2007 Hoosier/Sunoco Mr. DIRT-358 Modified Championship Set

By Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director

Fueled by the return of the popular twin-bill at autodromes Drummond and Granby in late summer, the 2007 Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Championship Series is now set with more than a dozen extra-distance events culminating with the crowning of the Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Champion for a 25th consecutive year. Hoosier-Sunoco Mr. DIRT 358-Modified top contenders will be following the lucrative small-block trail at season’s end with bonus points added in from a driver's hometrack to determine the overall titlist.

“We’ve put together a solid series for our 358-Modified teams with most of the events tied together to make travel plans more feasible for both racers and fans,” said DIRT MotorSports NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning Cory Reed. “Opening with a new doubleheader in Quebec and closing during the traditional Eastern States Weekend at Orange County offers a great schedule of high-paying races from top to bottom.”

Leading off the 14-race journey north of the border at Drummond and Granby is actually a reincarnation of sorts for this unique DIRT doubleheader. The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series for big-block Modifieds was showcased in back-to-back events at both tracks from the mid-1980s until the start of the new millennium. In five previous small-block series events held at each site beginning in 1999, Granby piggy-backed with Brockville Ontario Speedway while Drummond shared center stage with Frogtown Int’l Speedway and Autodrome Edelweiss.

Short-track action resumes on Canadian soil when Cornwall Motor Speedway kicks off the customary post-regular season campaign for DIRT 358-Modifieds on Sept. 2. Edelweiss is back on the series schedule Sept. 7 after a one-year absence with Brockville hosting a 75-lapper the following day. A quarter-century of Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series activity continues with teams heading back to the states Sept. 14 for another ‘Border Battle’ at Can-Am Motorsports Park and closing out the same weekend in the small-block 'Race of Kings' at Lebanon Valley Speedway run once again the same day (Sept. 15) as the National 200 for big-block DIRT Modifieds.

The first of two tour events at Rolling Wheels Raceway stands alone on Sept. 21 as part of ‘World Series Weekend’ in autumn. October opens in a big way with successive ‘Super DIRT Week’ specials scheduled at Can-Am, Brewerton Speedway and Rolling Wheels before the New State Fairgrounds attracts the top small-blockers in the Northeast for a fourth straight show on Oct. 6. The first-ever tour appearance at New Egypt Speedway on Oct. 12 marks just the third New Jersey track to ever host a DIRT 358-Modified Series event while Orange County brings the curtain down on Oct. 20.

Reigning overall Mr. DIRT 358-Modified points king Brett Hearn captured the elusive small-block title after garnering five big-block championships from 1990-2001. Hearn secured the coveted crown following his seventh season championship at Orange County where he logged four of his five small-block victories during the season. Although Hearn remains the all-time 358 Mr. DIRT Series race winner with 62, the Sussex, N.J. ace went winless during the past tour, marking the first time that has happened since 1995 when champion Pat O’Brien was denied a victory lane appearance. Alan Johnson (3) was the only repeat race winner last year in the rain-shortened eight-race tour.

For additional information, please contact the DIRT MotorSports NorthEast Office (315/834-6606) or log into the DIRT homepage at www.dirtmotorsports.com to find out more about the entire circuit.