With the end of the 2025 season drawing near, Mat Williamson has the chance to accomplish a feat that hasn’t been reached in 26 years.
After clinching his second DIRTcar 358 Modified Series title at Brockville Ontario Speedway last weekend, the St. Catharines, ON competitor could be the first driver since Danny Johnson in 1999 (co-Champion with Steve Paine) to win both the DIRTcar 358 and Super DIRTcar Series titles in the same season.
It’s a goal that “Money Mat” set out to accomplish at the beginning of the year.
“I knew that Danny did it back in the day, and I didn’t think anyone else had,” Williamson said. “I felt like last year when we won the Big Block deal, we didn’t follow the 358 deal and probably could’ve had the opportunity to do it last year, and we didn’t. This year, I really wanted to do that.
“It’s really cool to be in the company and do it in one year, but obviously, we’re talking about this before the second thing happens. But I feel like [Brockville] was the turning point for that.”
Even though he mathematically secured the Small Block title before Brockville, the season was anything but easy. He faced adversity, battling from the back of the field at Cornwall Motor Speedway and Glen Ridge Motorsports Park. However, he salvaged both nights with top 10 finishes.
Fighting through that adversity is something he said kept him in championship contention heading into Albany-Saratoga Speedway in September. That’s where he had to battle Mike Mahaney and Felix Roy at their home track, while clinging to an eight-point lead.
“Going to Albany, that’s Mike’s home track,” Williamson said. “Obviously, we had a good car early in the night, and we left there with a comfortable point lead. But when we left there, it could’ve went one way or the other because he’d been good there all year. Felix runs there every week, too.
“So, I had to go run at their home track and hopefully keep the point lead. And fortunately, we did.”
Williamson’s toughest battle this season came on the biggest stage for the 358 Modifieds during Super DIRT Week 53 at Oswego Speedway. During practice on Wednesday, Williamson’s Eibach Springs-sponsored No. 6 had engine trouble, forcing him to get the S&W Service Center car from home in Canada, more than four hours away.
However, his crew got the car there in time for his Heat Race, and he went on to win his third consecutive Salute to the Troops 150 later that week. The win allowed him to secure the 2025 title mathematically with one race remaining.
“I’ve said it a bunch of times. I have to thank the guys who got the car to Oswego and the guys who worked hard at Oswego to get it turned around,” Williamson said. “It was probably a lot more stressful than it needed to be, but it showed how good our team was when we could get a car there in four hours, get it through inspection, and get it on the racetrack to run a Heat Race.
“Obviously, the car was good enough in the Heat Race to get from 22nd to fifth and get ourselves into the race. And good enough to get to the front.”
With his quest to win the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series title complete, Williamson will turn his attention to the remaining four races on the 2025 Super DIRTcar Series schedule. Entering the Delaware Diamond 75 at Georgetown Speedway (Nov. 1) and the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte (Nov. 5-8), he holds a 98-point lead on Alex Yankowski.
Knowing what it takes to win the Super DIRTcar Series title, Williamson said he’s confident he’ll earn his third championship.
“Georgetown, I’m pretty comfortable at, and Charlotte, I’m really comfortable at,” Williamson said. “I’d like to go to Charlotte with enough of a cushion where I can go there and race for once. It seems like the last year we went there with a good car and point raced. That takes away from as hard as you’re going to drive the car, and I feel like this year it’s going to be the opposite so we can try and win races.”
Williamson will continue his quest for history when the Super DIRTcar Series returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 1, for the Delaware Diamond 75 at Georgetown Speedway in Georgetown, DE.
Then, the Beasts of the Northeast concludes its 2025 season with the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Nov. 5-8, where this season’s champion will be crowned.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
