After earning his best Super DIRTcar Series championship points finish in 2024, Jack Lehner wants more in 2025.
The Saratoga Springs, NY driver finished sixth in the final standings, ending the season with six top 10s in the last eight races, including a fourth in the Billy Whittaker Cars 200. However, that didn’t leave him satisfied.
“We had a really good season last year on other fronts but just didn’t really have a great season with the Super DIRTcar Series,” Lehner said. “We had some good finishes towards the end of the year and at (Super) DIRT Week, but you know it’s just a tough deal.
“But I feel like I finally have the program to where it needs to be, and I have a full-time guy in Brendan Darrah with me, and our program’s gotten a lot better since then. I feel like the pieces are finally starting to fall into place, and I think we’ll be able to come into this season with guns fully loaded. I hope to win more than just one, so that’s how we’re approaching it, and hopefully, we can fulfill that.”
Lehner’s relationship with Darrah isn’t just driver to crew member. He also mentors Darrah, who drives his own Big Block Modified. The “Ginga Ninja” said Darrah’s path was like his own.
“I can give him some guidance on what to focus on and maybe what you don’t focus on as much right now,” Lehner said. “It’s cool seeing him coming up through and eager and wanting to learn, just like how I was when I was his age. He’s been a great help and does a good job, so it’s definitely been a positive impact on everything.”
With that positive impact, his next Series goal is to finish in the top five in points and earn his first Series win, against the likes of champions Mat Williamson and Matt Sheppard.
To accomplish that goal, he has one focus. Himself.
“They have their programs together and are really good drivers,” Lehner said. “I stay focused on myself, and I don’t look too much around me. I just work on my progression. The way I approach it is if I get to that point and I keep focusing on my driving and the things I’m doing every day and keep making myself better, then the day will come where, hopefully, it isn’t too hard to beat those guys. That’s the goal at the end of the day, so you know that’s just how we’ve tried to approach the whole thing.”
That approach continues when he rolls out his No. 2 Big Block for the first time at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 12-15, during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.
In 2023, Lehner was close to earning his first Series win, finishing second to Williamson in the week’s finale.
Last year, he went to Volusia with an experimental setup he said he came up with over the winter. But after finishing outside the top 10 on all three nights, he’s going back to basics this year.
“I was all right, I guess, but that definitely wasn’t gonna cut it,” Lehner said. “We’re bringing some more normal stuff down there and I’m feeling pretty confident that we should be able to be right towards the front. But you never know it’s a tough sport. I’m definitely looking forward to it and feeling good about our chance.”
Lehner kicks off the 2025 Super DIRTcar Series season during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 12-15, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL. 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.
