Friday Banquet Release

Two releases will cover the Awards Banquet information...please use both. 
thank you, Kevin

LAROCHELLE, LOBDELL AND WIEGAND HONORED FRIDAY NIGHT AT LEBANON VALLEY



March 14, 2003

West Lebanon, NY- A capacity crowd was on hand Friday night to honor the 2002 
Champions in the Pro, Rookie and Pure Stock Divisions at Lebanon Valley 
Speedway. The Lebanon Valley clubhouse once again served as the locale for 
the awards banquet and was enjoyed by all. 

Paul LaRochelle from Dalton, Massachusetts was crowned the 2002 high point 
champion in the Pro Stock Division. LaRochelle pocketed a check for $2,220 
for his efforts. LaRochelle had two wins, 17 top five and 10 top ten finishes 
in route to the track championship. LaRochelle won the 2002 track 
championship by just two points over second place finisher, Rob Yetman. Third 
through tenth in the final point standings went like this; Jim Langenback. 
Danny Sanchez, Al Blackburn, Bob Duzlak Jr., Ed Bachand, Adam Haas, Robbie 
Speed and Jason DiBello. Danny Sanchez earned driver of the year honors in 
the Pro Stock division and Jason DiBello garnered Most Improved Driver 
honors.

Bill Lobdell was honored as the 2002 Champion in the Rookie Pro Stock 
division. Lobdell had three wins, 13 top five and 15 top ten finishes for the 
2002 season. Jay Corbin finished the 2002 season in second just six points 
behind Lobdell. Henry Warner, Bill Hammell and Kim LaVoy rounded out the top 
five in the 2002 Rookie Pro Stock Standings.

Peter Wiegand, from Cross River, NY visited victory lane six times on his way 
to the 2002 Pure Stock Point Championship. In the twenty races that were held 
in the Pure Stock division Wiegand finished in the top five seventeen times 
and only finished out of the top ten on one occasion! George Miles Jr., Pete 
DeFiglio, Bob Palmer and D.T. Pickard finished second through fifth in the 
final Pure Stock standings.

Ninth place finisher in the standings, Keith Barlow, picked up the 
prestigious Walt Schutt Memorial award. Schutt was a true gentleman both on 
the track and off and raced for the fun of the sport. 

Steve Van Zandt was on hand for the second straight year to entertain the 
crowd. Van Zandt is a national known comedian and has been on many television 
specials. Van Zandt had the crowd in stitches with his great impressions.

Lebanon Valley is all set to kick off its 51st year of competition on 
Saturday night April 19th. For more information about this event or any event 
on the 2003 calendar check out the speedway web site at www.lebanonvalley.com 
or call the speedway at (518) 794-9606 or (518) 794-9965.