Weedsport, NY — January 7, 2008 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast PR Director
Matching the 16-race total from a year ago, the 2008 Hoosier Tire/Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series is geared up to generate another high-powered performance from top teams contending in DIRTcar Racing NorthEast’s entry-level open-wheel division.
The chase for the coveted Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman title begins in April and ends in October, with 13 tracks slated to host high-paying extra-distance events on the way to crowning an overall champion for the 19th consecutive year.
“2008 promises to be a challenge coming off our most competitive series in the history of the tour last year,” said Cory Reed, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning, alluding to the fact that there were eight different winners with all but one making their first-ever trips to victory lane in Series competition. “The Crate engine program has been the reason for the increased participation and we think it will be at an all-time high with Crates’ being the only Series option this season.”
“We’re excited to have Brockville and Genesee back on the trail and look forward to continued success in both Canada and the U.S. Including Brockville, more than half of the Sportsman shows will be run in conjunction with Advance Auto Parts Series Big-Block Modified events to create some great DIRTcar doubleheaders on both sides of the border,” Reed added.
Black Rock Speedway (April 5) kicks off the Sportsman Series for the second straight year while the 50-lap Sportsman finale during Eastern States Weekend at Orange County Fair Speedway (October 18) concludes the ’08 Mr. DIRTcar title chase. Both Brockville Ontario Speedway (July 10) and Genesee Speedway (September 13) last held Sportsman Championship trail races in 2006.
Teaming together for the festive Independence Day celebration, Rolling Wheels Raceway Park (July 3) and Brewerton Speedway (July 4) join Black Rock and Brockville as the only tracks running a Mr. DIRTcar event prior to the traditional Labor Day shootout at Rolling Wheels. The Niagara Frontier is the setting for the tour’s lone tripleheader that features consecutive 50-lappers at Ransomville, Merrittville and Humberstone speedways the first weekend in September.
On the heels of successive Saturday shows at Merrittville (Sept. 6) and Genesee, Canandaigua Speedway (Sept. 20) and Rolling Wheels (Sept. 27) close out the month before Fulton Speedway (Oct. 3) hosts its the traditional Vic 200 Weekend title race. Super DIRT Week showcases Sportsman at Can-Am, Rolling Wheels and the New York State Fairgrounds’ Syracuse Mile before Orange County takes center stage for the big season-finale downstate.
For additional information, please contact DIRTcar NE Competition Director Cory Reed at the Weedsport office (315/834-6606) during normal business hours or log into the DIRTcar homepage at www.superdirtcarseries.com to find out more about the entire circuit.
2008 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series Schedule
*All events subject to change.
DAY-DATE TRACK LOCATION
Sat-Apr 5 Black Rock Speedway Dundee,NY
Thr-Jul 3 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Fri-Jul 4 Brewerton Speedway Brewerton,NY
Thr-Jul 10 Brockville Ontario Speedway Brockville,ONT
Mon-Sep 1 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Fri-Sep 5 Ransomville Speedway Ransomville,NY
Sat-Sep 6 Merrittville Speedway Thorold,ONT
Sun-Sep 7 Humberstone Speedway Pt.Colborne,ONT
Sat-Sep 13 Genesee Speedway Batavia,NY
Sat-Sep 20 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua,NY
Sat-Sep 27 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Fri-Oct 3 Fulton Speedway Fulton,NY
Wed-Oct 8 Can-Am Motorsports Park LaFargeville,NY
Fri-Oct 10 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Sat-Oct 11 New York State Fairgrounds Syracuse,NY
Sat-Oct 18 Orange County Fair Speedway Middletown,NY
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.
