Column By: MIKE WARREN / SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES – WEEDSPORT, NY – Tim Sears Jr. had the most successful year of his career in 2023, picking up two track championships. Now, he’ll try for a step better and end the year as a Super DIRTcar Series champion.
The Hastings, NY driver won the Brewerton Speedway and Fulton Speedway track championships for the first time last year. While he admitted it feels different, his approach toward two more titles won’t change.
“We’re still preparing the same way we did the last couple of years,” Sears said. “We’re bringing some new cars and some new stuff, and hopefully, we’ll have the same luck.”
The milestone he accomplished at Brewerton and Fulton happened in two different cars. He ran a Big Block Modified on Fridays at Brewerton and a 358 Modified on Saturdays at Fulton.
Despite the horsepower difference, his muscle memory helps him adapt when he gets into the driver’s seat.
“It’s like riding a bike,” Sears said. “You don’t really forget it. You can tell the difference of what you’re in when you start them. There’s definitely a big power difference, that’s it.”
His success at Brewerton and Fulton translated to the Super DIRTcar Series in 2023, where he had his most consistent year on tour, finishing fifth overall. Highlighting his season was a stretch where he finished in the top 10 seven times in eight races from Autodrome Drummond on Aug. 1 through the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 at Super DIRT Week 51.
However, “Timmer” said he knows what he must do to improve when the Series returns to action on May 26 at Weedsport Speedway and May 27 at Thunder Mountain Speedway.
“We had a bunch of (top) 10s in a row at one point, so we were definitely consistent,” Sears said. “We were there. We just need to work our [qualifying]. We have to be able to time better and come off the trailer a little quicker so we can start better.”
Before Sears returns to Super DIRTcar Series action, he begins his title defense at Fulton Speedway on Saturday, April 27, in the Highbank Holdup as part of the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.
While he has the chance to defend home turf, he understands the high level of competition coming in—some of the same competitors he’ll see during SummerFAST with the Super DIRTcar Series on Wednesday, Aug. 14.
“[Williamson] kicks our ass every time,” Sears said. “They’re definitely tough. Matty, Mike (Mahaney), Billy Dunn, they all seem to run good. It’s a strong field; hopefully, we can run with them and challenge them.”
After the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series begins at Fulton, he’ll be back in Super DIRTcar Series action at Weedsport Speedway for the Heroes Remembered 100 on Sunday, May 26.
Then, the Series makes its highly anticipated debut at Thunder Mountain Speedway on Monday, May 27.