Barberville, FL — February 12, 2010 – By Tom Skibinski, Super DIRTcar Series PR Director
*Rick Laubach’s team ducks rain under hotel canopy Friday morning in Ormond Beach (George Smith Photo)
While most Northeasterners remain at home continuing to dig out after a savage week of snowfall, those that traveled south for the 39th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals By University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park have also been affected by unseasonably cool and wet winter conditions as of late.
A steady rain that began overnight never let up and for the fourth time this race weeks forced World Racing Group officials to reluctantly drop the scheduled DIRTcar doubleheader at the popular Barberville speedplant.
The recent cancellation sets up a big DCN finale at Volusia on Saturday, featuring the Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds and a World of Outlaws Late Model Series showdown. Twin 50-lap features headline the last day of competition on the 12-day agenda, with grandstand gates opening at 5 p.m., hot laps and qualifying beginning at 6 o’clock and the first race green-flagged unfurled at 7:30.
Tickets purchased for the Friday show may be presented for the DIRTcar Nationals finale on Saturday. In the event that tickets cannot be used, they may be mailed to Volusia Speedway Park, 1500 E SR 40, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130 to obtain a refund.
Saturday will also be the last chance for fans to take advantage of a unique offer provided throughout the 2010 DIRTcar Nationals. A FREE Fan Pit Pass is available to every ticket buyer coming through the main gates, and all they have to do is take their stub and head toward the turn one pits. A table has been set up to sign in for an up-close look at the cars and drivers who will be racing that night.
Two of the most prominent figures that Big-Block followers may bump into are Super DIRTcar Series stars Matt Sheppard and Jimmy Phelps, currently setting the pace atop the mini-tour points chart after the initial two 30-lap affairs. Phelps hopes to match the recent success of Sheppard and opening night winner Stewart Friesen, as he too is in search of his first career checkered flag in the Sunshine State.
There’s no better time than Saturday for any driver to make their maiden voyage to victory lane in gator land as $5,000 awaits the Modified winner, with valuable points also on the line to determine the DIRTcar Nationals Champion for a 13th straight year.
‘Super Matt’ (106 pts) finished sixth in round one before scoring his first Florida feature win aboard the JB Motorsports no. 9S Xtreme Lubricants/Bicknell entry on Thursday. The ‘B’Ville Blizzard’ (100) remains a model of consistency with back-to-back fourth-place finishes posted steering the HBR Motorsports no. 98H Wave Energy Drink-Mohawk Northeast/Troyer machine. Friesen (1st, 10th) and Varin (3rd, 6th) are deadlocked with 98 points apiece while Dale Planck (2nd, 11th) rounds out the front-five with 92 points.
Always in the hunt for a prime time DCN win are New York notables Alan and Danny Johnson, teammates Billy Decker and Pat Ward, along with New Jersey legends Brett Hearn, Jimmy Horton and Billy Pauch, plus Massachusetts invader Andy Bachetti, popular Pennsylvanian Rick Laubach and Delaware driver Jamie Mills.
For additional Big-Block Modified information, log into www.superdirtcarseries.com or www.dirtcarnationals.com, where you can find complete race results for all divisions contesting in the DIRTcar Nationals. Be sure to sign up as a Super DIRTcar Series follower on Twitter by visiting http://www.twitter.com/SuperDIRTcar and receive updates anywhere at anytime as the 2010 season of Big-Block Modified racing rolls forward.
39th Florida DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH Big-Block Modified Schedule
*All times and events subject to change.
General Daily Schedule:
10:00 am — Pit Gates Open, Transporter Parking, Team Entry
1:00 pm Pit Pass Sales Open
3:00 pm Pits Cleared, Pit Passes/Credentials required
4:40pm Grandstand, Midway areas cleared.
5:00pm Grandstand Gate opens
5:00pm Drivers meetings (All draws for starting position conclude at the end of the driver’s meeting)
6:00pm Hot Laps/ Qualifying
7:20 pm Opening Ceremonies
7:30 pm First Race
Final Night (Sat.-Feb. 13)
28 Car Field Maximum
4 heats (8-laps) with 5 cars from each qualifying for ‘A’ Feature
2 ‘B’-Features (10-laps) with 3 cars transferring
2 Provisional Positions to highest finishing point earners not to qualify through the ‘B’-Features
(Top 8 – 1st and 2nd – from each heat Redraw)
39th Florida DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH
Big-Block Modified Point Standings (through Feb. 12, 2010)
PTS CAR# DRIVER / HOMETOWN
106 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
100 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
98 1f Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
98 10 Bobby Varin/Sharon Springs,NY
92 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
82 66w Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
81 30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE
78 22 Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
76 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
72 1x Willy Decker/Vernon,NY
71 49er Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
68 1p Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NJ
64 65 Rex King/Bristolville,OH
64 34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
62 14 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
59 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
56 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
55 19h Chris Higgins/Syracuse,NY
48 07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT
47 7 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
45 0 Richie Pratt Jr./Woodbury Heights,NJ
44 8r Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY
42 56 Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY
40 33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA
36 165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH
34 6 John Stangle/Neshanic Station,NJ
31 85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA
31 8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
30 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
22 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
20 29 Vic Coffey/Leicester,NY
20 85j H.J. Bunting III/Milford,DE
20 97 Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile de Milton,QUE
20 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY
20 70 Eric Acquaro/New Windsor,NY
20 t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
20 01 Brett Ballard/Pennsville,NJ
20 21k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
20 23 Billy VanInwegen/Sparrowbush,NY
20 1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA
20 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
20 79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY
20 66 Dexter Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE
10 66 Wallace Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE
2010 Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Roster (42)
Car# Driver/Hometown Team (Sponsor / Chassis / Engine)
0 Richie Pratt Jr./Woodbury Heights,NJ South Jersey Overhead Door/TEO/DDE
01 Brett Ballard/Pennsville,NJ Burlington Overhead Door/TEO/DDE
07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT The Bronskill Group-Loewen Window Center-Hubert Kerr Construction/Bicknell/Enders
1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA Greene Quality Bluestone-Big Diamond Tools-TJ’s NAPA/Bicknell/Jensen Tech
1f Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT Pizza Logs-Jeff Daley & Sons Oil Service-Westmoreland Golf Club/TEO/Enders
1p Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NJ K&A Excavating Contractors-Pioneer Pole Buildings-Greenfield Dodge/Bicknell/Morrison
1x Willy Decker/Vernon,NY ComeRaceWithUs.com-JWJ Container-Commercial Roofing/Bicknell/Finger Lakes
6 John Stangle/Neshanic Station,NJ Active Disposal-Lightning Delivery-Metro Optics/TEO/VanHorn
7 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA Benton Electric & Elevator-Jones Racing Products/TEO/Enders
8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ Central Jersey Trailer & Hitch Depot-Adamsville Maintenance/Troyer/Feil
8r Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY Westward Painting-Coffin Excavation-Lake Ontario Realty/Troyer/Finger Lakes
9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY Xtreme Lubricants/Bicknell/C.C. Performance
10 Bobby Varin/Sharon Springs,NY Commercial Roofing & Sheetmetal-JWJ Container-Gypsum/Bicknell/Morrison
14 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ Alpha Distribution Solutions-McKeansburg Hotel/TEO/Enders
19h Chris Higgins/Syracuse,NY Transportation Repair Service-JLRB Construction/Bicknell/Higgins Performance
20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ Madsen Mtrsprts-Wentworth Custom Homes-Benjamin Moore Paints/TEO/Enders
21k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY TIBchurch.org-Signal Cigarettes-Randy’s Smoke Shop/Bicknell/Mr. E
t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY Frontenac Water-Randy’s Smoke Shop-Joey’s Sneaks-NECO/Bicknell/Nickel
22 Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE ResistO-Batiments JDL-GMCI Express/Bicknell/Morrison
23 Billy VanInwegen/Sparrowbush,NY Len & Jo’s Restaurant/Bicknell/Precision
29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY Xtreme Lubricants/Bicknell/C.C. Performance
30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE I.G.Burton Car Dealership-ReMax Realtor-L&W Ins./Bicknell/H&G Associates
33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA J & L Speed Supplies/Bicknell/Malcuit
34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA Steve Hough Motors-Garrity Asphalt Reclamating/PMC/JPM
42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Kevlar
43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY Flach Crane & Rigging-Gould Erectors & Riggers/Bicknell/Enders
48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY Magee Transportation Services-Monadnock Disposal Service/Bicknell/Morrison
49er Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY Nick Nero Motorsports/Bicknell/Hi-Performance Chevrolet
56 Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY Affordable Landscaping-V & V Racing/Troyer/Enders
65 Rex King/Bristolville,OH Midway Garage Doors-RD Bank Chevrolet-GS Engine Poer/Bicknell/Jim Bailey
66 Dexter Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE Bully’s Truck Stop-CFF,Inc.-Unicast Crusher Parts/Bicknell/Morrison
66w Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY Bully’s Truck Stop-CFF,Inc.-Unicast Crusher Parts/Bicknell/Morrison
70 Eric Acquaro/New Windsor,NY Arkel Motors Int’l Truck Dealer-P&M Fab.-Behrent’s Performance/TEO/Ammirati(358)
77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY RezX Racing-Twin Leaf/Bicknell/Kevlar
79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY Len & Jo’s Restaurant-Advance Recovery/Bicknell/Precision
85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA Vauter Racing/Bicknell/Enders
85j H.J. Bunting III/Milford,DE J&M Roofing & Builders-Art Collins Trucking/TEO/Medford Speed
91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY Gypsum Wholesalers-Stadium Int’l-Quality Hardwoods/Bicknell/Kevlar
97 Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile de Milton,QUE GMCI Express-E.Beaudry Enterprises/Bicknell/Enders
98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY HBR Motorsports-Wave Energy Drink-Mohawk Northeast/Troyer/Bruneau
99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Kevlar
165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH Jim Brown Seed Sales-Reese Services-Cintas/Bicknell/Jim Bailey
2010 Super DIRTcar Series Schedule
NP=Non-Point event; SP=Show-Up point event;
DAY-DATE TRACK LOCATION/WINNER
*** FLORIDA DIRTcar NATIONALS ***
Wed-Feb 10 Volusia Speedway Park-np Stewart Friesen
Thr-Feb 11 Volusia Speedway Park-np Matt Sheppard
Fri-Feb 12 Volusia Speedway Park-np rain-cancelled
Sat-Feb 13 Volusia Speedway Park-np Barberville,FL
Sat-Mar 27 Hagerstown Speedway Hagerstown,MD
Sat-Apr 10 Fulton Speedway Fulton,NY
Sun-May 30 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY
Tue-Jun 15 Grandview Speedway Bechtelsville,PA
Wed-Jun 16 Orange County Fair Speedway Middletown,NY
Wed-Jun 23 Mohawk International Raceway Akwesasne,NY
Sun-Jul 4 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park Elbridge,NY
Sun-Jul 11 Cornwall Motor Speedway Cornwall,ONT
*** ALL-STAR WEEKEND ***
Thr-Jul 15 Brewerton Speedway Brewerton,NY
Fri-Jul 16 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY
Sat-Jul 17 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY
*** GREAT CANADIAN TOUR ***
Mon-Jul 19 Autodrome Granby Granby,QUE
Tue-Jul 20 Autodrome Drummond Drummondville,QUE
Mon-Aug 2 Merrittville Speedway Thorold,ONT
Thr-Aug 26 Lebanon Valley Speedway West Lebanon,NY
Sun-Sep 5 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY
Sat-Sep 18 Mohawk International Raceway Akwesasne,NY
Sat-Oct 2 Fulton Speedway-sp Fulton,NY
*** SUPER DIRT WEEK ***
Sun-Oct 10 New York State Fairgrounds Syracuse,NY
*** DIRTcar FALL NATIONALS ***
Sun-Oct 17 Brockville Ontario Speedway Brockville,ONT
*** WORLD FINALS ***
Thr-Nov 4 The Dirt Track @ Charlotte(qual.) Concord,NC
Fri-Nov 5 The Dirt Track @ Charlotte Concord,NC
Sat-Nov 6 The Dirt Track @ Charlotte Concord,NC
DIRTcar Racing Northeast main office is located in Weedsport, New York on the Cayuga County Fairgrounds, home of DIRTcar All-Star Weekend in July. DIRTcar Northeast’s crown jewel event —Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse runs annually in October featuring Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship Series events for Big-Block Modified, 358-Modified, Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions. Ticket and schedule information is available by contacting the Weedsport office (315/834-6606) during the day or logging into www.superdirtweekonline.com anytime.
The Big-Block Super DIRTcar Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors 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.