As May begins for the Super DIRTcar Series, its first stop brings a highly anticipated return to the “First State.”
For the first time since 2008, the Beasts of the Northeast will visit Georgetown Speedway in Georgetown, DE for the Delaware Diamond 75. It’s also the largest winner’s purse of the 2025 season, so far, with $10,075 on the line, along with a guaranteed starting spot at Super DIRT Week 53.
Mike Mahaney, Mike Trautschold, and 2020 Georgetown track champion Billy Pauch Jr. described what makes Delaware facility unique.
What makes Georgetown different from other racetracks?
Mahaney: The surface and the speed. The way it races when we’ve been there in the past, it’s stayed pretty fast throughout the night. And it races a lot like a big track. It feels like you’re going really fast there. The surface down South by the ocean is different than [in New York]. It’s definitely a unique place. I’m sure some of the Delaware guys will join us. Those guys have Big Blocks and like to race Big Blocks, so that’ll be cool.
Pauch: It’s big and sweepy. You don’t see many big tracks anymore, so it’s pretty cool. I’m not saying it’s the size of Rolling Wheels, but it’s bigger. Albany-Saratoga was smaller. New Egypt was smaller. It’s sandy and it’s definitely different. It’s one of my favorite tracks. It usually races pretty well, especially when it’s dialed in.
Trautschold: It’s flat and fast. I think the surface is similar to the tracks we race at in New York. The turns are just a lot flatter and wider. It does get slick on certain occasions, but most of the time, it’s pretty gripped up. So, I don’t think there’s a huge difference.
Describe how you drive a lap around the track.
Pauch: That place is flat out. It’s really hard on entry, and it’s a lot about momentum. It’s definitely not a stop and go track, so you definitely have to maintain your speed through the corner, and make sure it carries off the exit.
Trautschold: You can roll it in deep into Turn 1 if you go on the bottom. The outside is pretty sweepy. Turns 3 and 4 tend to be tight on entry, and you have to keep it tight coming off. There is a little different configuration than we’re used to, but every track has its own personality.
Mahaney: Early in the night, put your foot to the floor and hope the car turns. Then, later on, you need to search around for bite, but you’re still using a lot of throttle. Typically, there’s been a lot of bite on the top and bottom but not in the middle. It can race good when it’s like that. It’ll kind of be interesting, too, track prep-wise. They have new management, and with the Series coming in, maybe the track will be different. The track might race differently because of that. All of that together will be totally a wild card.
Typically, it’s been American Racer’s at Georgetown. How different do you think the race will be on Hoosiers?
Trautschold: I know at times it gets abrasive, but that’s late in the season. That’s when tires become a thing. Depending on the weather, I think we might be able to run a 300 (tire). But we’ll see what the temperature is; it’s definitely more abrasive than other tracks we’ve run.
Mahaney: To me, it’ll be like going to a new track. Most of us know the track, but the car just won’t drive the same with that package. I think it’ll be a learning experience for everyone. I think it’ll be a wild card race and should be a lot of fun.
Pauch: Just a little different on sidewalls. American Racer has softer side walls, while Hoosier has stiffer side walls. It’s going to throw you off a little bit, but if you kind of know the track, it should definitely help that as well.
What do you love about racing at Georgetown?
Mahaney: “It’s wide and there’s room to make passes. I like the fans, and I like that we get to get down South and see some different people.”
Pauch: It’s just a really cool atmosphere. You’ll walk in, and it’s the only place where I feel like I’m at a beach when I’m at the racetrack. It usually races good, and it kind of brings me back in time. It kind of reminds me of the big speedways with room to maneuver around. It’s definitely a different style of racing than you’re used to seeing.
Trautschold: They get a good fan base there. And I like the pits and the facility because it’s sand and not dirt, so there’s not really a lot of mud. That way, your cars stay pretty clean, and your trucks and trailers stay pretty clean, too. That’s definitely a positive.
The Super DIRTcar Series returns to Georgetown Speedway in Georgetown, DE on Tuesday, May 13, for the Delaware Diamond 75. A $10,075 prize is up for grabs, along with a guaranteed starting spot in the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 at Oswego Speedway.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all of the Super DIRTcar Series action on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.
