Weedsport, NY — February 22, 2008 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast PR Director
With the start of the 33rd consecutive season of operation now officially underway, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast is ready to recognize a Mr. DIRTcar Champion in the UMP Street Stock division for a second straight year. The overall titlist in 2008 will be the driver finding the most success on tour as well as at a hometrack designated during the upcoming race season.
“Last year we used a dozen big races beginning in April to determine our first-ever champion in the Street Stock ranks,” said Cory Reed, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning. “After receiving a lot of feedback from competing teams, we’ve streamlined the schedule this season and drivers will now also need a hometrack to collect bonus points.”
“A solid core of tracks continues to feature this exciting division on a regular basis and we want to show our support by affording each a championship event. With fewer races were expecting even more participation as there’s greater opportunity available for a local racer to get on the big stage when the season ends,” Reed added.
The 2008 Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock Championship Series schedule includes six extra-distance events for the entry-level Street Stocks at Black Rock Speedway, Can-Am Motorsports Park, Canandaigua Speedway, Cayuga County Fair Speedway, Fulton Speedway and Thunder Alley Speedpark, with each offering bonus points to their top point chasers. The overall champion will collect a $1,000 top-prize, while $500 is the winner’s share in each of the individual DIRTcar Series events held.
Track bonus points will be given out only to those drivers among the top-25 in their final individual speedway standings while the standard Super DIRTcar Series points format (100 points to win, 40 to start, 10 for show) will be used for all Mr. DIRTcar Championship events.
Street Stocks were elevated to new heights last season with the crowning of an inaugural Mr. DIRTcar Champion to mirror the other four touring divisions. Scott Smith was honored as Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock at the DIRTcar NorthEast ‘Night of Champions’ Awards Banquet in November.
Competing drivers also shared in a national point fund for the first time in 2007. Last season Canandaigua (NY) Speedway points champion Mike Welch placed ninth in the National UMP Street Stock points chase and pocketed an extra $300. Dave Mannise (10th, $275), Ron Hawker (16th, $140) and Dave Pope (20th, $100) also shared in the $9,000 point fund pot allocated to top UMP/DIRTcar Pro Stock-Sportsman and UMP/DIRTcar Street Stock-Pure Stock competitors.
On the local level, Welch ($600) also topped the New York State UMP Street Stock points chart, with Mannise ($300), Hawker ($200), Nick Rizzo ($150), Nathan Peckham ($125), Pope ($100), Scott Smith ($100), Blane Smith ($100), Phil Marsden ($100) and Andy Fisk ($100) filling in the top-10 payoff positions.
In 2008 the national UMP/DIRTcar Street Stock point fund will once again pay out a minimum of $3,000 and reward the top-20 places while the New York State point fund boasts at least $500 to the champion and pays down through the top-10 positions.
For additional material, competitors are encouraged to visit www.umpracing.com for the most updated news and information regarding rules, points structure, payoffs and member benefits as well as race results and point standings. The DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Office (315/834-6606) can be contacted during normal business hours.
2008 Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock Championship Series Schedule
*All events subject to change.
DAY-DATE TRACK LOCATION
Fri-Jun 27 Brewerton Speedway Brewerton, NY
Fri-Sep 19 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua, NY
Fri-Sep 26 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Fri-Oct 3 Fulton Speedway Fulton,NY
Fri-Oct 10 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Weedsport, NY
Sat-Oct 25 Black Rock Speedway Dundee, 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.
