Weedsport, NY — March 27, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series PR Director
The 2009 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series opener, 7th Annual North-South Shootout at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway on Saturday, March 28 is just one day away.
Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Series partnership with Advance Auto Parts based in Roanoke, Virginia, those top-10 drivers in the final 2008 Advance Auto Parts Series Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block Modified will be profiled for each of the 10 days leading up to the event.
This talented group of drivers has accounted for 207 Advance Series race victories from the list of 67 drivers taking checkered flags in 619 tour events held at 45 speedways around the Northeast since 1980. Along with 870 DIRTcar Northeast Big-Block feature wins and 63 track point titles, these same 10 drivers have amassed nine overall Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Championships and all are expected back to compete full-time with the ’09 Advance Auto Parts Series, beginning with the Spring lid-lifter at Hagerstown.
On the heels of a record-tying 10 tour victories registered last season steering the LJL Motorsports no. 91 Gypsum Wholesalers-Stadium Int’l-Quality Hardwoods/Bicknell entry, reigning Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block points king Billy Decker has now amassed 49 career extra-distance Series wins to currently stand fifth on the all-time list. The ‘Franklin Flyer’ quickly gained national prominence by copping three of four televised Rite Aid 200 Championships held at the New York State Fairgrounds during Super DIRT Week from 1998-2001.
An Advance Auto Parts Series regular for the past 20 years, Decker registered his last tour triumph at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on September 1, 2008 and won a previous best six series events in 1998 en route to the overall tour title.
Second all-time with 37 Integra Shocks Fast Times set in qualifying, Decker owns nine track Modified speed marks including the single lap record of 28.348 sec. (126.993 mph ave.) on the Syracuse Mile set in 2004.
The Unadilla, New York standout has competed in every ‘North-South Shootout’ at Hagerstown Speedway since it originated in 2001, posting a Series-best four Top-5 finishes yet still seeks his first trip to victory lane. Decker also established the single lap record in an Advance Auto Parts Series event when he circled the track in 19.016 seconds (94.657 mph) on June 23, 2005.
2008 Overall Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Modified/
Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Point Standings (Top-10)
Rank No. Driver Points Series Bonus Diff. Wins Top-5 Top-10 Starts
1 91 Billy Decker 2,495 2,195 300 0 10 18 24 26
2 98h Jimmy Phelps 2,293 2,019 274 -202 1 14 23 26
3 77x Dale Planck 2,251 1,959 292 -244 3 16 21 26
4 84 Gary Tomkins 2,204 1,908 296 -291 2 11 21 26
5 20 Brett Hearn 2,164 1,876 288 -331 2 9 20 26
6 9s Matt Sheppard 2,143 1,859 284 -352 1 9 18 26
7 FX1 Frankie Caprara1,904 1,612 292 -591 0 2 14 26
8 7x Steve Paine 1,852 1,560 292 -643 0 9 11 25
9 99 Ryan Phelps 1,795 1,539 256 -700 0 1 8 26
10 3 Justin Haers 1,738 1,480 258 -757 0 2 14 25
The 11th Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series season begins on March 28, 2009 with the 7th North-South Shootout at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway. Further track information is available at http://www.HagerstownSpeedway.com and the DIRTcar Northeast Office (315/834-6606) is open during weekdays. Log into the homepage at www.superdirtcarseries.com anytime to find out more about the entire circuit.
DIRTcar Racing Northeast main office is located in Weedsport, New York on the Cayuga County Fairgrounds www.cayugacountyfairspeedway.com, home of the 2009 DIRTcar All-Star Weekend, July 17-19, featuring Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship Series events for Sportsman and Big-Block Modifieds in the richest short-track show of its kind in the nation — the $20,000-to-win Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series “DIRTcar All-Star 100” on Sunday, July 19.
Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items in the United States, serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets As of April 19, 2008, the Company operated 3,291 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts and accessories can be found on the Company’s web site at www.advanceautoparts.com.
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 www.hoosiertire.com and VP Racing Fuels www.vpracingfuels.com. Promotional partners include Rite Aid Corporation www.riteaid.com, Dig Safely New York www.digsafelynewyork.com and the University of Northwestern Ohio www.unoh.com and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks www.barsproducts.com, Bert Transmission www.berttransmission.com, Bicknell Racing Products www.bicknellracingproducts.com, Bilstein Shocks www.bilstein.com, Brodix Cylinder Heads www.brodix.com, Ferris Industries www.ferrisindustries.com, Integra Shocks www.integrashocksandsprings.com, Intercomp www.intercomp-racing.com, KSE Racing Products www.kse-racing.com, Motorsports Safety Systems www.motorsportssafetysystems.com, Penske Shocks, www.penskeshocks.com, Racing Electronics www.racingelectronics.com, Rislone Oil Stabilizer www.barsproducts.com and Wrisco Industries www.wrisco.com.
