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Hagerstown Speedway
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (March 2) - Sussex New Jersey's Brett Hearn (Big Block Modified) and York Pennsylvania's Rick Eckert (Late Model) were each victorious as Hagerstown Speedway kicked off its 61st season of racing last Sunday afternoon.
Outside front row starter Daryl Hills took the early race lead at the start of the thirty-lap late model event. Hills lead would be short lived as pole-sitter, and Defending Hagerstown Late Model Champion, JT Spence took over the top-spot at the completion of the second circuit. Spence seemed to have the event well under control despite the repeated challenges from fourth starting Rick Eckert, who had climbed to second by lap number two. As the duo entered heavy lapped traffic by lap twenty-seven, things got interesting. As the pair came up on a lapped car entering the third turn, Spence and Eckert made contact with Spence spinning and Eckert inheriting the lead. With Spence now in the pits, Eckert controlled the final two laps to pick-up the win, his 19th career Hagerstown late model feature win. "There wasn't enough room for all of us." Eckert stated in reference to the contact with Spence. " JT had the opportunity to brake or stay in the gas and get crashed. I didn't see him." Eckert bottom lined. "This was the best surface I've ever raced on here for a daytime show, it was awesome." Former track champion Roy Deese Jr. came from eighth to finish second, Josh Richards took third, Dan Stone was fourth and tenth starting Jim Yoder completed the top-five. Heats for the twenty-six car field went to Josh Richards, Rick Eckert and Frankie Plessinger. Eckert's win earned himself a guaranteed starting spot in the season ending Octoberfest event for the late models.
In the 30-lap modified headliner Brett Hearn left little doubt who had the fastest car in the opening day field, as he blasted from his second starting spot to snare the race lead from Ryan Godown on the second lap, and romped home to a relatively easy $2000 payday, his 24th career Hagerstown modified feature win. Heavy lapped traffic mid-way through the event was the only serious challenge Hearn faced throughout the event, as he would easily take the checkered flag by nearly a full straightaway over runner-up Godown. "It took us longer to get here than it did to run this show." Hearn's tow rig experienced mechanical problems enroute to the speedway. "I have to thank all the guy's on the crew. They gave me a great car, and with the track as good as it was, it just made my job that much easier." Rick Laubach started, and finished, third, Joey Grammes came all the way from twenty-fourth to collect fourth and eighteenth starting Jeremiah Shingledecker completed the top-five. Heats for the twenty-four cars on hand went to Rick Laubach, Brett Hearn and Ryan Godown. With his win, Hearn earned himself a guaranteed starting spot in the Octoberfest event at Hagerstown and the Rite Aid 200 in Syracuse, New York.
LATE MODEL FEATURE
1. Rick Eckert 2. Roy Deese Jr. 3. Josh Richards 4. Dan Stone 5. Jim Yoder 6. Mike Knight 7. Frankie Plessinger 8. Jared Miley 9. Scott LeBarron 10. Greg Satterlee 11. Jamie Lathroum 12. Tyler Hershey 13. Gerald Davis 14. Mike Lupfer 15. Roland Mann 16. Paul Crowl 17. Dave Tackett 18. Jared Powell 19. Jared Almarode 20. JT Spence 21. Daryl Hills 22. Kerry King 23. Donnie Lingo Jr. 24. Steve Axtell Jr. DNS- Alan Sagi, Pat Beard
BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED FEATURE
1. Brett Hearn 2. Ryan Godown 3. Rick Laubach 4. Joey Grammes 5. Jeremiah Shingledecker 6. Billy Pauch 7. Mike Colsten 8. Bob Drayton 9. Shawn Reimert 10. Kevin Hirthler 11. Wade Hendrickson 12. Chris Whitehead 13. Kyle Strickler 14. Jeremy Paup 15. Steve Downs 16. Chic Cossaboone 17. Brian Kressley 18. Darwen Green 19. Kyle Ebersole 20. Ray Bliss 21. Jeff Brown 22. Matt Howsare 23. Sean Merkel 24. Billy Warren
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