DIRTcar Northeast Series invade Mohawk International Raceway Sept. 13 and 14
Small block track champion Billy Dunn aiming for the win in the Super DIRTcar Series feature Saturday
AKWESASNE, N. Y. – In one of the final weekends before NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week XLII, the four DIRTcar Northeast series are invading Mohawk International Raceway Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14. The DIRTcar 358-Modified Series and DIRTcar Pro Stock Series hit the track Friday night, followed by the Big-Block Modifieds of the Super DIRTcar Series and the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series Saturday night.
Currently third in Super DIRTcar Series points, the northern New York local Billy Dunn is ready to challenge point leaders Brett Hearn, in first, and Matt Sheppard, in second. The Watertown, N. Y., driver has been competing weekly at Mohawk, claiming seven wins over the season and his second consecutive track champion there in the 358-Modified division.
“I couldn’t ask for a better season,” said Dunn. “It’s a little bit of a drive from Watertown every Friday, but I’m having a lot of fun racing there.”
Jimmy Phelps, of Baldwinsville, N. Y., beat Dunn to the finish line in last year’s post-season Super DIRTcar Series race at Mohawk International Raceway, but Dunn was able to pick up the win in the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series event the night before.
“The track’s awesome. It’s one of the nicest tracks we go to in the whole Northeast,” Dunn said of Mohawk’s 3/8-mile oval. “It’s smooth every week and it’s really racey.”
The September 100-lap series race poses a new challenge for local drivers with lower temperatures affecting track conditions, but Dunn is ready to rise to it.
“The temperature is colder so the tire situation changes a little bit. I think we’ve got a pretty good handle on it, so we’ll just do what we normally do and go from there,” Dunn said. “If it’s not hot out, the tires don’t seem to get as hot, so you can maybe run a little bit of a softer compound sometimes.”
In the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series, David Hebert, of St-Damase, Quebec, currently claims the lead in points after an impressive win Friday, Sept. 6, at Autodrome Drummond. However, plenty of drivers are ready to take over the top spot with Mohawk’s 75-lapper, with Mat Williamson trailing by just four points, Erick Rudolph just 22 points behind and Mario Clair in fourth with a 55-point difference from the leader.
The DIRTcar Pro Stock Series, running Friday with the 358-Modifieds, is also bound to be a thriller, bringing the best full-fender drivers in the north for the 50-lapper. Stephane Lebrun and Dave Bissonnette are tied for the series pointe lead, with Roch Aubin coming up just 14 points short. The DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series runs Saturday, with last year’s Pro Stock Series Champion leading in points going into the 30-lapper.
Pit and grandstand gates open Friday at 4 p.m. with hot laps beginning at 6 p.m. Heat races are scheduled to begin at around 7:15 p.m. General admission for Friday is $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors and $15 for children 12 and under. Pit admission is $35 for members and $40 for nonmembers. For Saturday’s races, pit and grandstand gates open at 2:30 p.m. with hot laps beginning at 5 p.m. General admission is $35 for adults, $30 for students and seniors and $15 for children 12 and under. Pit admission is $40 for members and $45 for nonmembers.
Weekend general admission passes are available at $60 for adults, $50 for students and seniors or $25 for children 12 and under. Weekend pit passes are $80 each. Breakfast will be available for $8 a person from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday morning. Lunch will also be served from 11 a.m. until supplies last at $10 per person. For more information about the race weekend, call (518) 358-9017 or visit www.MohawkInternationalRaceway.com.
AT A GLANCE:
Mohawk International Raceway DIRTcar Weekend
Friday, Sept. 13: DIRTcar 358-Modified Series, DIRTcar Pro Stock Series
Saturday, Sept. 14: Super DIRTcar Series, DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series
Location: Mohawk International Raceway, 313 Frogtown Rd., Hogansburg, N. Y.
About the track: 3/8-mile oval
For more information: call (518) 358-9017 or www.MohawkInternationalRaceway.com
The Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast Region is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners including Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Chevy Performance Parts, NAPA Auto Parts, and Safety-Kleen. Contingency partners include the University of Northwestern Ohio, Contingency sponsors are ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD Performance, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Superflow and Wrisco Industries.
