CONCORD, N.C. — C.G. Morey always dreamed of racing with the Super DIRTcar Series and in the last two years he’s not only lived it but continued to grow with it year to year.
After his first season in 2022, the Rutland, Vt. driver finished one spot higher the standings in in 2023—a goal he’ll try to improve upon in 2024.
As the veteran prepares for the season opener at Volusia (Fla.) Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Feb. 14-17, he already knows what it’ll take to make that goal a reality again.
“(We need to) unload faster,” Morey said. “If you go back to the [Super DIRTcar Series], even when we get lapped, we’re as fast as the leaders. We stay with the leaders. We run with the leaders. The second-place guy can’t get me. They work to get by me because my car is fast. But we start off the night slow. We don’t [qualify] well. If we [qualify] well and start up front, we have no problems staying there.”
One of the key factors in finding that speed throughout the season is his crew. Finding help can be a struggle for any team on the road, and Morey said he now has multiple guys willing to travel across the Northeast.
That also helps him at Albany-Saratoga Speedway where he competes weekly. Along with his best points-finish on the Super DIRTcar Series, he also had his best finish in points at “The Great Race Place,” where he finished 10th.
His success at Albany-Saratoga includes three top five finishes, and a few nights where he narrowly missed out on his first win at the 4/10-mile track.
“If you go back and look at the times, we were the fastest car on multiple nights,” Morey said. “It wasn’t just every once in a while. It was most of the summer we were the fastest car at that track. But with my luck, everything fell through.
“We blistered a 400 (tire) one night leading one race. We started seventh one night, ran the leader down who was a half-track ahead of everyone (on another night). I pulled up beside him, the caution came out and the battery moved and grounded out on the brake line and then the brakes went. I’ve never gotten out of a car ever and said that car was a winning car. But that night, it was a winning car. I could drive it anywhere, and there was nobody even close to it.”
Morey’s ability to succeed at Albany-Saratoga comes in part from the knowledge he’s gained racing against the best drivers in Big Block Modified racing on the Super DIRTcar Series. It allows him to relax, knowing he can be a factor every night.
“There’s some really good cars [at Albany-Saratoga],” Morey said. “And there’s a lot of cars that are like me. It just gives me that confidence running against everybody on the (Super DIRTcar Series) that I can do good at my home track. And I’ve raced there forever.”
With two years under his belt on the Super DIRTcar Series, and his growing confidence at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, the Green Mountain State competitor has already set goals to improve for next year.
“Every year we’ve crawled up one spot,” Morey said. “I’d like to move up a couple of spots. I’d love to get a top 10. We got a top 10 at Albany-Saratoga in points earlier this year. I’d like to get another top 10 there. I’d love to qualify every night and not have to use a provisional and not have bad luck.”