Border Patrol

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Border Patrol – A weekly look at racing from both sides of the 1000 Islands

Craig Revelle – October 11, 2011



In the eyes of many race fans, competitors, officials and all that are involved in local DIRT track racing, Super DIRT Week is the most exciting time of year. For 40 years now, race teams have traveled to the New York State Fairgrounds for the biggest event of the season. A win at the Fairgrounds can make a career, and hundreds of competitors, and thousands of fans fill the central New York area to be a part of it.



My Super DIRT Week started on Wednesday morning as I met up with Dallas and Dillon Sallows of DKD Racing, and we made the trip south to the New York State Fairgrounds. We set up our campsite, and they worked on the car, getting it ready to go through the tech inspection line. The car passed through inspection with no issues, and upon arriving back to the campsite, we began to get ready for the first racing action of the week. We hit the highway and traveled up the road to Cayuga County Speedway in Weedsport, New York. They were hosting a Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified event, a Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman event, plus the Pizza Logs Mini Sprints. At the end of the night, it was Dale Planck taking home the win over Frankie Caprara, who was driving a Perry Francis back up car. Danny Johnson finished third, Jimmy Phelps and Brett Hearn rounded out the top five. The Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman event produced an exciting finish as Geneva, New York racer Dan Wiesner made a late race pass on last years series champion and current point leader Tim Sears Jr. to take the win. Don Spatarico, Adam Hilton and BJ Willard rounded out the top five spots. In the 25 lap Original Pizza Logs Mini Sprint Series event, Darryl Ruggles made a dramatic last lap pass on Tyler Walker to win in a photo finish at the checkered flag. The two drivers finished just ahead of series point leader David Ferguson.



On Thursday, the action shifted back over the New York State Fairgrounds as qualifying for the Big Block Modifieds and Small Block Modifieds took place. The top six cars from each division would be locked into position for their respective weekend main events. At the end of the day, Billy Decker set fast time in both divisions, and would lock himself into a front row starting spot for both races. Local star Chris Raabe timed in the eighth fastest in the Small Block division, just missing out on the elusive top six.



Once time trials were over at the Fairgrounds, the action moved back up Rte 5 to Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, New York for another round of 358 Modified Super DIRTcar Series racing, plus the World of Outlaw Late Models. The Late Model main event was won by Rick Eckert, of York, Pennsylvania, with Dan Stone, Josh Richards, Austin Hubbard and Tim Fuller rounding out the top five. In the 358 Modified series event, Danny Johnson was the race winner, holding off a late race charge from Brett Hearn. Hearn finished in second, Stewart Friesen was third, while Tim McCreadie and Chad Brachmann rounded out the top five.

On Friday night the action was exclusively at the New York State Fairgrounds as the Sportsman division took to the track for the first time. My traveling friends in the DKD Racing team got off to a great start setting the seventh fastest speed in opening practice, but a miss in the engine plagued the team all day long, and eventually would cost them a qualifying spot for Saturday’s 30 lap Sportsman main event. Also highlighting Friday afternoon’s events at the mile were the DIRTcar Futures races for all classes. This race is for drivers in each division that don’t have any experience in their respective division. Australia’s Peter Britten was the Big Block winner, pavement racer Jimmy Blewett was the 358 Modified winner, The Sportsman division was split up into two separate events with Cody McPherson taking the first one and Bobby Hackel IV winning the second. Rick Achzet was the Pro Stock winner.



On Friday night, for the first time ever at the Fairgrounds, the qualifying heat races were run under the lights. The Small Block Modifieds had their twin 20 lap heats, while the Big Blocks ran triple 20 lap heat races. The Small Block heat race wins went to Billy Decker and Andy Bachetti, while Decker doubled up and won his Big Block heat, along with Billy Dunn and Pat Ward.



Saturday’s events at the Fairgrounds were highlighted by the 358 Modified championship race labeled the Nationwide 150. The Sportsman 30 lap event was also on the schedule. Billy Decker, undefeated throughout the entire week so far continued his weekend domination, taking his fourth consecutive Nationwide 150 win. Stewart Friesen finished second, Tim McCreadie finished a controversial third place with Tim Fuller and Ronnie Johnson rounding out the top five. New Jersey racer Neal Williams took home the Sportsman main event over Bobby Hackel, Tim Sears Jr., James Henry and Justin Wright. Williams failed post race tech inspection but is still credited with the victory.



The final day of Super DIRT Week XL was Sunday, and the DIRTcar Pro Stocks and Big Block Modifieds were on the schedule. First up was the BACC-OFF Pro Stock 25 lap championship event. Joey Ladouceur led the field to the green and led early, but when the dust settled, it was Rocky Warner going to Victory Lane after an exciting event described by many as the best race of the weekend. Warner held off Rob Yetman, Pete Stefanski, Joey Ladouceur and Jocelyn Roy.



The final, and most prestigious event of the weekend was the S.E.F. (Small Engine Fuels) 200. After a grueling 200 laps, Stewart Friesen repeated his winning performance from last season. Billy Decker finished the race in second place over Vic Coffey, Tim Fuller and Pat Ward. Friesen also failed post race inspection, but will keep the win, and will lose half of the posted $50000 top prize.



In my opinion, when there is a technical infraction such as what Neal Williams had in Sportsman or Stewart Friesen had at the conclusion of the SEF 200, the win should be taken away. There is no gray area. Friesen’s fuel cell was deemed illegal and held more then the 24.5 gallons of fuel that was allowed. This is not a mistake or an oversight, this was attempt to bypass a clearly stated rule and they got caught. They should not be declared the race winner. Neal Williams had a issues in tech that from what I understand clearly violated the crate engine rules, and yet this infraction seemed to disappear just as quickly as it came about. In my opinion, if you are blatantly caught cheating, you should lose the win.



This coming weekend I will be at the Brockville Speedway for their annual DIRTcar Fall Nationals. The weekend will begin with a MR. DIRTcar Pro Stock and Street Stock Challenge on Friday night, a Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified and Sprint Car challenge race on Saturday and a Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series and Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman race on Sunday. Once Brockville is over, by 2011 racing season will come to an end.



I hope you continue to enjoy my weekly column, as always, any comments or suggestions can be sent to [email protected]. Please feel free to check out my website, www.finishlinewebdesign.ca. You can also follow my live up to the minute racing coverage via twitter right on the main page of my website, through Facebook at www.facebook.com/crevelle or by following the link on the main page of www.dirttrackdigest.com for full coverage of racing events throughout the DIRTcar racing community. If you would like a website for your race team or small business, send me a message and I will get back to you.