By Cheryl Clough

Contributing Writer

Lebanon Valley Speedway promoter Howie Commander has brought some big events as the high-banked track prepares for its 55th season.

A quick peek at the schedule shows the World of Outlaws sprint series, the USHRAA Monster Truck Summer Nationals, a 100-lap Super DIRT Series modified tour race, the Benjamin Moore Paints 358 super series, Eve of Destruction and the Coors National 200 Weekend will all be held at the speedway in the coming months.

Rob Yetman won six races last season to take the pro stock division at Lebanon Valley Speedway. He’ll be the favorite in the division this season.

That’s all mixed in with some of the top weekly dirt racing in the Northeast.

The 1/2-mile oval has been called the "Valley of Speed" and no weekly class gets around the track quicker than the modified division and that likely won’t change when the season begins April 14.

Reigning big block modified champion Andy Bachetti earned three victories last season en route to his first big block championship at the speedway, beating J.R. Heffner (one win) by 24 points. Bachetti should be favored again this season.

His main competition should come from Donnie Corellis (one win), former champion Ken Tremont Jr. (three wins), Tim Dwyer (one win), Wayne Jelley (one win) and Eddie Marshall. Former track regular Dickie Larkin joins the chase as well after getting back into racing in February, when the dirt modifieds competed at Volousia Speedway in Florida.

But big block modified racing isn’t Bachetti’s lone specialty.

He’s also the defending champion in the 358 modified division after winning three races last season. He’ll look to hold off Heffner, Matt Quinn, Corellis and Ray Hoard.[an error occurred while processing this directive]