RPW Exclusive: Jack Lehner Powered To The Best Super DIRTcar Series Season Of His Career In ’24
Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW- SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – It’s safe to say that, with each passing lap, Jack Lehner is getting better and better behind the wheel of a Big Block Modified.
That was even more prevalent during the 2024 racing season, where the Saratoga Springs, NY driver was knocking on the door of his first career Super DIRTcar Series win, amassing three top 5 finishes en route to a solid sixth place finish in Series points.
“We’ve been making a steady march forward the last couple of years here on the Series,” Lehner said. “The second half of the season really seemed to produce some positive runs for us.”
The first part of the season, however, was difficult. Lehner wasn’t able to produce a top 10 finish on Tour until the July 9th stop at Thunder Mountain where the #2L scored a fifth place finish in The Natural 77, an event honoring the late Dale Planck.
From there, Lehner and his team began to click and started clicking off solid runs which helped them climb in the standings.
“The first half of the year was a little tough,” he said. “I’m glad we were able to rebound the way we did and it has me excited for what 2025 has to offer.”
Lehner was able to score his second top 5 finish of the season on the Super DIRTcar Series during the Summer Nationals at Ransomville Speedway in August.
That run launched him into a string of good runs that saw the #2L finish in the top 10 in three of the next four events, highlighted by a fifth in the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 during Super DIRT Week at Oswego Speedway.
The strength of and resilience of Lehner and his Benson’s Pet Center team is what has the “Ginga Ninga” pumped for what’s to come.
“Hopefully we can pick up next year where we left off this past season,” he said. “I believe we can keep that kind of momentum going throughout 2025.”
Jack finished his 2024 season on Tour with three top 11 runs at the World Finals in Charlotte aboard the Brett Deyo-owned #02 Bicknell. However, he knows the momentum he wants in ’25 doesn’t come from their on-track performance.
He understands it also happens off the track and his team’s working hard in the shop to get ready for the new season.
“I have to give a big thank you to my crew chief, Brandon Darrah,” he said. “Brandon’s been in the shop every day with me and I’m excited to spend a full winter with him working on things to get our team better and stronger.”
Lehner also recognizes that it’s not just him and Darrah who make the potent JLR cars go around the track. It’s a total team effort.
“I’m thankful for all of the great people I have around me and this team,” he said. “Ryan Gofmanas, Tim Gofmanas, my parents, my girlfriend, Arriana, and everyone that helps on our team. I have a lot of great people behind me and I’m really grateful for that. It has me pumped up for next year.”
In total, for every time Lehner strapped into a race car in 2024, he was able to score four victories, 29 top 5’s and 48 top 10’s in 72 starts. Those are solid numbers to build on as he gets ready for another busy season in 2025.
