RPW Exclusive: Super DIRTcar’s Best Put On A Great Show To Close Out DIRTcar Nationals

Column By: JOSEPH PHILLIPS / RPW – BARBERVILLE, FL – For many in the Northeastern states over the last few days, the background music was passing snowplows as winter white blanketed their yards..

For our DIRTcar Northeast Modified heroes that made the trek south to Volusia Speedway Park, it was the sounds of Big Block horsepower and crashing waves with visions of dirt flying off the cushion and palm trees blowing in the breeze.

Saturday night wrapped up the week-long DIRTcar Nationals for the Super DIRTcar Series at Volusia Speedway Park in the Sunshine State and many familiar faces were in the news.

That included drivers like perennial Series champion Matt Sheppard and young upstart Alex Yankowski.  Both drivers won Little Gators at the Barberville, FL track and were looking for more success on to close out the mini series.  Judging by track conditions and the competition during the final two events, it may have been easier to grab an ‘actual’ gator out of the nearby pond.

Friday night saw a different winner in the form of Batman.  No, we’re not talking about Adam West, the caped crusader of yore.  We’re talking about Australian Peter Britten.

Britten struggled during Wednesday night’s race after drawing the pole position.  Yankowski took the lead on the first circuit of the 30-lap main event and held it the rest of the way for the win.

Britten backslid to fifth but on Friday night, after a three-year drought, he avenged that run.  The 21A was able to bring home the win and admitted he knew he had to ‘step up his game’ and drive more forcefully.  Getting to victory lane, it’s safe to say he did just that.

Threatening all week, Erick Rudolph and Larry Wight, once again, put in a strong performances on Friday, but neither were able to seal the deal.

Then came Saturday, and that evening bought a few more surprises.  Stewart Friesen, who was thought to be done for the week after night one engine problems in his Halmar 44, returned to compete in Alex Yankowski’s back-up car.  The Sprakers, NY driver was quickest in time trials, won his heat race and drew the fifth starting spot for the 50-lap feature before ultimately crossing the finish line sixth.

Friesen has had a relationship with Yankowski for years now and the their teams have worked extremely closely together.  This was just another chapter in that story, one night after Stewart netted a 23rd place finish in the NASCAR Truck Series opener at Daytona on Friday night.

One night removed from victory lane, Britten’s evening on Saturday began rough as fuel pump issues did not allow him to score a lap in time trials.  That didn’t stop him, however, as the 21A was on a mission in the heat race, running from dead last to third.

His luck in the feature, though, was both hot and cold.  Peter began cutting through the field like a hot knife through butter after starting 12th, getting solidly in the to 10 before jumping the cushion in turns one and two and getting into the wall.  He ended up the night in 18th.

Anthony Perrego tried to find his rhythm all week long.  Saturday night, he won the lone Last Chance Qualifier to secure his spot in the main event where he finished 13th.

At the start of the 50-lap $7,500-to-win finale, Larry Wight took the lead from Rick Laubach off the second corner of the first circuit.  Wight used the ‘Larry Lane’ on the outside to pull ahead of the field.

He was unable to pull away from Laubach, however, who kept the no. 99L in sight.

While Wight was setting the track on fire, Rudolph was slowly making his way through the pack.  After starting in 11th, the Ransomville, NY throttlejockey was up to third by lap 20.  As the race thundered on, Rudolph was able to wrestle the lead away from Wight, whose good run came to an end with a flat right rear tire just six laps from the finish.

Though slowed by two late cautions for Chris Curtis and Wight’s flat tire, Rudolph held on for his first DIRTcar Nationals triumph.

“I had the momentum and knew I had to make the move,” Rudolph said.  “You never know if your car’s going away so you have to get while the getting’s good.”

This is certainly a well-deserved win for Erick and his entire team while heartbreaking for Wight.  The Phoenix, NY driver had a strong car all week but just didn’t get the results he was looking for.

Yankowski’s eighth place finish at the end of the night helped him secure the overall ‘Big Gator’ championship for 2025, becoming the first Keystone State driver to do so.  His record this week speaks for itself, as he had one win, three top 5’s and never finished outside the top 10.  That’s consistency for you.

“This is huge,” Yankowski said.  “We usually struggle early in the season. This series win will definitely provide momentum for the 2025 season.”

Now that the Florida swing’s over, teams are making the long trek home.  Cars will be put back in the shops and prepped for the next race while driver and their teams scour over their notes from this week to get ready for 2025.

Ask any racer, you’re only as good as your last race.  However, there’s always the next one to consider.