WEEDSPORT, N.Y. — The 2024 Super DIRTcar Series championship season kicks off on March 30 at New Egypt Speedway, with 19 drivers eyeing the title.
A thrilling season of big block modified racing will travel across the Northeast and Canada with a roster filled with former champions, veterans, and five rookie of the year contenders.
Here’s a look at the current 2024 roster:
RETURNERS
Matt Sheppard/ 10-time series champion/ Waterloo, N.Y.
Defending Super DIRTcar Series champion Matt Sheppard continues to add to his racing legacy after winning his 10th championship in 2023. The Waterloo, N.Y. driver scored five wins, including two of the final three features of the season at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
The 2024 season could be a year of milestones for Sheppard, who enters the season with 96 Super DIRTcar Series wins. If he wins four races, he’ll become the second driver in Series history to win 100 features, joining Brett Hearn.
Sheppard comes into the championship season with good momentum, having won six of the nine Modified races contested in 2024 – including two during the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.
Mat Williamson/2019 series champion/ St. Catharines, Ont.
While he didn’t capture the series championship last year, Mat Williamson still had a season to remember in 2023. The St. Catharines, Ont. driver won seven Features, including his third Billy Whittaker Cars 200 during Super DIRT Week at Oswego Speedway.
Williamson hopes to repeat last year’s start with the Super DIRTcar Series that saw him win the first two races of the championship season. He already has a victory in 2024, winning at Volusia en route to his second consecutive Big Gator trophy.
Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Super DIRTcar Series veteran Jimmy Phelps is entering his 19th season on tour and is searching for his first championship. Despite being winless last season, Phelps earned five top fives and 11 top 10s, good enough to earn him third in the final standings.
When he’s not driving his familiar No. 98H car, the “Baldwinsville Bandit” will once again be the promotor of Weedsport Speedway, where the Super DIRTcar Series makes three stops in 2024.
Anthony Perrego/Montgomery, N.Y.
Anthony Perrego enters the 2024 season with a lot of momentum after three top fives at Volusia during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. The Montgomery, NY driver hopes to bounce back after engine issues plagued the Vinny Salerno-owned team in 2023.
Despite the engine woes, he scored his third career Super DIRTcar Series win at Big Diamond Speedway.
Peter Britten/Brisbane, QLD
After a finger injury midway through 2023 cost him a chance at his best season finish, Peter Britten is back in 2024 to make a run at the title. The “Batman” earned seven top fives and eight top 10s in 16 starts and is searching for his first Series Feature win since the 2022 Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.
Tim Sears Jr./Hastings, N.Y.
Tim Sears Jr. earned his best Super DIRTcar Series points finish in 2023, grabbing the fifth spot at season’s end. The defending Brewerton Speedway and Fulton Speedway track champion had 13 top 10s in 20 races last year and aims to dethrone Sheppard when the season concludes at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
Mike Mahaney/Elizabethtown, N.Y.
Mike Mahaney returned to the Super DIRTcar Series in 2023, finishing fourth in the final standings. He scored his third-career Series win on night two of Autodrome Drummond’s King of the North last year and capped off the season with a podium finish in the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 at Super DIRT Week.
Larry Wight/Phoenix, N.Y.
Larry Wight is already showing signs of resurgence in 2024 after a successful trip to Florida, where he finished in the top 10 in six of his seven starts. The only time he didn’t finish in the top 10 was when an accident took him out of the race while he was leading with seven laps to go.
“Lightning Larry” hopes his consistency continues as he searches for his first series win since September of 2022.
Jack Lehner/Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Jack Lehner is back for his fifth Super DIRTcar Series season in 2024. The Saratoga Springs, N.Y. driver is coming off his best points finish in 2023, where he finished seventh on the strength of two top fives and eight top 10s.
The “Ginja Ninja” is still searching for his first Super DIRTcar Series win.
Darren Smith/Binghamton, N.Y.
Defending Thunder Mountain Speedway track champion Darren Smith is back for his third Super DIRTcar Series season in 2024. The Binghamton, N.Y. driver got off to a fast start last year, finishing fifth at last year’s season opener at Bridgeport—his best Series finish.
Smith is once again teamed up with Billy Decker’s longtime crew chief, Scott Jeffery. The duo will be on the hunt for their first Super DIRTcar Series victory together.
Adam Pierson/E. Corinth, Vt.
Adam Pierson is one of three drivers’ representing the Green Mountain State in 2024. Like Lehner, this season will be the East Corinth, Vt. driver’s third year on tour as he searches for his first career win. Pierson has knocked on the door to victory lane, finishing second at Land of Legends Raceway in 2022.
Felix Roy/2023 Rookie of the Year/Napierville, QC
Felix Roy returns to the Super DIRTcar Series in 2024 after winning rookie of the year in 2023. Roy, from Napierville, QC, earned a top five and five top 10s in his rookie season – his best finish coming at Albany-Saratoga Speedway during Malta Massive Weekend (a second-place finish).
C.G. Morey/Rutland, VT
Veteran Big Block Modified driver C.G. Morey is ready to roll in his third year with the Super DIRTcar Series in 2024. The Rutland, VT driver has improved his final points position in his first two seasons, finishing 15th in 2023. Morey aims to move up again this season in his No. 14 car.
Marcus Dinkins/Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Marcus Dinkins enters his fifth year with the Super DIRTcar Series in 2024, driving his family-owned No. 17. The Watkins Glen, N.Y. driver, who races weekly at Land of Legends Raceway has made 50 Series starts in his career and hopes to use his experience to rise up the standings this season.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS
Justin Stone/Middlebury, Vt.
Justin Stone is the third driver representing Vermont on the Super DIRTcar Series in 2024. After making five starts last season, including at Super DIRT Week, the Middlebury, Vt. driver joins the tour full-time to battle for rookie of the year honors. The third-generation driver earned his best series finish earlier this year at DIRTcar Nationals, finishing eighth in the event’s finale.
Alex Payne/Hopewell, N.Y.
After scoring his first DIRTcar Big Block Modified win last season at Land of Legends Raceway, Alex Payne is ready for his first season with the Super DIRTcar Series. The Hopewell, N.Y. driver has already found success in 2024, driving from 17th to fourth on the final night of DIRTcar Nationals. In his Super DIRTcar Series career, he’s earned two top fives and five top 10s.
Matt Caprara/Clayton, N.Y.
Matt Caprara joins the Super DIRTcar Series as a Rookie of the Year contender in his second full season behind the wheel of a Big Block Modified. The Clayton, NY driver had a top five and eight top 10s between Brewerton and Land of Legends in 2023 and scored a DIRTcar 358 Modified win at Can-Am Speedway last May.
Mike Trautschold/Roscoe, N.Y.
After racing around the Northeast for years, Mike Trautschold will battle for rookie of the year with the Super DIRTcar Series in 2024. The Roscoe, NY driver has made three Series starts entering this season and hopes to hit the ground running in his No. 28 car.
Daniel Johnson/Middlesex, N.Y.
Daniel Johnson Jr. – son of Hall of Famer Danny Johnson – will join the Super DIRTcar Series in 2024, following in his dad’s footsteps. Johnson is the fifth Rookie of the Year contender on the Series, making the jump after racing weekly at Land of Legends Raceway the past few seasons. The Middlesex, N.Y., driver will be behind the wheel of Doug Dulen’s No. 27J machine.
The 2024 Super DIRTcar Series title hunt begins on Saturday, March 30, at New Egypt Speedway for Power in the Pines—the first stop at the Garden State venue since 2014.