News Director 
Story By: JOHN TIFF / UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY – VERNON, NY – For the second time this year the Utica-Rome Speedway is ready for the invasion of the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series after the initial round was won by Mother Nature.
All the biggest names in small-block Modified racing will make their way to Utica-Rome Speedway this Sunday as they go 100-laps with $4,000 on the line in an event presented by St. Lawrence Radiology Associates PC, Marble Hill Inn and Bill Herrig’s Auto Parts.
The last two DIRTcar 358-Modified Series events at the speedway have come right down to the wire. Last year on Mother’s Day weekend fans were treated to an epic battle between Matt Sheppard and Jeremy Wilder. The duo swapped the lead multiple-times late in the feature event before Sheppard claimed the checkers over Wilder at the line.
In October of 2016, Mat Williamson came from mid-pack at the halfway point of the 100-lap race to pass both Sheppard and Utica-Rome’s all-time winningest driver Stewart Friesen to pick-up $4,000. He maneuvered his way to the lead with only a handful of laps remaining before taking home the win.
In 2019, Tim Fuller claimed the opening round victory for the series at the Can-Am Speedway back on June 26. Williamson has been hot winning. He won the event at the Fulton Speedway on June 27 after getting by Erick Rudolph late in the feature. Most recently he triumphed at the Cornwall Motor Speedway this past Sunday night.
Qualifying for the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series on Sunday night will feature group time trials, heat races and consolation events to make up the starting grid for the 100-lap race.
Joining the program is the Broedel Fuel Group DIRTcar Sportsman. New this week is the addition of a DIRTar Sportsman B-Main. If the field is 30 cars or less, all cars will start the main-event. Should the field reach 31 a consolation event will be run with the top 24 drivers making the feature. The rest of the field will be lined-up heads-up in the 12-lap Sportsman B-Main. The winner of the B-main will receive $50 and a purse will be paid for each driver in the event.
The Ted’s Body Shop Pro Stocks and the Bernie’s Extreme Performance Rookie Sportsman are also on the card.
Autograph night, which originally scheduled for this date, has been moved to August 11th as part of the $20-a-car-load night which coincides with the Bobby Page Foundation backpack giveaway.
The grandstands admission price for this event is $20 with seniors/military members/students costing $18. Kids 16 and under are $5. Pit prices for the event are $35 for all DIRTcar Members and $40 for non-members. Pit gates will open at 4:30pm while spectator gates open at 5pm. Racing starts at 7pm.
