Weedsport, NY — January 10, 2008 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast PR Director
Fueled by the addition of two more high-paying shows and return of three long-standing member tracks, the 2008 Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Championship Series is now in place with a dozen dynamic events culminating with the crowning of the Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Champion for a 26th consecutive year.
“Talk about the Series has already generated a lot of interest and with an official schedule now available, racers and fans can make their summer plans accordingly,” said 358-Modified Series Director Gaston Salvas, who also heads the tech team throughout Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. “We’re looking forward to working with some new teams and making it back to some familiar tracks. The Small-Block Series is always exciting and 2008 should be no different. I’m hoping that if drivers or car owners have any doubts at any time, they feel free to talk with me immediately.”
On the ‘08 docket, Autodrome Drummond (September 13) moves one month later with its seventh 358-Modified tour event the biggest in track history as Small-Block stars on both sides of the border chase a $15,000 top-prize in 150-laps of open-wheel competition. Merrittville (April 26), Ransomville (August 1) and Canandaigua (Sept. 19) speedways are back on DIRTcar Racing NorthEast’s premier Small-Block tour after a one-year absence, with Ransomville’s 68-lap Alex Friesen Summer Nationals moving from its traditional Tuesday date to Friday and paying $6,800 to the winner.
“This is a solid schedule, a perfect mix of dates crossing over our entire circuit,” said Cory Reed, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning. “Getting some new faces in our Series has been a goal and this year’s tour offers a great opportunity. A lot more money at stake in a shorter schedule should encourage even more teams to be part of the traveling show this season.”
Kicking off the Series in April for the first time since 2003-04, Merrittville’s earliest date ever in its own 2008 lid-lifter is the first of three slated for the province of Ontario. Following Ransomville’s Small-Block showdown, short-track action resumes on Canadian soil when Cornwall Motor Speedway leads off the customary post-regular season campaign for DIRTcar 358-Modifieds on August 31 and Brockville Ontario Speedway (Sept. 6) keeps pace the next weekend.
Teams head back to Canada for the lone stop in Quebec at Drummond before closing out the month with consecutive Friday night 75-lap Small-Block specials at Canandaigua and Rolling Wheels Raceway (Sept. 26).
The green flag falls in October with successive ‘Super DIRT Week’ specials scheduled at Can-Am (October 8), Brewerton Speedway (Oct. 9) and Rolling Wheels (Oct. 10) before the New State Fairgrounds attracts the top Small-Blockers in the Northeast for a fourth straight show on Oct. 11. The curtain comes down Oct. 18 when Orange County hosts the 2008 Mr. DIRTcar 358 finale as part of the prestigious 47th Annual Eastern States Weekend.
For additional information, please contact 358-Modified Series Director Gaston Salvas (450/655-5022 or 514/817-2270; e-mail gastonsalvas@hotmail.com) or DIRTcar NE Director Cory Reed at the Weedsport office (315/834-6606) during normal business hours. In the meantime, log into the DIRTcar homepage at www.superdirtcarseries.com to find out more about the entire circuit.
2008 Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Championship Series Schedule
*All events subject to change.
DAY-DATE LAPS TRACK LOCATION
Sat-Apr 26 100 Merrittville Speedway Thorold, ONT
Fri-Aug 1 68 Ransomville Speedway Ransomville, NY ($6,800 to win)
Sun-Aug 31 100 Cornwall Motor Speedway Cornwall, ONT
Sat-Sep 6 75 Brockville Ont Speedway Brockville, ONT
Sat-Sep 13 150 Autodrome Drummond Drummondville, QUE ($15,000 to win)
Fri-Sep 19 75 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua, NY
Fri-Sep 26 75 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Wed-Oct 8 75 Can-Am Motorsports Park LaFargeville, NY
Thr-Oct 9 75 Brewerton Speedway Brewerton, NY
Fri-Oct 10 100 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge, NY
Sat-Oct 11 150 New York State Fairgrnds Syracuse,NY ($20,000 to win)
Sat-Oct 18 100 Orange Co Fair Speedway Middletown,NY ($7,500 to win)
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.
