An Independence Day celebration in the Finger Lakes awaits the Super DIRTcar Series.
The Stars and Stripes Spectacular on Thursday, July 4, marks the first of two stops at Land of Legends Raceway in Canandaigua, NY this year.
Drivers will duel in a 76-lap Feature at the dirt track, paying $ 7,600-to-win.
Joining the Super DIRTcar Series on the card is the CRSA Sprint Cars.
If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.
Here’s a look at what to watch for at Land of Legends:
A Close Race at the Top: After last week’s event at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, the top four drivers in the Series points standings are separated by 13 points.
Mat Williamson has a seven-point lead over Anthony Perrego, who’s only one point ahead of Matt Sheppard. Peter Britten is fourth – 13 points behind Williamson.
“Money Mat” has already reached Victory Lane at Land of Legends this season. However, he’s yet to score a Series win at the Canandaigua facility. The St. Catharines, ON driver’s best Series finish there is second twice – 2018 and 2020.
Meanwhile, Sheppard has more Super DIRTcar Series wins than any other driver at Land of Legends after earning his eighth Series triumph during SummerFAST last August. That victory also gave him a Series win at the track in five consecutive years.
The 10-time defending Super DIRTcar Series champion enters the Fourth of July weekend at the top of the Land of Legends points standings and aims for his first points-paying victory of 2024.
Britten, who races weekly at Land of Legends with Sheppard and Williamson, is winless at the 1/2-mile oval in 2024. However, one of his three Series wins came at Land of Legends in 2021.
The Aussie finished third in his only Series appearance at the track in 2023. He did not compete during SummerFAST last year due to an injury.
Perrego has the least experience at Land of Legends compared to the other three drivers. The Montgomery, NY driver has struggled at the track, with only one top 10 in six Series starts.
He’ll try to turn his luck around after finishing outside the top five for the first time this season at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
House of Payne: No driver has more wins at Land of Legends in 2024 than current Rookie of the Year leader Alex Payne.
The Hopewell, NY driver earned two consecutive victories to kick off the season at the Ontario County Fairgrounds and is battling with Sheppard and Williamson for the track title.
He’s coming off his second top 10 finish at Albany-Saratoga last week and holds a 57-point lead over Mike Trautschold in the battle for Rookie of the Year.
The Land of Legends: While six Super DIRTcar Series stars call Land of Legends home, four former Series champions will aim to keep them out of Victory Lane.
Alan Johnson, a five-time Series champion, is a seven-time Super DIRTcar Series winner at the track. The Middlesex, NY driver is searching for his first Series triumph since he won at Volusia Speedway Park in 2012 and his first at Land of Legends since 2008.
His brother, Danny Johnson, is a five-time Series winner at the track. The Rochester, NY driver is aiming for his first Series win since 2008—a year he made three trips to Victory Lane.
“The Doctor” has a top five and three top 10s in five starts at the track this season.
Gary Tomkins, another former Series champion, will also be racing on Thursday. The Clifton Springs, NY driver, who will be inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame on Wednesday, July 10, will drive the Wally Wade-owned No. 07 car.
The 2004 Super DIRTcar Series champion is a two-time Series winner at Land of Legends, winning in 2005 and 2006. Tomkins is an 18-time Series winner.
While Sheppard won last year’s SummerFAST event, 2005 Series champion Tim Fuller won the July stop at Land of Legends last season.
The Edwards, NY driver was a three-time Series winner in 2023 and has six victories in 2024 between Can-Am Speedway, Mohawk International Raceway, and Airborne Park Speedway. However, those victories were won with a 358 Modified.
A Shot at Redemption: Three-time Land of Legends Raceway track championship has three Super DIRTcar Series wins on his resume. However, he’s yet to reach Victory Lane with the Series at his Saturday night home.
The Phelps, NY driver has finished on the podium twice in Super DIRTcar Series competition at the track, finishing third in 2012 and second in 2022.
“T-Bone” finished seventh and 11th in the two Series events at Land of Legends in 2023.
WHEN AND WHERE
Land of Legends Raceway (1/2-mile) on Thursday, July 4
TRACK RECORD
Land of Legends Raceway: 17.125 by Billy Decker on Aug. 9, 2007
FEATURE WINNERS: (4 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-3
- Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY- 2
- Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON-1
HEAT RACE WINNERS (16 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-5
- Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD, AUS-3
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-3
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-3 - Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-2
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-2 - Rick Laubach, Quakertown, PA-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Rex King Jr., Bristolville, OH-1
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1
Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown, NJ-1
Bob McGannon, Garnerville, NY-1
Tim Sears Jr., Hastings, NY-1
Max McLaughlin, Mooresville, NC-1
Tim Fuller, Edwards, NY-1
Ronnie Johnson, Duanesburg, NY-1
LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (11 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-2
- Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-1
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON -1
Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown. NJ-1
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
Marc Johnson, Guilderland, NY-1
Brandon Walters, Unadilla, NY-1
Daniel Johnson, Middlesex, NY-1
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-1
Kolby Schroder, Staatsburg, NY-1
David Schilling, East Greenbush, NY-1
PODIUM FINISHES (8 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Podiums
- Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-4
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-4 - Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-3
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-3 - Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-2
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-2 - Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-1
HARD CHARGER (6 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C.
- Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-2
- Stewart Friesen, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON-1
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-1
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
Louden Reimert, Oley, PA-1
Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, NY-1
BILLY WHITAKER CARS AND TRUX QUICK TIMES (7 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ONT-1
Rex King Jr., Bristolville, OH-1
Demetrios Drellos, Queensbury, NY-1
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-1
Stewart Friesen, Sprakers, NY-1
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Tim Fuller, Edwards, NY-1
JAM Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award (4 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs
- Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-3
- Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-2
- Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-1
Tim Fuller, Edwards, NY-1
Super DIRTcar Series Lap Leaders (13 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Laps Led
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON- 125
- Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-70
- Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-60
- Darren Smith, Binghamton, NY-40
- Tanner VanDoren, Schnecksville, PA-32
- Demetrios Drellos, Queensbury, NY-24
- Ronnie Davis III, Memphis, NY-22
- Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-21
- Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-12
- Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-9
Alex Yankowski, Covingtown Township, PA-9 - Tim Sears Jr., Hastings, NY-5
- Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-7
2024 Super DIRTcar Series Schedule and Winners
- Wednesday, Feb. 14/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Matt Sheppard (1)*
- Thursday, Feb. 15/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Mat Williamson (1)*
- Friday, Feb. 16/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Matt Sheppard (2)*
- Saturday, March 30/New Egypt Speedway/New Egypt, NJ/Anthony Perrego (1)
- Sunday, May 26/Weedsport Speedway/Weedsport, NY/Mat Williamson (2)
- Tuesday, June 4/Big Diamond Speedway/Pottsville, PA/Stewart Friesen (1)
- Tuesday, June 25/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, NY/Mat Williamson (3)
*: Denotes Non-Points Paying Victory
