Super DIRTcar Series Invades Lebanon Valley For Mr. DIRT Track USA

Read Time:8 Minute, 13 Second

Matt Sheppard leads Mat Williamson by 34 points entering the $15,500 to win event

By Mike Warren

Photo: Quentin Young

A Labor Day weekend staple is on tap for the Super DIRTcar Series as it returns to New York’s Capital Region.

The Series visits Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, NY, on Saturday, Aug. 31, for Mr. DIRT Track USA, a 100-lap, $15,500-to-win/$1,000-to-start Feature.

Saturday’s race also locks another driver into the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 (Saturday, Oct. 12), as the fourth guaranteed spot at Super DIRT Week is up for grabs.

Joining the Super DIRTcar Series on Saturday are DIRTcar Pro Stocks, Sportsman, Limited Sportsman, and Super Street Stocks.

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

Battling For the Lead: Matt Sheppard and Mat Williamson have separated themselves from the rest of the Super DIRTcar Series field entering Labor Day Weekend.

Despite six victories, Williamson trails Sheppard by 34 points going into a track where Sheppard has succeeded.

The 10-time and defending champion has three Series victories in his last 10 starts, including a Mr. DIRT Track USA triumph in 2016 and a King of Spring victory last year. In 33 starts at the track, Sheppard has 13 top fives and 23 top 10s.

Meanwhile, Williamson has three top fives and four top 10s at Lebanon Valley, but he’s yet to reach Victory Lane. However, he finished second to Sheppard in the 2021 King of Spring event.

Home of the Wild Child: If Sheppard or Williamson want to reach Victory Lane, they must beat seven-time Lebanon Valley Speedway track champion Andy Bachetti.

The Sheffield, MA driver has won the last three Mr. DIRT Track USAs, and seven of his eight Series victories have come at “The Valley.”

Bachetti won his seventh track title over the weekend by three points over Brett Haas, who earned five DIRTcar Big Block Modified wins this season.

Other Lebanon Valley drivers to watch at Mr. DIRT Track USA include Kolby Schroder, who earned a victory earlier this month, and Marc Johnson, whose best Series finish at the track is second during the King of Springin 2022.

A Super Opportunity: It isn’t just a $15,500 winner’s purse on the line Saturday night.

This year’s Mr. DIRT Track USA will be the fourth opportunity for drivers to earn a guaranteed starting spot at Super DIRT Week 52.

Stewart Friesen, Jimmy Phelps, and Sheppard have already punched their ticket into the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 at Oswego Speedway.

If one of those three drivers wins Mr. DIRT Track USA on Saturday, the guaranteed starting spot will go to the next highest finisher who isn’t locked into “Racing’s Biggest Party.”

High Banked House Call: Over the past five Super DIRTcar Series races, only two drivers have five consecutive top 11 finishes.

Along with Sheppard, Danny Johnson has been on a consistent streak since the opening night of King of the North at Autodrome Drummond.

Like Ransomville, Johnson returns to a track where he’s had success in his career. In 57 starts at Lebanon Valley, “The Doctor” has five wins, 22 top fives, and 29 top 10s. Three of those victories are Super DIRTcar Series triumphs, including Mr. DIRT Track USA wins in 1987 and 1997.

Johnson is searching for his first Series win since 2018.

Getting Experience: Three drivers went to Lebanon Valley over the weekend to get experience before Saturday’s Mr. DIRT Track USA.

Joining Phelps were Rookie of the Year contender Mike Trautschold and 2024 SummerFAST champion Alex Yankowski.

Yankowski earned the best finish in the 30-lap Feature, crossing the line 10th.

Phelps has made 24 Series starts at Lebanon Valley, knocking on the door to Victory Lane twice with runner-up finishes in 2006 and 2012. Yankowski, meanwhile, has made three Series starts at the track. His best finish was a seventh in last year’s King of Spring.

Trautschold has attempted to qualify twice in Series events at Lebanon Valley but hasn’t made a start in his No. 28.

WHEN AND WHERE
Lebanon Valley Speedway (1/2-Mile) in West Lebanon, NY on Saturday, Aug. 31

TRACK RECORD
Lebanon Valley Speedway: 19.236 set by Brett Hearn on Sept. 1, 2016

FEATURE WINNERS: (7 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins

Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-6
Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY- 3
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON-2
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-1
Michael Parent, Granby, QC-1
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-1

HEAT RACE WINNERS (31 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins

Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-8
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-5
Tim Sears Jr., Hastings, NY-5
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-5
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD, AUS-3
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-3
Jack Lehner, Saratoga Springs, NY-3
Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-2
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-2
Justin Stone, Middlebury, VT-2
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-2
Rick Laubach, Quakertown, PA-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Rex King Jr., Bristolville, OH-1
Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown, NJ-1
Bob McGannon, Garnerville, NY-1
Max McLaughlin, Mooresville, NC-1
Tim Fuller, Edwards, NY-1
Ronnie Johnson, Duanesburg, NY-1
Dalton Slack, Welland, ON-1
Cody Higbie, Newburgh, NY-1
Brandon Walters, Unadilla, NY-1
Michael Parent, Granby, QC-1
Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-1
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-1
Danny Johnson, Rochester, NY-1
Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, NY-1
Chris Hile, Oswego, NY-1
Danny Johnson, Rochester, NY-1
Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-1
Adam Pierson, East Corinth, VT-1
Gary Lindberg, Ridgeway, ON-1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (21 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins

Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-5
Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-1
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON -1
Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown. NJ-1
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
Marc Johnson, Guilderland, NY-1
Brandon Walters, Unadilla, NY-1
Daniel Johnson, Middlesex, NY-1
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-1
Kolby Schroder, Staatsburg, NY-1
David Schilling, East Greenbush, NY-1
C.G. Morey, Rutland, VT-1
Billy VanInwegen, Port Jervis, NY-1
Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, NY-1
Danny Johnson, Rochester, NY-1
Brian MacDonald, Cornwall, ON-1
Steve Bernard, Granby, QC-1
Darren Smith, Binghamton, NY-1
Matt Caprara, Clayton, NY-1
Justin Wright, York, NY-1
Billy Decker, Unadilla, NY-1

PODIUM FINISHES (14 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Podiums

Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-9
Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-6
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-6
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-5
Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-3
Tim Sears Jr., Hastings, NY-3
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-3
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-2
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-2
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1
Michael Parent, Granby, QC-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Adam Pierson, East Corinth, VT-1
Chris Hile, Oswego, NY-1

HARD CHARGER (10 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C.

Danny Johnson, Rochester, NY-3
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-2
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-2
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON-1
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-1
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
Louden Reimert, Oley, PA-1
Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, NY-1
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-1
Jack Lehner, Saratoga Springs, NY-1
Darren Smith, Binghamton, NY-1

BILLY WHITAKER CARS AND TRUX QUICK TIMES (14 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs

Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-2
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-1
Rex King Jr., Bristolville, OH-1
Demetrios Drellos, Queensbury, NY-1
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-1
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Tim Fuller, Edwards, NY-1
Dalton Slack, Welland, ON-1
Cody Higbie, Newburgh, NY-1
Michael Parent, Granby, QC-1
Sebastian Gougeon, St. Marjorique, QC-1
Justin Haers, Phelps, NY-1
Chris Hile, Oswego, NY-1
Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-1

JAM Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award (8 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs

Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-4
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-4
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-2
Tim Fuller, Edwards, NY-1
Dalton Slack, Welland, ON-1
Tim Sears Jr., Hastings, NY-1
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Darren Smith, Binghamton, NY-1

Super DIRTcar Series Lap Leaders (18 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Laps Led