Competition Fierce as Super DIRTcar Series Points Battle Nears

Competition Fierce as Super DIRTcar Series Points Battle Nears

Friesen, Varin, Hearn among those challenging Sheppard's Modified supremacy

WEEDSPORT, N.Y. - May 3, 2013 -After winning an unprecedented three consecutive Super DIRTcar Series championships, Matt Sheppard clearly has established himself as the Big-Block Modified driver to beat. Sheppard, though, will have his hands full when the 2013 season opens with the Hall of Fame 60 on Wednesday, June 5, at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y.

The best in the business will be racing to unseat "Super Matt" from his championship throne. Drivers like Hearn, Friesen and Phelps will be have a target on Sheppard's No. 9s FX Caprara Car Co./Xtreme Lubricants/Bicknell.

Here are some of the superstars attempting to capture the 2013 Super DIRTcar Series crown:

Brett Hearn: Close Call

Brett Hearn, of Sussex, N.J., fell short of Sheppard by just 45 points last year, even after missing two tour races because of illness. The Madsen Motorsports/B.H. Racing Enterprises No. 20 driver claimed some of the most impressive victories, flying from a 23rd starting spot for the win at Lebanon Valley Speedway's Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A., staying strong for the victory in Orange County Fair Speedway's Eastern States 200, winning the coveted VP Small Engine Fuels 200 trophy during NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week, and wrapping it up with a victory during the World Finals in Charlotte.

Hearn started off the 2013 season strong, with a victory at the Super DIRTcar Series Florida Tour finale during UNOH DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment, giving him momentum going into the first points race of the seriesJune 5at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park.

Stewart Friesen: Bonus Points

Stewart Friesen, another strong title contender, demonstrated his skill numerous times on Syracuse's "Moody Mile" at the New York State Fairgrounds, but his lack of home track points kept him from scoring a high rank in the series. This year, the native of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, added Albany-Saratoga Speedway to his weekly schedule, qualifying him for those integral home track bonus points.

"Hopefully we seat ourselves well with the home track points at Albany-Saratoga and can put some stuff together to hit the whole (Super DIRTcar) Series," said Friesen, who in 2010 became the first Canadian to win the NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week Big-Block Modified championship race.

In addition to adopting a DIRTcar sanctioned home track in 2013, Friesen is teaming up with Brett Deyo, of BD Motorsports Media, to promote a Super DIRTcar Series race. The Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. "Dirty Jersey 60" brings the Big-Block Modified tour to New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway on Wednesday, June 19.

"Brett Deyo is a great friend of mine and we talked a little at the end of the 2012 season about getting together and promoting a race. We were going to do it, and we both knew that New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey would be a great location," Friesen said. "It's a premier facility and we didn't have to think twice about who we were going to bring for an event. We wanted to bring the premier modified organization, and that's DIRTcar."

Due to the event's location, Friesen expects the "Dirty Jersey 60" to match the best of the Northeast and Canada with some of the most talented drivers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and some of the other mid-Atlantic states.

"Billy Pauch, Jimmy Horton, Ryan Godown- a lot of the big names down there - don't necessarily make it to all the series events, so it's something that's going to be kind of an all-star event," Friesen said. "The SuperDIRTcarSeries brings a lot of the northern guys, a lot of Canandiagua guys, who have never been to New Egypt. It's going to be the best race of the summer."

Bobby Varin: Ready to Travel

Bobby Varin, winner at last year's The Big Show 4 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, may also have some tricks up his sleeve for the 2013 season. With more help preparing race cars, Varin said he will have more time to travel hopes to compete in most of the Super DIRTcar Series races.

"We're going to try and hit those shows as often as we can," said Varin, who plans on towing the No. 00 and the Atlas Paving 66 to Super DIRTcar Series shows. "We've always been fairly competitive when we show up to these events and we've got a number of Super DIRT Series wins, so I feel pretty confident that we can compete."

Like Friesen, Varin did not have the opportunity to pick up home track bonus points in 2012. This year, however, his points from Orange County Fair Speedway stand to put him in contention for top spots. Add in Varin's demonstrated strength in long-distance races, and both Sheppard and Hearn will have their work cut out staying ahead.

"I feel fairly confident that we'll be in good shape for the extra-distance races,"Varin said. "It gives you a chance to get in the car, shake the car out, get a good feel for what's going on, then adjust as a driver, and see what you can come up with at the end of the night."

Pete Britten: Confident after Success "Down Under"

Australian Pete Britten barely took time off this winter, claiming two dirt modified wins in his home country. His confidence showed in February's UNOH DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment when Britten finished third in the first Super DIRTcar Series feature race.

"I think we're at the point where things are taking a bit of a turn. I honestly don't see a reason why we can't be challenging for wins every night of the week," said Britten, who finished third in points last year but is still working toward his first Super DIRTcar Series win. "These guys better look out because I'm really confident as a driver, and I'm confident in my equipment, and when you put those two together you'll be good."

Jimmy Phelps: Clean Slate

Jimmy Phelps, who was within shouting distance of the championship up until the very end of the 2012 season, aims at improving some of his weak spots early this long before his November haul to North Carolina for World Finals in Charlotte.

"Any time you've got a clean slate and a fresh shot at trying to make a new season out of it, it's exciting," said Phelps, of Baldwinsville, N.Y., who finished third in points last year."As usual, we've got the tools to get it done, we just have to make sure that we start running a little better at certain tracks and we've got our shot come Charlotte. We just have to get a little better and eliminate some of the mediocre finishes that really hurt us. You don't really notice them until you get to the end of the year and you're digging and clawing for 30 points that you left on the table further back. The next thing is to try and build some consistency and win some races and everything should fall into place."

Justin Haers: Building Up for a Win

Justin Haers, of Phelps, N.Y., came close to a win at UNOH DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment, and said his program is strong enough going into the 2013 season to get even closer.

"Each year we just keep building on our program, and we keep getting better and better, and that's all you can ask for," said Haers, who finished fourth in points last year.



Matt Sheppard: Keeping It Together

With increasing competition in this year's Super DIRTcar Series point battle, Sheppard said his team has what it takes for another successful season -"a lot of hard work, a good motor program, a great car."

"You have to have your whole program together, and, basically, you really have to keep it together,"said Sheppard, of Waterloo, N.Y. "I think our program is a little better, but it's too early to see."

He'll set his sights on a fourth consecutive championship on Wednesday, June 5, at Rolling Wheels.

Danny Johnson: The Doctor Is In

Danny Johnson, of Rochester, N.Y., finished fifth in points in 2012 and continues to run with Canandaigua Motorsports Park as his home track in 2013. Rich Scagliotta, eighth in points last year, continues to travel with Britten to Super DIRTcar Series events.

Rob Bellinger: Star on the Rise

Rob Bellinger, of Dexter, N.Y.,was ninth in points in 2012, and is especially looking forward to running the big shows, such as the Hall of Fame 60 at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park and the VP Small Engine Fuels 200 during NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week.


2013 Super DIRTcar Series: Potential Driver Entry List

(Entry list also available at www.superdirtcarseries.com/drivers/746-2013-potential-driver-entry-list.

No.	Driver	Home Town	Home Track
0	Dan Humes	Cannan, Conn.	Lebanon Valley
1h	Tim Hindley	Monticello, N. Y.	Orange County
1Jr	Stewart Friesen	Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario	Albany-Saratoga
1Jr	Jason Herrington	Troy, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
1ny	Greg Atkins	Keeseville, N. Y.	Airborne
1	Darwin Greene	Susquehanna, Penn.
1	David Hebert	St-Danase, Quebec	Granby
1	Chris Raabe	Napanee, Ontario	Mohawk Int'l
2RJ	Ronnie Johnson	Duanesburg, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
3a	Kevin Albert	Lebanon, Penn
3b	Chad Brachmann	Sanborn, N. Y.	Ransomville
3d	Matt Delorenzo	Cropseyville, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
3e	Eric Gabany	Mercer, Penn.	Lernerville
3J	Marc Johnson	Guilderland, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
3M	Henry Maier	Spencerport, N. Y.
3	Mark Frankhouser	Altoona, Penn.	Lernerville
3	Justin Haers	Phelps, N. Y.	Canandaigua
3	Mark Kislowski	Ballston Lake, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
4*	Tim McCreadie	Watertown, N. Y.
4J	Shane Pecore	St. Andrews West, Ontario
4k	Jasmin Leveillee	Prevost, Quebec
4	Daryl Hilkert	Canandaigua, N. Y.	Canandaigua
5*	Tyler Siri	Watkins Glen, N. Y.	Canandaigua
5	Jimmy Horton	Neshanic Station, N. J.
6m	Mat Williamson	St. Catherines, Ontario - Canada	Merrittville
6ny	Kevin Bates	Lake Ariel, Penn.
6x	Jackie Brown	Hurley, N. Y.	Orange County
6	Brandon Easey	St. Catharines, Ontario
6	Carl Murdick	Butler, Penn.	Sharon
6	Pat O'Brien	Kingston, Ontario
7x	Steve Paine	Waterloo, N.Y.	Canandaigua
7	Tim Kerr	Picton, Ontario
7	Rick Laubach	Quakertown, Pennsylvania
7	Don Ronca	Clifton Park, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
007	Roy Tarbell	Hogansburg, N. Y.	Mohawk Int'l
8J	Dean Pearson	Harrisville, Penn.	Sharon
8R	Rob Bellinger	Dexter, N. Y.	Canandaigua
8	Jimmy Cottrell II	Rock City Falls, NY	Albany Saratoga
8	Rich Scagliotta	Hillsborough, N. J.	Canandaigua
9s	Matt Sheppard	Waterloo, N. Y	Canandaigua
10J	Alan Johnson	Middlesex, N. Y.	Canandaigua
10s	Dylan Scribner	East Greenbush, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
10	Tim Currier	Auburn, N. Y.	Canandaigua
10	Rich Eurich	Warwick, N. Y.	Orange County
10	Patrick McGrail	Candiac, Quebec	Airborne
11a	Kyle Armstrong	New Milford, Conn.	Lebanon Valley
12	Chad Chevalier	Port Colborne, Ontario
13s	Toney Steiner	Jamesville, N. Y.
14a	Brian Swarthout	Beaver Dams, N. Y.
14e	Rich Eurich	Warwick, N. Y.	Orange County
14x	Don Scarborough	Brandon, Vt.	Albany-Saratoga
14	C. G. Morey	Rutland, Vt.	Albany Saratoga
15J	Tim Jones	Sanborn, N. Y.
16	Kyle Hoffman	Averill Park, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
16	Gage Morin	St. Andrews West, Ontario
16	Lance Willix II	Theresa, N. Y.
17c	Chris Steele	Fenwick, Ontario
17d	Danny O'Brien	Inverary, Ontario
17	Marcus Dinkins	Montour Falls, N. Y.	Canandaigua
17	Rob Pitcher		Lebanon Valley
17	Elmo Reckner	Ballston Lake, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
17	Marc Therrien	Williamstown, Ontario
18	Neil Stratton	North Bennington, Vt.	Albany Saratoga
19w	Justin Wright	Piffard, N. Y.	Canandaigua
20Q	Matt Quinn		Lebanon Valley
20	Brett Hearn	Sussex, N. J.	Albany/LVS
21a	Pete Britten	Spencerport, N. Y./Brisbaine, Queensland, Australia	Albany/Canandaigua
21J	Jeff Trombley	Altamont, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
21K	Randy Chrysler	Lewiston, N. Y.
21m	Bob McGannon	Garnerville, N. Y.	Orange County
T21	Roger Chrysler	Lewiston, N. Y.
21	Yan Bussiere	Drummondville, Quebec
21	Derrick Podsiadlio	Penn Yan, N. Y.	Canandaigua
22c	Mario Clair	Drummondville, Quebec
22j	Gino Clair	St-Germain, Quebec
22J	Jeremy Wilder	Fort Plain, N. Y.	Albany-Saratoga
22	Larry Lampman, Jr.	Port Colborne, Ontario
22	Gil Tegg, Jr.	Rochester, N. Y.	Canandaigua
23b	Danny Bilodeau	Victoriaville, Quebec
23	Laurent Ladouceur	Alexandria, Ontario	Mohawk Int'l
23	Billy VanInwegen	Sparrowbush, N. Y.	Orange County
24dc	Devin Caron	Cornwall, Ontario
24	Patrick Dupree	Saranac Lake, N. Y.	Airborne
24	Chris Shultz	Pawling, N. Y.	Orange County
25	Bobby Herrington	Kingston, Ontario
25	Mike Kolka	Circleville, N. Y.	Orange County
26	Rick Richner	Niagara Falls, N. Y.
27J	Danny Johnson	Rochester, N. Y.	Canandaigua
27R	Dave Reges	Butler, Penn.	Lernerville
37	Jusin Barber	Gansevoort, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
28P	Eldon Payne, Jr.	Hopewell, N. Y.	Canandaigua
28	Todd Gordon	Thorold, Ontario
29	Chris Ostrowsky	Conklin, N. Y.
31	Jim Weller, Jr.	Hubbard, Ohio	Sharon
32c	Vic Coffey	Caledonia, N. Y.	Canandaigua
33	John Lieto	Mount Kisco, N. Y.	Orange County
33	Tommy Meier	Walkwick, N. J.	Orange County
34b	Andy Bachetti	Great Barrington, Mass.	Lebanon Valley
35	Mike Perrotte	Elizabethtown, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
37md	Jeramiah Shingledecker	Polk, Penn.	Lernerville
37s	Kenny Cosgrove	Allanburg, Ontario
37	Paul St-Sauveur	La Presentation, Quebec
38	Luke Whitteker	Iroquois, Ontario
38	Scott Wood	Thorold, Ontario
39	Dustin Delaney	Mayfield, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
39	Clément Therrien	Victoriaville, Quebec
40	Joel Doiron	Alexandria, Ontario
41	Chris Busta	Ballston Lake, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
42P	Matt Pupello	East Greenbush, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
42P	Pat Ward	Genoa, N. Y.
42	Pete Bicknell	St. Catharines, Ontario	Merrittville
43	Keith Flach	Ravena, N. Y.	Albany/LVS
44	Sébastien Gougeon	Drummondville, Quebec
45J	Wayne Jelley	Pittsfield, Mass.	Lebanon Valley
45	Steve Feder	Butler, Penn.	Lernerville
46	Kayle Robidoux	St. Constant, Quebec
48Too	Dave Rauscher	Waterloo, N. Y.	Canandaigua
49	François Bernier	Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
49	Billy Dunn	Watertown, N. Y.	Canandaigua
54	Steve Bernard	Granby, Quebec
55k	Mike King	Nassau, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
55	Dexter Stacey	Kahnawake, Quebec
56	Vince Vitale	Phoenix, N. Y.	Canandaigua
57	Colton Chappius	Holly, N. Y.
57	Donnie Corellis	Averill Park, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
60	Brian Berger	Castleton, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
61	Dave Murdick	Slippery Rock, Penn.	Sharon
62s	Tom Sears, Jr.	Clay, N. Y.
63	Dominic Dufault	Ste-Victoire de Sorel, Quebec
65	Rex King	Bristolville, Ohio	Sharon
66w	Wallace Stacey	Kahnawake, Quebec
66x	Carey Terrance	Hogansburg, N. Y.	Mohawk Int'l
66	Kyle Dingwall	South Dundas, Ontario
66	Billy Pauch, Jr.	Frenchtown, N. J.
67	Dave Small	Port Colborne, Ontario
69	Tom Mattocks	Grove City, Penn.	Sharon
71	Mike Bowman	St. Catharines, Ontario
71	Delbert LeGrow	Massena, N. Y.
72	Tommy Flannigan	Port Robinson, Ontario
73Jr	Mathieu Boivert	Doraval, Quebec
73	Alain Boisvert	Lachine, Quebec
74F	Tim Fuller	Watertown, N. Y.
74	Matt Billings	Brockville, Ontario
76	Travis Braun	St. Catharines, Ontario
77F	Mark Flach, Jr.	Selkirk, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
77x	Dale Planck	Cortland, N. Y.
83x	Tim Sears, Jr.	Clay, N. Y.
83	Brian Swartzlander	Natrona Heights, Penn.	Lernerville
84	Gary Tomkins	Clifton Springs, N. Y.	Canandaigua
85	Jim Davis	Ballston Spa, N. Y.
87	Hector Stratton	Bennington, Vt.	Albany Saratoga
88	Dave Allen	Palmyra, N. Y.	Canandaigua
88	Shawn Fleeger	Butler, Penn.	Lernerville
88	Tim O'Brien	Kingston, Ontario
88	Shayne Pierce	Welland, Ontario
89b	Todd Burley	Spencerport, N. Y.	Ransomville
91	Billy Decker	Sidney, N. Y.
91	Chad Homan	Macedon, N. Y.	Canandaigua
93x	Craig Mitchell	Poughkeepsie, N. Y.	Orange County
96b	Bob Warren	Slippery Rock, Penn.	Sharon
96	Fred Carlton	Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
96	Mike Turner	Butler, Penn.	Lernerville
97	Michel Chicoine	Ste-Cecile De Milton, Quebec
97	Jerry Higbie	Middletown, N. Y.	Orange County
97	Bobby Varin	Johnstown, N. Y.	Orange County
98H	Jimmy Phelps	Baldwinsville, N. Y.	Canandaigua
98s	Kolby Schroder	Poughkeepsie, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
98	Eddie Marshall	Ridgefield, Conn.	Lebanon Valley
99L	Larry Wight	Baldwinsville, N. Y.
99	Bruno Lepage	Maple Grove, Quebec
101	Jimmy Burns	Delanson, N. Y.	Lebanon Valley
108	Bill Bleich	Port Robinson, Ontario
115	Stephane LaFrance	St. Albert, Ontario
115	Kenny Tremont, Jr.	West Sand Lake, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
151	Brian McDonald	Conwall, Ontario	Mohawk Int'l
165	Rex King, Jr.	Bristolville, Ohio	Sharon
172	Andre Gauthier	Granby, Quebec
188	David Papinea	Akwesasne, Ontario	Mohawk Int'l
323	Neal Williams	Pittsgrove, N. J.
667	Matt Depew	Argyle, N. Y.	Albany Saratoga
747	Ryan Godown	Ringoes, N. J.
777	Kevin Bolland	New Brighton, Penn.	Lernerville
816	Jeff Rockefeller	Scotia, N. Y.