After a solid finish to 2023, Anthony Perrego wasted no time showing he could be a Super DIRTcar Series title contender in 2024.
The Montgomery, NY driver thrived at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, earning three top fives at Volusia Speedway Park.
That stretch includes back-to-back second-place finishes, capitalizing on his momentum entering the season.
“We were really good at the end of the year last year,” Perrego said. “We brought the same car we were running toward the end of the year. I knew we had something good and obviously it showed. I wish we could’ve won one, but we definitely let them know we were there.”
While his two runner-up finishes highlighted the week, Perrego battled through adversity on the event’s final night. After a bad qualifying run, he had to run the Last Chance Showdown. After transferring out of that race, he charged through the field in the Feature, grabbing a top-five position on the race’s final restart.
“We just missed it early on in the night,” Perrego said. “A lot of these Super DIRTcar Series races are right off the trailer in [Qualifying]. It kind of sets the tone for the night. We worked hard. We won the [Last Chance Showdown]. To start 21st and run fifth was good.”
Those three top fives keep his momentum rolling into the championship season, which kicks off on March 30 at New Egypt Speedway. Then, the Series returns to Can-Am Speedway on Saturday, April 13.
He’s found success at both tracks, scoring a win at New Egypt in 2021. He also won a Super DIRTcar Series Feature at Can-Am Speedway during OktoberFAST in 2020.
“We won at Can-Am in [2020] in Brian (Smith’s) car,” Perrego said. “We were kind of hot that whole week and had some success. But last time we were there, we were kind of OK. But New Egypt, we’ve been hitting that a few times with Vinny (Salerno’s) small block. We ran second there twice last year, and hopefully, with the Big Block, we can be one spot better.”
While it’s been a few weeks since the Big Block Modifieds have been on the track, Perrego hasn’t stopped racing. He got behind the wheel of a 600cc Sprint Car to race in the East Coast Indoor Nationals in Trenton, NJ.
It was an opportunity he didn’t waste, winning the $5,000 prize in the event.
“It was really fun,” Perrego said. “Win or lose, it was a fun experience to race that kind of car. Bob Hentschel has been on me. He wanted to go to Tulsa a few years back, but I just didn’t pull the trigger on it. He’s been on me to do it, and Trenton’s obviously not too far from home, so we went and did it.
“It was a great experience. Win or lose, I had a good time.”
Perrego hopes to continue his consistency on Saturday, March 30, when the Super DIRTcar Series kicks off its 2024 championship season at New Egypt Speedway in New Egypt, NJ, for Power in the Pines. Then, the Series heads to Can-Am Speedway in LaFargeville, NY, on Saturday, April 13, during Thunder in the Thousand Islands weekend.
If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.
