News Director 
Story By: CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY – CONCORD, NC – Jimmy Phelps secured his first Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified victory of the season in the World Finals 40-lap feature.
Phelps led the final 18 laps after then-leader Billy Decker was forced to the pits with a flat left-rear tire.
Phelps earned his second career victory at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, repeating his success at America’s Home for Racing in November 2010.
“We weren’t re-starting the greatest, but once we got rolling, it seemed like we were pretty good,” Phelps said. “It’s a Catch-22, because we went on those long green-flag runs early and then the leaders got tore up in traffic. I guess it was what it was; it worked out.
“The car was super. These guys busted their butts. It’s a new car; it’s got one other race on it, and I’m tickled pink. The thing was great. I can’t thank them enough.”
Erick Rudolph was second, with Larry Wight third, Pat Ward fourth and Mat Williamson fifth. Williamson took an 18-point lead as the battle for the Super DIRTcar Series big-block crown concludes Saturday night.
While Williamson finished fifth, Matt Sheppard – the seven-time series champion – rallied from a flat right-front tire on Lap 2 to finish 10th.
Heat-race winners in the Super DIRTcar Series were: Phelps, Decker, Sheppard and Demetrios Drellos.
With clear skies in Saturday’s forecast and sold-out reserved seating, race fans from all 50 states and nine countries – as far away as Tanzania and New Zealand – will attend the capper to this weekend’s three-day spectacular of dirt-flying, championship-deciding excitement.
