Story By: NICK GRAZIANO / DIRTCAR – OSWEGO, NY – Seven days before the biggest race of the week, fans lined the streets at Oswego Speedway to get their campers in place. The rain didn’t bother them. They were finally back.
Finally, back at their “Super Bowl.” Finally, back at their “Knoxville Nationals.” Finally, back at NAPA Super DIRT Week.
The 49th running of Racing’s Biggest Party (Oct. 5-10) commences this week, featuring the Super DIRTcar Series, DIRTcar 358 Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman and DIRTcar Pro Stocks at Oswego Speedway. Racing kicks off Tuesday, Oct. 5, for the Demon 100 at Brewerton Speedway with the Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Pro Stocks. The event is the last chance for a Super DIRTcar Series and Pro Stock competitor to earn a guaranteed NAPA Super DIRT Week Feature starting position.
The party ramps up on Wednesday, Oct. 6, for “DIRTcar Day.” Fans are invited to wear their favorite racing attire and attend the popular NAPA Super DIRT Week parade (at noon) through the city streets of Oswego, featuring several of the cars that will be racing in the event. A special announcement will follow at City Hall with Mayor William Barlow.
Later that night, 358 Modified and Sportsman drivers will make their way to Weedsport Speedway for the NAPA Super DIRT Week Kickoff Party race.
Practice and Time Trials will place at Oswego Speedway on Thursday, Oct. 7, before a return to Brewerton Speedway later in the day for the Hurricane Harvey 75, again with the 358 Modified and Sportsman drivers.
Qualifying Heats for all divisions will headline the action on Friday, Oct. 8, at Oswego Speedway. The first main event of the week, the Salute to the Troops 150, for the DIRTcar 358 Modifieds will be on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 5 p.m. (ET). The party then continues through 2 a.m. with the band Dirt Road Ruckus and DJ Rick Uhl at the Island Stage for the Saturday Night Bash.
Then, Sunday, Oct. 10, is reserved for main events. The DIRTcar Sportsman Chevrolet Performance 75 will kick off the day at 11 a.m. An autograph session with the Top 30 Super DIRTcar Series competitors will follow at noon. The DIRTcar Pro Stocks 50 will be shortly after that before the ultimate event of the week. The prestigious $50,000-to-win, 200-lap, Billy Whittaker Cars 200 for the Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds will start at 3 p.m.
Here are the top Super DIRTcar Series storylines to follow throughout NAPA Super DIRT Week:
FOUR FOR FOUR: In the four years NAPA Super DIRT Week has been hosted at Oswego Speedway, there have been four different winners. Stewart Friesen, Matt Sheppard, Larry Wight and Mat Williamson.
With that, there are two ways history will again be made this year. There will either be a fifth different consecutive winner or the first repeat winner at Oswego.
While the four previous winners are all on track for a potential repeat, others like Peter Britten, Mike Mahaney and Max McLaughlin have had strong 2021 seasons, picking up big Super DIRTcar Series wins, giving them the momentum to go after their first Billy Whittaker Cars 200 win.
EYEING BIG REPEAT: Defending Billy Whittaker Cars 200 winner Mat Williamson will have a busy schedule ahead of him as he tries to be the first to defend his NAPA Super DIRTcar Week championship at Oswego. Along with piloting his Buzz Chew #88 Big Block, he’ll pilot the #6 358 Modified at Oswego and his own 358 Modified for the satellite shows at Brewerton Speedway and Weedsport Speedway.
He said there is pressure to defend his win and chuckled when he said he’s not sure how he’ll handle it. To the Canadian, there’s nothing else like NAPA Super DIRT Week.
“There’s a list longer than my arm I could talk about good things for DIRT Week,” Williamson said. “How cool it is for a driver to be a part of it. There’s a lot of money, $50,000 to win. There’s prestige. People like Brett Hearn, Alan Johnson and Gary Balough, who have won this race in the past, it’s cool to have your name with them.”
FREEZE ZONE: NASCAR Truck Series star Stewart Friesen is taking a break from his chase for his first NASCAR championship to chase another win at what he considers one of the biggest events of the year. Friesen – a five-time Billy Whittaker Cars 200 winner – has been one of the strongest drivers all year long with the Super DIRTcar Series, picking up six wins.
He’s no stranger to making history at NAPA Super DIRT Week. He was the last driver to win at the Syracuse Mile and the first to win at Oswego Speedway.
