RPW Exclusive: Time To Hear The Roar Of The Super DIRTcar Series: Pre-Season Power-Rankings
Column By: STEPHEN DURHAM / RPW – DERRY, NH – It has been a couple of seasons since we last rolled out power-rankings for the Super DIRTcar Series, but RPW’s 25th seems like a great year to bring them back.
After an exciting DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia back in February, and the new regular season upon us, what can we expect in 2025?
Will Matt Williamson defend his championship? Can Matt Shepard return to championship form to capture his 11th series title, while also going for his 100th career series win? Anthony Perrego made a big jump in 2024, finishing a career-best, 3rd in the championship standings.
Here is a pre-season preview as the Super DIRTcar Series heads to New Egypt, next weekend to kick off the 2025 season.
1: Mat Williamson
In 2024, it was “Money Mat” Williamson who dethroned 3x defending Super DIRTcar Series champion, Matt Sheppard. Williamson in 2024 had an outstanding season, winning 8 races out of the 19 race schedule. On top of those wins, 14 top 5’s, 17 top 10’s. Williamson has already shown he’s ready to battle to defend his championship, finishing in the top 10 all four nights at Volusia, with also three top 5s to his credit. Williamson finished 7th last season at New Egypt Speedway to kick off the regular season. The other tracks on tap for April, Williamson won at last year as well, sweeping the season at Albany Saratoga, and winning at Can Am in September.
2: Matt Sheppard
Sheppard came up 33 points short in 2024 of repeating for a 4th year in a row as Super DIRTcar Series champion. Sheppard will be after his 11th series title, and currently sits at 98 feature wins on the Super DIRTcar Series, second behind Brett Hearn at 141 wins. Sheppard at Volusia had a strong showing, winning the opening night of DIRTcar Nationals, with the only bad night being the 3rd night, where he blew a tire. Sheppard will look to get his season off to a hot start at New Egypt, where he finished fourth last season. For the other tracks ahead, Sheppard will look to get back on the podium at Can Am and Albany Saratoga Speedway.
3: Anthony Perrego
2024 was a very strong showing in his third full-season on the Super DIRTcar Series, coming home third in the championship standings, with 2 wins, 10 top 5s, and 15 top 10s. Perrego is fast and can wheel the big block, in his rookie year, where he won Rookie of the Year in 2022, he had 5 top 5s, and 10 top 10s. Perrego will look to build on the momentum he had last year, and what’s a better way then returning to a place where he is the defending winner? Winner at New Egypt last spring, and winner in Charlotte at the World Finals. Anthony will also look forward to return to his former Friday night home, where he won the 2021 modified championship. Perrego will look to chase down the Mat and Matt show, and compete for his first Super DIRTcar Series championship.
4: Jimmy Phelps
Every year, the “Baldwinsville Bandit” Jimmy Phelps is a threat to win any Super DIRTcar Series race, and likely to have a strong season to finish in the top 5 in the championship standings. 2024 was business as usual for Phelps, finishing fourth in the standings, his third straight year finishing in the top 5 in the championship standings. For the season, Phelps had one win at Thunder Mountain, along with 7 top 5s, and 12 top 10s. With the series visit last spring to New Egypt, Phelps finished 10th.
5: Tim Sears Jr
For Tim Sears Jr, it was a strong showing on the 2024 campaign, coming home fifth in the championship standings, with 9 top 5s and 11 top 10s to his credit. Sears had multiple podium finishes through the season, his best finish being second behind Matt Sheppard at Autodrome Drummond, where he led 70 laps. Will this season be the year where Tim Sears Jr ends up in victory lane with his first Super DIRTcar Series win? Very possible, New Egypt he finished 16th at, but had top 5s at the other tracks that the series heads to in April, Can Am and Albany Saratoga Speedway.
6: Alex Payne
The 2024 Super DIRTcar Series Rookie of the Year will look to continue to develop and become a factor in the chase for the championship on the series. Payne picked up his first career series win at Brockville Ontario Speedway in September. As well in the 2024 season, Payne had 5 top 5s and 9 top 10s on the season. Payne last season had a 6th place finish at New Egypt and will look to take advantage of those notes to have another strong finish. Ahead for April, Payne has a pair of top 10s between Can Am and Albany Saratoga, with one finish being 11th at Albany Saratoga.
7: Peter Britten
Despite missing three races last year in Canada for the “Batman”, it twas a strong season for Britten. If you average those three races where he gets points finishing mid-field, his championship points would likely land him near the top 5. Britten has already kicked off 2025 on the right foot, capturing his second ever gator at Volusia. Britten rides momentum into this season as well after winning his 2nd modified championship at Albany Saratoga Speedway, where the series visits in April. Britten also had a strong run last spring at New Egypt, finishing 3rd behind Darren Smith and Anthony Perrego.
8: Jack Lehner
For the “Ginga Ninja”, it was a career best finish in the championship standings since joining the tour full-time in 2019. Coming home 6th at the end of 2024, with 3 top 5s, 8 top 10s to his credit. Lehner’s best finish came at Ransomville finishing 4th, but even more impressive was a career best finish at Oswego for Super DIRT Week, coming home 5th. Lehner will be on the hunt this year for his first career win on the series, and to crack the top 5 in the championship standings.
9: Darren Smith
Another young hot-shoe on the Super DIRTcar Series who continues to improve each year so far. Darren finished a career best 8th in the championship standings, with 1 top 5, with that coming at New Egypt, where he led 40 laps, and finished 2nd. Another big moment in 2024, was Smith came home 6th at Oswego for the Billy Whittaker Cars 200. Smith as well did have 6 top 10 finishes in the season through 2024. Smith will look to improve one position at New Egypt from a year ago, and build off the momentum from 2024.
10: Larry Wight
It was a quiet but good season for “Lightning” Larry, finishing the season 12th in the championship standings. Wight had 6 top 10s on the season in 2024. Wight, like lightning, can strike at any moment when he shows up at any track. A 12 time feature winner on the series, and finished 3rd in the championship standings back in 2017. Wight’s last series win came at Weedsport back in 2022.
On The Radar:
Felix Roy
The 2023 Super DIRTcar Series rookie of the year winner had an under the radar type year. A strong showing on the season, coming home 9th in the championship standings, with 7 top 10s. Roy’s best finish came at Fulton in August, coming home in 6th. Roy will look to continue to build on last year’s notes to have a stronger 2025.
Alex Yankowski
Despite not racing in the Super DIRTcar Series full-time in 2024, he is someone to watch when he shows up to the track. The 20-year-old grabbed his first gator at Volusia, after coming up short battling with Matt Sheppard the previous night. That was Yankowski’s third series win, and his first win came at another prestigious track for the series at Charlotte for the World Finals. He should be someone that is on everyone’s radar to compete for a win any night.
The Super Dirt Series kicks off their season March 29th at New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey. Then in April they head to Can Am Speedway on April 12th, and to Albany Saratoga Speedway on April 18th. Check back later in April for our first month of power rankings as the season gets rolling!
