{"id":42201,"date":"2023-05-25T13:24:56","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T17:24:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dirtcar.com\/?p=42201"},"modified":"2024-01-14T18:58:54","modified_gmt":"2024-01-14T23:58:54","slug":"dreamin-big-ransomville-dirtcar-358-modified-racer-gains-insight-through-daytona-talladega-arca-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dirtcar.com\/news\/dreamin-big-ransomville-dirtcar-358-modified-racer-gains-insight-through-daytona-talladega-arca-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"DREAMIN\u2019 BIG: Ransomville DIRTcar 358 Modified Racer Gains Insight Through Daytona, Talladega ARCA Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"
Steve Lewis applies newfound superspeedway knowledge to his DIRTcar 358 Modified racing<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Steve Lewis remembers watching the Daytona 500 on TV every year growing up in western New York. Daytona was one of his favorite races, and he knew if he ever had a chance to compete at the storied superspeedway in Florida, with its massive banking around 2.5 miles of history-making pavement, it would be a dream come true.<\/p>\n In February, the second-generation DIRTcar 358 Modified racer from Ransomville turned his dream into reality.<\/p>\n Lewis has watched as fellow New Yorker Andy Jankowiak competed in several ARCA Menards Series races, which convinced Lewis to give it a shot on his own. With some money he saved post-college graduation from the University of Buffalo, he found a suitable vehicle in December 2022 and set it up for Daytona. He first traveled from Ransomville to Daytona International Speedway in January to get approved for competition by NASCAR. He returned the following month to race in the Brandt 200.<\/p>\n \u201cI went down in February with not much experience in asphalt racing,\u201d said Lewis, who finished seventh overall in the 2022 DIRTcar 358-Modified championship. \u201cThat was my first-time asphalt racing. I ended up getting 13th, so it was a pretty successful weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the privilege of competing, Lewis welcomed and appreciated the camaraderie of drivers from all over the country and viewing the event from a different perspective.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing around all those guys, I got to meet a lot of other drivers,\u201d said Lewis, who enters this weekend fourth in the Ransomville Speedway championship standings. \u201cThey come from all over the country. That was pretty cool. Just being on pit road, I think that was a pretty special part of the race. The whole driver introductions, the national anthem, all that stuff was pretty cool when you look ahead and see a huge stadium like Daytona.\u201d<\/p>\n