Tim Fuller wins DIRTcar 358 Modified Showdown in September at Can-Am Speedway
LAFARGEVILLE, NY (Sept. 9) – A week after claiming the Can-Am Speedway track championship, Tim Fuller added to his success at the track Friday night during the DIRTcar 358 Modified Showdown in September.
The Watertown, NY-native claimed his sixth Can-Am Speedway victory of the year, the 38th of his career at the track, and his first DIRTcar 358 Modified Series win of 2022.
After finding rare luck with drawing the pole for the 60-lap race, Fuller said he didn’t want to waste that opportunity. He intended on pulling ahead on the initial start and setting an early pace.
Shaun Shaw spoiled his plans on the opening lap. He drove around Fuller in the first corner, leading the veteran to say to himself, “Not on my watch.”
“I didn’t want to screw it up on the pole,” Fuller said. “I never draw the pole. I didn’t want to screw it up there. Had a lot of classy racers behind me.”
A caution on the first lap put the two side by side again for the restart. They stayed that way for multiple laps when the race resumed until Fuller reclaimed the lead on Lap 7. Then, Fuller refused to relinquish it again.
Five more cautions throughout the race hindered his plans of having a clean drive and brought new contenders to his doorstep each time. Reigning DIRTcar 358 Modified champion, and fellow Watertown, NY driver, Billy Dunn, moved into second after the Lap 13 caution, bringing David Marcuccilli and Rocky Warner into the battle with him.
After the halfway point, Dunn lost second to Warner who then took his turn at trying to run down Fuller. He failed. And from that failure, Dunn found his way back around Warner on Lap 39.
With 10 laps to go, Dunn found grip around the high side of the speedway, closing the gap between he and Fuller. On Lap 51, he gave Fuller his first scare of the race, powering alongside Fuller’s #19 Modified.
The two raced side by side for multiple laps until lap traffic came into play. Fuller wasted little time getting around the slower cars, helping him to put distance between he and Dunn. That allowed the 2022 track champion to finally cruise with ease to the Series victory.
“When you’re the leader, you never know what the right groove is,” Fuller said. “They started showing me tires and stuff, thinking that was the better groove but it didn’t make me lose sight.”
While Dunn had to settle for second at his home track, he leaves Can-Am with the Series points lead.
“We struggled there the first 30 laps to find a good balance,” Dunn said. “We were a little tight the whole time, but I found something there when I got to second and thought we might get a run at [Fuller]. Got the right rear a little too hot. Best car won.”
Ronnie Davis III drove his way through the field from 16th to third by the end of the Feature. Warner finished fourth and Taylor Caprara rounded out the top five.
The DIRTcar 358 Modified Series continues its tour Friday, Sept. 16, at Mohawk International Raceway, as the DIRTcar 358 Modified Salute to the Troops 150 at Oswego Speedway during the 50th NAPA Super DIRT Week (Oct. 3-9) nears. For ticket to Super DIRT Week, CLICK HERE.
Tyler Corcoran wins by inches in barnburner at Can-Am Speedway
Yards away from the finish line with the checkered flag adding color to the night sky, Tyler Corcoran and Gavin Eisele were side by side, in tandem, exiting Turn 4.
With every inch they crept forward, eyes widened around Can-Am Speedway Friday night for the DIRTcar Sportsman Northern Region race. Their bumpers stayed even for one second, two seconds, three… then Corcoran found an extra push of momentum before the flag stand to beat Eisele by 0.142 seconds.
“Man, I was on the edge of my seat for that one,” Corcoran said. “That was incredible. Gavin and I were chatting down in Turns three and four before doing that run and he asked where I was running and I said, ‘All over the place.’ Starting ninth, you have to go where they’re not.”
The victory comes after Corcoran claimed the Can-Am Speedway track championship last week and is his first DIRTcar Sportsman Northern Region victory this season.
It took him 24 laps before he got to the lead in the 30-lap race, after starting ninth. At the start of those 30 laps, there was a three-wide battle for the lead at the start of the race with Dustin Bradley coming out on top to take the early lead.
The first caution of the race flew on Lap 11. When the race commenced, Eisele raced his way around Bradley for the lead on Lap 12.
Nearing 10 laps to go, Eisele fell under attack from Eric Nier. However, before Nier could challenge, a red flag flew for a car flipping on the front stretch.
After the short break, Eisele took the lead and ran away on the restart, while Corcoran continued his charge forward and moved into second. Then, while running the top, he closed to Eisele’s bumper with six laps to go.
Every lap, he inched further and further alongside the outside of Eisele down the front stretch. One lap Corcoran had the advantage. The other, Eisele. Neither’s line looked to be more superior than the other.
However, Corcoran found the extra bit of speed he needed off the top of Turn 4 on the final lap to pull ahead by a bumper at the finish to win the John Burr Memorial.
“The last couple of years, that’s where I gained a lot on these guys,” Corcoran said. “I’d just go into (Turns) three and four and just have that thing stick, and the drive I get out of that corner is just unreal.”
For Eisele, he was left wondering if he needed one lap less or more to steal the win from Corcoran.
“It was great racing with Tyler,” Eisele said. “The clean racing was fun. Unfortunate with the outcome, but still a great night overall.”
Tyler Stevenson rounded out the podium with Nier in fourth and David Rogers in fifth.
The next DIRTcar Sportsman Norther Region event will be Saturday, Sept. 10 at Autodrome Drummond as the 50th NAPA Super DIRT Week at Oswego Speedway (Oct. 3-9) nears for all regions. For tickets to Super DIRT Week, CLICK HERE.
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Sources: Nick Graziano, DIRTcar Racing PR