Hector Stratton Takes Valley Win
Hector Stratton Takes Valley Win by Inches By Ed & Betty Biittig August 23, 2003- West Lebanon, NY- It was only inches that gave Hector Stratton of Bennington, VT the win over current point leader Brett Hearn in the 30-lap Modified main event at Lebanon Valley on Saturday night. "I'm glad it was Brett Hearn, said Stratton, because he always races you clean." Stratton said after the race that he and his crew had changed chassis and motor this past week and the late nights paid off. "Brett had me in the corner but I got enough bite to get ahead of him at the line." Fireworks, Autographs, Vintage Mods, Antique Racers and a Huge Party in the Clubhouse after the racers was all part of the big celebration that brought the fans out in droves on Saturday night to see a photo finish win by Hector Stratton of Bennington, VT over Brett Hearn of Sussex, NJ. Quandt's Food Service and Coor's Light sponsored the trip down memory lane for the fans and drivers of the "high banks." The 10-lap Vintage Mod event showed the fans how the high banks came to life in the sixties and seventies as 18 of the restored Mods took the green. Bill Clausen was the winner. The Atlantic Coast Old Timers Club ran a three-lap exhibition event. Other winners on Saturday were Jon Routhier who won the held over Pure Stock event. Winners of the four Pure Stock races were Kevin Hilt, Chrissy Hilt, Pete Wiegand and Jon Routhier. The Pro Stock Rookie event win went to Bill Hammel in the Steve Hough Motors No. 37R. The Pro Stock main event paid $500 to the eventual winner Ed Bachand. Saturday was also a BG Products give away night for the top three Pro Stock finishers. Eligibility for the award required a decal to be visible on the grandstand side of the car. Next week will be the final night of points for the Modifieds and Sportsman. Gable Auto Stores and J. H Financial Planning and Pepsi-Cola are sponsors for the championship night that includes the 358-Modifieds and time trials for Modifieds. Racing begins at 6:00 p.m. The Modified main event saw Chris Whitehead and Tom Sanchez, Jr. bring the field to the green. Sanchez took the early lead but by lap three Matt Quinn was under Sanchez in turn four for the top spot. With Quinn out in front the next three cars of Hector Stratton, Chris Whitehead and Tom Sanchez swapped positions. By lap ten, Quinn was in lap traffic and still pulling away from the field. Kenny Tremont put his No. 115 into the top five by lap twelve. He was on the bumper of Whitehead who was still several car lengths ahead of the top runners Quinn and Stratton. The yellow flew for the first time on lap 14 when the No. 78M of Eric Mack went up in smoke. This closed up the field and put the No. 87 of Stratton on equal ground with the No. 20 of Quinn. Tremont was now sitting fourth and on the restart quickly moved into the third spot. Bachetti moved fourth with J. R. Heffner in fifth. Point leader, Brett Hearn was sitting sixth. Tremont kept the pressure on Stratton by couldn't get by the high grooved No. 87. With ten laps remaining, Hearn moved around J. R. Heffner into the top five. For the next three laps Hearn chased Bachetti finally getting by on lap 24. With five laps remaining, the No. 20 of the leader, Quinn, began to show a faint sign of smoke and he then began to slow. This allowed Hector Stratton to take the lead. With only two laps to go Hearn passed Tremont and went after Stratton. On the final circuit Stratton slid high in turn one and two allowing Hearn put the nose of the No. 1 Gable car under Stratton. Stratton held on through the next two turns and was ahead of Hearn by inches at the line. The win was determined by a look at the video. Modified Qualifying event winners were, Denny Soltis, Brett Hearn, Ron Dwyer and Chris Whitehead. The Sportsman 20-lap main came to the green with the No. 12 of Brian Stanstedt on the point. The No. 95 of Carmon Carnibucci quickly took the lead before the first yellow flag flew on lap two. On the restart K. C. Goewey, Bobby Knipe and Jason Tompkins were fighting for position behind the leader. As the three went into turn one, Goewey slid to the high side and Tompkins wound up against the wall. The next green flag turned yellow almost as soon as it flew. This time it was an incident in turn one between a gaggle of cars at the rear of the field. Contact was made under caution between two of the cars. After several laps of running around the track, starter Rich Rosa threw the red flag to get the field and the line up sorted out. This was after only five laps complete. On the restart Carnibucci held the lead, with Bobby Knipe and Ryan Larkin following in second and third. With ten laps remaining, Knipe closed in on the outside of Carnibucci in turn four and took over the lead at the line. Ryan Larkin slipped high in turn two and tapped the wall. Loren Browe who qualified through the consi now moved into a top five position. The top five now showed Carnibucci, Knipe, Harkins, Collins, and Browe. Knipe pulled away on the restart. Harkins challenged Carnibucci for second and got by on the backstretch. Browe moved around Collins on the front stretch for fourth. With two to go and at the checker Knipe sat first with Harkins second, followed by Carnibucci, Browe, and Collins. Sportsman Heat wins went to Kyle Hoffman, K. C. Goewey, Bobby Knipe and Brian Sandstedt. Consi winner was Lorne Browe who came back from a wreck earlier in the warm ups sessions. In the 20 lap Pro Stock event Tommy Brant led the field of 16 cars to the green. Before a lap could be completed the car of Chris Crews slid up the banking in turn one collecting Jim Langenback and sending him against the outside wall. Robby Speed took the lead by lap two with Rob Yetman and Brant in hot pursuit in second and third. Speed increased his margin in the lead but Yetman quickly began to reel him in. Brant remained in third. By lap five, Langenback had moved to midfield. Yetman continued to chip away at the lead held by Robby Speed. By the halfway mark Yetman was gaining on Speed in the turns by Speed pulled away on the straightaways. On lap eleven Yetman put the nose of his No. 7 under Speed in turn four. Speed's No. 24 spun. Yetman was put to the rear by flagger, Rich Rosa for the incident. This put the No. 165 of Ed Bachand in the lead followed by Danny Sanchez in second and Tommy Brant in third. Although there was one final yellow on lap 17 the top three remained the same at the checker. Quandt's Food/Coor's Light Modified Top Five: HECTOR STRATTON, Brett Hearn, Kenny Tremont, Andy Bachetti, and J. R. Heffner. Sportsman Top Five: BOBBY KNIPE, Ed Harkins, Carmen Carnibucci, Lorne Browe, and Art Collins.