Brett Hearn ready to speed onto the scene Thursday, July 3, at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park
Highly-anticipated Stars & Stripes Summer Super Show presented by Dig Safely 811 features full night for Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series, Empire Super Sprints
ELBRIDGE, N.Y. — The biggest names in motorsports in the Northeast region will be in one place Thursday, July 3: at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park for the classic Stars & Stripes Summer Super Show presented by Dig Safely 811.
This year, the traditional Independence Day spectacular will feature not just one, but two of the region’s premier racing series.
The Empire Super Sprints return to Central New York’s famed five-eighths mile for their first of two assaults on “The Fast Track.” Thursday’s Stars & Stripes show is the 360 Sprint Car Series’ second stop for CNY Speedweek.
Joining the Empire Super Sprints, the Super DIRTcar Series rumbles onto the scene for its fourth scheduled points race of the season. Three-time champion Matt Sheppard, of Waterloo, N.Y., currently holds the point lead over eight-time champion Brett Hearn as the series rolls into the weekend’s racing at Cornwall Motor Speedway Sunday, June 29.
Hearn, out of Sussex, N.J., is hopeful for a top finish at Rolling Wheels to follow up on his strong run there last fall.
“We were very very fast,” said Hearn, who dominated most of last October’s Stars & Stripes 100 before slowing to a stop in lap 96 to finish ninth. “We ended up cutting ourselves short a little bit on gas and we ended up running out of gas.”
Last year’s Stars & Stripes victor, Billy Decker, is third in point standings, trailing Hearn by just four points and just 20 points shy of leader Sheppard.
“Rolling Wheels is always a place I look forward to,” said Hearn. After a top-five finish Tuesday, June 17, in New Egypt Speedway’s ‘Dirty Jersey 60,’ the driver topping the all-time Big-Block Modified win list said it’s too early to tell how this season will shake out for the Madsen Motorsports No. 20 team.
“It’s very very early, and we’ve already lost two shows to rain,” defending Super DIRTcar Series Champion Hearn said. “I really felt that we needed to go down to New Egypt – which was probably the worst race on the schedule for us, it was the one we struggled at the most – and we needed to get through that race with a decent finish, a top five preferably, and we did that. I feel pretty good about our performance so far. I think we’re in a really good spot.”
Gates open for Rolling Wheels Raceway’s Stars & Stripes Summer Super Show presented by Dig Safely 811 Thursday, July 3, at 5 p.m. and racing begins at 7:30 p.m. In addition to action-packed racing, the event features a fireworks show in celebration of the week’s national holidays. Adult general admission tickets are just $29, and kids 17 and under get in FREE! For more information about the Super DIRTcar Series, visit www.sugerdirtcarseries.com.
AT A GLANCE
Stars & Stripes Summer Super Show presented by Dig Safely 811
DATE: Thursday, July 3
TIME: Racing begins at 7 p.m.; grandstand gates open at 5 p.m.
DIVISIONS: Super DIRTCAR Series Big-Block Modifieds, Empire Super Sprints 360 Sprint Cars
LOCATION: Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, 8310 Grant Ave. Rd. Elbridge, N.Y.
ABOUT THE TRACK: Five-eighths mile oval dubbed “The Fast Track”
MORE TRACK INFORMATION: rollingwheelsraceway.com | @DIRTcarNE | facebook.com
MORE SERIES INFORMATION: dirtcar.com | @DIRTcarNE | facebook.com/DIRTcar
POTENTIAL DRIVER ENTRY LIST
1. 91 Billy Decker, Unadilla, N. Y.
2. 9s Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, N. Y.
3. 3 Justin Haers, Phelps, N. Y.
4. 98h Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, N. Y.
5. 5H Chris Hile, Syracuse, N. Y.
6. 7z Dale Planck, Homer, N. Y.
7. 3b Chad Brachmann, Sanborn, N. Y.
8. 38 Ryan Susice, Ransomville, N. Y.
9. 20 Brett Hearn, Sussex, N. J.
10. 8 Rich Scagliotta, Hillsborough, N. Y.
11. T21 Dave Marcuccilli, Cayuga, N. Y.
12. 88 Alan Johnson, Middlesex, N. Y.
13. 19w Justin Wright, Piffard, N. Y.
14. 21a Pete Britten, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
15. 48T Dave Rauscher, Waterloo, N. Y.
16. 10v Billy VanInwegen, Sparrowbush, N. Y.
17. 5* Tyler Siri, Watkins Glen, N. Y.
18. 10c Tim Currier, Auburn, N. Y.
19. 49d Billy Dunn, Watertown, N. Y.
20. 66 Danny Johnson, Rochester, N. Y.
21. 43 Keith Flach, Ravena, N. Y.
22. 74m Matt Billings, Brockville, Ontario
23. 83x Tim Sears, Jr., Clay, N. Y.
24. 21 Derrick Podsiadlo, Penn Yan, N. Y
26. 7x Steve Paine, Waterloo, N. Y.
27. 62s Tom Sears, Jr., Clay, N. Y.
28. 8R Rob Bellinger, Dexter, N. Y.
29. 84 Gary Tomkins, Clifton Springs, N. Y.
02 Roy Bresnahan, Palermo, N. Y.
14g C. G. Morey, Rutland, Vt.
16 Lance Willix II, Theresa, N. Y.
21k Randy Chrysler, Lewiston, N. Y.
42 Matt Pupello, East Greenbush, N. Y.
63 Adam Roberts, Watertown, N.Y.
