RPW Exclusive: With No Brett Hearn, The Mod Championship Is Up For Grabs At The Valley In ’19
Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – WEST LEBANON, NY – The news is out. Brett Hearn is heading back to where it all started for his career. He’ll move weekly to Orange County and leave the Lebanon Valley Speedway.
I’m sure some fans are happy that Hearn is no longer there, but only some though. For the competitors, I’m sure some are happy as well, but when you want to be the best, you have to beat the best and Hearn was that at the ‘Valley Of Speed,’ winning the track title multiple times, including the last seven in-a-row.
In 2019, Howie Commander is showing everyone the half-mile in West Lebanon, NY will be a place to be every Saturday night during the summer. The schedule starts out on April 20th for the 67th year with a $5,000-to-win Modified main event. There is also a $2,000-to-win Sportsman event on May 18th, $2,500-to-win (Maynard Forrette Memorial) on June 1st for the Big Blocks and the JC Flach Memorial on June 8th paying $5,000 to the winner.
One event close to Race Pro Weekly, the DMC Racing Products Bubba Tanner Pro Stock Classic will be held on June 15th (promoted by RPW’s owner Bobby Chalmers). There is also two more $5,000-to-win Modified features on June 29th and July 13th (King Of The Track). The day after that race, the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series will invade the high banks on July 14th.
The big event on the calendar for 2019 will happen on Saturday night, August 31st, when Mr. DIRT Track USA will be crowned. The event, which paid $25,500-to-win last season, has not had the winner’s share announced for this season, but will bring the best of the Super DIRTcar Series into town to compete against the Valley’s best.
Several other events highlight this track’s packed schedule for 2019.
Prediction: We will see a new champion in 2019. For only the second time this decade and fifth time since 2000 will this happen as Hearn has dominated the years he’s been a regular.
With the Jersey Jet gone, who will it be? Last season, we saw the addition of Ronnie Johnson to the Valley fold. While he didn’t win a feature, he was consistent and tied Keith Flach for second in points.
Could it be Flach? The third-generation driver has been in the top three in points the last handful of seasons, or could a new face emerge in the form of 2016 Albany-Saratoga Speedway Champion Marc Johnson.
We can’t forget fan-favorite and Kenny Tremont, who won his first Mr. DIRT Track USA since 2005 last year.
With news that Australian Peter Britten is going to be joining the stout field at Lebanon, I think the chase for the title will be wide open.
Dark Horses: Like I said, Johnson, Flach and Tremont all have a shot at the title along with guys like Andy Bachetti, JR Heffner and many others could challenge. This year is anyone’s guess. Whoever will be the most consistent and get out of the gate early will be the contenders for the title.
My Pick: Through it all, my choice to win the title will be the 2RJ of Ronnie Johnson. I think he’ll be champion when it’s all said in done in 2019.
This year at Lebanon Valley will have something we haven’t seen since the 2000’s…no Brett Hearn weekly. Who will rise to fill the void he’s leaving and be crowned the 2019 Lebanon Valley Modified Champion?
