Champion driver to race weekly in New York’s Capital District
Story By: JOHN SNYDER/ BHR MEDIA Photos By: DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
SUSSEX, NJ- March 27, 2016- In 1978, after just three years racing in the dirt track Sportsman division, Brett Hearn moved up to the Modified ranks. In 35* of the 38 racing season since then, Hearn has competed for wins and championships at either Orange County Fair Speedway (Middletown, New York) or Lebanon Valley Speedway (West Lebanon, New York) virtually every Saturday night. And over those 35 years, he has won 25 track point championships—15 at Orange County and ten at Lebanon Valley. (*1988 NASCAR BGN, 2000 USNA, 2008 SDS on Saturdays)
Hearn raced for Modified division points 21 years at Orange County, winning 15 titles, a 71.4 percent winning record. Interestingly, at Lebanon Valley, Hearn has chased the Modified championship 14 seasons, winning ten titles, also a 71.4 percent winning record.
After careful consideration, Hearn has elected to return to Lebanon Valley Speedway for the 2016 racing season with the goal of winning his 11th Modified point championship at the fast Columbia County half-mile track. “We’ve had a lot of success at Lebanon Valley in recent years, and twice we’ve won four championships in a row. This year we’re out to make it five consecutive,” says Hearn.
Hearn also noted that, because Lebanon Valley is a DIRTcar sanctioned speedway, garnering “home track” points is key to being in contention for the overall Super DIRTcar Modified Series championship. In addition to Lebanon Valley, Hearn will begin his Capital District racing weekend racing at Albany-Saratoga Speedway (Malta, New York) on Friday nights where he is a seven time point champion and with 126 victories, the track’s all-time winner.
“We really enjoy racing at these two speedways,” says Hearn. “The fans are great, the competition is tough; it’s a challenge every week. But meeting challenges is what our team is all about.”
In addition to weekly competition, Hearn will race throughout the Northeast and neighboring Canada, following the Super DIRTcar Series for Modifieds (SDS), selected DIRTcar 358 Modified Series events, and a limited number of non-conflicting independent race meets. The Northeast racing season—which actually began in February in Florida—extends from April through mid-November.
At the end of the 2015 season, Hearn’s career record included 882 feature race victories (543 Big-Block Modified, 337 Small-Block Modified, 2 Sprint Car) at 49 different tracks in 11 states and two Canadian provinces. He has won 88 track and series championships, and in 2013 year was named Area Auto Racing News “50 Years Greatest Driver.”
And as he prepares for the 2016 racing season, his 42nd, Hearn says he’s out to win more races and more championships. “Our goal every year is to be prepared to win every race we enter,” says Hearn from his Sussex, New Jersey race car shop.
Media representatives may contact Brett Hearn by calling 973-702-0819, Monday through Friday during business hours. B.H. Racing Enterprises, Inc. information, including racing equipment The Plate, is available online at www.bretthearn.com.
