8-16-03 Lebanon Valley Press Release

"PRESS RELEASE" For Immediate Release

August 16, 2003 

Contact: Kevin Wright

Phone: 518-794-9606


TREMONT AND COLLINS GET 2ND VICTORIES OF '03 AT LEBANON VALLEY

West Lebanon, NY- Kenny Tremont Jr. was the winner of the 30-lap DIRT modified feature at Lebanon Valley Speedway on Saturday night. Art Collins won the caution-shortened 15-lap sportsman feature while Danny Sanchez won the 20-lap Pro Stock feature. The rookie pro stock race was won by Jim Cronk. Pete DeFiglio, Mike Middleton, Scott Kilmer, Rich Douglas and Bob Palmer were the winners of the five pure stock features. The night of action on the high banks was sponsored by SAXTON SIGN and DIG SAFELY NY. The United States Marines visited the speedway on Saturday night. There were four Marines from Fox Corp., 1st Battalion, 8th Marines who had just returned from Iraq and were greeted with much enthusiasm by the Lebanon Valley faithful.

Stanley Wetmore led the first six laps of the 30-lap modified feature. Donnie Corellis made his way past Wetmore in turn two on lap six to take the lead. Kenny Tremont Jr. moved his Emerick Associates-Freihofer Baking #115 from fifth to second by lap six. Corellis was setting a quick pace on the front and caught the back of the pack by lap eight. Brett Hearn made his way into fourth by lap eleven. At the halfway point it was Corellis, Tremont, Hearn, Guy Sheldon and Eddie Marshall. 

With no caution flags yet in the event the top two cars had broken away from the pack, but Hearn was closing ground slowly but surely. Rich Ricci Jr. moved into sixth on lap 19. With less than ten laps remaining in the race Tremont began to apply pressure on Corellis. The two raced side by side for several laps until Tremont grabbed the lead in turn two on lap 26. Just one lap later Hearn made his way past Corellis into the runner-up position, but he ran out of time to catch Tremont. 

Tremont brought his Troyer to victory lane for the second time in 2003 at Lebanon Valley. Hearn came from 14th to 2nd with no caution flags. Corellis had a strong third place finish, with Eddie Marshall fourth and Ricci fifth.

With the modified feature going green to checkered with no caution what were the odds that the same could happen in the sportsman feature. If you said not very well you are correct. Four caution periods in the first five laps forced speedway officials to shorten the event from 20-laps to 15-laps. But it probably didn't impact the outcome of the race as Art Collins took the lead in lap three and ran away with the race. Rookie driver, Kyle Hoffman had a strong run early in the race. He kept the fans on the edge of their seats running the outside groove. But that outside groove eventually cost him a top ten run. 

Collins did cruise easily to his second win of 2003 in his St. Lawrence Cement-PMC #68. Frank Harper, Kory Gurney, Lorne Browe and Ed Harkins followed Collins across the line. 

Chris Crews was the early race leader in the 20-lap pro stock feature. He led until lap three when Danny Sanchez took his Card Shaq II #63 into the lead. Paul LaRochelle got a flat tire on lap five and spun down the frontstretch. He returned to finish fourth. It was not a good night for Rob Yetman. He got spun by Robbie Speed on lap eight and then crashed hard on lap eleven when he and Tom Brandt made contact in turn four. Jim Lagenback recovered from a late flat tire on lap 12 to finish fifth. Scott Govertsen had taken second just before the halfway point and challenged Sanchez through the final half of the event. He had a chance on the final lap to knock Sanchez off the lea, but backed off and settled for second. Crews hung on for third.

Jason Duncan won the four-cylinder enduro. It was a special victory dedicated to his dad who is in the hospital. Mark Drescher won the rollover contest.

Only two weeks left in the to determine the modified and sportsman champions. Make sure to get out to the speedway to see who will be king of the high banks for 2003. . Call the speedway at (518) 794-9606 or visit our website at www.lebanonvalley.com for more information on the rest of the season's events.