RPW Column: Veterans Prevail, But First-Timers Took Center Stage Saturday At Lebanon Valley

RPW Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – WEST LEBANON, NY – While it was a night for the veterans to make it to victory lane Saturday at Lebanon Valley, two first-time winners also graced the winner’s circle at the Valley of Speed, and etched their names in racing history.

Kenny Tremont used a lap 13 restart to his advantage. Within two laps, the Sand Lake Slingshot was able power his way from fifth position to the lead, around the likes of Heffner, Flach, Dwyer and then leader Mike King and went on to capture the 139th Big Block Modified win of his career on the high banks.

“We were kind of loose to start with and I guess this thing didn’t like where I was driving,” Tremont said. “I guess we had to move it around and find some good dirt and finally got a hold of something.”

That something was an amazing drive for Tremont who took three positions on the restart and got to second by turn three. Within the next lap or so he was able to replace King as the point man on the 30-lap feature and then, set sail after the checkered flag.

“They talk about the NASCAR Cup Series cars liking clean air, but I think these things are the same way,” he said. “Once these cars get out in front, they like all the clean air you can get on them and that worked out tonight for us.”

Keith Flach brought the Gould Erectors #43 home in the runner up spot with Marc Johnson, who won on Friday at Albany-Saratoga, coming home in third. For Johnson, after starting further back in the field, a podium finish was a great result for his team.

“This was a hard race for us tonight,” Johnson said. “All the guys worked hard and we’re very happy to be top three. This team and this Bicknell car keep getting better every week.”

After making 2019 his first year behind the wheel of the Scott Hamlin-owned RC Concrete car, Johnson feels he and the team are poised to possible visit victory lane in the very near future.

“I feel like we’re very close right now,” he said. “The top five in this race pretty much came down to circumstances. Kenny was able to get out and run after some good luck on that yellow but I think we’re just as fast as must of the guys out here. You have to take every chance you can here and Kenny did that tonight. Congrats to him but our guys work very hard and it shows. We’re getting better and better.”

Point leader Andy Bachetti came home in fourth and Mark Flach Jr. brought the Madsen Motorsports #22 home in fifth for his first top five since returning to the driver seat.

Ryan Charland was poised to take home his first career victory in 358-Modified competition at the Valley on Saturday night, but had veteran Andy Bachetti tracking him for quite a few number of laps.

After an accident for Frank Harper who nailed the turn four wall and brought the red flag out, Bachetti worked over the 10c of Charland for a number of laps. He was able to get by the leader with nine laps remaining and went on to capture his his second Small Block Modified win of the 2020 season.

“Hats off to my brother, Greg, the Carlotto family and my team as everyone’s rallying to get this thing to work,” Bachetti said. “We definitely had our hands full.”

Bacheti hasn’t had his normal dominant season in the 358-Modified division this season and it’s taken some time to find the right combination to get back to victory lane.

“This is the second car we’ve tried here,” he said. “It’s also the second different set-up and we were able to take advantage of a good starting spot.”

Point leader Brett Haas was able to get by Charland for second after starting 11th. For Charland, it was a great run, albeit not a win, but a solid performance to come home third.

“It was quite a battle tonight,” Charland said. “Those boys are fast and I just appreciate them running as clean as they do with me. It was fun.”

After a hard battle with Brandon Lane early in the going to get the lead, Charland knew he may be in trouble.

“I knew even early on that my right rear was starting to go away, maybe starting to chunk up,” he said. “I’m lucky we finished where we finished but am very happy.”

Timothy Davis and Jason Herrington completed the top five.

With Tremont and Bachetti showing the veteran prowess, now we get into two first-time visitors to victory lane. Nikki Ouellette took home her first in Sportsman competition while Tony Markou visited the winner’s circle for the first time in Pro Stocks.

For Ouellette, it was a long time coming. This season, her and her team, led by her father, Ken, made the switch from Teo to DKM Chassis for competition, and Saturday night, it paid off as she was able to put it all together for the first victory of her career.

“We were able to hit the set-up right tonight,” Ouellette said. “The car was a little bit free but seemed to work perfect for me.”

After leading from lap one, the Troy, NY driver (by way of Connecticut) had to fend off many challengers and endure several caution flags but held her own to take the win.

“I feel like I’m not the best at restarts,” she said. “I was definitely nervous a few times but it’s very exciting to realize I was able to get the win.”

Ouellette’s smile could be seen ear to ear, even from under her face covering, and was quick to thank everyone who got her to the winner’s circle.

“I have to first and foremost thank my dad,” she said. “He puts more work into this car than anyone I’ve ever seen. I have to thank my boyfriend, Colin, my crew, Maynard, my sister, all of my sponsors and this one is for my mom. She was a big supporter of mine and was never here to see me win. But, I know she’s smiling down on us right now so this one’s for her.”

Joseph Coppola crossed the line second with John Stowell coming home with a solid third place run. Robbie Knipe tightened up the gap between he and leader John Virgilio in the points race with a fine fourth place run and last week’s winner, Ryan Larkin, backed up the victory with a fifth.

Some 21 years after he was able to capture a Sportsman division victory at the speedway, Tony Markou took the lead from Phil Arnold on lap four of the Pro Stock main event and went on to fend off all comers and collected career win #1 in the class at the Valley.

Markou held off Jason Casey and Nick Hilt at the checkers.

“I am having a hard time keeping it together right now,” Markou said after the race. “I have so many people to thank for this because it’s been 21 years since I’ve been in victory lane. Without my wife and her support, her dedication, her passion for what we do, I wouldn’t be here. My family, all the guys who work on this car, and everyone who’s ever been behind this deal, I thank you.”

Since returning to the driver’s seat last season, Markou has made steady gains on his program and it all showed up on Saturday night with the win.

“I don’t want to sound cocky about this, but I really can’t take any of the credit for this,” he said. “I owe everything to the guys that work on this car. I always felt like I could get it done, but this is a huge undertaking to get into a new class and try to perform.”

Even with that, confidence is key and confidence is high in the Markou camp right now.

“I know that I can win but my biggest thing is to get out on the track, every night, and race as clean as I can,” he said. “That probably hurts me at times as the guys know where they can use me up, but I will never change the way I race. I race clean.”

Defending division champion Jay Casey came home fourth with Scott Towslee rounding out the top five.

Jeff Meltz Sr. took home the 20-lap Bommer’s Performance Pure Stock Classic and was excited to get the win.

“I’ve been in a lot of these Boomer’s races and it’s been something I’ve wanted to win for a while,” Meltz said. “I’m so happy we finally got it done. I felt really good about this car, even in my regular race and it helped give me confidence that we could get the job done and we did.”

The three regular Pure Stock races were won by Dylan Fachini, Chris Stalker and Scott Kilmer with Gary Malloy Sr. and Brandon Ely taking checkers in the Four-Cylinder Class.

Chris Eastwood of Eastwood Detailing put together a special six-lap Dash for Cash for the Pro Stocks. Jason Casey drew the pole starting spot and led every lap to capture the win. Steven Larochelle was second with division point leader Chad Jeseo finishing third.