6-14 LEBANON VALLEY RESULTS

"PRESS RELEASE" For Immediate Release

June 14, 2003

Contact: Kevin Wright

Phone: 518-794-9606

RICCI CASHES 1ST WIN OF '03; BENNETT HAULS IN CAREER 1ST

West Lebanon, NY-Finally Mother Nature allowed a race to be completed at Lebanon Valley on a Saturday night. Rich Ricci Jr. captured the 30-lap modified feature victory nearly a month since the last race had been run on a Saturday night. It was the first win of the season for the New Paltz native. Joe Bennett earned his first career victory at Lebanon Valley in the 20-lap sportsman feature. Rob Yetman took home the 20-lap pro stock victory in exciting fashion while Earl Soulier, Jeff Douglas, Ronnie Jacobsen and Scott Kilmer won the pure stock features. Rick Dempsey won the men's cannonball feature. Two great companies, KEY BANK and HEAVY HAULER were the evening's main sponsors. 

Russ Reckner and Paul Gilardi led thirty-four modifieds to the green flag in the 30-lap main event. The caution flag flew on the very first lap for a car turned around in the first turn. Rich Ricci Jr wasted no time vaulting from his sixth place starting spot and into the lead by the third lap. Kenny Tremont Jr and Andy Bachetti weren't far behind in fourth and fifth. With so many cars on the racetrack, Ricci had caught the back of the field by lap seven with his Fall Fittings #55. Tremont made his way past Sparky Lowe for second on lap eight and Brett Hearn passed Lowe for third on the same lap.

The front runners were plagued with lapped traffic throughout a majority of the feature. Hearn made a daring move in traffic to take second from Tremont on lap 13. The second caution of the race came just passed the halfway point on lap 17 for Hawley Smith and Charlie Hume who were stopped in the third turn. Bachetti grabbed third from Tremont on the restart, but Tremont was able to reclaim that spot two laps later.

Everywhere you looked there was great racing action happening. But with two-thirds of the race completed many fans began to focus on the front trio of Ricci, Hearn and Tremont. Hearn began to apply the pressure to Ricci looking for a place to pass, but Ricci was able to fend off all challenges so far. Between lapped traffic and the lead duo fighting side by side, Tremont was able to close the gap and put himself in contention. With two laps to go the leaders were in extremely heavy lapped traffic and it looked like all heck was going to break loose. The final caution of the race flew on lap 28 when several cars in the middle of the pack came together. This gave Hearn and Tremont a clean shot at the leader. 

Ricci was shot out of a cannon of the restart as he motored away from Hearn and Tremont. Ricci easily cruised home for his first win of 2003 at the Valley. Ricci became the sixth different feature winner in six events at the Valley in 2003. Following Hearn and Tremont across the line were Bachetti in fourth and Eddie Marshall in fifth.

Joe Bennett took control of the 20-lap sportsman feature at the drop of the green flag and never looked back. The first of only two caution periods came on lap three for a huge multi-car pile up in turn one. The scariest crash of the night came on lap seven when K.C. Goewey and Kory Gurney made contact on the front straightway. The contact sent Goewey spinning backward with the field charging down in him. A great bit of driving on Goewey's part as well as the other competitors allowed Goewey to be a factor later in the race. At the halfway point it was Bennett, Lorne Browe, Ed Harkins, Ryan Larkin and Gurney in the top five. 

The story line in the second half of the race focused on Goewey's charge back up through the field. By lap eleven he had made his way back to ninth. That very same lap he made a daring move passed three more cars to sit sixth. Browe tried to pressure Bennett into making a mistake as the two battled for the lead on lap 16, but Bennett was strong to the challenge. On the final lap Goewey made his way past Browe into second but never had a chance to catch the leader. A very emotional Joe Bennett made his way to victory lane for the very fist time at Lebanon Valley. Browe hung on for third, with Larkin fourth and Bobby Knipe rounding out the top five.

The 20-lap pro stock feature was wild on Saturday night. A nine-car pileup on the first lap involved many of the top runners. Two victims of that wreck were the Blackburn brothers, Al and Dan. Unfortunately both were done for the night. When the race went back to green Chris Crews was on the point. At the halfway mark it was Crews, Tom Brandt, Robbie Speed, Paul LaRochelle and Frank Twing. Danny Sanchez was making his way back through the field after being involved in the lap one incident as he took fourth on lap 12

The action up front was really staring to heat up with a three-way battle for the lead. Sanchez saw how much fun the top three were having a closed in to join them. Brandt made his way to the point on lap sixteen with Sanchez right on his heels. Brandt and Sanchez made contact on lap 18 sending Brandt into the turn one wall and giving the lead to Sanchez. But Sanchez's lead was short-lived as he suffered a flat tire on the restart, probably from the contact between he and Brandt. Under the yellow for Sanchez, Crews was sent to the rear for trying to pass before the start finish line on the previous restart.

This gave the lead over to Robbie Speed with Rob Yetman on his bumper. The two raced side by side as they took the white flag. Going into turn three on that final lap neither driver wanted to give an inch, but Speed drifted high and nearly hit the wall. That was all Yetman needed to take his second victory for 2003. Buddy Hencke was second, Speed hung on for third, Scott Govertsen fourth and Twing rounded out the top five. 

END