RPW Exclusive: Observations From The Super DIRTcar Series At New Egypt: Expect The Unexpected

Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – NEW EGYPT, NJ – The biggest observation from the Super DIRTcar Series ’25 lid-lifter at New Egypt Speedway Saturday night was, as much as you think you know what’s going to happen, expect the unexpected.

Just look at the proof.

You had Logan Watt putting in an outstanding performance in his first career Super DIRTcar Series start. You had guys like Matt Sheppard, Jimmy Phelps, Peter Britten, Larry Wight and a handful of other top drivers being forced to Last Chance Qualifiers. You also had the roller coaster that teams went on with track conditions all evening.

Through it all, the Power in the Pines sure had the capacity crowd entertained.

Saturday marked the first race event for newly-minted Executive VP of Operations at the speedway, Chris Moore. By the size of the crowd, it’d be safe to say Saturday’s event was a home run. Unseasonable weather more than likely aided in the attendance as temperatures were in the 80’s for a good portion of the day.

However, it was the quality of the product on track that helped keep people there.

“Everyone busted their tails today, beyond belief,” Moore said. “Thanks to everyone that came out. We learned a lot this weekend and we’ll be better next week.”

While several competitors did make note at how slippery track conditions were during the course of the night, officials continued to work throughout the evening to give everyone the best possible race surface, as noted by multiple intermissions to do track prep.

Moore and his team did not just accept their fate when they saw how the track getting. They worked to improve things and need to be commended for that.

Another unexpected situation during the night was how many of the top runners were far down in the running order of early night hot laps. Alex Payne was 19th while Felix Roy was 20th. Mat Williamson was 21st with Justin Stone 24th and Ryan Godown 25th, just to name a few.

A lot people might chalk this up to the aforementioned track conditions. Those that went out early were closer to the top of the speed chart. However, if you look at the times, you’ll see the good cars were, in fact, “good.”

Case-in-point, Williamson and his no. 88 team. In hot laps, his quickest time, which put him 21st, was an 18.517-second lap around the 7/16-mile track. His lap that gave him quick time in Billy Whittaker Cars qualifying and the pole in the third heat was 18.573-seconds.

They basically mirrored each other. Williamson and company were solid right off the trailer and the defending Series champion’s car remained consistent. Compare that to the quickest in hot laps, Danny Creeden. Creeden turned a lap of 19.072 in his qualifying group. In hot laps, he was more than second quicker (17.835).

There’s that unexpected theme again.

Yet another of those unpredicted situations, which we’re sure none of us saw coming, was the struggles for many of Super DIRTcar favorites, like Phelps, Wight, Britten and most notablely, Matt Sheppard.

For Sheppard, the box score will show that he advanced 12 positions in the main event, from start-to-finish, to go from 25th to 13th. That is a good charge through the field, but it was an uncharacteristic night for the ten-time Series champion.

The Savannah, NY driver failed to qualify through his heat race and had to run one of the Last Chance Qualifiers to try and make the show. He did so, but only locked in with the final transfer spot.

That put him 25th on the starting grid and he was up to 14th when he was forced to the pit area with a flat right front tire with only 30 laps remaining. However, there’s never been any quit in Sheppard or his team and Saturday night in New Jersey was no different. They rebounded nicely to salvage a 13th place showing at the checkers.

That’s the type of night that might be the difference as he chases title no. 11.

Several other drivers had tough nights on Saturday, such as Mike Mahaney who came home 14th after starting in the sixth spot, Phelps who drove 22nd to 15th, Britten who went from 24th to 17th, Justin Stone who finished 18th, Jack Lehner who crossed 20th and Wight one spot behind him in 21st.

A driver who looked like he was going to be in the hunt for a top 5 finish but unfortunately saw things slip away was Tanner Van Doren. TVD was running in a three-car battle for the runner-up spot with Williamson and Watt when he was forced to check up going through turns three and four.

That was to avoid getting into the back of the Buzz Chew no. 88 and forced Watt into the back bumper of Van Doren, ever so slightly, in an accordion-type situation, sending the no. 27 spinning and out of third place.

The Schnecksville, PA standout did rebound for a 16th place finish at the end of the night but you have to wonder. If not for the ‘unexpected’ turn of events on lap 31, could TVD have contended for the victory?

While Van Doren’s night went from good to bad, there was yet another unexpected situation brewing at the front of the field. This one was a pleasant surprise, though, and it was the run of Lesley and Ryan’s Kid, Logan Watt.

As stated, Watt was making his first career Super DIRTcar Series start on Saturday and he surely made the most of the opportunity. He timed well early on in hot laps (third), was quickest in qualifying Group A (second overall, of 37), made the redraw through his heat (finishing second) and brought the no. 4m home with a podium finish (third).

Not bad for a 16-year-old teenager in his first attempt. Would you say this was “unexpected?” Maybe it was for some, but not for eventual winner Stewart Friesen.

“I saw the 4 car on the board and thought okay, (Anthony) Perrego must be coming, but it was Logan,” Friesen said. “He’s been doing a good job. We’ve seen him the last couple of weeks traveling around and since he’s moved up to Modified, he’s been doing a really, really good job. I’m proud of him and that’s a good racing family. It’s cool to see the young guys running really well.”

That’s high praise coming from a six-time Super DIRT Week champion.

While the winner of the Power in the Pines may have been one of the pre-race favorites, Saturday night at New Egypt was full of unexpected moments. Even with that, the staff of both New Egypt and the Super DIRTcar Series should be commended for executing a great kickoff to the Tour’s ’25 championship point season.

Next up is the Nasty Track of the North in two weeks and the Bartlett family is surely going to do the same to prepare Can-Am Speedway so that more great racing and surprises may be in store for fans and racers alike.

These were just my observations.

What did you see?