RPW Exclusive: LJ Lombardo Has Momentum On His Side Heading To Orange County This Weekend
News Director 
Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – DANBURY, CT – His last time on track was an amazing finish. LJ Lombardo won on a last lap, last turn pass to win Saturday at the Lebanon Valley Speedway. Now, he’s heading to his former home.
The driver from Danbury, CT has been impressive this year, his third season at the Valley Of Speed. However the once Orange County Fair Speedway regular is looking to take his momentum from Saturday and transfer it into a good outing at the Hard Clay’s Centennial Weekend.
“The track was really fast tonight.” Lombardo said last Saturday at LVS. “The rain helped it and guys with good motors started to shine. We had a setup we have wanted to try here when the track is tacky but just haven’t had the chance. When it started to rain we put our ‘Mr Dirt’ Package in and boy it lit up. I can’t believe this happened.”
Now comes three big nights at Orange County. The last time Lombardo was at the Middletown oval, things didn’t go the way he wanted. It was last year’s Eastern States 200. LJ was involved in a nasty crash on the front stretch in the Lat Chance Qualifier Sunday Morning and destroyed basically the entire left side and a good portion of the front end of his car.
With the ensuing red, members of his team, other teams along with drivers who raced earlier in the weekend all came over to help rebuild the car to get him back out.
However, a tough experience like that doesn’t deter this driver, especially now that he won the last time he strapped in a car.
“This helps a lot,” he said. “No question this win helps. It gives us the drive we need for this weekend. We’re switching motors for Middletown, but our team will be ready.”
The team will be busy over the next few weeks as well, getting ready for another big race at Lebanon Valley.
“We’re building a brand new PMC for Mr. Dirt,” he said. “I know my team will put together a great car to run that race with.”
With victories in each of his seasons as a regular on the Lebanon Valley High Banks, LJ Lombardo is quickly emerging as a new face from the talent pool of young dirt racers here in the Northeast. Keep him on your radar come this weekend at Orange County. He’s poised to continue his solid season, and could what better way to do that but to cash a $100K check.
