Weedsport, NY — July 22, 2008 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast PR Director
As the summer rolls on so do the DIRTcar NorthEast Regional point races, with just seven weeks remaining to determine the final standings. All Regional points end on Monday, September 1, 2008.
With more than $45,000 on the line in DIRTcar NorthEast’s top open-wheel divisions this season, teams continue to battle week after week in the third year of Regional point fund allocation. 135 drivers that competed in the Big-Block Modified, 358-Modified and Sportsman Modified divisions last year were rewarded for their success in the most lucrative regional post-season awards program for weekly teams found anywhere in the country today.
Billy Decker maintains his status as the winningest driver on the entire DIRTcar Racing NE circuit, posting 16 feature victories to stand atop the Central division points chart as well as the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series standings. Orange County Fair Speedway veteran Chuck McKee (1 win) heads Lebanon Valley Speedway high points man Mark Flach in the Eastern bracket while Tri-City Speedway leader Kevin Bolland (5 wins) paces the Western Regional race.
Second-generation standout Kyle Dingwall (1 win) tops the points chart at both Brockville and Cornwall in the province of Ontario to lead Frenchman Martin Roy from Quebec in the Northern Regional standings. Chad Brachmann (2 wins) ranks highest in the Ransomville Speedway standings ahead of ‘Mr. Small-Block’ Pete Bicknell (3 wins) while Orange County leader Jerry Higbie (1 win) holds down first-place on the Eastern 358 chart as the final weekend of racing in July approaches.
Creeping closer to the pinnacle of Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series racing, teenage sensation Chris Raabe (12 wins) tops the Northern Regional standings with Todd Henderson (Central) and James Michael Friesen (Western) at the helm in New York and Canada. 17 year-old Raabe is the points leader at both Brockville and Thunder Alley, Henderson (6 wins) is in search of that elusive points crown at Black Rock while third-generation driver Friesen (8 wins) leads heading down the stretch at Ransomville in the crate engine-dominated class.
Direct further questions regarding the 2008 DIRTcar Regional Racing Series to DIRTcar NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning Cory Reed in the DIRTcar NE Office (315/834-6606) or log into the DIRTcar homepage at www.dirtcar.com to find out more about the entire circuit.
2008 DIRTcar NORTHEAST REGIONAL POINTS (as of July 20)
® Rookie
BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED
CENTRAL (Best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Billy Decker 882
2 Alan Johnson 814
3 Matt Sheppard 804
4 Jimmy Phelps 778
5 Steve Paine 728
6 Pat O’Brien 714
7 Jim Witko Jr. 704
8 Kevin Bates 666
9 Tom Sears Jr. 636
10 Ryan Phelps 632
11 Frankie Caprara 628
12 Chuck Bower 626
13 Steve Hulsizer 625
14 Gary Tomkins 623
15 Chad Phelps 598
EASTERN (Best 10)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Chuck McKee 478
2 Mark Flach Jr. 472
3 David VanHorn 470
J.R. Heffner 470
5 Andy Bachetti 467
6 Kenny Tremont 443
7 Brett Hearn 434
8 Jerry Higbie 426
Guy Sheldon 426
10 Jeff Heotzler 406
11 Mike Storms® 405
12 Eddie Marshall 394
13 Tommy Meier 387
14 Steve Hough 377
15 Steve Dodd 372
WESTERN (Best 12)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Kevin Bolland 674
2 Brian Swartzlander 642
Jeremiah Shingledecker 642
4 Del Rougeux Jr. 582
5 Dave Murdick 501
6 Joe Crawford 481
7 Mark Flick 463
8 Carl Murdick 430
9 J.R. McGinley 424
10 Kevin Hoffman 418
11 Mike Turner 414
12 Dean Pearson 370
13 Andy Priest 366
14 Tom Winkle 350
15 Steve Feder 345
DIRTcar NorthEast Big-Block Modified Regions
*Events held at Rolling Wheels and Airborne (August 6) count toward any region.
East (best 10 finishes): Lebanon Valley, Orange County, Granby (July 11), Drummond (July 12);
Central (best 15 finishes): Brewerton, Can-Am, Canandaigua, Cayuga County, Fulton, Brockville (July 10), Cornwall (August 17);
West (best 12 finishes): Lernerville, Tri-City, Ransomville (July 3), Merrittville (August 4), BRP Modified Tour events.
358-MODIFIED
NORTHERN (Best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Kyle Dingwall 736
2 Martin Roy 731
3 Joel Doiron 707
4 Carey Terrance 702
5 Lance Willix II 692
6 David Hebert 682
7 Eric Gauvreau 674
Laurent Ladouceur 674
9 John Lazore 670
10 Alain Boisvert 668
Bobby Herrington 668
12 Clement Therrien 655
13 Brian McDonald 649
14 Mitchell Jock ® 643
15 Mark Smoke 635
EASTERN (Best 7)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Jerry Higbie 304
2 Tim Hindley 280
3 Craig Mitchell 270
4 David VanHorn 267
5 Johnny Guarino 254
6 Chuck McKee 246
7 Jimmy Johnson 242
8 Tommy Meier 222
9 Kirk Horton 218
Chris Shultz 218
11 Brett Hearn 216
12 Dom Roselli 202
13 Jeremy Markle 186
14 Tom Dakake 164
15 Jim Bobbitt 158
WESTERN (Best 12)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Chad Brachmann 652
2 Pete Bicknell 630
3 Rick Richner 558
4 Todd Burley 518
5 Robbie Krull 516
6 Boyd MacTavish 500
7 Tommy Flannigan 480
8 Larry Lampman Jr. 471
9 Scott Wood 468
10 Tim Jones 465
11 Scott Kerwin 458
12 Todd Gordon 447
13 Jeff McGinnis 430
14 Fred Carleton 417
15 Chris Steele 408
DIRTcar NorthEast 358-Modified Regions
*Events held at Rolling Wheels and Airborne (August 6) count toward any region.
East (best 7 finishes): Orange County;
North (best 15 finishes): Airborne, Brockville, Can-Am, Cornwall, Drummond, Edelweiss, Granby, Mohawk, Lucas DIRTcar Series events (Granby-July 18, Drummond-July 19, Mohawk-July 31, Edelweiss-August 1, Brockville-August 2, Cornwall-August 3);
West (best 12 finishes): Merrittville, Ransomville, Lucas DIRTcar Series events (Merrittville-May 19, Ransomville-May 23, Humberstone-June 22, Merrittville-July 12, Ransomville-July 18, Ohsweken-August 8, Humberstone-August 17).
SPORTSMAN MODIFIED
NORTHERN (Best 12)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Chris Raabe 720
2 Brandon Sweet 648
3 Tyler Rand 570
4 Matt Billings 564
5 Luke Whitteker 554
6 Adam Turner 540
7 Dylan Evoy 536
8 Mike Mandigo 498
9 Zeke McKeown 491
10 Shane Pecore 490
11 Tom Conklin 442
12 Christine Martin 432
13 Cole Dingwall 425
14 Terry Gould 424
15 Randy Gaudet 421
CENTRAL (Best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Todd Henderson 790
2 Kevin Ridley 776
3 Jeremy Pitcher 764
4 Daryl Hilkert 730
5 Dan Wiesner 714
6 Tom Juhl 680
7 Tim Currier 664
8 Steve Gray 651
9 Justin Wright 650
10 Loren Lincoln 648
11 John Pietrowicz 615
12 Fran Hilton 588
13 Mike Ruggiero 565
14 A.J. Kingsley 558
Marcus Dinkins 558
WESTERN (Best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 James Michael Friesen 814
2 Don Spatorico 786
3 Tyler McPherson 774
4 Mike Bowman 768
5 Mat Williamson 758
6 Rob Pratt 742
7 Steve Schumacher 693
8 B.J. Willard 674
9 Ricky Newton 652
10 Greg Panunte 632
11 Justin Sharp 627
12 Ryan Susice 577
13 Justin Wright 570
14 Chad Chevalier 565
15 Jipp Ortiz 557
DIRTcar NorthEast Sportsman Modified Regions
*Events held at Rolling Wheels count toward any region.
Central (best 15 finishes): Black Rock, Brewerton, Canandaigua, Cayuga County, Fulton, Orange County;
North (best 12 finishes): Brockville, Can-Am, Thunder Alley, Lucas DIRTcar Series events (Can-Am-July 5, Brighton-July 18, Thunder Alley-August 1, Brockville-August 2);
West (best 15 finishes): Genesee, Humberstone, Merrittville, Ransomville, Lucas DIRTcar Series events (Genesee-June 14, Merrittville-June 21, Humberstone-July 6, Ohsweken-August 1, Ransomville-August 8).
Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items in the United States, serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets As of April 19, 2008, the Company operated 3,291 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts and accessories can be found on the Company’s web site at www.advanceautoparts.com.
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts and Hoosier Racing Tire. Rite Aid Corporation is a promotional partner and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks, Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Dig Safely New York, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks, Rislone Oil Stabilizer and Wrisco Industries.
