Super DIRTcar Series kicks off season at Fulton Speedway
Premier Big-Block Modified tour picks up momentum with new tracks, events, drivers
WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – Spring has sprung, and with it the Super DIRTcar Series is ready to kick into high gear. The Big-Block Modified tour kicks off Saturday, April 26, at Central New York’s Fulton Speedway.
Last year, the series brought the best competitors to the best facilities in DIRTcar’s Northeast Region as drivers duked it out for points supremacy. Veteran Brett Hearn, of Sussex, N.J., took home the crown after a season of surprises, upsets, record-breaking car counts and intense racing action.
Having already warmed up with pre-season racing at Volusia Speedway Park’s DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment, the Super DIRTcar Series contenders are gearing up for another action-packed year. For the first time in years, the series will be running at Fulton Speedway, Utica-Rome Speedway, Big Diamond Speedway, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, Weedsport Speedway , Ransomville Speedway and Fonda Speedway. These races are in addition to popular series events at New Egypt Speedway, Cornwall Motor Speedway, Rolling Wheels Raceway, Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Autodromes Granby and Drummond, Merrittville Speedway, Ransomville Speedway, Lebanon Valley Speedway and Mohawk International Raceway.
“I’m just excited overall about the whole picture,” said Big-Block Modified driver and series regular Jimmy Phelps, of Baldwinsville, N.Y. “We’re getting some tracks back in, we’re getting some new tracks. We’re getting to see the series get some real momentum and it’s just real exciting to be a part of.”
In addition to competing for some of the top spots in the series the last few years, finishing third in series points for 2012 and ’13, Phelps will be traveling the tour with three-time series champion Matt Sheppard, of Waterloo, N.Y. Sheppard joined the Heinke-Baldwin Racing team early in 2014, and Phelps believes the former champion will bring valuable new perspective to the team.
“He’s brought some insight to the table and a different outlook to possibly help our equipment, our decisions on setup and so on and so forth” said Phelps, whose No. 98h shared the lead with Sheppard’s No. 9H during much of the last Super DIRTcar Series race February at Volusia Speedway Park. “It’s a win-win. Hopefully we can help him improve, or at least stay on pace with where he’s been; and hopefully he can help me improve.”
Sheppard, Phelps and Hearn will have to stay on their toes this year to stay ahead of a competitive field of series racers. October’s Syracuse 200 winner Billy Dunn, of Watertown, N.Y., will be in the running again this year, as will Pete Britten of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Gary Tomkins, of Rochester, N.Y., Justin Haers, of Phelps, N.Y., among many others. With more events in the Central New York region, some of that area’s strong contenders, including Billy Decker, Pat Ward, Larry Wight and Ryan Phelps are poised to make a splash in this year’s point standings.
Highbank Holdup 100 takes hold in Central New York
Perhaps the most talked-about race on this year’s Super DIRTcar Series schedule is the series point opener Saturday, April 26, at Fulton Speedway. The Highbank Holdup 100 marks the first time since 2010 that the premier Big-Block Modified tour roared onto the 3/8-mile high-banked oval at Fulton, and fans and racers couldn’t be more excited.
“The track is probably one of my favorite tracks. The way it’s shaped and with how wide it is you can run about four-wide at any part of the track,” said Phelps, who is looking forward to returning to a track he hasn’t raced regularly since 2011. “Anytime you can spice things up with something new and throw a huge event to kick things off, I think people are really excited about it.”
“Huge event” might be an understatement for the Highbank Holdup, which is serving as both the Super DIRTcar Series northeast opener and the Fulton Speedway season opener. In addition to the 100-lap Big-Block Modified race, the track will be featuring the $1,000-to-win Industrial Tire Sportsman Championship Qualifier as well as Pro Race Cars Mod Lites.
Racing begins at 7 p.m. for April’s Highbank Holdup 100 at Fulton Speedway in Fulton, N.Y. For more information about the event, visit www.fultonspeedway.com or call (315) 593-6531. For more information about the Super DIRTcar Series, including a complete 2014 schedule and results from past races, visit www.superdirtcarseries.com.
AT A GLANCE
Highbank Holdup 100
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2014
Time: Racing starts at 7 p.m.
About the Series: The Super DIRTcar Series is a traveling tour featuring the mighty, 800-plus horsepower Big-Block Modifieds. The series travels to the biggest venues and events in the Northeast region, culminating in the Syracuse 200 during NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week. The Super DIRTcar Series also makes appearances at large events outside the region, including the World of Outlaws World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte and February’s DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Volusia Speedway Park.
About the Track: Built into a hilly area on the banks of the Oswego River, Fulton Speedway’s 3/8-mile, high-banked clay oval is a mainstay for Central New York’s competitors and race fans.
Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series
Potential Driver Entry List
1.) Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY
2.) Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY
3.) Billy Decker, Unadilla, NY
4.) Pat Ward, Genoa, NY
5.) Larry Wight, Baldwinsville, NY
6.) Peter Britten, Brisbane, Queensland – Australia
7.) Rich Scagliotta, Hillsborough, N.J.
8.) Brett Hearn, Sussex, N.J.
9.) Matt Billings, Brockville, Ontario – Canada
10.) Gary Tomkins, Rochester, NY
11.) Dale Planck, Cortland, NY
12.) Justin Haers, Phelps, NY
13.) Keith Flach, Ravena, NY
14.) Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY
15.) Dave Rauscher, Waterloo, NY
16.) Ryan Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY
17.) Carey Terrance, Hogansburg, NY
18.) Rob Bellinger, Watertown, NY
19.) Billy Dunn, Watertown, NY
20.) Billy VanInwegen, Sparrowbush, NY
21.) Vince Vitale, Phoenix, NY
22.) Tim Sears, Clay, NY
23.) Tom Sears, Jr., Clay, NY
24.) Mat Williamson, St. Catherines, Ontario – Canada
25.) Lance Willix, Theresa, NY
26.) Dan Vauter, Forest City, Pa.
27.) Chad Phelps, Mexico, NY
28.) Chris Hile, Syracuse, NY
29.) Jim Witko, Jr., Clarks Summit, Pa.
30.) Matt Hulsizer, Stony Point, NY
31.) Roy Bresnahan, Palermo, NY
32.) Katelyn Kane, Syracuse, NY
33.) Chuck Bower, Lansing, NY
34.) Adam Roberts, Watertown, NY
35.) Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
36.) C.G. Morey, Rutland, Vt.
37.) Jimmy Davis, Ballston Spa, N.Y.
38.) Joe August
39.) Tim Schneider, Jr.
40.) Tim Kerr, Picton, Ontario
41.) Mario Clair, Drummondville, Quebec
42.) Kevin Albert, Lebanon, Pa.
43.) Tim Currier, Waterloo, NY
TheSuperDIRTcarSeries andDIRTcarRacing in theNortheastRegion is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners including Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Chevy Performance Parts, NAPA Auto Parts, Safety-Kleen, and Velocita USA. Contingency partners include the University of Northwestern Ohio, ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD LLC, Fox Shocks, Racing Electronics, Superflow and Wrisco Industries.
