WEEDSPORT, N.Y. — Ryan Krachun is determined to become a better Big Block Modified driver. To do that, he’s taking on his toughest challenge yet.
The Neshanic Station, N.J., driver is joining the Super DIRTcar Series as its 20th full-time member in 2026, and the fourth MD3 Rookie of the Year contender.
“Everybody’s saying you have to go out there and do it at least one year, if not more, and try to learn what you can, Krachun said. “It’s going to make you a better driver at the end of the day. We’re here to improve constantly and try to get some wins. We’re going to struggle, but it should help me quite a bit down here.”
Krachun has been racing since he was seven years old, racing on both dirt and asphalt different cars like including quarter midgets and Pro Late Models. That changed when he was 16 though, when he got behind the wheel of a Modified for the first time at Bridgeport Motorsports Park.
Along with Bridgeport, he raced at tracks like Georgetown Speedway and New Egypt Speedway.
However, one thing those three tracks have in common, is that they all use American Racers for their weekly racing.
Now, like several drivers before him who have graduated from those tracks, Krachun will have to get used to running Hoosiers on a regular basis. With few starts on Hoosiers already, Krachun said he knows it won’t be an easy adjustment.
“There’s definitely a lot more technique on how you prep your tires and all that stuff,” Krachun said. “I’m sure I still don’t know half the stuff I need to do. But I’m learning how the tires are going to react. How to fire. How to re-fire. That’s stuff we’re going to learn.”
Another aspect he’ll need to learn is the different track surfaces across the Northeast. He made his first appearance at Albany Saratoga Speedway with the Super DIRTcar Series in April and said he experienced one of the slickest tracks he’s ever raced on – something he’ll have to figure out for when the Series returns to the track in September for the Malta Massive Weekend.
He also said he needs to improve at reading track conditions, especially if there is track prep before the Feature. That’s the exact situation he faced at Cornwall Motor Speedway, where he earned his first top 10 of the season.
“I wasn’t expecting the track to be how it was for the feature,” Krachun said. “Most race tracks you tighten up throughout the night. I left my car alone and ended up getting tight in the Feature. I’m definitely happy with the top 10. I don’t know if it would’ve been any different if I made the redraw. I’m happy with it, but definitely need to improve our setup a little bit and reading a race track.”
All those improvements he’s aiming to make will come while battling three other drivers for MD3 Rookie of the Year. He joins Matt Caprara, Tyler Dippel and Paul Mancini in the battle for those honors in 2026, a challenge the 27-year-old driver said he’s excited for.
“I think we got a pretty good shot at the rookie title,” Krachun said. “I know Caprara is a good racer; it’s very impressive how he runs. Same with Dippel. I’ve been friends with Dippel for years, and he’s a good racer as well. It’s going to be a good competition between all of us and Mancini as well. I’m good friends with him, too, being from down here. Maybe we’ll have to have a friendly wager going on.”
Even if he does win Super DIRTcar Series rookie of the year in 2026, Krachun’s expectations are a bit from what you’d expect. He won’t judge his season based on where he finishes in the standings.
“For me, my expectations are more set on how much I can learn rather than performance,” Krachun said. “Obviously, we want to do well and compete for wins. But it’s a completely different ballgame racing with those guys. You have the best of the best racing out there on their racetracks. It’s not like when they come down here, and we have a lot of laps.
“I don’t really have any expectations set. I just want to go up there. Learn what I can. Get as many laps as I can. And try and run competitive with those guys. As long as we get faster as the year goes on and get more acclimated with the type of racing. I’m going to be happy.”
