Lebanon Valley’s DIRTcar Big Block Modified Title Will Effectively Be Settled Saturday Night
News Director 
Story By: PHIL ALLAWAY / LEBANON VALLEY SPEEDWAY – WEST LEBANON, NY – The season at Lebanon Valley is winding down. We’re down to three more Saturday nights of racing remaining.
For the Modified and Pro Stock classes, it is far less. DIRTcar rules mandate that the Modified and Pro Stock classes finish their championships prior to Labor Day. By itself, that cuts a week off of the championship chase.
In reality, it’s down to just one race for regular points remaining for both classes. This is because races that are run as part of DIRTcar touring series are run for appearance points only. You show up, you get a certain amount of points and everyone gets the same amount of points.
For the Modified class, Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A. is a round of the Super DIRTcar Series. That means that this Saturday night will determine the track champion for the Modifieds.
Entering the final race of the year, Brett Haas still has the points lead, but his advantage was trimmed from 19 points last weekend to seven over Andy Bachetti. That means that Haas will have to finish second or better Saturday night to guarantee his first career Modified championship.
Bachetti will be coming into Saturday with big momentum after scoring a double last weekend, winning both the Modified and Small Block/358 Modified features. He’s also switched to a newer chassis as well.
Behind Haas and Bachetti, Marc Johnson and Kolby Schroder are both still in contention for the title. However, both drivers are more than 30 points behind. They won’t factor in for the championship unless Haas and Bachetti both have problems.
There are still a number of other positions that can change Saturday night. It should be an excellent night of racing.
In the Pro Stock class, Saturday night is the Ol’ Buzzard 30, a special race in honor of the late Jimmy Langenback. This race is a round of the DIRTcar Pro Stock Series. Much like Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A. for the Modifieds, this race will be for appearance points only.
While Modified teams will be focused on the 100-lap Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A., the Pro Stock championship will also be decided. At the moment, Zach Sorrentino has a two-point lead over Nick Hilt Jr. It is effectively a dead heat. Unless both drivers have issues on Aug. 31, whoever beats the other will win the championship. Regardless of the outcome, we will have a first-time champion.
Prior to the season, Sorrentino promised his daughter that he’d win five races this season. So far, he’s won four of them and run very consistently. He still has two more chances to snag No. 5.
In addition to the Ol’ Buzzard 30 and the Modifieds, Lebanon Valley Speedway will also have the Small Block Modifieds, Sportsman, Limited Sportsman, Super Street Stock and 4-Cylinder classes in action. It should be an exciting night of action.
