/Honesdale,PA
77 - NT- ----- 4SL Bob Hentschel/Pine Bush,NY
78 - NT- ----- 17 Jerry Higbie/ Slate Hill , NY
79 - NT- ----- 28m Steve McIlroy/ Middletown , NY
80 - NT- ----- 77g Robbie Grant/Malone,NY
@81 - NT- ----- 220 John Ferrier/ Middletown , PA
@-Disqualified for technical infraction.
*Top-6 locked into Eastern States 100 starting positions;
Heat Races (8 laps, top-4 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Laubach, Storms, Willix, W.Decker, Mill, Wight, Smoke, Schlagel, Barbagallo, VanAnden, Jackson, Lewis (DNS).
#2: Fuller, R.Johnson, Tomkins, A.Johnson, Reckner, Graham, Tarbell, Kervatt, Young, Wildrick, Acquaro, Hanson.
#3: Meier, Gagne, Ra.Chrysler, Tremont, Bachetti, Guarino, Papiez, Nelson, Rizzo, Ferrier, Kellogg, Cherry (DNS).
#4: VanHorn, Dagenais, McKee, Higbie, Smith, Dunn, Hoard, Terrance, Ro.Chrysler, Liedl, Ruggiero, Coons (DNS).
#5: Shultz, Creeden, Roselli, Romano, Clair, Barker, Jablonka (DSQ), K.Horton, Napolitano, Holmgren, Vauter.
#6: B.Decker, O’Brien, Mitchell, Adderley (DSQ), Palmer, Wilson, Cristiano, Pelletier, Duryea, Grant, Hentschel, Hulseapple, Haubrich, VanOyen (DNS).
Consolation Round (8 laps, top-2 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Wight, Mill, Reckner, Tarbell, Barbagallo, Schlagel, VanAnden, Smoke, Wildrick, Graham, Kervatt (DNS), Young (DNS), Jackson (DNS), Acquaro (DNS), Hanson (DNS).
#2: Bachetti, Smith, Guarino, Dunn, Terrance, Papiez, Kellogg, Hoard, Ro.Chrysler, Nelson, Ruggiero, Liedl, Ferrier (DNS).
#3: Clair, Wilson , Barker, Duryea, K.Horton, Napolitano, Rizzo, Jablonka, Adderley, Vauter, Grant, Cristiano, Pelletier (DNS), Holmgren (DNS), Hentschel, Hulseapple, Haubrich.
Provisionals: Tarbell, Terrance, Smoke, Adderley, Grant.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The 32nd annual DIRTcar Racing NorthEast ‘Night of Champions’ Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, November 17 at the Oncenter Complex in Syracuse, New York. The banquet will honor the 2007 series champions in the Advance Auto Parts Modified, 358-Modified, Sportsman, Pro Stock and Street Stock divisions. DIRTcar-sanctioned Track Champions will also be recognized at a special Media Luncheon that same afternoon in the Empire Room on the NYS Fairgrounds. Track promoters and operators will convene on Friday, November 16 for the annual DIRTcar track meetings at the Renaissance Hotel Conference Center in downtown Syracuse .
2007 Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Championship Series Schedule
DAY-DATE LAPS TRACK WINNER
Mon-Aug 20 100 Autodrome Drummond Brett Hearn
Tue-Aug 21 100 Autodrome Granby Kayle Robidoux
Sun-Sep 2 100 Cornwall Motor Speedway David Hebert
Fri-Sep 7 100 Autodrome Edelweiss Danny O’Brien
Sat-Sep 8 50 Lebanon Valley Speedway Kenny Tremont
Fri-Sep 14 52 Can-Am Motorsports Park Danny O’Brien
Sat-Sep 15 101 Brockville Ont Speedway Danny O’Brien
Fri-Sep 21 75 Rolling Wheels Raceway Pat Ward
Wed-Oct 3 76 Can-Am Motorsports Park Tim Fuller
Thr-Oct 4 75 Brewerton Speedway Brett Hearn
Fri-Oct 5 100 Rolling Wheels Raceway Tim Fuller
Sat-Oct 6 150 New York State Fairgrnds Brett Hearn
Sat-Oct 20 100 Orange Co Fair Speedway Brett Hearn
*All events subject to change.
2007 EASTERN STATES WEEKEND EVENTS SCHEDULE
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21
Pit gates open, 8:00 am;
Race Against Drugs Eastern States Pit Party, 9:30-10:30 am;
Pro Stock Hot Laps;
Big-Block Modified Hot Laps;
Leader Carpet Eastern States Pro Stock Championship;
Big-Block Modified Consolation Races (8 more qualify);
46th Eastern States 200, an Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series event (44 cars to start), 2:00 pm.
*All times/events subject to change.
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds 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., F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries. |
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