Super DIRTcar Series rolls into its 53rd season

Back in 1972, Glenn Donnelly rented the one-mile dirt oval at the New York State fairgrounds in Geddes to run a 100-mile feature race for modified stock cars.

To help promote this initial Super DIRT Week main event, Donnelly ran a series of qualifing races, with the winners’ getting a guaranteed starting spot in the Fairgrounds 100 miler.

Over the years, this qualifing series has developed into today’s Super DIRTcar Series. DIRT officials have increased the number of events and the cash rewards and it is now considered the top dirt track modified series in the country.

The finale for this series is now run at Oswego Speedway in early October and the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 is the richest big-block modified race in the country.

Over the years, the series has been dominated by two drivers. Brett Hearn and Matt Sheppard have each won 10 championships, with Hearn racking up 141 wins and Sheppard 99. Sprakers’ Stewart Friesen is also a threat and has recorded 49 feature triumphs.

A look at the current standings after four-point events finds several new faces among the leaders. Young Pennsylvania charger Alex Yankowski is the point leader and the defending champion, Mat Williamson, is a two-time title winner.

The DIRT big-blocks had a two-race swing through Pennsylvania this week and things got started Tuesday night at the Big Diamond Speedway in Minnersville.

Their 75-lap feature saw New Jersey’s Ryan Godown lead it from start to finish for his second career Super DIRT Series win.

Point leader Alex Yankowski was second, followed by Alex Payne, Williamson and Sheppard. Stewart Friesen fell out with mechanical issues.

Wednesday night, the scene shifted to the Selingsgrove, Pennsylvania Speedway for another 75-lap main event, paying $10,000 and a guaranteed starting spot at Oswego’s Super DIRT Week

The Selingsgrove feature saw Stewart Friesen grab the lead mid-race and go on to the $10,000 victory and the guaranteed starting spot in the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 finale at Oswego Speedway on Oct. 11.

Alex Yankowski, Mat Williamson, Alex Payne and Jimmy Phelps completed the top five finishers.

Supermodifieds

After losing its first two opening dates to rain, the Oswego Speedway is idle this weekend, but the ISMA supermodifieds will have 50-lap feature races Friday night at the Delaware,Ontario Speedway and Saturday evening at the Lancaster Speedway outside of Buffalo.

Both tracks have over 20 entries and each main event winner picks up a $6,000 check. Local Buffalo favorite Andy Jankowiak has secured a ride in Trey Hoddick’s ISMA winged super for Saturday’s Lancaster show.

Other tracks

• 600 mini-sprints are an addition to Friday night’s program at Brewerton.
• Spencer Speedway in Williamson makes its second attempt at a 2025 opener Friday night. Sportsman top the four division show and the RoC modifieds have the night off.
• It’s Retro Night Friday at the Utica-Rome Speedway and the Mohawk Valley vintage stock car club will be on hand.
• Midgets and 4-cylinder stock cars are added to the program at Albany-Saratoga Speedway this Friday.
• The Can-Am Speedway in LaFargeville has a pit crew showdown set for Friday night.
• The Evans Mills Raceway Park makes another attempt at running the Ziegler Memorial 67-lap event for sport modifieds Saturday night. Race time is 6:30 p.m.
• The ESS sprints have a Saturday date at the Freedom Speedway in the Southern Tier. Their feature race is dedicated to the memory of Julia Horton.
• ARCA stock cars and NASCAR trucks are both part of the NASCAR weekend at the Michigan Speedway. Saturday’s truck race is on Fox Sports 1 Saturday.
• The CRSA 305 sprint tour will be at Thunder Mountain Saturday night.
• The J.C. Flach Memorial big-block race Saturday night at Lebanon Valley Speedway pays $4,000-to-win.
• Wednesday night’s High Limit Sprint tour feature at the Red Cedar, Wisconsin Speedway saw Rico Abreu pass pole sitter Kyle Larson and go on to the feature win.