RPW Exculsive: Brett Hearn Almost Stole The JC Flach Memorial At LVS Away From The Regulars

Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – WEST LEBANON, NY – Brett Hearn, one of the best to ever grace the High Banks of Lebanon Valley Speedway, did proved that point on Saturday night.

With his regular home, Orange County, having the weekend off, the 13-time track champion made the trek north for the seventh annual JC Flach Memorial where he was the defending race winner.

While he hasn’t been at the Valley the at all this year, he qualified through his head and had to start 15th due to the handicapping.  With the success he’s had over the years, starting in 15th is something Hearn isn’t a stranger to.

“It felt good to be back here,” Hearn said. “I have spent many Saturday nights here, so it’s sort of like the same old same old.”

With the start of the feature it was Paul Gilardi and Steve Hough firing from the first row, a caution in the first corner forced a restart near the one-third mark.  From that point on, it was all green.

Around lap 15, Hearn was making his way by the 2RJ of Ronnie Johnson, and looked to be moving forward.

“We were good from the start of the race,” he said. “The car was good all around.  I was just picking my way through cars and seeing where i could pass. Once we got to sixth, it was just a big gap to the front guys, but they were all running together.”

When Hearn caught the lead pack, leader Hough was deep in traffic and being stalked by Kyle Sheldon, JR Heffner and more. He ran them all down, but it just ran out of time.  The #20 was a little too late as the driver out of Sussex, NJ got to second.  However, everyone who watched knew if there a caution or even one more lap, there might have been a different winner.

“This is same car I’ve used the last few years here,” he said. “It just has new body panels.  It’s like riding a bike, you never lose it. The track was super slippery tonight, even more than usual and everyone was almost a second off the normal pace. I just needed a caution late, but to come from 15th to catch the leader here is something.”

There was, though, something that Hearn and his team weren’t expecting when the race was over.

“I’m sure coming in with nine pounds of air in my right rear tire and no stagger in the rear hurt me there towards the end,” he said.

On Saturday, Brett Hearn proved once again, no matter where he goes, during the summer, he is good. He’s one of the best to ever grace Orange County.  Some may say the best ever at the Hard Clay. Some may also say he’s the best to ever grace the Valley of Speed.  However, that’s a debate for another day.

Saturday only served to show that he still maybe the favorite to win another Mr. Dirt USA Title come August.