WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Super DIRTcar Series Thunders into Can-Am with Two Points Leaders, New York Stars

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Anthony Perrego and Peter Britten enter the weekend tied for the points lead

After an exciting championship season opener, the Super DIRTcar Series heads to New York for the first time in 2024

The Beasts of the Northeast highlight Can-Am Speedway’s Thunder in the Thousand Islands weekend on Saturday, April 13, for a 75-lap, $7,500-to-win Feature.

The DIRTcar Sportsman Series North region, DIRTcar Pro Stocks, and ThunderCars will join the Super DIRTcar Series on April 13. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.

Before the Super DIRTcar Series battles at Can-Am, the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series opens its season on Friday, April 12. The DIRTcar Sportsman and 602 Crate Sprint Cars are also on the Friday card. A practice session is also available for the Big Block Modifieds.

Here’s a look at the key storylines entering this weekend:

Tied at the Top: Anthony Perrego and Peter Britten enter the weekend tied for the Super DIRTcar Series points lead, a position both find themselves in for the first time.

Perrego earned his fourth career Series win at New Egypt Speedway to open the championship season and has finished in the top five in all four Super DIRTcar Series events in 2024.

The Montgomery, NY driver has made two Series starts at Can-Am in his career, scoring a win in 2020 during OktoberFAST and finishing 13th in 2022.

Britten, who crossed the line third at New Egypt, matched Perrego’s point total by earning bonus points from his Billy Whittaker Cars and Trux Quick Time award and his Heat Race.

The Brisbane, QLD driver aims to change his past fortunes at Can-Am. He’s yet to score a top-five finish at the “Nasty Track of the North.” His best finish is a sixth in 2021.

The driver closest to them in the standings is Darren Smith, who finished second at New Egypt after leading 40 laps. It’s the Binghamton, NY driver’s best career Super DIRTcar Series finish.

For a complete look at the Super DIRTcar Series points standings, visit SuperDIRTcarSeries.com.

Tying the Hurricane: In a year of many potential milestones for 10-time Series champion Matt Sheppard, he can earn one this weekend at Can-Am.

The Waterloo, NY driver has three Super DIRTcar Series victories at the track (2009, 2019, 2022) and can tie 23-time Series winner and Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Famer Steve Paine, one of his mentors, for the most Series wins at Can-Am with a win on Saturday. If “Super Matt” finds Victory Lane this weekend, it’ll be his third Series win of 2024 and the 97th of his career.

Sheppard enters the weekend fourth in points, seven points behind Perrego and Britten.

Alex Payne and Matt Sheppard — Alex Payne battles with Matt Sheppard at New Egypt Speedway/Steve Sabo Jr.

Rookie of the Year: With a sixth-place finish at New Egypt, Alex Payne is off to the best start for a rookie in this decade. He enters the weekend with a 38-point cushion over Justin Stone in the Rookie of the Year standings.

It’s a new venue for all five Super DIRTcar Series rookie contenders, as none of them have made a Series start at Can-Am.

However, Matt Caprara has found past success at the track, winning a DIRTcar 358 Modified Feature last season. The Clayton, NY driver has the chance to defend home turf this weekend as he tries to climb up the Rookie of the Year standings.

Here Comes Fuller: A trip to Northern New York means Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Famer Tim Fuller will make his first Super DIRTcar Series appearance of the weekend.

The three-time and defending Can-Am Speedway track champion earned three Series victories in 2023, winning at Land of Legends Raceway, Brockville Ontario Speedway, and The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Fuller, from Edwards, NY, enters the weekend eighth on the all-time wins list with 35 Series triumphs, including a win at Can-Am in 2007. He’s four wins away from tying Bob McCreadie for seventh in all-time wins.

Prospective Thunder in The Thousand Islands Roster

#          Name                                   Hometown
M1      Dave Marcuccilli                     Montezuma, NY
ONE     David Hebert                          St. Damase, QC
X1        Ken Eckert Jr.                          Orwigsburg, PA
2          Jack Lehner                             Saratoga Springs, NY
3          Justin Haers                            Phelps, NY
3RS      Dalton Slack                            Welland, ONT
4          Anthony Perrego                    Montgomery, NY
4V        Billy VanInwegen                    Port Jervis, NY
7z        Zach Payne                             Stanley, NY
9s        Matt Sheppard                       Waterloo, NY
9x        Tyler Trump                            Lacona, NY
10c      Tanner VanDoren                  Schnecksville, PA
11        Matt Caprara                          Clayton, NY
12        Darren Smith                          Binghamton, NY
14        C.G. Morey                             Rutland, NY
14B      Brendan Darrah                      Queensbury, NY
15x      Justin Stone                            Middlebury, VT
15        Todd Root                               Phelps, NY
17        Marcus Dinkins                       Watkins Glen, NY
19        Tim Fuller                               Edwards, NY
20 David Schilling East Greenbush, NY
21A      Peter Britten                           Brisbane, QLD, AUS
21M    Bob McGannon                      Garnerville, NY
25        Erick Rudolph                         Ransomville, NY
25        Michael Parent                       Granby, QC
27J       Danny Johnson                       Rochester, NY
27JR    Daniel Johnson                       Middlesex, NY
28        Mike Trautschold                   Roscoe, NY
28        Jordan McCreadie                  Watertown, NY
34        Kevin Root                              Geneva, NY
35        Mike Mahaney                       Elizabethtown, NY
49        Billy Dunn                               Watertown, NY
60        Jackson Gill                             Plessis, NY
66        Wallace Stacey                       Kahnawake, QC
66X      Carey Terrance                        Hogansburg, NY
70A      Alex Payne                              Hopewell, NY
R70      Ryan Arbuthnot                      Renfrew, ONT
83X      Tim Sears Jr.                            Hastings, NY
88        Mat Williamson                      St. Catharines, ONT
91        Felix Roy                                 Napierville, QC
92        Dexter Stacey                         Kahnawake, QC
98H     Jimmy Phelps                         Baldwinsville, NY
99L      Larry Wight                             Phoenix, NY
215      Adam Pierson                         E. Corinth, VT

WHEN AND WHERE 
Can-Am Speedway (4/10-mile) in LaFargeville, NY on April 13

Track Record
Chuck Bower 18.883

Can-Am Speedway Previous Winners

1988- Doug Hoffman
1989- Brett Hearn
1990- Pat O’Brien
1991- Steve Paine
1992- Doug Hoffman
1993- Steve Paine
1994- Alan Johnson
1995- Danny O’Brien
1996- Bob McCreadie
1997- Steve Paine
1998- Pat Ward
1999- Billy Decker
2000- Danny Johnson
2002- Tim McCreadie
2003- Tim McCreadie
2004- Gary Tomkins
2007- Tim Fuller
2007- Steve Paine
2008- Gary Tomkins
2009- Matt Sheppard
2019- Matt Sheppard
2020- Anthony Perrego
2021- Stewart Friesen
2022- Matt Sheppard

FEATURE WINNERS: (3 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins

Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY- 2
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-1
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1

HEAT RACE WINNERS (11 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins

Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-3
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-2
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD, AUS-2
Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-2
Rick Laubach, Quakertown, PA-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Rex King Jr., Bristolville, OH-1
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1
Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown, NJ-1
Bob McGannon, Garnerville, NY-1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (6 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins

Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-2
Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-1
Stewart Friesen, Sprakers, NY-1
Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown. NJ-1
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
Marc Johnson, Guilderland, NY-1

PODIUM FINISHES (7 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Podiums

Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-3
Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-2
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-2
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-2
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1
Darren Smith, Binghamton, NY-1
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-1

HARD CHARGER (4 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C.