Race Pro Weekly is reporting that J.R. Heffner, the current Big Block Modified points leader at Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, NY, will attempt next Wednesday night’s 1-800 CarCash Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway for MB Motorsports. The effort will have some similarities to last year’s effort, but also some differences.
Last year, Heffner drove a No. 44 Chevrolet sponsored by A. Colarusso & Sons and Park East Sales (pictured above) that Robert Colarusso, Heffner’s car owner for his regular racing at Lebanon Valley, had acquired. The truck is a former MRD Motorsports chassis acquired in an auction after that team shut down. Heffner will still be driving that same truck, with those sponsors, along with Snap-On and Upstate Utilities, just with the No. 63 onboard instead of No. 44. Race Pro Weekly also reports that Steve Hart will serve as Heffner’s crew chief.
To prepare for the Mudsummer Classic, Heffner quickly departed Lebanon Valley Speedway Saturday night after finishing second in the Modified feature to get home for a couple of winks of sleep. At 3am, he awoke and traveled to Missouri to test ahead of the race.
Heffner timed in sixth quickest in time trials last year, but missed out on locking into the 150-lap A-main by one spot in his heat race. In the Last Chance Qualifier, Heffner’s transmission broke while shifting from third to fourth gear, putting him out of the race.
Normally, NASCAR rules lock in the top-25 teams in owners points to every Camping World Truck Series event. However, the Eldora-only rules that NASCAR has in effect for the Mudsummer Classic only lock in the top-20. MB Motorsports’ No. 63 is currently 22nd in owners’ points. While Wauters Motorsports’ No. 5 is not likely to show up since John Wes Townley and sponsor Zaxby’s recently departed the team in favor of Athenian Motorsports, the team would be the first team not locked into the 150-lap feature. As a result, Heffner will have to qualify via his heat race, or the LCQ.
About the author
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.
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