If the 2024 Super DIRTcar Series season were a book, its first and last pages would look the same.
After winning the season opener at New Egypt Speedway in March, Anthony Perrego finished the year in the same place he started by winning the World of Outlaws World Finals finale Saturday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
The Montgomery, NY driver outdueled Tim Fuller for the win, leading the last 11 laps to score the $15,000 victory and finish third in the standings—his best Super DIRTcar Series points finish.
“What a night for us,” Perrego said. “At the end of the season, it’s like we get fired back up, and hopefully, that will run into next year. And when we get into that summer swing, hopefully, we won’t get in a slump.
“This is huge. This is number one right now. Fifteen grand, I think it was tonight and 20 grand in the points. It was a good night.”
Tim Fuller, the SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel Redraw Bonus winner, took the early lead after two cautions slowed the field before they completed Lap 1. Like in his win on Thursday, the Edwards, NY driver started pulling away in the race’s early stages with Perrego chasing him down.
Perrego kept pace with the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Famer throughout the first 10 laps by working the inside of the track. However, he couldn’t get the momentum he needed to drive by the No. 19.
He had his best chance to pass Fuller on Lap 13 when they reached lap traffic. Perrego dove to the inside in Turns 1 and 2, getting up to the front tires of Fuller’s car as they exited the corner. But even with Danny Johnson ahead of him, Fuller’s momentum carried him ahead of Perrego down the backstretch.
Fuller drove around Johnson one lap later, gaining separation from Perrego as they battled down the front stretch. He wouldn’t have that separation for long, though, as Daniel Johnson brought out the caution on Lap 18.
That set up the first of multiple restarts for Perrego to try and pass Fuller, but Fuller held back his challenges on Lap 20 and Lap 22. Fuller again opened his lead up to over a second, trying to become the all-time winningest Big Block driver in Charlotte’s history.
But for that to happen, he’d have to survive one more restart on Lap 29 after Jeff Taylor spun in Turn 3.
When the race resumed, Perrego timed the restart perfectly, sliding in front of Fuller in Turn 1, making contact with Fuller’s left-front tire in the corner’s apex, and pulling ahead as the two drivers exited Turn 2.
From there, Perrego cruised in the final 11 laps to score his fifth Super DIRTcar Series victory and first World Finals triumph.
On the Lap 29 restart, Perrego said the time it took to clear Taylor’s car from the racetrack worked to his advantage.
“There were a few restarts there when we were on even terms with him,” Perrego said. “We would go down to (Turn 1), and he would drive away. On the last one, that yellow was just long enough where his tire cooled down, and he really spun the tires there. We were able to take off, and I slid up and made a little bit of contact. I don’t like to race like that, but thought I was clear of him.”
Fuller settled for second, narrowly missing out on his sixth Charlotte victory. Despite the contact between the two drivers, the Edwards, NY driver said, the cautions gave Perrego too many chances to pass him.
“He went for it, and he wasn’t clear, and I made it so that he was clear,” Fuller said. “I could’ve crashed us both. I didn’t because I need the money, too. But he wasn’t clear. He sent it in there on a Hail Mary.
“But I still think he’s great. I still think he’s an awesome racer. It is what it is. I’m mad at myself for putting a harder tire on. I couldn’t restart as well, and after that many restarts, it’s easy to pick up where I’m probably going to go.”
Mat Williamson crossed the line third, officially clinching the 2024 Super DIRTcar Series championship by 33 points over Matt Sheppard, who finished fourth.
Williamson said his Buzz Chew Racing No. 88 was better than a third-place car but wanted to ensure he finished the race.
“I was trying to stay on the wall and leave a lane on the wall for whoever was trying to pass me,” Williamson said. “I was trying to putt the bottom, save the motor, save fuel, and not break any parts. I was being really conservative to try and win a points championship tonight.
“I think that if we were tighter in points, I would’ve pushed the issue, got up on that cushion, and tried to win the race. But the fact that we had a 30-point lead, I didn’t really want to push the issue.”
Alex Yankowski rounded out the top five.
UP NEXT: With the 2024 season complete, the Super DIRTcar Series will open its 2025 season at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL Feb. 12-15. For Tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all of the action on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.
World Finals Feature Night 4 (40 Laps): 1. 4*-Anthony Perrego[3]; 2. 19-Tim Fuller[1]; 3. 88-Mat Williamson[5]; 4. 9S-Matt Sheppard[8]; 5. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[6]; 6. 21A-Peter Britten[4]; 7. 58-Louden Reimert[9]; 8. 25-Erick Rudolph[15]; 9. 91-Felix Roy[10]; 10. 98H-Jimmy Phelps[13]; 11. 02-Jack Lehner[7]; 12. 26-Ryan Godown[14]; 13. 83X-Tim Sears Jr[11]; 14. 35-Mike Mahaney[20]; 15. 12-Darren Smith[12]; 16. 27JR-Daniel Johnson[25]; 17. 21C-Brian Calabrese[26]; 18. 44G-Sebastien Gougeon[30]; 19. 28-Michael Trautschold[27]; 20. 14-CG Morey[28]; 21. R70-Ryan Arbuthnot[21]; 22. 99L-Larry Wight[18]; 23. 17-Marcus Dinkins[29]; 24. 35C-Chris Curtis[19]; 25. (DNF) 11T-Jeff Taylor[16]; 26. (DNF) 3-Justin Haers[22]; 27. (DNF) 27J-Danny Johnson[24]; 28. (DNF) 15X-Justin Stone[23]; 29. (DNF) 70A-Alex Payne[17]; 30. (DNF) 111-Demetrios Drellos[2]
Contingency Awards:
VP Racing Fuels Award: Erick Rudolph ($50)
ARP Bolts Award: Matt Sheppard ($50)
ASI Racewear Award: Ryan Godown ($50)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Award: Anthony Perrego($50)
Cometic Gasket Award: Tim Sears Jr. $50
Comp Cams Award: Jimmy Phelps ($50)
DIG Racing Products: Erick Rudolph($50)
Fox Factory Award: Felix Roy ($50)
MSD Award: Alex Yankowski ($50)
Swift Springs Award: Peter Britten ($50)
Weld Racing Wheels Award: Tim Fuller ($50)
Hoosier Racing Tire Award: Matt Sheppard (Free Tire)
SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel Pole Award: Tim Fuller ($100)
