A jam-packed weekend awaits the DIRTcar Sportsman Series as the battle for regional titles continues.
Three of the four regions are in action, with the West and East regions kicking off their 2025 season.
A visit to Ransomville Speedway begins the West Region on Friday, May 30. The $1,000-to-win event kicks off a Niagara Frontier weekend doubleheader with a 30-lap Feature.
Then, drivers head to Canada for a stop at Merrittville Speedway on Saturday, May 31, for another 30-lap Feature, paying $1,600 (CAN) to the winner.
The North Region also visits Canada on Saturday, May 31, for a stop at Autodrome Drummond. Another $1,350 (CAN) is on the line at the “F1 of Dirt,” but in a 50-lap Feature.
After visiting Drummond, drivers will head west to Cornwall Motor Speedway on Sunday, June 1. The third North Region battle of the season is a 50-lap Feature with $1,500 (CAN) on the line.
Along with the North Region, the East Region will be in action at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park on Sunday, June 1. Drivers will battle at “The Ridge” in a 40-lap Feature paying $1,000-to-win.
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Here’s a look at what to watch for in the West, North, and East Regions:
WEST REGION
Cody Mac is Back: While a full DIRTcar Sportsman Series championship run is up in the air for Cody McPherson, the three-time defending champion will compete for a Western Region title in 2025.
McPherson won all three West Region events in 2025 and sits atop the DIRTcar Sportsman Series all-time wins list with 27 triumphs.
He’s undefeated at Merrittville this season with three victories and won his only start of the season at Ransomville. McPherson also swept both Series stops at Ransomville in 2024, including a Mike Bonesky Memorial victory during the championship season.
Chasing the 7: While McPherson dominated the West Region in 2024, he’ll face a stout group of competitors hoping to earn championship honors.
That starts with Cameron Tuttle, who leads the points standings at Ransomville. The Wilson, NY driver has a win and two top fives in two starts this season and finished fourth and seventh in two West Region starts in 2024.
Tuttle has two DIRTcar Sportsman Series victories in his career, including a West Region triumph at Ransomville in 2021.
At Merrittville, the top contender to McPherson is Nigel Pendykoski, who’s second in the track’s points standings. The Niagara Falls, ON, driver has a top five and two top 10s in three starts this season. Pendykoski earned a top 10 in his lone West Region start at Merrittville last year.
NORTH REGION
Eisele Heats Up: Despite a third-place finish in the North Region opener in April, Gavin Eisele enters the Canadian doubleheader with momentum.
The LaFargeville, NY driver outdueled McPherson and Emmett Waldron to win the Central Region opener last weekend at Weedsport Speedway. He’s also on a three-race top-five streak in North Region Features. However, this weekend will be his first Series appearance at Drummond and Cornwall.
Eisele is a three-time Series Feature winner.
Canadian Double: With North Region events in two Canadian provinces, drivers from Quebec and Ontario will battle for checkered flags this weekend.
That starts with defending North Region champion Shane Pecore. He opened the season with a fourth-place finish at Can-Am and opened Cornwall’s season with a victory earlier this month. The Cornwall, ON driver is tied for fifth on the Series all-time wins list with 11 victories.
Jacob Nadeau, from Yamaska, QC, finished second to Pecore in Cornwall’s opener and aims for his first Series victory on Saturday and Sunday. Nadeau also finished fourth in Drummond’s points standings in 2024, with three top fives in seven starts.
Defending Drummond track champion Kaven Poliquin will also aim for his first Series win this weekend. The Warwick, QC drivers scored two wins at the track last year and finished in the top five four times in seven starts.
DIRTcar Sportsman Series North Region Schedule
Saturday, May 31, Autodrome Drummond
Sunday, June 1, Cornwall Motor Speedway
Wednesday, July 2, Can-Am Speedway
T.B.D., Brockville Ontario Speedway
EAST REGION
Welcome to the Ridge: Sunday’s stop at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park will be unique, as it will be the first Sportsman Feature the track will run in 2025.
Last season, Cody Ochs scored his first DIRTcar Sportsman Series victory in what was his only East Region start of 2024. The Rensselaer, NY driver finished fifth in the track’s points standings last year, 82 points behind champion Zach Buff.
Ochs and Buff each had four wins at “The Ridge” last season, but Buff finished in the top 10 in 12 of the track’s 13 Features last season. Buff, like Ochs, has one career DIRTcar Sportsman Series victory to his name, which came at Glen Ridge in 2022.
Title Defense Begins: Sunday’s event also marks the start of Jason Gray’s title defense as the defending East Region champion. The East Thetford, VT driver has already reached Victory Lane this season, scoring the opening night win at Bear Ridge Speedway and backing it up with a third-place finish last weekend.
In three starts at Glen Ridge, Gray has one top five after he finished fourth in last year’s East Region event. He’s searching for his fourth Series victory.
2025 DIRTcar Sportsman East Region Schedule
Sunday, June 1, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park
Thursday, June 12, Airborne Park Speedway
Saturday, Aug. 2, Bear Ridge Speedway
