7-5-03 Lebanon Valley Release
"PRESS RELEASE" For Immediate Release May 27, 2003 Contact: Kevin Wright Phone: 518-794-9606 QUINN SNAPS 2ND WIN OF '03, BRIDGE RISES TO TOP IN SPORTSMAN MAIN West Lebanon, NY- Matt Quinn became the first two time winner at Lebanon Valley Speedway on Saturday night. His victory came at the expense of Chris Whitehead who was disqualified for a post race infraction, which handed the 30-lap feature victory to Quinn. Roy Bridge brought his brand-new racer to victory lane in the 20-lap sportsman feature while Frank Twing was victorious in the 20-lap pro stock main. Other winners on the night included Bill Lobdell in the rookie pro stocks and Bob Burl, Wally Engel, Pete Defiglio and Tom Harkins in the pure stock mains. SNAP-ON TOOLS, FREIHOFER BAKING and FUNPLEX FUN PARK brought the action on this fabulous Fourth of July Weekend to you. Paul Gilardi was the early race leader in the 30-lap modified feature on Saturday night. He held the top spot until lap four, when the suspension collapsed on the left rear of his racer. This handed the lead over to the ageless veteran, Denny Soltis, but he lost the lead two laps later to Chris Whitehead. Near disaster on lap seven when Steve Hough and Rob Pitcher crashed on the frontstretch. Both drivers were okay, but finished for the night. J.R Heffner grabbed the second position from Soltis on lap eight. Meanwhile there was a great race behind the leader for positions four on back. Brett Hearn and Andy Bachetti raced for several laps side by side for sixth. At the halfway point in the race Whitehead still maintained the lead with Heffner, Matt Quinn, Sparky Lowe and Bachetti in tow. The final caution of the race came out just past halfway on lap 16 as Ron Dwyer got a flat tire and spun out on the backstretch. Mel Schruffer then piled into Dwyer's disabled racecar. Quinn was able to get around Heffner for second on lap 18, while Hearn and Kenny Tremont were behind him battling for sixth. Whitehead had opened up a half-straight-away advantage with less than ten laps remaining in the race. After several laps racing side by side Bachetti made his way past Heffner into third on lap 26. Whitehead easily took the checkered flag for what appeared to be his first career modified victory at Lebanon Valley. However his racer was found to be light during the post-race inspection and he was disqualified. This handed the victory to the Card Shaq II #20 of Quinn. Bachetti bumped up to second Heffner third, Lowe fourth and Hearn now completed the top five. Roy Bridge took the lead on lap four from Carmen Carnibucci and never looked back. He was piloting a brand new PMC racer after wrecking his primary car last week. Bridge's paced was slowed by three caution flags, but no one could mount a serious challenge. Art Collins worked his way from 14th to third by lap 10. He and Willie Galm raced side by side for many laps. K.C. Goewey cracked the top five for the first time on lap 12. The race to watch in the final stages was between Galm, Goewey and Collins for third on back. Bridge easily cruised home to his first victory of 2003. Ed Harkin had a great runner-up finish while Galm nipped Collins at the line for third and Goewey had to settle for fifth. The 20-lap pro stock main took to the track as the final event on Saturday's racing card. Normally the run just before the modified feature but this week they were the nightcap. For the second week in a row in appeared that Dan Blackburn had the car to beat. He led three-quarters of the race last week and was on track to do the same this week taking the lead at the start of the event. Five caution flags slowed this race the first was on lap four as Paul LaRochelle got turned around in turn four. Ed Bachand was sent to the rear for his role in that incident. Bachand did drop out from the event on lap eight. At the halfway point it was Dan Blackburn, Rob Yetman, Frank Twing, Scott Govertsen and Danny Sanchez in the top five. The race for the lead started to really heat up just past halfway as Yetman tried to get under Blackburn. Yetman was finally able to make the pass stick on lap 16 when disaster struck the front runners. Yetman made his way past Blackburn and Sanchez was also right in there going into turn three. It appeared that Yetman was slowing up to get though turn three and Blackburn wasn't able to slow up quick enough which punted Yetman into the fence and took Blackburn out as well. This gave the lead over to Sanchez who was looking to make it three wins in a row. Sanchez drifted a little high on lap 17, which allowed Twing to get around and into the lead. Sanchez spent the last two laps holding off Langenback for second. In the end Twing held on for his first victory in a long time at the Valley. Sanchez did hang on for second with Langenback third, Govertsen fourth and LaRochelle rebounded to finish fifth. SNAP-ON TOOLS, FREIGHOFER BAKING AND FUNPLEX FUN PARK MODIFIED FEATURE (30 LAPS) - 1. MATT QUINN, 2. ANDY BACHETTI, 3. J.R. HEFFNER, 4. BRETT HEARN, 5. SPARKY LOWE SPORTSMAN TOP FIVE SUMMARY- (20 LAPS)- 1. ROY BRIDGE, 2. ED HARKIN, 3. WILLE GALM, 4. ART COLLINS, 5. K.C. GOEWEY PRO STOCK TOP FIVE SUMMARY - (20 LAPS) - 1. FRANK TWING, 2. Danny Sanchez, 3. Jim Langenback, 4. SCOTT GOVERTSEN, 5. Paul LaRochelle ROOKIE PRO STOCK FEATURE WINNER - (10 LAPS) - 1) Bill Lobdell For a run down of all the finishes please visit www.lebanonvalley.com END