The three-year wait is over. A new challenge awaits Matt Stangle in 2025.

After racing weekly at tracks in New Jersey over the last two seasons, Stangle and his dad decided the time was right to join the Super DIRTcar Series as an MD3 Rookie of the Year contender.

“For us, a lot of tracks are so far, and it was a lot for us because we were always running a lot of spec stuff back home,” Stangle said. “This year, we figured it’s time to cut back the spec racing and start running Big Blocks.

“We want to be able to go to all these big shows at the end of the year and be competitive. But without running a lot of races in a Big Block, it’s never going to happen.”

While 2025 will be the Neshanic Station, NJ driver’s first full season with the Super DIRTcar Series, he’s already been close to winning a Feature. He missed out on winning the 2023 championship season-opener at Bridgeport Motorsports Park to Mat Williamson by 0.056 seconds.

He’ll have another shot to win in his home state when the championship season starts at New Egypt Speedway on March 29. And that’s not the only track he’s looking forward to as he’s already made laps at several other tracks on the 2025 schedule.

“I feel like the tracks that I raced at before, like New Egypt and the ones like Georgetown (Speedway) and Big Diamond (Speedway), I’ll be OK,” Stangle said. “A lot of the other tracks on the schedule I’ve never even been to, so I know it’s going to be hard. But I’m looking forward to running at the ones I’ve been to before, that I know we’ll run good at.”

Before Stangle travels to tracks on the Super DIRTcar Series schedule for the first time, he’ll kick off the season with the Series at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 12-15.

This season is the sixth consecutive year Stangle will race at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.” His best finish came in 2022 when he finished ninth in the week’s first Feature.

However, he’s aiming to improve after missing out on Feature action last season. To get better, he’s taking the same approach to Volusia that he’ll take all year: gain experience.

“I only race Big Blocks maybe five times a year,” Stangle said. “Everything by us is totally different than what the [Super DIRTcar Series] usually does. So, it’s going to be a big change.

“I know we’re going to struggle in the beginning, but as long as we figure it out and make strides forward, I think it’ll be a good year.”

Even with the challenges Stangle will face with the Super DIRTcar Series, he isn’t doing this alone. He’ll be getting advice from five-time Series winner Anthony Perrego on how to navigate the grueling schedule.

“Anthony’s a good friend of ours,” Stangle said. “He told me, don’t worry, whatever I need he’s going to help me out. We’re going to pit near each other, and he’s going to help me and give me advice and whatever I need.”

With some help from one of the Super DIRTcar Series stars, Stangle is ready to kick off his rookie year when the season begins at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 12-15, at Volusia Speedway Park. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App.