RPW Column: Kenny Tremont’s “All In” With PMC At Lebanon Valley For ’23; Sheldon & Lynch Are All Smiles

Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – WEST LEBANON, NY – There’s no denying that Kenny Tremont has had some struggles at Lebanon Valley Speedway the last few seasons.

He’s had success, but not what he’s been accustomed to.

The veteran from West Sand Lake, NY, a multi-time Big Block Modified Champion and the track’s all-time wins leader, has gotten to victory lane, but has only been able to do so four times since the completion of the 2019 racing season.

Some of that was due to COVID shortening the 2020 season, but, for Tremont, a lot has been due to the fact that chassis suspensions have changed.

Gone have been the ways of torsion bars in exchange for coil-over rear suspensions with left-side panhard bars and short radius rods.

That is what’s been giving Tremont fits, although it hasn’t been for a lack of effort from him and his team.

Something had to give.

So, last Saturday, at the second, of two, open practices at the West Lebanon, NY track, the Tremont team was there to shake down their ride for this coming season.

However, something a little different than their norm came out of their stacker trailer.

That “different” was in the form of an all-new PMC Race Car.

For years now, Tremont has been a mainstay in the Bicknell camp. He’s run every chassis brand through his career from Troyer’s to Teo’s to PMC’s for a bit and even Tobias creations.

What made him return to the PMC fold for 2023?

“Pete (Chuckta, owner of PMC Race Cars) and I have been friends for many years,” Tremont said. “He’ll be at the track most Saturday nights so we can bounce ideas off each other to get this car to work.”

Ironically, it may just have been a trip to Fair Haven, VT last September that sealed the deal between the two. That’s when Tremont drove a PMC car for John St. Germain during the annual Vermont 200 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.

From the first laps Tremont took in that car, he knew he was fast. Ironically, that car was on torsion bars…one of the few, if not the only one, in the field.

Does Tremont’s new ride run on torsion bars?

“No, we’re on coils right now with it,” he said. “We talked a lot about doing torsion bars and can still do so if we feel we need to.”

Does the owner of 141 Big Block Modified wins at Lebanon feel like this car will be better on coils than what he’s had the last handful of years?

“I sure hope so,” he said. “Honestly, time will tell but we’re trying to take a different approach with this car.”

Ultimately, being close to Pete’s PMC headquarters was another key factor for the switch, but it was also the quality of his work that drew Tremont in.

“I think Pete’s excited to have me back in one of his cars,” he said. “There’s a lot of tough competition at Lebanon Valley and having Pete there will be big. He’s very particular with his workmanship and his craftsmanship is second-to-none.”

Was Saturday a fact-finding mission, working on setup adjustments, or was the 115 team aiming to make sure everything worked?

“It was a basic test for us,” he said. “We were making sure that everything was okay from the brakes to the steering to the engine.”

Early indications on the ride?

“I thought the car was pretty good overall,” he said. “This week for the season opener will be the real test.”

Kyle Sheldon & 42 Racing Are Happy…

Kyle Sheldon and the 42 Racing Team were another in the pits on Saturday afternoon.

Sporting a newly-lettered body they just picked up and hung on the car in the pit area, Sheldon and company turned laps on the new track configuration and seemed to be pleased with how things went.

“I was very happy with the car,” Sheldon said. “We tried quite a few things and turned the engine a couple more RPM’s. We’re very happy with everything.”

What did Sheldon think of the new, wider surface that the Valley will offer in 2023?

“I like it,” he said. “I think if the bottom is worked in and it’s not rough or dry and loose dirt, it might make for some excitement, especially at the end of a race.”

In Sheldon’s opinion, where will most of the action be?

“I think coming off the corners,” he said. “That’s where I think we might see some three-wide drag races. It could be interesting.”

All-New For Chris Lynch…

With not even a single “used” bolt on his #74 Sportsman mount this year, Chris Lynch is all smiles after Saturday’s practice, even though he and his team experienced a myriad of problems to start.

During the off-season, the Lynch team sold off their PMC that they’ve run for the last couple of years and put together a completely brand new pieces for the 2023 season.

“We’ve always been good,” Lynch said. “We always dream of having brand new stuff…no hand-me-downs…and that’s what you’re looking at right here and I couldn’t be any more excited, and grateful.”

With that was a lot of new technology that Lynch had to get use to.

“It’s going to take us a second or two to shake this thing down,” he said with a laugh. “For example, this thing even has a new style transmission in it. I didn’t even know how to shift it when I first got in the car. This is like going back to the drawing board but I couldn’t be happier right now.”

Saturday started off tough but the Lynch Mob got things pointed in the right direction.

“I was sitting on the grid for the first set of hot laps, and knew something was wrong,” he said. “I saw the center of the power steering line shooting fluid in the air. I had it all over my helmet and could see it on the floorboard.”

That led to a long period of time behind the team’s trailer in the pits but the team didn’t give up on the day.

“We got in their and changed the line out,” he said. “We were able to make it back out for one of the last practice sessions and felt decent.”

Impressions?

“The car has major speed,” he said. “We will tweak it some this week and it’ll be really, really good.”

As stated, from front bumper to rear, this is a completely knew car for Lynch and his team. However, that statement goes even back to Lynch’s father, Kevin, who was also a racer.

“This is the first time in some 22 years we’ve had a brand new car where nothing was used,” he said. “My dad had a brand new chassis in 2008 I believe. However, he had a used motor and other parts, though. This is all brand new everything. From top to bottom, this thing is all new.”