Feb. 18, 2000— Brett Hearn captured his second straight Winternationals victory Friday night at Volusia Speedway Park. Hearn, of Sussex, N.J., ran unchallenged to win the DIRT Modifieds 30-lap main event.

Hearn scored his second straight DIRT Modified feature win, putting the Budweiser No. 3 Teo into the lead on the second lap and pacing the remaining distance. He had a comfortable edge over runnerup Danny Johnson of Rochester, N.Y., at the end of the race.

Keith Hoffman of Allentown, Pa., shadowed Johnson throughout the event but couldn't overtake him and had to settle for third place at the checkered flag. Alan Johnson of Phelps, N.Y., started ninth, but was able to finish fourth ahead of Kenny Tremont of West Sand Lake, N.Y., who started 14th.

Danny Johnson took the initial lead, but Hearn got past him off turn four on the second go-round. Hoffman, Brian Berger of New Lebanon, N.Y., and Alan Johnson filled in the top five as the race completed its early laps.

That order stayed the same as Hearn pulled away from the field. By the eighth circuit, Hearn was encountering slower traffic. Two laps later, he was bottled up in a group of slower cars, allowing a pair of number 27s - Danny Johnson and Hoffman to close in on him.

On lap 16, Hoffman tried to force an inside move, but had to drop back behind Danny Johnson when there wasn't enough room.

With just nine laps to go, Berger tangled with a slower car while running fourth. That brought out the caution flag and bunched the running order.

Hearn was able to pull away on the restart and was not challenged in his victory run.

"We made a good decision on setting up the car," Hearn said. "It was really good off the corners."

He commented on the slower traffic impeding his run, saying all he had to do was "be cautious, be smooth through traffic."

Hearn also credited his crew with giving him a great car.

"All I have to do is drive," he said.

Bob McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., took advantage of the race's only slowdown to gain a couple spots on the restart. McCreadie won one of the evening's two consolation races to qualify for the main event, then gradually worked his way up from a 10th-row-start to narrowly miss a top-five finish.

Jason Barney of Constantia, N.Y., was seventh, followed by Jamie Mills of Milford, Del., Bucky Kell of Hammonton, N.J., and J.R. Heffner of Averill Park, N.Y.

RESULTS

DIRT MODIFIEDS

FEATURE (30 laps) — 1. 3, Brett Hearn, Sussex, N.J., 2. 27j, Danny Johnson, Rochester, N.Y.; 3. 27, Doug Hoffman, Allentown, Pa.; 4. 1p, Alan Johnson, Phelps, N.Y.; 5. 115, Kenny Tremont, West Sand Lake, N.Y.; 6. 9, Bob McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.; 7. 87, Jason Barney, Constantia, N.Y.; 8. 30, Jamie Mills, Milford, Del.; 9. 2gr, Bucky Kell, Hammonton, N.J.; 10. 74, J.R. Heffner, Averill Park, N.Y.; 11. 5, Keith Hoffman, Whitehall, Pa.; 12. b1, Kenny Brightbill, Sinking Spring, Pa.; 13. 97, Mike Romano, Johnstown, N.Y.; 14. 3d, Matt DeLorenzo, Voorheesville, N.Y.; 15. 3p, Rich Polenz, Flemington, N.J.; 16. 94, Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.; 17. 9t, Tom Moore, West Chester, Pa.; 18. 60, Brian Berger, New Lebanon, N.Y.; 19. 57, Andy Bachetti, Sheffield, Mass.; 20. Z, Butch Tittle, Saylorsburg, Pa.; 21. 33, Ray Swinehart, Bechtelsville, Pa.; 22. 77, Bob Hamm Jr., Windsor, N.Y.; 23. 24, Jimmy Johnson, Bloomingburg, N.Y.; 24. 32, Jim Rasey, Southington, Ohio; 25. m1, Tim Fuller, Edwards, N.Y.; 26. 2, Craig Mullins, Bridgeville, Del.; 27. 4, Scott Kania, Ferndale, Pa.; 28. 96, Deron Rust, Georgetown, Del.

HEAT WINNERS — Danny Johnson, Jason Barney, Brett Hearn.

CONSOLATION WINNERS — Craig Mullins, Bob McCreadie.


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