Weedsport, NY – July 30, 2010 – Series record-setter Brett Hearn hasn’t done it. Nor has DIRTcar Northeast’s career Big-Block win leader Alan Johnson or all-time track feature winner Pete Bicknell.
Matt Sheppard has the opportunity to make history at Merrittville Speedway if he can successfully defend his crown in the Bob St. Amand Sr. Memorial 100 presented by L. St. Amand Enterprises on Aug. 2. In 10 previous Super DIRTcar Series events run at the Thorold, Ont. oval, only Danny Johnson has repeated his trip to victory lane, with no driver able to take two straight checkered flags in the track’s premier summer event.
“I don’t feel any pressure at all going in,” remarked Sheppard, 28, who already owns four first-place trophies and sits atop the Super DIRTcar Series points chart. Victories in the ‘All-Star 100’ and ‘Hall of Fame Classic’ at Cayuga County Fair Speedway, ‘Stars & Stripes 100’ at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park and ‘Longhorn 50’ at Brewerton Speedway have pushed him ahead of both Billy Decker and Jimmy Phelps, tied for second 59 markers back. “We try to win every race we’re in, Merrittville’s no exception.”
“We’re keeping the same set-up as last year and should be good to go if the conditions are similar. They do a tremendous job preparing the track, wish all the places we run could be that good from start to finish. Size (1/3-mile) doesn’t matter when it’s racy with a nice surface and more than one lane to get around,” said Sheppard, who arrived at Merrittville last summer third in the SDS standings with one win under his belt before embarking on a hot streak that would find the JB Motorsports no. 9s Xtreme Lubricants/Bicknell entry parked in victory lane six times during the final 11 tour stops.
Sheppard will be looking to make another mark on Monday in the inaugural St. Amand Memorial that gets underway with Bilstein Shocks Time Trials at 7 p.m. Pit gates open for inspection at 4 o’clock and hot laps get underway at 6:40 p.m. with the first Big-Block qualifying heat going green at approximately 7:45.
Since Merrittville hosted its first SDS show won by Will Cagle in 1981, some of the best drivers ever to buckle into a Big-Block Modified have graced victory lane in Thorold. Sheppard is hoping to set a new standard for generations to come.
“We’re probably going as good as expected right now, doing about the best we can,” figured Sheppard, who tops the entire Northeast region with a dozen Big-Block feature wins. In the 13 Series stops to date, the second-generation standout from Waterloo, N.Y. has set five fast times in qualifying, held the lead in eight main events for a total of 381 laps and copped four heat races. “But there’s still a lot of racing to do.”
“Our goal from the start is to win Mr. DIRT, that would be huge. It’s what everybody wants and at the top of the list starting out every season. We came up just short last year, so taking the program one more step further is what this whole year is about,” added Sheppard, who provided no plans for his future beyond what 2010 may bring.
Among Sheppard’s biggest obstacles to overcome on Monday will be tour regulars and past winners of the Civic Holiday happening, Jimmy Phelps in 2008 along with brothers Alan (’06) and Danny Johnson (’07, ‘90). Hearn (’91) and Ron Smoker (’92) triumphed during the 1990s while Bicknell (’89) and Don McGinnis (’83) joined Cagle atop the podium in the eighties.
Complementing the Big-Block Modifieds at Merrittville on Aug. 2 will be 25-lap Hoosier Stock 'Duel on the Dirt' Big 6 and Modified Lite Championship Tour events. Everyone is invited to arrive early and enjoy the famous Pasta Dinner, served 4-6 p.m., catered by Club Castropignano. Fresh pasta, meatballs, tossed salad, dinner roll and a soda for $10 ($12 on race day). Contact the speedway office (905/892-8266) for tickets today.
Adult general admission tickets on race day are $25 each, Seniors (60+) & Students (13-18 yrs) $23, Juniors (8-12) $10 and Children (under 8 yrs.) Free. A Family Pass is also available for $65 while the Pit Pass fee is $30 for DIRTcar members and $35 for non-members. For additional information, contact the track at 905/892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com on the net.
A reminder that Super DIRT Week reserved tickets will be sold from the novelty trailer at Merrittville Speedway throughout Monday’s show, with Canadian money accepted at par. In addition, anyone purchasing a SDW ticket that day will have their name automatically entered in a second drawing that will reward the winner with a pair of general admission tickets for Syracuse in autumn. Further ticket information is available on-line 24/7 by logging into the SDW homepage at www.superdirtweekonline.com.
From Merrittville Speedway
No comments:
Post a Comment