“The Jet” conquers his Orange County Fair Speedway for 9th career Eastern States 200 win
MIDDLETOWN, N. Y. – Oct. 22, 2012 – With another big Super DIRTcar Series win, Brett Hearn is on a roll.
This year’s VP Small Engine Fuels 200 champion took the fast time Saturday during qualifying events at Orange County Fair Speedway, locking in the top starting position for Sunday’s Eastern States 200. He wrapped up the night with 358-Modified win, and came back the next day to take home the Eastern States 200 trophy.
“After coming off the big win at Syracuse, and to come here and have a dream weekend, dominating everything from the qualifying events on, I don’t’ know what to say,” said Hearn, of Sussex, N. J. “Somebody’s on my side and i’m loving every minute of it.”
Hearn, whose experience at “The Hard Clay” at Orange County Fair Speedway includes eight prior Big-Block Modified Eastern States 200 victories, took the lead at the initial green. He pulled aside for a well-timed pit stop in lap 60 under yellow conditions, making his way back up to third by lap 90. At that point, neither then-leader Tim Fuller nor Kenny Tremont, then in second, had made the mandatory post-lap-60 pit stop requiring drivers to fuel up.
A caution in lap 108 gave Fuller and Tremont the chance to pit without losing laps, but the opportunity came too late. Hearn took the lead in lap 115, and would not relinquish for the remaining 85 laps.
“We don’t want a car that’s going to be good for the first 30 laps; we want one that’s going to be good in the last 30,” said Hearn, whose knowledge of the 5/8-mile Orange County Fair Speedway oval, in addition to endurance, helped him succeed. “We started getting a lot of momentum off turn 2. When i’m able to do that here, i’m always fast can do that here.”
Billy Decker, of Unadilla, N. Y., finished second after a strong run and a successful lap-60 pit stop helped propel him forward from his ninth starting spot.
“The car was pretty good and we had a great pit stop, it just wasn’t as good as the 20 car,” Decker said.
A pile-up in turns three and four involving Orange County Fair Speedway track champion Jerry Higbie, Donnie Corellis, Pete Britten, Gary Tomkins, Jimmy Phelps, Tim McCreadie, Danny Creeden, and Danny Johnson brought out the only red flag of the race in lap 79. The collision caused Johnson’s 27J to roll over, but when crews righted the 27J car, Johnson was able to wheel away from the scene of the accident virtually unharmed.
“The Doctor” Johnson ducked into the pits during caution to freshen up, and broke the top 5 in lap 125. In lap 190, Johnson passed Jeff Heotzler for fourth place and seemed ready to make a shocking comeback, until a right rear flat in lap 192 took the 27J to the pits. Danny Johnson, of Rochester, N. Y., finished 15th.
Tim McCreadie also recovered quickly from the lap-79 collision, taking his 4* to fourth place by lap 113 and passing Justin Haers for third in lap 115. McCreadie, of Watertown, N. Y., kept the third-place position, following Hearn and Decker across the finish line even after a suspenseful restart and green-white-checkered finish threatened his position.
Jimmy Phelps, of Baldwinsville, N. Y., finished fourth after starting sixth and taking the first opportunity in lap 60 to make the requisite pit stop. Phelps also stayed strong after the lap-79 collision, breaking the top five late in the race.
Justin Haers, of Phelps, N. Y., started eighth and made it to third in lap 113, but fell behind McCreadie and Phelps to finish fifth. Rounding out the top ten in the Eastern States 200 were Matt Sheppard in sixth, Kenny Tremont in seventh, Tim Fuller in eighth, Jerry Higbie in ninth, and Andy Bachetti in tenth.
Next up for the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series is the PEAK Motor Oil World of Outlaws World Finals presented by NAPA Auto Parts Thursday, Nov. 1, through Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Dirt Track at Charlotte.
Super DIRTcar Series – Statistical Report
Eastern States 200, Orange County Fair Speedway – Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012
A-Main (100 laps): 1. 20H Brett Hearn; 2. 91 Billy Decker; 3. 4* Tim McCreadie; 4. 98h Jimmy Phelps; 5. 3 Justin Haers; 6. 9s Matt Sheppard; 7. 115 Kenny Tremont, Jr.; 8. 74 Tim Fuller; 9. 97 Jerry Higbie; 10. 34b Andy Bachetti; 11. 10V Billy VanInwegen; 12. 77J Keith Flach; 13. 8 Rich Scagliotta; 14. 84T Gary Tomkins; 15. 27J Danny Johnson; 16. 56 Vince Vitale; 17. 10x Randy Sherlock; 18. 24s Chris Schultz; 19. 49 Billy Dunn; 20. 53 Ric Hill; 21. 57 Donnie Corellis; 22. 88 Steve Dodd; 23. 6X Jackie Brown; 24. 3h Jeff Heotzler; 25. 2rj Ronnie Johnson; 26. 33 1/3 Tommy Meier; 27. 19 Chuck McKee; 28. 5* Tyler Siri; 29. 21 Clinton Mills; 30. 66 Bobby Varin; 31. 8R Rob Bellinger; 32. 79 Jeremy Markle; 33. 2b Dominick Buffalino; 34. 21a Pete Briten; 35. 21k Randy Chrysler; 36. 14e Richie Eurich; 37. 10c Tim Currier; 38. 4R Mike Ruggiero; 39. dc1 Danny Creeden; 40. 1 Stewart Friesen; 41. 48T Dave Rauscher; 42. 99L Larry Wight; 43. 5 Jimmy Horton; 44. 42P Pat Ward; 45. 1H Tim Hindley
Lap leaders:
Hearn (1 – 60, 113 – 200)
Tremont (61 – 70)
Fuller (71 – 112)
Non-Qualifiers Race 1 (12 laps): 1. 48T Dave Rauscher; 2. 2b Dominick Buffalino; 3. dc1 Danny Creeden; 4. 21m Bob McGannon; 5. 8 Rich Scagliotta; 6. 25K Mike Kolka; 7. OBs John Ferrier; 8. 84 Melvin Schrufer; 9. 71d Frank Doty; 10. X Jeff Kitchell
Non-Qualifiers Race 2 (12 laps): 1. 4R Mike Ruggiero; 2. 24s Chris Schultz; 3. 19 Chuck McKee; 4. 10h Matt Hitchcock; 5. 21a Pete Britten; 6. 20C Craig Hanson; 7. 7s Michael Sabia; 8. 27 David Hunt; 9. 347 Steve Nowakowski; 10. 5* Tyler Siri
Heat 1: 1. 27J Danny Johnson; 2. 1 Stewart Friesen; 3. 5 Jimmy Horton; 4. 57 Donnie Corellis; 5. 8R Rob Bellinger; 6. 48T Dave Rauscher; 7. 2b Dominich Buffalino; 8. 21m Bob McGannon; 9. 21p Pepi Carradi; 10. 4sL Bobby Hentschel
Heat 2: 1. 3 Justin Haers; 2. 10V Billy Van Inwegen; 3. 21k Randy Chrysler; 4. 42P Pat Ward; 5. 3h Jeff Heotzler; 6. 3K Mark Kislowsky; 7. 10h Matt Hitchcock; 8. 24s Chris Shultz; 9. 27 David Hunt; 10. 21L Jeff Hulseapple
Heat 3: 1. 91 Billy Decker; 2. 66 Bobby Varin; 3. 1H Tim Hindley; 4. 88 Steve Dodd; 5. 21 Clinton Mills; 6. dc1 Danny Creeden; 7. 8 Rich Scagliotta; 8. 93x Craig Mitchell; 9. 71d Frank Doty
Heat 4: 1. 115 Kenny Tremont, Jr.; 2. 84T Gary Tomkins; 3. 33.3 Tommy Meier; 4. 10s Randy Sherlock; 5. 2R Ronnie Johnson; 6. 21a Pete Britten; 7. 5* Tyler Siri; 8. 20C Craig Hanson; 9. 15 Adam Pierson
Heat 5: 1. 74 Tim Fuller; 2. 6X Jackie Brown; 3. 99L Larry Wight; 4. 77J Keith Flach; 5. 10c Tim Currier; 6. 25K Mike Kolka; 7. 6N Kevin Bates; 8. 84 Melvin Schrufer; 9. J17 Jeff Heotzler
Heat 6: 1. 9s Matt Sheppard, 2. 14e Richie Eurich; 3. 79 Jeremy Markle; 4. 53 Ric Hill; 5. 56 Vince Vitale; 6. 4R Mike Ruggiero; 7. 347 Steve Nowakowski; 8. 7s Michael Sabia; 9. 19 Chuck McKee
Time trials: 1. 20H Brett Hearn, 21.620; 2. 49 Billy Dunn, 21.648; 3. 97 Jerry Higbie, 21.965; 4. 34b Andy Bachetti, 22.001; 5. 20HH Brett Hearn, 22.019; 6. 4* Tim McCreadie, 22.045; 7. 98b Jimmy Phelps, 22.076; 8. 27J Danny Johnson, 22.120; 9. 3 Justin Haers, 22.133; 10. 98H Jimmy Phelps, 22.174; 11. 91 Billy Decker, 22.192; 12. 115 Kenny Tremont, Jr., 22.211; 13. 6X Jackie Brown, 22.278; 14. 9s Matt Sheppard, 22.295; 15. 1 Stewart Friesen, 22.303; 16. 10V Billy Van Inwegen, 22.317; 17. 66 Bobby Varin, 22.324; 18. 84T Gary Tomkins, 22.338; 19. 74 Tim Fuller, 22.463; 20. 53 Ric Hill, 22.471; 21. 5 Jimmy Horton, 22.499; 22. 42P Pat Ward, 22.515; 23. 88 Steve Dodd, 22.533; 24. 33.3 Tommy Meier, 22.556; 25. 77J Keith Flach, 22.562; 26. 14e Richie Eurich, 22.565; 27. 57 Donnie Corellis, 22.577; 28. 21k Randy Chrysler, 22.580; 29. 1H Tim Hindley, 22.635; 30. 10s Randy Sherlock, 22.580; 31. 33.3 Tommy Meier, 22.674; 32. 10VV Billy Van Inwegen; 33. 10c Tim Currier, 22.696; 34. 79 Jeremy Markle, 22.704; 35. 48T Dave Rauscher, 22.710; 36. 3h Jeff Heotsler, 22.747; 37. dc1 Danny Creeden, 22.750; 38. 21a Pete Britten, 22.771; 39. 99L Larry Wight, 22.803; 40. 19 Chuck McKee, 22.815; 41. 8R Rob Bellinger, 22.836; 42. 10h Matt Hitchcock, 22.849; 43. 21 Clinton Mills, 22.850; 44. 2R Ronnie Johnson, 22.859; 45. 25KK Mike Kolka, 22.887; 46. 56 Vince Vitale, 22.936; 47. 2b Dominick Buffalino, 22.988; 48. 3K Mark Kislowsky, 23.001; 49. 25K Mike Kolka, 23.003; 50. 8 Rich Scagliotta, 23.004; 51. 5* Tyler Siri, 23.040; 52. 6N Kevin Bates, 23.049; 53. 7s Michael Sabia, 23.068; 54. 21MM Bob McGannon, 23.106; 55. 33R Chuck McKee, 23.145; 56. 24s Chris Schultz, 23. 156; 57. 21m Bob McGannon, 23.228; 58. 93x Craig Mitchell, 23.235; 59. 20C Craig Hanson, 23.246; 60. 10SS Randy Sherlock, 23.259; 61. 84 Melvin Schrufer, 23.272; 62. 4RR Mike Ruggiero, 23.392; 63. 21p Pepi Corradi, 23.397; 64. 27 David Hunt, 23.434; 65. 71d Frank Doty, 23.435; 66. 15 Adam Pierson, 23.452; 67. J17 Jeff Heotsler, Jr., 23.563; 68. 347 Steve Nowakowski, 23.609; 69. 4R Mike Ruggiero, 23.630; 70. 4sl Bobby Hentschel, 23.811; 71. 21L Jeff Hulseapple, 24.172