RPW Exclusive: The Lebanon Valley Pro Stock Record Books Will Show Jay & Jason Casey 1-2 For 2019

Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – WEST LEBANON, NY – Saturday night belonged to the Casey family at the Lebanon Valley Speedway.

The father and son racing team of Jay and Jason proved to have the right stuff in the Pro Stock division as Jason took home the battle, winning the season-ending feature event while “Papa Jay” won the war, taking his first career Pro Stock title and in turn, becoming the oldest champion ever at the Speedway.

First to the feature event. The 20-lap Pro Stock finale was a true battle at the front of the field with Casey, Nick Arnold, Chad Jeseo, Jason Meltz and a host of others battling it out hard for the top spot. Arnold held the lead but for the younger Casey to have any shot of catching his dad for the point title, he had to win, and he knew it.

“I really don’t know what happened between me and Nick,” Jason said. “Coming out of turn two, there was a little bumping and I apologize for that, but I had to win this one to have a chance to beat my father for the point title.”

As Jason moved by Arnold, the 25 of Jeseo entered the fray, and all three cars had a tooth-and-nail battle for the top spot, one that saw the lead change hands on consecutive laps.

“I felt Chad there since lap nine,” he said. “I knew he was right there and he had me beat at the top end of the straightaway. I knew I had a better handling car and I just gave it all I had. I tried to run in the corner a little deeper. I knew he couldn’t hold it when he blew it into turn one, but we came away with the lead.”

In any event, Casey took the win with Arnold getting by Jeseo for second at the finish. Jason Meltz and Tony Markou rounded out the top five.

Finishing sixth was your new Pro Stock track champion, Jay Casey. Casey had to finish 12th or better to secure the title over his son, and he did just that.

“I’m so glad at least Jason or myself was able to win the championship,” Jay Casey said. “I’m very proud of Jason. Being so close last year, and now this close this year. Just glad one of us took it home.”

Last week, the elder Casey took his first victory of the 2019 season and took a stranglehold on the point title. He told announcer Dan Martin that he didn’t care who if it was Jason or himself as long as it went back to Canaan. Well, on Sunday morning, dad is waking up as champ, and now has the distinction of being the oldest champion ever at Lebanon Valley, eclipsing Jimmy Langenback’s record by a few months.

“That record is kind of like, ‘oh boy,” Casey said with a laugh. “It’s okay I guess. I’m just glad either Jason or myself got the title, and we both finished one-two. This is a great night for our team.”

In the Pure Stock feature event on Saturday night, Zach Seyerlein took home the 15-lap victory after making the pass of Ed Hatch. Hatch ended up having a flat tire a few laps later but was able to come back to finish eighth.

Jeff Kreutzinger, Clifford Booth, Rob Partridge and Ray Hall Sr. completed the top five.

Pro Stock Results (20 Laps) -1) Jason Casey, 2) Nick Arnold, 3) Chad Jeseo, 4) Jason Meltz, 5) Tony Markou, 6) Jay Casey, 7) Steven LaRochelle, 8) Phil Arnold, 9) Rob Yetman, 10) Doug Olds, 11) Nick Hilt, 12) Mike Baker, 13) Don Collins, 14) Brian Keough, 15) Adam Schneider, 16) Tom Dean, 17) Nick Reilly, 18) Gary Silkey, 19) Bob Fachini, 20) Rick Dempsey,

Pure Stock #1 Results (15 Laps) -1) Zach Seyerlein, 2) Jeff Kreutzinger, 3) Clifford Booth, 4) Rob Partridge, 5) Ray Hall Sr., 6) Scott Morris, 7) Brian Walsh, 8) Ed Hatch, 9) Keri Vandenburg, 10) Ryan Brown, 11) Craig Coons, 12) Janai St. Pierre, 13) Tom Gomm,