Two Canadians rookies recognized for their efforts on the DIRTcar Racing NE Circuit In 2007

Weedsport, NY - Headed by Motorsports Safety Systems/G-FORCE Rookie of the Year award winners Mike Bowman (Advance Auto Parts Big-Block Modified), Eric Landry (358-Modified), Larry Wight (Sportsman) and Jocelyn Roy (UMP Pro Stock), the DIRTcar Racing NorthEast circuit boasted an influx of new talent during the 2007 season.

Those same four divisions accounted for 73 first-time feature winners in 663 events, meaning after every nine races there was a new face for fans to see in victory lane during the past season. And some of those same drivers made a return trip to the winner's circle, emerging even more familiar with solid showings in their respective home track point standings.

Of the 20 first-time DIRTcar Big-Block Modified winners, recently crowned Brewerton (NY) Speedway champion Willy Decker and New Jersey standout Ryan Godown led a half-dozen in repeat runs with four apiece. The mighty Modifieds staged 194 events at 29 tracks with 74 drivers taking checkered flags.

Chris Shultz, Jeremy Markle and Johnny Guarino logged inaugural Small-Block wins at Orange County Fair (NY) Speedway to pace a poised group of nine first-timers in the DIRTcar 358-Modified ranks. Seventeen tracks ran off 147 main events with 60 more drivers joining the finish line celebration.

A grand total of 34 new drivers graced victory lane in DIRTcar Sportsman competition with a dozen promoters handing out trophies to at least one first-time winner. In all, 81 different drivers showed their prowess in 222 features contested at 16 tracks around the Northeast.

Exactly 100 main events were charted for the DIRTcar Racing UMP Pro Stocks in '07 and 27 drivers made their maiden voyage to victory lane at seven tracks. Two-time defending overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Champion Pete Stefanski led every DIRTcar division with 17 feature wins.

For their own accomplishments, '07 DIRTcar NE rookies Bowman, Landry, Wight and Roy collected a $700 package Motorsports Safety Systems at the season ending awards banquet in November that included a new G-FORCE helmet, set of six-point G-FORCE safety belts, one pair of G-FORCE driving gloves, and a $225 gift certificate toward the purchase of a HANS device. Bowman was also awarded a ButlerBuilt Racing Seat valued at $2,000.

2007 Motorsports Safety Systems/G-FORCE Racing Gear
DIRTcar NorthEast Rookies of the Year

MIKE BOWMAN - Baldwinsville, N.Y. (20 yrs.)
- driver of the no. 16 Klaben Nursery-Fulton Springs/Bicknell Big-Block Modified entry;
- competed at Cayuga Co. (16th pts/1 top-10), Brewerton (21st/3 top-10), Fulton (24th/1 top-10);
- finished 24th in overall Mr. DIRTcar Modified points (9th-place best at Cayuga County);

ERIC LANDRY - Trois-Rivieres, QUE (26 yrs.)
- driver of the no. 81 D'Artagnon's Bar/Bicknell 358-Modified entry;
- competed at autodromes Drummond (12th pts/4 top-5, 7 to-10) and Granby (20th pts);
- finished 28th in overall Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified points (19th-place best at Drummond).

LARRY WIGHT - Phoenix, N.Y. (15 yrs.)
- driver of the no. 99 Gypsum Express-Stadium International/Bicknell Sportsman entry;
- competed at Can-Am (15th pts/3 top-5), Fulton (19th pts/2 top-5), Thunder Alley (16th pts/2 top-5);
- finished 8th in overall Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman pts (1 top-5, 4 top-10 finishes).

JOCELYN ROY - Ste-Helene, QUE (28 yrs.)
- driver of the no. 05 Roy Racing Products/Chevrolet Monte Carlo Pro Stock entry;
- competed at Cornwall (13th pts/2 Top-5); Semi-Pro at Drummond (11th pts), Granby (16th pts);
- finished 13th in overall Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock pts standings (1 top-5, 3 top-10 finishes).

The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.

From Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Public Relations Director

Merrittville Highlights Mr. DIRTcar 358 Return Out West!

Weedsport, NY - December 7, 2007 - By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast PR Director

The 57th season-opener at Merrittville Speedway on Saturday, April 26 will be the biggest ever as it also kicks off the 2008 Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Championship with the headline 100-lapper paying $4,000 to win.

"If the last two season openers are any indication, race fans will want to make sure they mark this as a must see event," said Merrittville General Manager Erica Bicknell. "Twice now our openers have come down to photo finishes with Larry Lampman prevailing on both occasions. With all the series regulars on hand this time, it should be another barn-burner of a night."

Not only will Merrittville return after a two year layoff to DIRTcar Racing NorthEast's top Small-Block traveling tour, negotiations are currently underway for an additional series event out west that will culminate with the crowning of the Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Champion for a 26th consecutive year. Leading contenders following the lucrative Small-Block trail will also continue to collect DIRTcar Regional Racing Series bonus points to help determine the overall titlist.

"We've got one of the most competitive 358 fields each and every Saturday night," added Merrittville co-owner Pete Bicknell, himself a two-time Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Champion, who can be included in that group of drivers. Since Small-Blocks became Merrittville's top weekly division in 1990, Bicknell has captured 13 point titles including the 2007 championship. "We're ecstatic to launch the 2008 DIRTcar Series, it will make for a great start to our 57th season."

Since the Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Championship was created in 1983, only the Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway has scheduled a tour event earlier in the season with the first weekend in April secured in both 2003 and �04.

"We're excited to have Merrittville back hosting a 358 Series race to complement their established Mr. DIRTcar events for Big-Blocks and Sportsman," said Cory Reed, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning. "The Western Region has long been a hotbed for Small-Block racing and a date pending at Ransomville Speedway will create one of our strongest Series ever."

For additional Series information, please contact the DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Office (315/834-6606) during normal business hours or log into http://www.superdirtcarseries.com/. For further information regarding Merrittville Speedway, call the winter office at 905/685-7223 or visit http://www.merrittvillespeedway.com/.

The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.

Asphalt Airborne Speedway joins DIRTcar Northeast for '08

Weedsport, NY - 2008 is right around the corner and Mike Perrotte can�t wait. Nor can his drivers helping to kick off the 33rd consecutive season of DIRTcar Racing as Airborne Speedway is officially signed up as the newest member of the premier dirt track sanctioning body in the Northeast.

"The timing is right as DIRTcar continues to expand and so do we," said Perrotte, 52, who addressed over 150 Airborne racers at the Plattsburgh (NY) Holiday Inn on Sunday, December 2 to usher in a new era at the popular north country oval. During the past three seasons the driver turned promoter has helped elevate the track's status with numerous site renovations and a successful race program that will feature the DIRTcar 358-Modifieds on a weekly basis in '08. "I like the way things are going with DIRTcar, it's a positive direction for us to follow."

"All of the Modified teams are excited about joining DIRT. They like the idea of belonging to the organization. There's a sense of being part of something bigger and better. They'll be able to compete in a regional series now with our points champion invited to the banquet to receive some extra money and more notoriety. A solid insurance program is intact and the chance to host some bigger events like Syracuse qualifiers is another bonus," added Perrotte, himself a four-time DIRTcar 358-Modified points champion at Frogtown Int'l Speedway with 26 career DIRTcar Modified feature wins.

The 2008 season-opener for Airborne Speedway has been set for Saturday, May 10 with the premier DIRTcar 358-Modifieds headlining a full show of Sportsman (limited late model), Renegade (8-Cylinder Street Stock), Warrior (4-Cylinder Stock) and Bomber (entry level 4-Cylinder stock) race action. Along with the 50-lap lid-lifter, Small-Block specials have also been penciled in over Labor Day Weekend with the Fall Foliage 100 closing out the season later in September.

"Mike is both a respected racer and promoter already recognized around the entire DIRTcar circuit so coming aboard is a natural addition," said Cory Reed, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning. "Mike and Steve (Fuller, owner) have done a great job on both sides of the fence, establishing a healthy field of cars while creating a strong base of fan support. And there are plenty of promotions in place to keep everyone coming back."

"As a sanctioning group we're always striving to expand the reaches of DIRTcar Racing. We revived some specials on blacktop last summer and now we're excited with the opportunity to showcase Modifieds on asphalt for the whole season. Airborne already has a great racing history and 2008 will be another banner season for both the track and our organization," Reed added.

Steve and Denise Fuller completed the purchase of Airborne Speedway in January of '07. Perrotte worked with George and Julie Huttig each of the two seasons prior, both leasing and managing the asphalt facility that first opened as a dirt track in 1954. The since razed Flemington (NJ) Fair Speedway is the only other paved track to hold full DIRTcar membership from 1991-92.

Some of the teams that will be back include those of defending 358-Modified track champion George Foley (2 wins) and last year's DIRT/Asphalt mini series winners Mike Bruno (Airborne) and Patrick Dupree (Oswego). '06 Airborne points champ Bruno, who in July joined Alan Johnson, C.D. Coville, Bob Savoie and Robert Ranger on the list of past DIRTcar Big-Block Modified feature winners at Airborne, finished third in points with Martin Roy securing runner-up honors.

Now with 11 wins, Leon Gonyo was crowned the first dirt-style Modified titlist on pavement at Airborne in �05. Under DIRTcar sanction with Perrotte the track co-owner in '88, Frank Keene (1989), C.D. Coville (1988) and Charlie Wilbur (1984) were declared season point champions when Airborne boasted a dirt surface.

Airborne Speedway is nestled in the beautiful and picturesque Adirondack Park region of Plattsburgh, New York, located just 2-1/2 hours from Albany, New York, an hour from Montreal, Canada, and a ferry ride from Burlington, Vermont. One of the oldest tracks in the Northeast, the half-mile asphalt oval is surrounded by Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains of Vermont to the east, the St. Lawrence Seaway and Canada to the North, and the breathtakingly beautiful Adirondack Mountains of New York to the South and West.

The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.

From Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Public Relations Director
*Photo attachment of 2007 Airborne Speedway points champion George Foley (Credit: Mike Watts)