Weedsport, NY — May 18, 2010 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing Northeast PR Director
Mid-May marked the first full weekend of open-wheel racing scheduled on the DIRTcar Northeast circuit with only Canandaigua Speedway (curfew) and Autodrome Granby (rain) among the 20 weekly affiliates held back from issuing regional points toward the respective title hunts in Big-Block, 358-Modified and Sportsman Modified competition.
Small-Block teams chasing the overall Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship make their tour debut this coming week on Victoria Day (May 24) at Merrittville (Ont.) Speedway while Billy Decker returns to Cayuga County Fair Speedway on May 30 of Memorial Day Weekend for the next Big-Block Series showdown. Sportsman contenders make their way to Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway for round two on June 13 with opening-day victor Steve Gray ahead in the standings.
The top-3 Big-Block runners in DIRTcar Northeast’s Central Region won over the past weekend, with division leader Matt Sheppard (5 wins), Jimmy Phelps and Alan Johnson rising to the top after 35-lap feature race triumphs. Bobby Varin retained his spot atop the Eastern points chart while fellow Glen Ridge Motorsports Park campaigner Craig Hanson vaulted from 5th to second after his initial win of 2010. Jeremiah Shingledecker captured his second straight victory at Tri-City (Pa.) Speedway to remain the best in the West prepping for the BRP-Hoosier Modified Tour lid-lifter this coming Friday at Lernerville (Pa.) Speedway.
Second-generation chauffeur Tim O’Brien reclaimed his lead position in the 358-Modified Northern Region ahead of division rookie Matt Billings fresh off his first career Small-Block feature win Sunday at Cornwall Motor Speedway. Chad Brachmann is showing how the West may be won as he maintained a solid advantage competing at Ransomville, Merrittville and Humberstone speedways over the past weekend.
The ‘Teenage Tornado’ Chris Raabe tightened his grip on the Northern division Sportsman field with two more checkered flags to become the first four-time feature winner this season. D.J. Brundige took his initial lead in the Eastern Region while Steve Gray (Central) and Ryan Susice (Western) remained the men to beat in their respective area point battles.
Log into www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing’s Northeast circuit and follow the points chase for all divisions as the season rolls on.
DIRTcar Racing Northeast Point Standings (as of May 17, 2010):
BIG-BLOCK SUPER DIRTcar SERIES POINTS
Pos. Driver Points
1 Billy Decker 201
2 Matt Sheppard 200
3 Michael Storms 162
4 Dale Planck 159
5 Pat Ward 159
6 Brett Hearn 158
7 Billy Dunn 145
8 Danny Johnson 131
9 Justin Haers 130
10 Jimmy Phelps 129
11 Stewart Friesen 121
12 Ryan Phelps 121
13 Larry Wight 117
14 Steve Paine 110
15 Gary Tomkins 104
SPORTSMAN MODIFIED SERIES POINTS
Pos. Driver Points
1 Steve Gray 100
2 Chris Raabe 95
3 Donnie Lawson 90
4 Ryan Susice 85
5 Eric Giguere 80
6 Brady Fultz 76
7 Mark Chiddy 72
8 Dan Wiesner 68
8 Loren Lincoln 65
10 Jesse Cotriss 62
11 Shane Pecore 60
12 Fran Hilton 58
13 Daryl Hilkert 56
14 Rob Richmond Jr. 54
15 Mark Dixon 52
BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED REGIONAL POINTS
CENTRAL (Best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Matt Sheppard 529
2 Jimmy Phelps 466
3 Alan Johnson 390
4 Billy Decker 382
5 Billy Dunn 354
6 Steve Paine 354
7 Ryan Phelps 352
8 Larry Wight 328
9 Rob Bellinger 324
10 Michael Storms 309
11 Tom Sears Jr. 282
12 Pat Ward 276
13 Danny Johnson 265
14 Willy Decker 246
15 Justin Haers 246
EASTERN (Best 12)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Bob Varin 206
2 Craig Hanson 187
3 JaMike Sowle 186
4 Jeremy Wilder 180
5 Jackie Brown 179
5 Mike Ronca 178
7 Paul Kinney 169
8 Kenny Tremont Jr. 166
9 Jim Davis 156
10 Kenny Anatriello 150
11 Rich Price 144
12 Mark Flach Jr. 144
13 J.R. Heffner 142
14 Andy Bachetti 142
15 Don Mattison 141
WESTERN (Best 12)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Jer. Shingledecker 304
2 Mike Turner 266
3 Dean Pearson 257
4 Kevin Bolland 254
5 Dave Murdick 236
6 Brian Swartzlander 216
7 Del Rougeux Jr. 204
8 Carl Murdick 196
9 Rex King 158
10 Jim Weller Jr. 154
11 Erik Martin 152
12 Shawn Fleeger 132
13 Don Brown 130
14 Rex King Jr. 128
15 Steve Feder 124
358-MODIFIED REGIONAL POINTS
NORTHERN (Best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Tim O’Brien 316
2 Matt Billings 310
3 Luke Whitteker 298
4 Laurent Ladouceur 259
5 Eric Gauvreau 240
5 Brian McDonald 236
7 Dave Heaslip 236
8 Mitch Jock 224
9 Kayle Robidoux 224
9 Carey Terrance 221
11 John Lazore 212
12 Todd Stewart 197
13 Perry Francis 188
14 Denis Gauvreau 174
15 Gage Morin 167
WESTERN (Best 12)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Chad Brachmann 328
2 Mat Williamson 288
3 Todd Gordon 280
4 Pete Bicknell 246
5 Tommy Flannigan 239
6 Robbie Krull 236
7 James M. Friesen 224
8 Scott Wood 206
8 Mike Bowman 202
10 Bill Bleich 198
11 Rob Pietz 198
11 Fred Carleton 194
13 Boyd MacTavish 192
14 Rick Richner 190
15 Richie Vinson 182
SPORTSMAN MODIFIED REGIONAL POINTS
NORTHERN (Best 12)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Chris Raabe 378
2 Shane Pecore 244
3 Dylan Evoy 244
4 Brent Kelsey 200
5 Josh Van Brocklin 178
6 Christine Martin 177
7 Adam Turner 168
8 Steve Barber 166
9 Dillon Sallows 160
10 Matt Hulsizer 154
11 Brad Winters 152
12 Brandon Hagan 142
13 Tim Sears Jr 140
14 Dana Aikins 130
15 Sheldon Hoogwerf 125
EASTERN (Best 10)
Pos. Driver Points
1 D.J. Brundige 192
2 John Marsh 186
3 Tony Farone 182
4 Bodie Bellinger 176
5 Brain Pessolano 171
6 Greg Pessolano 170
7 Chris Schaffer 170
8 Justin Boehler 163
8 Chuck Allen 162
10 Ricky Quick 133
11 Dave Herrick 121
12 Mike Burdo 115
13 Leo Sousie 113
14 Mike Tholin 110
15 Dave Constantino 110
CENTRAL (Best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Steve Gray 280
2 Tom Juhl 252
3 Eric Giguere 204
4 Tim Sears Jr. 196
5 Justin Wright 193
6 Jeremy Pitcher 180
7 Adam Hilton 175
8 Dan Wiesner 168
9 Earl Rudy 150
10 Mark Chiddy 148
11 Rob Humphreys 144
12 Ricky Newton 141
13 Paul Guererri 140
14 James Spano 138
15 Fran Hilton 120
WESTERN (Best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Ryan Susice 369
2 Brad Rouse 355
3 Greg Panunte 318
4 Rick Bellante 282
5 B.J. Willard 276
6 Cody McPherson 264
7 Don Spatorico 236
8 Nick Cupolo 230
9 Rob Murray 225
10 Adam Leslie 199
11 Mark Dixon 196
12 Jipp Ortiz 146
13 Justin Wright 146
14 Brandon Easey 142
15 Curtis Friesen 125
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 annually in October 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.allstar100weekend.com and 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 the University of Northwestern Ohio www.unoh.com and Chizmark & Larson Insurance www.chizmarklarson.com, and contingency sponsors are Bicknell Racing Products www.bicknellracingproducts.com, Bilstein Shocks www.bilstein.com, KSE Racing Products www.kse-racing.com, Motorsports Safety Systems www.motorsportssafetysystems.com, MSD Ignition www.msdignition.com, Penske Shocks, www.penskeshocks.com, Racing Electronics www.racingelectronics.com, Vicci Racing Apparel www.vicci.com and Wrisco Industries www.wrisco.com.
