Hackel returns to Lebanon Valley
Modified driver Bobby Hackel has a new gig this year at Lebanon Valley Speedway.
It’s got him excited for the 2021 race season, so these rainouts aren’t welcomed much by Hackel.
During the offseason, Hackel got an offer he just couldn’t refuse from race fans/ sponsors Lance and Jill Sharpe.
“They just love Lebanon Valley, so they asked me what it would take for me to go back there and race weekly,” said the 26year-old Hackel. “I told them the reason I didn’t race there was because I didn’t have a big enough motor program for that track. I love the Valley too.”
That was all it took. The duo delivered a top-notch Bedell (Dan) Racing Engine to Hackel.
“With that happening, we wanted to put our best foot forward with the race team, so we built a brand new race car (PMC Racecars and Parts, Pete Chuckta) around that motor,” Hackel said.
Everybody was smiling now.
And he was heading back to the West Lebanon oval, his first full-time season since 2014.
“Lebanon has always been a place that my family has loved. My grandfather raced there, my dad raced there; it’s a home track for us, so it’s really good to be back,” Hackel said.
Hackel comes from four generations of race car drivers. It started with his greatgrandfather.
His grandfather is the master of the Ministock division, gathering well over 300 wins at raceways throughout the Northeast in the 1970s and ’80s.
His dad (Bobby III) retired from a successful stint in 2004 so they could put all of their work hours and resources into his son’s go-kart and race car efforts.
“It’s awesome to have the family heritage I do around racing,” said Hackel, who by day is a chassis fabricator at PMC Racecars. “It’s great to have my dad and my grandfather be there to support me every week.”
On opening night at the Valley, Hackel crossed the finish line in seventh place. Certainly not a bad night.
“The car went really well. It met expectations, but we needed to be a little bit better,” Hackel said. “I had trouble turning into the corner; I had to rely on my brakes to turn the car and because of that I would lose some momentum down the straightaways, but we still went forward (after staring 11th), and we came back with not even a scratch on the car so it was a good solid way to start the year.”
Last Saturday Mother Nature won.
Hackel’s got a similar partnership on Friday at Albany-saratoga Speedway with Bob Godgart.
“We raced three times this year at Malta. We struggled opening night, finished 7th the next week and then suffered carburetor issues the next week,” Hackel said. “It’s been a roller-coaster season of ups and downs.”
Word on the street is that Hackel’s work ethic and enthusiasm for the sport are where they need to be right now for success.
“This is it. I’m super excited to have the opportunities that I have right now,” Hackel said. “I want to thank everybody that is making this possible for me, for the team. I am having a ton of fun, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Busy guy
BD Motorsports lead Brett Deyo just keeps adding to his to-do list.
On Friday, promoter Deyo will host his initial weekly racing event at Utica-rome Speedway. Deyo took the oval over from speedway owner Gene Cole.
Deyo’s Saturday gig at Fonda Speedway is already several events into the 2021 season.
His agreement with the Montgomery County Agricultural Society runs until 2023. Despite COVID-19, last season he was able to complete 11 events at the Track of Champions.
It’s a date
The Northeast Stock Car Old Timer’s (NESCOT) group will be hosting a Steak and Chicken Bake on Sunday, Aug. 22 at Nassau Sportsman Club.
This annual event offers great racing stories, great food, door prizes, vintage race cars and music. Tickets are $45 (steak) and $40 (chicken). Contact Richard Carpinello, 518-477-8352, for tickets.
▶