CENTRAL SQUARE, N.Y. — SummerFAST couldn’t come at a better time for Tim Sears Jr.
The Hastings, N.Y., driver is on the best stretch of his Super DIRTcar Series career, finishing in the top five in five of the last six features.
Those results boost Sears’ confidence as the series prepares for visits to Brewerton Speedway (Aug. 12), Land of Legends Raceway (Aug. 13) and Fulton Speedway (Aug. 14).
“Going up to Canada and being that close definitely boosted the confidence a little coming back home and coming to tracks I know,” Sears said. “We’ve had a lot of really good success at Brewerton with the Series the last couple of years. We’ve finished in the top three the last few times.
“I’m really excited for Fulton, but Brewerton, we’ve been really close, too. It would mean a lot for all our local fans. We’ve got a lot of supporters right around home.”
The defending Brewerton and Fulton track champion matched his best Super DIRTcar Series run in the King of the North finale at Autodrome Drummond. After leading the race’s first 70 laps, he finished second to 10-time series champion Matt Sheppard.
One significant reason he’s showing more consistent results is his experience on the series. It’s allowed him to build a notebook that, he said, is finally starting to show its impact.
“This is the fourth year we’ve run the series, and we’ve been getting notes,” Sears said. “I think a lot of it is just building a notebook and going back to the same places again and being able to pick up where you left off.
“Every time you go, you just keep getting better.”
Despite all the knowledge he’s gained, putting information on the first page was challenging. While most Super DIRTcar Series drivers race a Bicknell chassis, Sears drives a Troyer, which meant he had to start from scratch.
“When we first started, we really didn’t have a baseline,” Sears said. “We didn’t have that for the past couple of years, and I think we’ve got a pretty good base package to go just about anywhere to compete and run well.”
“Timmer” has his chance to keep that momentum rolling when the Super DIRTcar Series visits Brewerton and Fulton. He can build off an eighth-place finish at Land of Legends in July, his only finish outside the top five in the last six races.
“We know our cars are fast enough; we just have to put a whole night together,” Sears said.
The Super DIRTcar Series prepares for the third annual SummerFAST Aug. 12-14 with stops at Brewerton Speedway (Aug. 12), Land of Legends Raceway (Aug. 13), and Fulton Speedway (Aug.14).