TRACKS: Tremont Repeats as Mr. Dirt Track USA
6 August 1999
WEST LEBANON, NY- Kenny Tremont was the winner of the Mr. Dirt Track, USA
race at Lebanon Valley Thursday night. Tremont earned $17,500 for his twelfth
win of the season. Tremont also earned a guaranteed starting spot for the
Eckerd 300. The Pro Stocks were also on hand for the Hoosier Tire Mr. DIRT
Pro Stock Series. Lebanon Valley regular, Henry Tanner took the win in the
25-lap event.
Vic Coffey drew the pole for the 99-lap Mr. Dirt Track, USA feature and
took command of the race in the early laps. The field set a torrid pace in
the early portion of the race as they began to encounter lapped traffic on
lap 12. Chris Kokosa dropped from the event on lap seven, he would return
several times during the race. Billy Decker was looking to be a factor early
in the race; he sat third by lap eleven.
Danny Johnson had to start the race with a backup car, but his night came
to an end on lap 13. The first yellow flag of the race came out on lap 14
when Andy Bachetti spun in turn three. The top five at that point were
Coffey, Rob Pitcher, Billy Decker, Tim Dwyer and Bobby Varin. Jack Cottrell
dropped from the race on lap 16. Coffey did not fire on the restart and
Pitcher grabbed the lead. Tremont was already up to sixth at this point in
the event.
Decker used the restart to grab the lead from Pitcher and Tremont jumped
up to third. Jeff Trombley brought out the caution on lap 24 when he hit the
wall in turn one. Tremont moved up to second on the restart as the caution
flew yet again on lap 30. This set up a restart with Decker and Tremont side
by side. The suspense was short-lived as Decker's tire came off on the
restart handing the lead to Tremont. Dwyer took over third on the lap 40
restart. Dave Camara started the feature from the consolation event and had
worked his way up to ninth by lap 44.
Tim Fuller and Dickie Larkin both dropped from the race on lap 45. The
top ten at the halfway point were Tremont, Varin, Dwyer, Pitcher, Mike Ricci,
Mike Benson, Heffner, Camara, Steve Bottcher and Donnie Corellis. The leaders
worked their way back up to lapped traffic by lap 54. Tim McCreadie brought
out the caution on lap 58. Hearn used the caution to go to the pits for the
second time on lap 60.
Mike Benson had a top five run going late in the race. His good run came
to an end a lap 72 with mechanical difficulties. Heffner moved up into the
top five as a result. Todd Wilkinson dropped from the race on lap 85, which
left 26 out of the 39 starters still running. The battle for the second spot
between Varin and Dwyer began to heat up in the final ten laps. Guy Sheldon
exited the race on lap 94 while running in the top ten.
Bottcher blew a hose and dropped fluid on the track on lap 97. He and several
other cars spun in the liquid. This set up a two-lap shootout for the finish.
Tremont proved to be much to powerful on the point and took home his biggest
payday on the year. Varin had a very impressive run in second, with Dwyer
third, Mike Ricci fourth and Heffner rounded out the top five. Four out of
the top five finishers were Lebanon Valley regulars. It was a very tough
night for the top five in the Advance Auto Super Dirt Series. Hoffman
finished tenth, Hearn eleventh, Paine 22nd and Decker 32nd.
Henry Tanner led all 25-laps of the Hoosier Tire Mr. Dirt Pro Stock
feature. Current series point leader Tom Kuck challenged him for the final
15-laps. Kuck and Frank Twing had a good battle for the second spot swapping
the position several times during the race. Tanner was able to hold off all
challenges and take home the win, Kuck was second, Twing third, Lagenback
fourth and Tom Cannizzaro fifth.
BUDWEISER MR DIRT TRACK, USA FINISH (99-LAPS)- Kenny Tremont Jr, Bobby Varin,
Tim Dwyer, Mike Ricci, J.R. Heffner, Dave Camara, Donnie Corellis, Rob
Pitcher, Jimmy Horton, Doug Hoffman, Brett Hearn, Rich Ricci Jr, John Hewitt,
Pat Ward, Jody Tornabene, Alan Johnson, Steve Bottcher, Mitch Gibbs, Ron
Blake, Eddie Marshall, Mike King, Steve Paine, Guy Sheldon, Todd Wilkinson,
Vic Coffey, Russ Reckner, Mike Benson, Tim McCreadie, Dickie Larkin, Tim
Fuller, Jason Goff, Billy Decker, Chris Kokosa, Brian Berger, Ronnie Johnson,
Jeff Trombley, Don Ackner, Andy Bachetti, Jack Cottrell, Danny Johnson
MR DIRT PRO STOCK FINISH (25-LAPS) Henry Tanner, Tom Kuck, Frank Twing, Jim
Langenback, Tom Cannizzaro, Dave Kokindo, Ted Teal, Jipp Ortiz, Adam, Haas,
Tom Byrne, Kevin Ward, Les Whyte, Mike Loney, Robbie Speed, Jay Resch, Randy
Miller, Kevin Jordan, Scott Govertsen, T.J. Fitzgibbons, Dave Schultz, Wayne
Oliver, Joe Palmer, Chris Morris, Bob Miller, Butch Irwin, Bob Duzlak, Rob
Noviczski, Kirk Stanaway