OSWEGO, N.Y. — Six drivers know their starting spot for the DIRTcar Pro Stock 50 at Oswego Speedway on Friday night, led by first-time polesitter Chris Stalker.
Stalker scored the SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel and Aluminum Pole Award ($500) with a 23.364-second lap and reigning DIRTcar Pro Stock 50 champion second with a 23.581-second lap.
Joining them in the Super Six — locking in their starting spots for the DIRTcar Pro Stock 50 Feature — were Michael Achzet (starting third), Rich Crane (starting fourth), Beau Ballard (starting fifth) and Caden Dumblewski (starting sixth).
“It means the world,” Stalker said. “Everything we’ve done… not just me, my whole crew… It means the world. I was hoping for a top six. I was hoping to get locked in. After the initial practice I didn’t know that was going to happen. Once I saw I was the polesitter and my group was done and I was still the polesitter, and the first half of group three, I… I can’t even explain how it feels.”
Along with scoring the pole, Stalker also set a new track record for the DIRTcar Pro Stocks at Oswego Speedway. He beat P.J. Peters’ previous record of 23.504 seconds — set during the first year Super DIRT Week was at Oswego Speedway in 2016.
However, after practice, he didn’t think he’d be even close to the Super Six. So, what changed?
“Definitely setup,” he said. “Tires. Everything they did after the second practice session. My brakes locked up, so we weren’t too confident. My brother went to work, everyone pitched in, and we got it done.”
If Stalker can hold off the rest of the stout field of Pro Stock drivers and win the DIRTcar Pro Stock 50, he’d become the seventh straight different winner of the prestigious DIRTcar Northeast event – now paying $3,000 to the winner.
Last year, Horning started seventh in the feature and had to race his way to his first Super DIRT Week championship. This year, he has a front row view for a potential back-to-back triumph.
“It’s good, it’s good; I’ve always said I want the pole just because of the prestige,” Horning said. “Second is obviously good, too, you get [$250 from Fratto Curbing]. I think top five rows you’re safe. That’s a lot to come back and get when these guys are this good.
“You may think starting seventh or eighth isn’t a big deal, but you got the best guys in front of you. So, I’m good. I’m happy with second. We’ll get some laps rolling and I think we’ll be good.”
Pro Stock Qualifying:
Super 6 Time Trials (2 Laps): 1. 177-Chris Stalker, 00:23.364[18]; 2. 2H-Luke Horning, 00:23.581[20]; 3. 81A-Michael Achzet, 00:23.597[19]; 4. 711-Rich Crane, 00:23.626[7]; 5. 15-Beau Ballard, 00:23.630[21]; 6. 7C-Caden Dumblewski, 00:23.634[12]; 7. 7-Rob Yetman, 00:23.641[23]; 8. 324-Jason Casey, 00:23.708[6]; 9. 110-Devon Camenga, 00:23.827[25]; 10. 2-Pete Stefanski, 00:23.869[22]; 11. 48-Jocelyn Roy, 00:23.871[24]; 12. 711X-Chris Crane Sr, 00:23.884[1]; 13. 7D-Chucky Dumblewski, 00:23.916[16]; 14. 2E-Brandon Emigh, 00:23.936[2]; 15. 54S-Zachary Sorrentino, 00:24.021[8]; 16. 28-Philip DeFiglio, 00:24.085[9]; 17. 4-Dean Charbonneau, 00:24.088[27]; 18. 55-David Stickles, 00:24.107[28]; 19. 81-Bret Belden, 00:24.137[15]; 20. 12S-Dakota Sharp, 00:24.198[4]; 21. 33-Bruno Cyr, 00:24.306[10]; 22. 04-Jaxson Ryan, 00:24.348[3]; 23. 6-Shane Playford, 00:24.382[14]; 24. 58-Roxanne Roy, 00:24.645[11]; 25. 6C-Brian Carter, 00:24.875[13]; 26. 57-Charles Mcspirit, 00:25.251[26]; 27. 25-Chad Jeseo, 00:25.251[5]; 28. (DQ) 57W-Joe Wilson, 00:23.889[17]