Entering 2024, Alex Payne wanted to give the Super DIRTcar Series his best shot.
He did that and more, earning his first Series victory at Brockville Ontario Speedway and mathematically securing Rookie of the Year honors before the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Nov. 6-9.
The Hopewell, NY driver’s success comes in part from his decision to ensure his team was fully prepared before joining the Series in 2024.
“I feel like, for the most part, we did the job we were hoping and expecting to do,” Payne said. “We didn’t run the tour last year because we took the time to make sure we knew our equipment and what it was going to take.
“We were ready, but we certainly learned some of the challenges that come with running the tour.”
Payne will officially earn Rookie of the Year honors once the 2024 season is completed at Charlotte. And even with his lead in the Rookie standings over Justin Stone, Mike Trautschold, and Daniel Johnson, he’s keeping the same approach for the final three Features.
“I knew Justin Stone had a really good, prepared team,” Payne said. “Mike Trautschold was another one, and we’ve raced with Matt Caprara and Daniel Johnson. I really wasn’t sure if I had a good chance at it, but I raced all year long like we were racing for it, and we still are.
“It’s a pretty cool accomplishment and something we really strived for the whole season.”
The most significant moment of Payne’s season came in September when he outdueled Matt Sheppard for his first Series win at Brockville. A month and a half later, it’s an accomplishment he said still hasn’t completely set in.
“Sometimes it’s still hard to believe,” Payne said. “Every morning when I walk into the shop, (the check on the wall) is the first thing I look at every day. It’s such a cool thing, and just for it to come this soon is unreal. And I don’t think we’re done yet.”
Payne will finish his 2024 season in Charlotte with the Super DIRTcar Series, entering the event sixth in the Series standings, 33 points ahead of Jack Lehner. In seven starts at the 4/10-mile dirt track, he’s earned one top five and three top 10 finishes.
“The first year was the learning year for me,” Payne said. “I think that was one of my first races in a Big Block. Then we went back in [2022] and ran fifth and sixth, and last year we had a top 10.
“I’m looking forward to it. I think we have really good equipment going into that. The last couple of years have helped us learn—especially the tires at that place. You can go down there and run a 300 or a 500 (tire). It’s crazy the way that it changes.”
Tires aren’t the only difference Payne and Super DIRTcar Series drivers face when they travel to North Carolina. The track has a different type of surface compared to most tracks on the schedule.
“We don’t have a whole lot of time on red clay,” Payne said. “Racing with the Sprint Cars and Late Models is also something we don’t do a whole lot. When that place gets a curb on the outside, it’s like no other.
“It’s a whole different animal. It’s nothing compared to what we’re used to. It’s like Autodrome Drummond with the speed of it and how the tires are. It’s kind of the only thing I can think to compare it to.”
Payne will chase his first Charlotte victory when the Super DIRTcar Series battles at the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, NC, Nov. 6-9. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all of the action on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.
