What to Watch for: Legends, Stars Come Together for Super DIRTcar Series Showcase in Canandaigua
The stars of the Super DIRTcar Series head to Land of Legends Raceway on Wednesday, July 19, for the Stars and Stripes $7,500-to-win event
CANANDAIGUA, NY (JULY 18, 2023) – Off a streak of four different winners in a row, the Super DIRTcar Series makes its first trip of 2023 to Land of Legends Raceway on Wednesday, July 19, with the question… who’s next?
The Beasts of the Northeast roll into Canandaigua, NY to compete in the Stars and Stripes event – a 70-lap, $7,500-to-win, showcase. The matchup was originally scheduled for July 3, but weather pushed it to July 19.
It will be the first of two Series trips to the western New York oval. The second will come next month on Wednesday, Aug. 16, to conclude the second annual SummerFAST.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either online or by downloading the DIRTVision App.
Here are the top storylines to follow:
BATTLING BACK: After a red-hot start to his season, Mat Williamson comes into Land of Legends second in the points battle – 40 points behind Matt Sheppard – after posting his fifth win of the season at Weedsport Speedway during the Hall of Fame 100.
He’s found success at the 1/2-mile, too, notching three top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes. However, he’ll be on the hunt for his first win there.
READY TO GO: Peter Britten comes into the matchup at Land of Legends Raceway sitting third in points anchored by a season of consistency. He’ll be right at home at the Canandaigua, NY oval as he can be found competing there weekly. The Brisbane, QLD native has already visited Victory Lane twice thus far, and will look to translate his track familiarity and winning formula into a Series win.
He’ll have a robust field of local contenders to battle along the way, as current track points leader Justin Haers, former Series driver Erick Rudolph, and Hall of Famers Alan Johnson and Danny Johnson are set to join the Series stars.
TOP DOG: Nine-time and defending Series champion and current Series points leader Matt Sheppard has one of the best records at Land of Legends Raceway with six Series victories there – most recently during the Series’ last trip there for SummerFAST, where he also won the inaugural SummerFAST title. In the Series’ last seven trips to the track, Sheppard has averaged a third-place finish.
HARD WORK PAYS OFF: 2021 Rookie of the Year Chris Hile has roared back into Series competition after taking a year off to rebuild his program. The Syracuse, NY native scored his first Series victory on June 13 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway and has since followed it up with two more top-10 finishes. Hile currently sits fourth in the points battle.
Hile won a Big Block Modified event at Land of Legends Raceway in 2020 and notched a top-10 finish in a Series matchup in 2021.
CONSISTENCY: Tim Sears Jr. has been busy quietly moving up the leaderboard, cracking into the top-five in the points race after posting a fourth-place finish at Weedsport Speedway’s Hall of Fame 100 – his best finish of the season thus far. It was also his fifth top-10 finish of the season.
The Central Square, NY resident notched a sixth-place finish during last season’s Stars and Stripes spectacular but has yet to notch a Series win. He’ll look to change that this visit.
AROUND THE TURN: The Super DIRTcar Series Big Blocks will cross the border to Canada for the first time in four seasons to compete at Autodrome Drummond July 31-Aug. 1 and then at Brockville-Ontario Speedway on Aug. 2.
The first matchup at the Drummondville, QC track will be a 60-lap, $7,500-to-win, showcase followed by a 75-lap, $10,000-to-win Super DIRT Week Qualifier the next night.
The Canadian Classic at Brockville-Ontario on Aug. 2 will be a 75–lap, $7,500-to-win, showcase.
Stat Glance
Track Facts:
Land of Legends Raceway
Configuration: 1/2-mile clay oval
Website: www.
2023 FEATURE WINS:
1-Mat Williamson-5
2-Matt Sheppard-2
3-Max McLaughlin-1
4-Chris Hile-1
-Anthony Perrego-1
2023 HEAT WINS:
1-Matt Sheppard-6
2-Peter Britten-4
3-Mat Williamson-3
4-Jimmy Phelps-2
-Jack Lehner-2
-Erick Rudolph-2
-Rick Laubach-2
-Mike Mahaney-2
-Darren Smith-2
-Chris Hile-2
11-Stewart Friesen-1
-Justin Stone-1
-HJ Bunting-1
-Matthew Stangle-1
-Billy Decker-1
-Larry Wight-1
-Brett Hearn-1
-Dan Creeden-1
-Anthony Perrego-1
-Marc Johnson-1
-Andy Bachetti-1
-Mathieu Desjardins-1
-Ronnie Johnson-1
-Marc Johnson-1
-Andy Bachetti-1
-Mathieu Desjardins-1
-Chris Hile-1
-Ronnie Johnson-1
-Felix Roy-1
2023 BILLY WHITTAKER CARS FAST TIME AWARD
1-Darren Smith-3
2-Mat Williamson-2
-Marc Johnson-2
4-Jack Lehner-1
-Mathieu Desjardins-1
-Matt Sheppard-1
2023 LAPS LED
1-Mat Williamson-138
2-Matt Sheppard-132
3-Anthony Perrego-77
4-Darren Smith-59
5-Stewart Friesen-56
6-Perrego-39
7-Chris Hile- 32
-Larry Wight-32
9-Max McLaughlin-30
10-Demetrios Drellos-29
11-Jack Lehner-24
-Rick Laubach-24
13-Peter Britten-22
14-Brett Hearn-11
15-Mike Mahaney-2
2023 Super DIRTcar Series Schedule & Winners
#/Day, Date/Track/Location/Winner (Total Wins)
1. Wednesday, Feb. 15 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Max McLaughlin (1)
2. Thursday, Feb. 16 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Mat Williamson (1)
3. Saturday, Feb. 18 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Mat Williamson (2)
4. Sunday, April 23/Bridgeport Motorsports Park/ Swedesboro, NJ/ Mat Williamson (3)
5. Sunday, May 28/ Weedsport Speedway/ Weedsport, NY/ Mat Williamson (4)
6. Monday, May 29/ Lebanon Valley Speedway/ West Lebanon, NY/ Matt Sheppard (1)
7. Tuesday, June 13/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/ Malta, New York/ Chris Hile (1)
8. Monday, July 3/ Orange County Fair Speedway/ Middletown, NY/ Matt Sheppard (2)
9. Tuesday, July 11/ Big Diamond Speedway/Pottsville, PA/ Anthony Perrego (1)
10. Sunday, July 16/ Weedsport Speedway/ Weedsport, NY/ Mat Williamson (5)
The Super DIRTcar Series is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: CASE Construction Equipment (Official Construction Equipment), CASE No.1 Engine Oil™ (Official Oil and Lubricant), DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), Toyota (Official Vehicle), VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel), Chevy Performance Parts, iRacing (Official Online Racing Game) and Low-E Insulation. Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), ASI Race Wear, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Bicknell Racing Products, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux, Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, DIG Race, Fox Factory, MSD, SRI / SCAS, Swift Springs, and Wieland Metal Services (Exclusive Racing Aluminum); along with manufacturer sponsors, including: ButlerBuilt, FIREBULL, HYTORC of New York, Intercomp, and Racing Electronics.Sources: Michelina Friss, Super DIRTcar Series PR
PHOTO: Quentin Young