Pro Stock Field - Jim Young Photo
Weedsport, NY — February 20, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing Northeast PR Director
425 laps in 10 races at 10 different tracks. At stake is the coveted title of overall Hoosier Tire Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Champion for the 2009 season and on the line are a couple thousand dollars along with bragging rights for another year.
Its all that simple, at least on paper. Yet when reality sets in on DIRTcar Northeast’s premier full-fender traveling tour for the 15th straight year, the upcoming championship trail will be one of the most hotly contested and nothing will come nearly as easy.
“I’m glad, I’d like to see 30 cars taking the (feature) green every time out,” remarked three-time defending Mr. DIRTcar Champion Pete Stefanski from Wheatfield, New York, referring to the level of excitement and interest being generated around area shops. “That really means something, more competition is better for everybody today.”
Second-year DIRTcar Pro Stock Series Competition Director Brian Mulligan promises there will be more than enough contenders making rounds at every tour stop, enough to give Stefanski a run for his money like never before.
“The biggest thing this winter is the number of phone calls I’ve been getting, it wasn’t a time to sit back and wonder what to do next,” said Mulligan, who has already lined up a halfway leader award at each series show and created a special season-ending drawing that will reward a handful of drivers from those attending 100% of the events. “Our regulars know where we’ve been and the new teams like where we’re going. Put them together and they all want to take this class to another level.”
Mulligan indicated that 14 of the Top-15 point-getters from a year ago have intentions of following the Mr. DIRTcar Series this season. His list of new notables is highlighted by New York’s Capital District runners Dean Charbonneau, Buddy Hencke and Rob Yetman, along with defending Super DIRT Week Champion Sean Corr and Richard Bertrand from Acton Vale, Quebec, who dares to chase rookie accolades at age 52.
“Last year when some considered the class down and out, we still averaged a full-field (25 cars) not even figuring in the 52 that signed up at Syracuse,” Mulligan added. “I’m confident we’ll be around 30 this year, and that’s probably being a little conservative. “Canandaigua and Genesee are working together and I know some guys are knocking the dust off their cars after a couple years locked in the garage. With Drummond going with the full DIRTcar rulebook, the racers up north will have to get off the fence now and I know a few that have already leaned our way.”
Along with the newcomers, an all-star cast of tour stars ready to shine includes recent series record-setter Stefanski, ’09 runner-up Don Carlson and top challengers from a year ago Joey Ladouceur (4th) and P.J. Peters (5th); with Stefanski, Ladouceur and Peters converting over to crate engines for use during the upcoming season. Looking to provide just as stiff competition will be past Syracuse Super DIRT Week winner Louie Jackson, Stefanski’s teammate Allen Peters, and the past three top rookies Bruno Cyr (2008), Jocelyn Roy (2007) and Dion Oakes (2006).
The 2009 Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Series is scheduled to open the fourth weekend in April at Can-Am Motorsports Park. A big Independence Day show at Genesee Speedway puts an end to a two-month break, while Mohawk International Raceway runs in July and Autodrome Drummond (Que.) and Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway stage a regular season-ending doubleheader to close out August.
Autodrome Edelweiss hosts the first high-paying event with its 100-lapper set for September 11, while Lebanon Valley Speedway ends a three-year layoff the following night. Back-to-back Saturday shows at DIRTcar NE charter members Canandaigua Speedway (Sept. 19) and Rolling Wheels Raceway Park (Sept. 26) bring the first month of autumn to an end before Super DIRT Week XXXVIII brings the curtain down with the big $2,000-to-win finale.
For additional information, please contact Pro Stock Series Director Brian Mulligan (613/938-6751) or Cory Reed, DIRTcar Racing Northeast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning, at the Weedsport office (315/834-6606) during normal business hours. In the meantime, log into the homepage at www.dirtcar.com to find out more about the entire circuit.
2009 Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Championship Series Schedule
*All events subject to change.
DAY-DATE LAPS TRACK LOCATION
Fri-Apr 24 30 Can-Am Motorsports Park LaFargeville,NY
Sat-Jul 4 40 Genesee Speedway Batavia,NY
Fri-Jul 17 40 Mohawk Int’l Raceway Akwesasne,NY
Sat-Aug 22 50 Autodrome Drummond Drummondville,QUE
Sun-Aug 23 50 Cornwall Motor Speedway Cornwall,ONT
Fri-Sep 11 100 Autodrome Edelweiss Hull,QUE
Sat-Sep 12 30 Lebanon Valley Speedway West Lebanon,NY
Sat-Sep 19 30 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua,NY
Sat-Sep 26 30 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Sun-Oct 11 25 New York State Fairgrds Syracuse,NY
Sun-Oct 18 -TBA-
Sun-Oct 25 -TBA-
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, Hoosier Racing Tire and VP Racing Fuels. Promotional partners include Rite Aid Corporation, Dig Safely New York and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks, Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Ferris Industries, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Rislone Oil Stabilizer and Wrisco Industries.
