Barberville, FLFebruary 12, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series PR Director
*George Smith Photo

Twenty-four hours earlier, Pat Ward was winless in 33 straight Advance Auto Parts Big-Block Modified feature events run at Volusia Speedway Park. After round two of the 38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH at the ultra-fast Barberville, Florida oval, Ward is undefeated in two tries with no signs of slowing down in the potent LJL Racing no. 42P Gypsum Express/Bicknell entry.

Mirroring the 30-lap Modified main held the night before, just two caution periods slowed the finale that needed only 16 minutes to complete. Ward did lead 19 laps in the Wednesday opener after starting fourth, yet despite starting on the pole Thursday he grabbed the lead from Jeff Brownell Jr. on lap 22 and ran out front the rest of the way.

“There’s nothing like winning, the older you get the more they mean to you,” remarked Ward, 51, after picking up his second $2,000 payday in two days. “You never know if these young guys are going to pass you up.”

Following Ward across the line were Matt Sheppard and Brett Hearn, who slipped past Brownell on the final circuit, and Keith Flach to fill out the front-five. Andy Bachetti, Dale Planck, Jim Rasey, Ray Swinehart and Dave Camara rounded out the top-10 while Guy Sheldon (19th) was the last driver to complete the entire distance.

Ward crossed the line second in the first of three heats, yet when it was time for the top-two finishers from each qualifier to re-draw, the Genoa, New York veteran pulled the #1 pill to land the pole-position start. But when the first green flag waved, Brownell charged from outside the second row and overtook front row partners Ward and Keith Flach to set the early pace.

Continuous green flag action around the spacious half-miler kept all eyes on the leaders as they ducked in and out of traffic lap after lap. Jamie Mills finally slipped high and rapped the turn one outside wall to require the first caution flag on lap 13. And at the halfway mark, Ward remained closest to leader Brownell with Sheppard, Hearn and Dale Planck filing into front-five slots.

The battle out front raged on for a half-dozen more circuits until Ward swept high around Brownell in turns three and four to forge the only lead change on lap 22. Brownell tried relentlessly to regain his lost ground the following lap with contact made on the home stretch, yet Ward remained unrattled and stayed in control for the duration.

“Jeff got out front, must’ve had a tire cut up a little better than we did,” said Ward, who matched Hearn’s streak of two Florida Tour triumphs last posted at VSP in 2006. “I thought if I could hang there with him a little bit and get the tire going he’d slow down a little. He only really made one mistake going to the bottom that one time, and that’s all it took because we were revved up and ready to go on the top.”

Ward bolted past Brownell exiting turn four to snatch the lead before Canadian Tim Kerr parked his mount high against the turn one wall to cue the second and final yellow flag on lap 24. Sheppard blasted by his teammate on the ensuing restart and Brownell reciprocated over the next half-mile as the final laps clicked off. Ward opened a 10-car advantage after Sheppard stole back second, and when the final checkered flew Hearn had just slipped under Brownell to match Ward with a pair of top-fives in the opening two events.

“I love (winning twice) and I like coming down in this good weather, these Bicknell cars are great” smiled Ward, who more than made up for teammate Larry Wight’s finish second from the end in the 27-car field. “We weren’t that good the last couple years down here, we were top-five but couldn’t win. I had some conversations with Randy (Williamson, Bicknell fabricator) and he helped me out with some things, thank god I got a Bicknell car. And I have to thank John and Laura Wight for giving me the wheels to get the job done, I can’t wait for the next one.”

Second-place finisher Sheppard also enjoyed the success of a Bicknell mount, with his owner Jeff Brownell Sr. providing him with a car he felt was only second-place on the final scoresheet.

“Pat was super fast, my teammate Jeff was super fast tonight as he led a lot of laps, but I’ll tell you what, the track is so fast and there are so many good cars, the first one to the front is tough to beat,” exclaimed Sheppard, 26, who for the second straight night had Ward squelch any chance of taking home his first trophy from the Sunshine State. In the customary post-race inspection, however, the JB Motorsports no. 9S Xtreme Lubricants-Seneca Auto Sales/Bicknell mount crossed over the scales 20 pounds light, cutting in half both Sheppard’s payoff and points in the final box score.

“Pat was able to get by Jeff and I was coming. Think I was just as fast as them guys. I was searching around a little bit but its one of those deals where if you’re behind them you’re going to finish behind them and if you’re in front you’re going to finish in front of them. We still had a good car tonight.”

“The top finally really started going away enough and I think the guys were getting their tires hot enough and starting to fade. It just took way too long for the top to fade. My car was pretty good on the bottom, we could get a pretty good bite down there but I probably needed a 15-20 laps longer race to take a shot,” added Sheppard, following his 13th career start in the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia.

Improving two positions from the previous night, Hearn rallied into third at the end to keep him in the hunt for an unprecedented eighth Florida Tour title since DIRTcar returned to racing at Volusia in 1998.

“Just have to keep on tuning man,” figured defending winter time champion Hearn, 50, who has also won at least one feature at VSP every year with the exception of 2007. “We’ll put our heads together tonight and the guys and I will get with the shock people from Bilstein and we’ll keep on working.”

“I thought we were best on the bottom in (turns) three and four. Late in the race I found the middle of one and two, and that’s what got me that squirt to get into third and almost second. Its one of those deals where you just have to keep on searching,” noted Hearn, who recently signed up Benjamin Moore Paints as a partner with the mighty Madsen Motorsports no. 20 Wentworth Custom Homes-Kruger-WLR-BPG/TEO machine.

The Advance Auto Parts Modifieds return to Volusia for their final 30-lap feature on Friday before DIRTcar Racing Northeast’s Big-Block stars battle in the fourth and final round on Saturday, February 14 as a $5,000-to-win 50-lap championship event determines the 2009 Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH points champion.

Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series – Volusia Speedway Park, February 12, 2009
38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH Event #2
BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED FEATURE
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER/HOMETOWN
1 1 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY($2,000)
2 5 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
3 3 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
4 4 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
5 2 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY
6 8 34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
7 6 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
8 10 32 Jim Rasey/Southington,OH
9 9 33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA
10 18 26 Dave Camara/Poultney,VT
11 21 5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
12 12 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
13 7 62 Matt Jester/Lincoln,DE
14 14 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
15 17 165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH
16 24 85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA
17 20 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
18 13 79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY
19 15 42 Guy Sheldon/Nassau,NY
20 16 1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA
21 23 33t Brad Trice/Parsonsburg,MD
22 19 17 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
23 26 07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT
24 27 3g Jimmy Johnson/Bloomingburg,NY
25 11 30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE
26 22 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
27 25 8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
DID NOT QUALIFY(6)
5b-Brian Sadler/Erie,PA
9-Jeff Brown/Parsonsburg,MD
t21-Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
52-James Friesen/St.Catharines,ONT
88k-Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
97-Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile de Milton,QUE
Lap Leaders: Brownell (1-21), Ward (22-30).
Cautions: 2 (lap 13, lap 24).
QUALIFYING
Heat Races (10 laps, top 7 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Planck, Ward, Jester, Rasey, Markle, Greene, Beardsley, Friesen, Hearn(spec), Kerr, Ro.Chrysler, Chicoine.
#2: Brownell, Sheppard, Bachetti, Mills, Rauscher, King, Clair, Trice, Vauter, Sadler, Brown.
#3: Hearn, Flach, Swinehart, A.Johnson, Sheldon, Camara, Horton, Ra.Chrysler, Wight, Scagliotta.
Consolation Round (10 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Wight, Trice, Vauter, Scagliotta, Kerr, Hearn(spec), Ro.Chrysler, Chicoine, Sadler, Ra.Chrysler, Friesen, Brown (DNS).
Alternate: J.Johnson.

Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Point Standings (through Feb. 12, 2009)
PTS CAR# DRIVER / HOMETOWN
120 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
100 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
100 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
98 34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
94 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
88 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY
77 85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA
74 62 Matt Jester/Lincoln,DE
74 26 Dave Camara/Poultney,VT
72 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
66 30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE
63 32 Jim Rasey/Southington,OH
56 5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
55 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
54 07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT
50 8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
50 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
49 1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA
48 165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH
47 33t Brad Trice/Parsonsburg,MD
46 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
44 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
42 88k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
41 17 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
40 33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA
35 79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY
34 42 Guy Sheldon/Nassau,NY
33 97 Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile,QUE
32 9 Jeff Brown/Parsonsburg,MD
30 3g Jimmy Johnson/Bloomingburg,NY
20 3g Gary Risch Jr./Sarver,PA
20 5b Brian Sadler/Erie,PA
20 t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
20 52 James Friesen/St.Catharines,ONT
10 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
10 923 Colin Jackson/Peckville,PA

2009 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Roster (33)
Car# Driver/Hometown Team (Sponsor / Chassis / Engine)
07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT Bronskill & Coe-Greenbush Electric-Kerr Construction/Bicknell/Enders
1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA Greene Quality Bluestone-Blue Diamond Tools-TJ’s NAPA/Bicknell/Jensen Tech
3g Jimmy Johnson/Bloomingburg,NY Budweiser (LaRusse Distributing)-Valvoline-Lajoie Seats/TEO/GM
5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ Lincoln Auto Body-Schmidt Racing/Troyer/JPM
5b Brian Sadler/Erie,PA McLallen Construction-Perkins Law Group/Bicknell/Honest Abe
8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ Central Jersey Trailer & Hitch Depot-Adamsville Maintenance/Troyer/Feil
9 Jeff Brown/Parsonsburg,MD Chesapeake Paving/Bicknell/JB Auto & Machine
9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY Xtreme Lubricants-Seneca Auto Sales/Bicknell/C.C. Performance
14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY Thompson Road Tavern-Circle S Stables/Troyer/Kevlar
17 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY Behron Auto Glass-Town Mechanical-JIR Motorsports/Troyer/Moshier
20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ Madsen Motorsports-Wentworth Custom Homes-Kruger-WLR-BPG/TEO/Enders
t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY Iroquois Water-Randy’s Smoke Shop-Joey’s Sneaks/Bicknell/JanCen
22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE Bully’s Truck Stop-Bert Transmission-Batiments JDL/Bicknell/Morrison
26 Dave Camara/Poultney,VT Camara Slate Products/TEO/Finger Lakes
29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY Xtreme Lubricants-Seneca Auto Sales/Bicknell/C.C. Performance
30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE I.G.Burton Car Dealership-ReMax Realtor-L&W Ins./Bicknell/DDE
32 Jim Rasey/Southington,OH Twin Oaks Services South-Alcon Mechanical/Dirt Wheels/Minors Performance
33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA J & L Speed Supplies-Scrap USA LLC/Bicknell/Precision
33t Brad Trice/Parsonsburg,MD Chesapeake Paving-Delmarva Improvement Services/Troyer/JB Auto & Machine
34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA Steve Hough Motors/PMC/JPM
42 Guy Sheldon/Nassau,NY Judd Construction-Heinz Inc./PMC/42 Racing
42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Chevrolet
43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY Flach Crane & Rigging-Gould Erectors & Riggers/TEO/Enders
48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY Magee Transportation Services-Monadnock Disposal Service/Bicknell/Morrison
52 James Friesen/St.Catharines,ONT Blue Moon Potatoes-New Generation Racing Engines/Bicknell/Al Blanchard(NG)
62 Matt Jester/Lincoln,DE Clearview Forms-Smith Concrete/TEO/Dan Denny(DDE)
77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY RezX Racing-Grow It Hydroseeding-Action Race Parts-Teo Fab./TEO/Kevlar
79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY Len & Jo’s Restaurant-Advance Recovery/Bicknell/Precision
85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA Sportsburg.com-Community Bank & Trust/Troyer/Enders
88k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY Signal Cigarettes-Randy’s Smoke Shop-Jacobs Tobacco Co./Bicknell/JanCen
97 Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile de Milton,QUE GMCI Express-E.Beaudry Enterprises/Bicknell/Enders
99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Chevrolet
165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH Jim Brown Seed Sales-Meander Homes-Reese Services/Bicknell/Jim Bailey

FLORIDA TOUR 2009 PIT NOTES
Thursday – February 12
*Alltel All-Star Status Growing For Ward…Show number 10 of the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH at Volusia is now in the record book and Advance Series DIRTcar Big-Block racer Pat Ward has given fans twice the incentive to vote for the Genoa, New York pilot as he contends for the lucrative $10,000 top prize awarded to just one winning driver. “I’m broke all winter long and that money would sure come in handy as we’ve got a lot of bills to pay. I enjoy coming down here and putting on a show for the fans, giving 110% every time out,” said Ward about why fans should choose him as the Alltel All-Star. The Alltel All-Star candidates and their text message Letter Codes include: Big-Block Modifieds – Pat Ward (i); Sprint Cars – Donny Schatz (b); Stevie Smith (d); Joey Saldana (f); UMP DIRTcar Modifieds – Jared Landers (a), Austin Dillon (c), Randy Hall (e); UMP DIRTcar Super Late Models – Darren Miller (g), Earl Pearson Jr. (h), Dan Schlieper (j); World of Outlaws Late Models – Josh Richards (k). Fans can vote by visiting www.AlltelAllStar.com or texting their drivers code to 247253.

*Rasey Back Racing…Family matters matter most for Big-Block racer Jim Rasey and the Southington, Ohio veteran almost skipped this year’s Alltel DIRTcar Nationals after his 12 year-old son Jacob suffered a serious leg injury in seventh grade gym class. Missing out only last year after competing at Volusia every February in the new millennium, Rasey’s youngest sibling stopped fast and tore the knee cap tendon from his shin and pins were inserted during surgery that was performed on February 5. Jim still has two healthy sons, Jimmy (16) and Justin (14), with each finding a preference closer to home like competing in the state power-lifting championship. Jimmy won the Ohio title in 2008 and is also a star running back on the high school football team. The only running that driver Jim does is with his mighty DIRTcar Modified. So far in Florida, he cracked the top-15 after starting 24th on Wednesday night before losing a lap at the halfway point and crossing the line 22nd, one lap down. He improved to 8th on Thursday following a 10th-place start.

*Down But Not Out…Following motor problems in practice on Tuesday, Ray Swinehart was back in action on Thursday, this time with his no. 33 J&L Speed Supplies-Scrap USA/Bicknell ride housing a Precision powerplant in place of the Malcuit motor that was shelved after a burned piston was diagnosed. Ray’s son, Stan Swinehart, made the 15-1/2 hour haul from Bechtelsville, Pa. —which was lengthened following a flat tire and being pulled over for excessive speeds— and arrived at 10:30am Thursday morning. “This is the first year I kept a spare motor at home and this kinda thing happens,” said Swinehart, who qualifed for his 30th feature since the Big-Blocks returned to Volusia in 1998 and ran a very respectable 9th under that final checkered flag. With the return of Swinehart to the Big-Block field, fellow Pennsylvanian Colin Jackson was scratched from the remainder of the tour as motor problems on Wednesday curtailed the efforts of his own no. 923 Ashford Cottages Bed & Breakfast/Bicknell entry and sent the Orange County Fair (NY) Speedway regular packing.

*Canadian Exchange…Frenchmen Mario Clair and Michel Chicoine suffered through opening night misfortune, with Chicoine placing 20th in his Big-Block debut while 2007 Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Champion Clair was scored 26th as he completed just 10 laps in the 30-lap lid-lifter. Citing a lack of help in the pits, Choicoine pinpointed a faulty wheel spacer that crimped his initial effort with wife Kathy one of the few members of his crew. “It’s much easier during the season up north with a full team and crew chief working with you, we’ll just have to have some fun now with what we have,” spoke Chicoine in fragmented French before failing to qualify on Thursday. Clair wasn’t short of manpower, yet a flat right-rear tire and broken water pump were too much to overcome in the mechanical department on day one, doing slightly better Thursday in 17th.

*Delaware Driving Experience…Veteran Jamie Mills has emerged as a solid runner in Florida Tour competition while Matt Jester is a rookie contender in 2009, yet only two positions separated the duo from Delaware on the final scoresheet Wednesday as the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals took center stage at Volusia Speedway Park. Mills charged from 20th to 6th while Jester finished 8th after starting 19th, coincidentally right alongside his fellow statesman to fill out row number 10. Mills crashed out in the feature on Thursday with Jester going all the way to place 13th in the 15-mile main. “I think we started on 7-cylinders (Wed.) and ended up on six,” lamented Mills, 38, a two-time Florida Tour race winner who came within just two markers of topping Brett Hearn for the 2000 Alltel DIRTcar Nationals points crown. “The motor just laid down on us and we put another one in for Thursday. It’s a decent (DDE block) piece from ’99, but around here you need all the power you can find, its been a heavy track so far this week.” Jester has little to compare in first effort in gator land. Although 2009 is his 4th season aboard a Big-Block Modified, the Lincoln, Del. driver just began his 15th campaign in motorsports, a year ago finishing fifth in points at Charlie Cathell’s Delaware Int’l Speedway where he scored three feature wins. “I’m pretty content with the Big-Block, it’s the division I expect to be in for some time,” figured Jester, a land surveyor during the work week, who turned 24 in January. “I’m looking at traveling up north to run some of those slick tracks, they’re a lot different than what I’m used to at Georgetown and Delaware (7 career wins). The Syracuse Mile is definitely something to consider down the line, we’ll keep busy until then.”

*Chryslers, Not Fords Or Chevrolets Race Here…The Chrysler Bros. have been a solid fixture in Florida over the past half-dozen years, with younger brother Randy (44) finding more success than Roger (47) in the Sunshine State during the newest millennium. Both are indoor box lacrosse coaches closer to home in the Tuscarora Nation, Lewiston, New York, so February is the perfect time to vacation and vent as a new season for ball & stick sports and car racing approaches further north. “Whatever we do, family and church come first, then we see what’s open for racing on the weekends,” remarked Randy, who captured the overall Hoosier Tire Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship in 2002, then debuted at Volusia the next winter and came away with his personal tour best placing of eighth. His son Randy jr. owns the no. 88K Signal Cigarettes-Randy’s Smoke Shop-Jacobs Tobacco Co./Bicknell entry that he finished 13th in on Wednesday yet wasn’t as quick the following night. “This year the biggest goal is to improve our shock program. We’ve been using $120 shocks instead of the $300 ones that full-timers run, but with our switch to Bilsteins hopefully we’ll find something in the middle that works for us.” While Randy outlined a more random short-track schedule in 2009, Roger has locked up Friday trips to Ransomville (NY) Speedway for DIRTcar 358-Modified competition, saving his #T21 Iroquois Water/Bicknell Big-Block ride for specials on both sides of the border at places like Canandaigua (NY) Speedway and Merrittville (Ont.) Speedway.

*Horton Almost Smoked Out…The sight of smoke pouring from the yellow no. 5 Troyer machine on Wednesday night was an all to familiar one for car owner Dieter Schmidt and his driver Jimmy Horton; a recurring sign of engine trouble that plagued the Lincoln Auto Body entry throughout last year’s Alltel DIRTcar Nationals. A JPM powerplant was plopped in for the 50-lap finale last February and Horton sped on to capture the improbable victory to bring the curtain down with a big $5,000 payday. As soon as the ‘Sensational One’ cracked the top-five on Wednesday, smoke once again began to seep out from under the hood and Schmidt wasted little time unloading the same car/motor that carried Horton to victory lane at Volusia one year ago. Horton followed up his 25th-place tally on Wednesday with a more respectable 11th on Thursday.

2009 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Schedule
NP=Non-Point event; SP=Show-Up point event;
TBA=To Be Announced; TBD=To Be Determined.

DAY-DATE TRACK LOCATION/WINNER
Wed-Feb 11 Volusia Speedway Park Pat Ward
Thr-Feb 12 Volusia Speedway Park Pat Ward
Fri-Feb 13 Volusia Speedway Park Barberville,FL
Sat-Feb 14 Volusia Speedway Park Barberville,FL
Sat-Mar 28 Hagerstown Speedway Hagerstown,MD
Sun-May 24 -TBA-
Sat-Jun 6 Lebanon Valley Speedway West Lebanon,NY
Sun-Jun 7 Airborne Speedway Plattsburgh,NY
Sat-Jun 13 Fulton Speedway Fulton,NY
Fri-Jul 3 Ransomville Speedway Ransomville,NY
*** GREAT CANADIAN TOUR ***
Thr-Jul 9 Brockville Ont. Speedway Brockville,ONT
Fri-Jul 10 Autodrome Granby Granby,QUE
Sat-Jul 11 Autodrome Drummond Drummondville,QUE
Sun-Jul 12 Cornwall Motor Speedway Cornwall,ONT
Mon-Aug 3 Merrittville Speedway Thorold,ONT
Fri-Aug 7 Brewerton Speedway Brewerton,NY
Sat-Aug 8 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua,NY
Fri-Aug 21 Can-Am Motorsports Park LaFargeville,NY
Thr-Aug 27 Lebanon Valley Speedway West Lebanon,NY
Sun-Sep 6 Cayuga Co.Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY
Mon-Sep 7 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Fri-Sep 18 Lernerville Speedway Sarver,PA
Sat-Sep 19 -TBA-
Sat-Sep 26 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Sun-Oct 11 New York State Fairgrnds Syracuse,NY
-TBA- Orange Co.Fair Speedway Middletown,NY
-TBD- Big Diamond Raceway Minersville,PA
-TBD- Cayuga Co.Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY

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 and VP Racing Fuels. Promotional partners include Rite Aid Corporation, Dig Safely New York and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks, Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Ferris Industries, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Rislone Oil Stabilizer and Wrisco Industries.