MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – With 305 feature race victories at Orange County Fair Speedway, champion dirt modified driver Brett Hearn will return to the Middletown, N.Y., track for weekly competition during the upcoming season.
“I’m looking forward to returning to the track where my racing career started and where, over the years, I’ve had a good amount of success,” said Hearn.
That may be an understatement since, in addition to his all-time Orange County race wins, Hearn registered 23 track championships in two racing divisions at the five-eighths-mile oval. He’s won the track’s prestigious Eastern States 200 race 12 times.
In recent seasons, Hearn has raced weekly at Lebanon Valley Speedway in Upstate New York, where he has won the track’s modified division point championship seven consecutive seasons.
“I’ve really enjoyed racing at Lebanon Valley,” said Hearn. “The fans are great, and it’s both a competitive and challenging atmosphere. But the opportunities being offered this year at Orange County – the purse structure in both Modified divisions, the announced bonuses, the point funds, and of course the 100th anniversary weekend – are too attractive to pass up.”
“Personally, I’m really looking forward to Orange County’s 100th year anniversary season and all the special activities being planned. The first race I ever attended was at the fairgrounds in 1966 at age eight. My dad, Gordon, raced there, so did my brother, Bobby, and certainly Orange County has been a big part of my career,” said Hearn.
In addition to Orange County, Hearn will race weekly at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., follow the Super DIRTcar Series, plus enter selected other races as well.
“There are a couple potential conflicts, but we’ll work to overcome those as the season progresses,” said Hearn.
With 912 career victories (907 feature races and 5 All-Star events) and 93 track and series point titles on his racing résumé, Hearn is gearing up for the Northeast racing season, his 45th year of competition. As he prepares for the upcoming Northeast “racing wars,” 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.
“There is no magic formula for winning races and championships, other than hard work and dedication,” he added. “We strive to be among the top cars every week, and when we do have an off night – a wreck or mechanical failure – we work even harder the next week to overcome it.”