Frank Cozze
Weedsport, NY — September 5, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing Northeast PR Director
Defending Big-Block Modified race winner Frank Cozze recently submitted the first official entry to compete during Super DIRT Week XXXVIII, scheduled for Oct. 7-11, 2009 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Official SDW ’09 entry forms are now posted on www.superdirtweekonline.com and continue to be available at the DIRTcar Northeast office in Weedsport, N.Y.
Cozze will be back aboard the same potent Waite’s General Contractors no. 44 Carquest-Bert Transmission/PMC machine, looking to match a feat it took the Wind Gap, Pa. veteran 30 years to accomplish at the famed Moody Mile.
“I’ve been looking forward to coming back ever since we left last year,” remarked Cozze, who at the age of 53 last autumn became the oldest driver to win DIRTcar NE’s premier event for Big-Block Modifieds. His prime physical condition proved to be an asset when he circled the storied Salt City oval the last 129 laps on one tank of gas while a handful of his closest challengers ran dry as the final laps clicked off. “I’m not sure we’ll use that same strategy again. We’ll have to pit later this year so fuel mileage won’t be much of a factor any more.”
Cozze’s reference was to the lone rule implemented for Super DIRT Week this year which mandates cars pitting in the Modified 200 stop a minimum of one time prior to lap 100 and a minimum of one time after lap 100, the halfway point.
The 38th edition of Super DIRT Week leading into Columbus Day will mark Cozze’s 25th effort upstate, the first as defending champion at the Moody Mile and he will be just as prepared for his Silver Anniversary send-off in October.
“I’m really no more confident than I was 30 years ago, its still Syracuse and so much can happen out there, not just on race day but all week,” added Cozze, who scored a pair of top-threes in his first five title runs between 1977-1981, posted third-place finishes in 1992 and 2003, and even held the lead in 1989 just seven laps from the end before a late-race crash squelched his best-ever chance to climb atop the podium. “I don’t think I know much more either. Experience tells me that time trialing late is always the key if you want to start out the week with a good feeling. So I’ll just live and learn like all the rest.”
Activity gets underway on the fairgrounds with Modified ‘Happy Hour’ slated for Wednesday, Oct. 7, continuing with ‘Media Day’ and Big-Block/358-Modified Integra Shocks Time Trials plus 358-Mod and Sportsman futures events on Thursday. Big-Block Triple 20 and 358-Modified Twin 20 qualifying races, Sportsman Time Trials and Big-Block/Pro Stock futures go off on Friday, Syracuse 150 358-Modified Championship, Sportsman Championship races and Pro Stock Time Trials run Saturday, with the 200-lap SDW XXXVIII Modified and Pro Stock championships taking center stage on Sunday.
For more information about Super DIRT Week, including ticket order placement, lap sponsorship and vendor space availability, please contact DIRTcar Racing NE Headquarters during the week at 315/834-6606. Further newsworthy items can be found at www.superdirtcarseries.com and www.dirtcar.com as well as www.superdirtweekonline.com, where tickets can be ordered and official Super DIRT Week entry forms found to print out and mail in.
DIRTcar Racing Northeast main office is located in Weedsport, New York on the Cayuga County Fairgrounds, home of DIRTcar All-Star Weekend in July. DIRTcar Northeast’s crown jewel event —Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse— runs October 7-11, 2009 featuring Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship Series events for Big-Block Modified, 358-Modified, Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions. Ticket and schedule information is available by contacting the Weedsport office (315/834-6606) during the day or logging into www.superdirtweekonline.com anytime.
The Big-Block Super DIRTcar Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Hoosier Racing Tire www.hoosiertire.com and VP Racing Fuels www.vpracingfuels.com. Promotional partners include Dig Safely New York www.digsafelynewyork.com and the University of Northwestern Ohio www.unoh.com and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks www.barsproducts.com, Bert Transmission www.berttransmission.com, Bicknell Racing Products www.bicknellracingproducts.com, Bilstein Shocks www.bilstein.com, Brodix Cylinder Heads www.brodix.com, Ferris Industries www.ferrisindustries.com, Integra Shocks www.integrashocksandsprings.com, Intercomp www.intercomp-racing.com, KSE Racing Products www.kse-racing.com, Motorsports Safety Systems www.motorsportssafetysystems.com, Penske Shocks, www.penskeshocks.com, Racing Electronics www.racingelectronics.com, Rislone Oil Stabilizer www.barsproducts.com and Wrisco Industries www.wrisco.com.
