Brockville On Deck

Big-Blocks to battle at Brockville May 28

Matt Sheppard hopes to take new team to victory at Super DIRTcar Series’ first ever Ontario opener

WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – Friday, May 9, 2014 – With summer just around the corner, the Super DIRTcar Series is about to kick into high gear with its Northeast opener Wednesday, May 28. The 100-lap race at Brockville Ontario Speedway in Brockville, Ontario, marks the series’ first Ontario opener in its 42-year history.

Many of the stars of the Super DIRTcar Series are already warming their tires, racing at their home tracks to test the changes they made during the off-season. Three-time series champion Matt Sheppard said he is looking forward to how some of his changes will play out in the first series races.

“I see it going good,” said Sheppard, who sports a new car and a new look after joining forces Heinke-Baldwin Racing. “We’ve already won a couple races, and I don’t think we’ve finished worse than fifth yet, so it seems to be a promising start. But we’ve got to get racing a little more to see how things shake out.”

After three consecutive series championships in 2011, 2012 and 2013, Sheppard, of Waterloo, N.Y., just barely fell short of veteran racer Brett Hearn in last year’s point standings. Hearn, of Sussex, N.J., claimed the title with a margin of 198 points to put Sheppard in a close second. Sheppard’s current HBR teammate, Jimmy Phelps, of Baldwinsville, N.Y., finished third in series point standings.

Sheppard debuted the HBR FX Caprara Car Companies No. 9H this past February in Florida during DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment, where he took home a top-five finish in every feature and a victory in the finale. The new ride may be the fresh start Sheppard needs to add a fourth Super DIRTcar Series championship trophy to his shelf.

“We’ve got some good guys over here. We’ve certainly got some good race cars,” said Sheppard, who, due to weather, has only finished a couple regular-season races so far in 2014. “We’re just really looking forward to getting started here. It’s been a really long winter for the team and everybody’s worked really hard. The cars are done and ready to go. We just want to get out there and get racing.”

Grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, for the Super DIRTcar Series event at Brockville Ontario Speedway. Racing begins at 7 p.m. For more information about the Super DIRTcar Series, visit www.superdirtcarseries.com.

AT A GLANCE

Super DIRTcar Series at Brockville Ontario Speedway

DATE: Wednesday, May 28

TIME: Racing begins at 7 p.m.; gates open at 5 p.m.

DIVISIONS: Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds; DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds

TICKETS: $30 Adult General Admission; kids 12 and younger FREE with paid General Admission

ABOUT THE TRACK: 3/8-mile high-banked dirt/clay oval track

MORE TRACK INFORMATION: brockvillespeedway.com | @bos_speedway | facebook.com/BrockvilleOntarioSpeedway

MORE SERIES INFORMATION: superdirtcarseries.com | @SuperDIRTcar | facebook.com/DIRTcar Super DIRTcar Series full 2014 schedule of events:

* Note: To be eligible to compete at the 8^th Annual World Finals a driver must attempt to qualify for a scheduled Super DIRTcar  Big Block Modified Series event during the 2014 calendar year (this includes the 43rd Annual DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park).* Note: All Super DIRTcar and/or Mr. DIRTcar Series events are “Syracuse Qualifiers” offering a “Preferred Qualifying Position” for Super DIRT Week XLIII.

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, Safety-Kleen, and Velocita USA. Contingency partners include the University of Northwestern Ohio, ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD LLC, Fox Shocks, Racing Electronics, Superflow, Mobil 1 Racing, and Wrisco Industries.