For the first time this season, the DIRTcar Sportsman Series Central Region takes center stage.
Round one of the four-race campaign takes place on Tuesday, June 11, at Weedsport Speedway. Drivers will battle in a 30-lap Feature paying $1,000-to-win.
The DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds will wage war for $5,000, joining the DIRTcar Sportsman Series on the Tuesday night card.
For more on the DIRTcar Northeast, follow the DIRTcar Facebook page and the Series’ X/(Twitter) page.
Here’s a look at what to watch for on Tuesday:
Aiming For the Top: With Andrew Buff moving up to the 358 Modified division, the Central Region will crown a new champion in 2024.
One of the favorites to take Buff’s place is defending Brewerton track champion Zach Sobotka. The Parish, NY driver won two of the last three races on the DIRTcar Sportsman Series championship trail last season, including one at the “D-Shaped Dirt Demon” during Super DIRT Week.
Sobotka has finished second in the DIRTcar Sportsman championship points in three consecutive seasons and is searching for his first overall Series title.
He enters Weedsport with three wins this season, two at Brewerton and one at Land of Legends Raceway.
Root is Rolling: While Tuesday is the first DIRTcar Sportsman Series event at Weedsport in 2024, it isn’t the first DIRTcar Sportsman Feature.
Nick Root gained valuable momentum at the track by winning on Memorial Day Weekend—his first trip to Victory Hill.
Despite being winless outside of Weedsport this season, the Geneva, NY driver has been consistent at his weekly tracks, Brewerton Speedway and Land of Legends Raceway. Root is fourth in points at Brewerton with two top fives in three Features and fourth at Land of Legends with three top fives in four starts.
He’s searching for his first career DIRTcar Sportsman Series win.
Neutral Ground: With Weedsport only hosting DIRTcar Sportsman events four times in 2024, the track serves as a neutral ground for drivers in Central, NY.
That means the point leaders at Brewerton, Land of Legends, Fulton Speedway, and Can-Am Speedway can earn bragging rights.
Mike Fowler (Can-Am), Tyler Corcoran (Land of Legends), Cody Manitta (Brewerton), and Kyle Devendorf (Fulton) are currently at the top of their respective home track standings.
However, Corcoran is the only one of those four drivers who won a DIRTcar Sportsman Series victory. The Central Square, NY driver has six career Series wins, including a North Region win at Can-Am in April.
While the other three points leaders haven’t reached Victory Lane, they’ve all knocked on its door.
Fowler has four third-place finishes—the most recent coming at Land of Legends to kick off last year’s DIRTcar Sportsman championship season.
Manitta and Devendorf, meanwhile, both had runner-up Series finishes in 2023. Devendorf’s came in the North Region Series opener at Can-Am, while Manitta’s came at Brewerton during Super DIRT Week.
DIRTcar Sportsman Series Central Region Schedule
Tuesday, June 11, Weedsport Speedway
Saturday, June 22, Land of Legends Raceway
Wednesday, July 3, Can-Am Speedway
Saturday, July 27, Fulton Speedway
