Weedsport, NY — September 12, 2008 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast PR Director
After five straight months of wheel-to-wheel, paint-trading action at nearly 30 tracks, the chase for valuable points towards the lucrative 2008 DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Regional Championships ended over Labor Day Weekend.
Crowned champions of their respective DIRTcar Region were Billy Decker (Central), Brett Hearn (Eastern) and Brian Swartzlander (Western) in the Big-Blocks ranks, 358-Modified chauffeurs Kayle Robidoux (Northern), Jerry Higbie (Eastern) and Pete Bicknell (Western), and Chris Raabe (Northern), Todd Henderson (Central) and James Michael Friesen (Western) in Sportsman Modified competition. Hearn, Swartzlander and Bicknell were the only drivers to able to repeat their regional runs.
DIRTcar-sanctioned tracks hosting Big-Block Modifieds, 358-Modifieds and Sportsman Modifieds were divided into three regions for 2008 with the top-15 rewarded in each classification. Points were awarded for the best finishes in DIRTcar-sanctioned feature races, with events held at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park counting toward any region in all divisions.
Regional points were kept separately and had no direct bearing on any individual track points race.
Collecting a fourth points title at Brewerton Speedway and leading the entire DIRTcar NorthEast circuit with 22 feature wins, Decker easily separated himself from the pack during the summer and cruised on to the Central Region crown in convincing fashion. All-time DIRTcar Modified feature winner Hearn, a six-time Big-Block victor in ’08, was the class of the Eastern Region for a second straight year, as was Swartzlander out West as the eight-time winner successfully defended his Lernerville Speedway season championship as well.
In the Small-Block ranks, the Canadian contingent of Robidoux (Quebec) and Bicknell (Ontario) were dead-locked atop the DIRTcar 358-Modified win list with seven victories apiece, with Robidoux capturing the Autodrome Granby title and Bicknell the high-point man at Ransomville Speedway. Higbie used a pair of feature wins to claim the Orange County trophy en route to the Eastern points title.
Teenage sensation Raabe stayed in command from day one with a division-high total of 18 wins and track crowns at Brockville Ontario Speedway and Thunder Alley Speedpark to earn Northern Region accolades. Black Rock Speedway Champion Henderson racked up nine wins in the Central area while third-generation chauffeur Friesen enjoyed a memorable rookie campaign in the western wing by scoring 11 feature wins and wrapping up the Ransomville Speedway championship.
For further questions regarding the 2008 DIRTcar Racing Regional Series format, please contact DIRTcar NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning Cory Reed in the Weedsport Office (315/834-6606) during normal business hours or log www.dirtcar.com and www.superdirtcarseries.com to find out more about the entire circuit.
2008 BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED REGIONAL POINTS: Final
CENTRAL (best 15)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Billy Decker 900
2 Alan Johnson 850
3 Matt Sheppard 844
4 Dale Planck 832
5 Jimmy Phelps 824
6 Gary Tomkins 822
7 Steve Paine 816
8 Frankie Caprara 770
9 Jim Witko Jr. 740
10 Pat O’Brien 738
11 Ryan Phelps 714
12 Justin Haers 712
13 Willy Decker 706
14 Tom Sears Jr. 694
15 Chuck Bower 688
EASTERN (best 10)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Brett Hearn 554
2 Andy Bachetti 534
3 Chuck McKee 518
4 Mark Flach Jr. 512
5 Kenny Tremont 510
5 J.R. Heffner 508
7 Jerry Higbie 492
8 David Van Horn 488
9 Jeff Heotzler 472
10 Eddie Marshall 464
11 Mike Storms 462
11 Guy Sheldon 462
13 Tommy Meier 446
14 Mike Kolka 442
15 Keith Flach 436
WESTERN (12 best)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Brian Swartzlander 704
2 Kevin Bolland 700
3 Jer. Shingledecker 686
4 Del Rougeux Jr. 626
5 Dave Murdick 602
6 Tom Winkle 578
7 Joe Crawford 571
8 Kevin Hoffman 544
9 Mark Flick 514
10 Andy Priest 500
11 JR McGinley 488
12 Tim Doran 484
13 Phil Evans Jr. 468
14 Mike Turner 466
15 Carl Murdick 456
DIRTcar 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.
2008 358-MODIFIED REGIONAL POINTS: Final
NORTHERN (15 best)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Kayle Robidoux 840
2 David Hebert 830
3 Laurent Ladouceur 816
4 Kyle Dingwall 808
5 Carey Terrance 802
5 Martin Roy 802
7 Joel Doiron 796
8 Eric Gauvreau 776
9 Mitchell Jock 772
9 John Lazore 772
11 Patrick Dupree 770
12 Pierre Dagenais 766
13 Clement Therrien 762
14 Mario Clair 758
15 Lance Willix 746
15 Jessica Zemken 746
EASTERN (7 best)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Jerry Higbie 388
2 Tim Hindley 374
3 Tommy Meier 358
4 Brett Hearn 326
4 David Van Horn 326
6 Chuck McKee 322
7 Craig Mitchell 320
8 Kirk Horton 316
8 Chris Shultz 316
10 Johnny Guarino 314
11 Jimmy Johnson 310
12 Dom Roselli 286
12 Jeremy Markle 269
14 Tom Dakake 251
15 Neal Harris 245
WESTERN (12 best)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Pete Bicknell 688
2 Chad Brachmann 668
3 Todd Burley 648
4 Scott Wood 626
5 Larry Lampman Jr. 616
6 Scott Kerwin 602
7 Jeff McGinnis 586
8 Robbie Krull 584
8 Brian Stevens 566
10 Rick Richner 562
11 Boyd MacTavish 520
11 Tommy Flannigan 520
13 Ken Cosgrove 510
14 Tim Jones 508
15 Richie Vinson 504
DIRTcar 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).
2008 SPORTSMAN MODIFIED REGIONAL POINTS: Final
NORTHERN (12 best)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Chris Raabe 720
2 Brandon Sweet 680
3 Matt Billings 614
4 Mike Mandigo 608
5 Tyler Rand 592
5 Randy Gaudet 592
7 Luke Whittaker 590
8 Dylan Evoy 580
8 Tom Conklin 580
10 Jeff Stevenson 577
11 Adam Turner 558
12 Cole Dingwall 556
13 Shane Pecore 546
14 Kevin Gamble 504
15 Ally Amell 502
CENTRAL (15 best)
Pos. Driver Points
1 Todd Henderson 862
2 Jeremy Pitcher 810
3 Kevin Ridley 798
4 Dan Wiesner 776
5 Tom Juhl 762
6 Daryl Hilkert 760
7 Steve Gray 754
7 Mike Ruggiero 754
9 Brady Fultz 747
10 Tim Currier 746
11 Justin Wright 718
12 John Pietrowicz 712
13 Sammy Reakes IV 706
14 Fran Hilton 692
14 A.J. Kingley 692
WESTERN (15 best)
Pos. Driver Points
1 James M. Friesen 868
2 Don Spatorico 818
3 Mike Bowman 814
4 Tyler MacPherson 794
5 Rob Pratt 786
6 Mat Williamson 768
7 Steve Schumacher 766
8 Greg Panunte 738
9 Justin Sharp 732
10 Justin Wright 730
11 Chad Chevalier 716
12 Ricky Newton 710
13 Jipp Ortiz 708
14 B.J. Willard 690
14 Brad Rouse 690
15 John Venuto 674
DIRTcar 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, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.
