Auto Racing News

By Tom Coughlin

Super DIRT Week 53 is here. The 5/8-mile Oswego Speedway, also known as the "Steel Palace," has been transformed into the "Clay Palace," and the fall weather has arrived. There is still time to take a drive out to Oswego to take in the excitement of Super DIRT Week, which will feature its main events this weekend.

The big question this year is whether a young gun like Alex Yankowski, Alex Payne, Felix Roy, or Jack Lehner will score the big win, or if veterans like Matt Sheppard, Mat Williamson, Anthony Perrego, Peter Britten, Jimmy Phelps, or Erick Rudolph will maintain their dominance. Notably, Billy Decker will not be in competition after 37 consecutive years of participation. Yankowski will be in the Halmar-Friesen Racing 84Y, filling in for the injured Stewart Friesen

The main events at Oswego Speedway kick off on Saturday, Oct. 4, with the DIRTcar Pro Stock division competing in the I Love N.Y. 50 at 3 p.m., followed by the DIRTcar 358-modified division in the Salute to the Troops 150 at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 5, the DIRTcar Crate 602 Sportsman division will compete in the Great Lakes 75 at 3 p.m., with the week culminating in the Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux 200 for the DIRTcar big block modifieds at 6:30 p.m.

This Weekend's Local Racing and Car Shows

Closer to home, the 39th annual Neivel Precision Plumbing Outlaw 200 Weekend at Fulton Speedway began on Thursday, Oct. 2, and continues through Saturday. Friday night’s racing features modifieds, sportsman, Empire Super Sprints, and DIRTcar pro stocks. Saturday’s main event is the 200-lap, $20,000-to-win feature for 358 modifieds.

Afton Motorsports Park will host the Short Track Super Series' Short Track Nationals 16 this weekend. Racing begins at 7 p.m. on Friday for crate sportsman, 4-cylinders, and 600cc modifieds. On Saturday, the STSS modifieds, limited sportsman, and factory stocks take to the track at 5:30 p.m.

Several car shows are also on the schedule. This Saturday, the Saratoga Automobile Museum will host the Patroon Chapter of BMW and their 13th vintage BMW show from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Also on Saturday, the Versus Monster Truck Series will be at Fonda Speedway. On Sunday, Oct. 5, the Fonda-Fultonville PTSA will host its fourth annual Car Show from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Fonda-Fultonville Central School. Looking ahead, the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association will host its 23rd annual "The Way We Were" Car Show on Sunday, Oct. 12.

Last Weekend's Racing Results

In results from last weekend, Kaden Honeycutt, filling in for the injured Stewart Friesen in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, won stage one and stage two before finishing 14th at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

At Fulton Speedway on Friday night, Joe Trenca earned the win in the 25-lap Empire Super Sprints feature, with Danny Varin of Fonda finishing third. In the DIRTcar Northeast Pro Stock Series feature, "Cousin" Luke Horning took the 30-lap victory.

On Saturday at Fulton, the sportsman division competed in the Industrial Tire of CNY Sportsman Shootout 50, with Brett Sears earning the win. The weekend concluded with the Outlaw 200 for the 358-modified division, where Mat Williamson claimed his second consecutive Outlaw 200 victory. Peter Britten finished fourth, Anthony Perrego seventh, and Matt Sheppard eighth.