Author: Chris Murphy

WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – July 27, 2014 – Fresh off his first career Super DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series win, young driver Erick Rudolph is ready to tackle series races at Merrittville and Ransomville Speedways. The Super DIRTcar Series takes onMerrittiville Speedway Monday, Aug. 4, and the very next day, for the first time since 2009, travels to Ransomville Speedway.

“We’re all looking forward to it,” Rudolph said of the two upcoming Super DIRTcar Series 100-lap events.

Early this July, Rudolph stepped behind the wheel of the Mike Payne owned Page Trucking No. 7z, and has already adjusted to the new ride. He placed sixth at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park July 3 and picked up the win July 22 at Autodrome Drummond .

“Mike (Payne) called me and was looking to do some things. We were both on the same page as far as my capabilities with my own cars, and I couldn’t do the whole thing myself,” Rudolph said. “He was looking for someone to race, and it just went from there.”

The series kicks off a two-day stint of racing at Merrittville Speedway in Thorold, Ontario, Monday, Aug. 4, for the Bob St. Amand Sr. Memorial presented by L.St.Amand Enterprises and St. Amand Auto and Truck Repair. Rudolph said he expects the famed D-shape track to present a challenge to many of the drivers.

“It’s a unique track, just the general shape of it,” Rudolph said. “It’s a little tricky from a driver’s standpoint, as well as durability of the car and chassis setup.”

In 2013, Rudolph claimed the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Championship, and placed second in DIRTcar 358-Modified track points at his home track, Ransomville Speedway in Ransomville, N.Y. With a series victory already under his belt and plenty of experience at the track, Rudolph is a strong contender for Ransomville’s 30^th Annual Alex Friesen Summer Nationals presented by Coors Light and Randy’s Smoke Shop set for Tuesday, Aug. 5.

“A lot of guys haven’t been there in years, so it might take some getting used to it there,” said Rudolph, last year’s Alex Friesen Summer Nationals victor. “Hopefully we’ll be right on top of things because we run there weekly.”

Gates open at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4, at Merrittville Speedway and racing begins at 7 p.m. Ransomville’s gates open at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, and racing begins at 7:15 p.m. For more information about the Super DIRTcar Series, visit www.superdirtcarseries.com.

AT A GLANCE:

Bob St. Amand Sr. Memorial presented by L.St.Amand Enterprises and St. Amand Auto and Truck Repair

DATE : Monday, Aug. 4.

TIME : Gates open at 4 p.m., racing begins at 7 p.m.

DIVISIONS : Super DIRTCAR Series (100 laps), Hoosier Stock Duel on the Dirt Event 4 (25 laps), Enduro Qualifier 3 accelerated by Niagara College

LOCATION : Merrittville Speedway, 2371 Merrittville Highway, Thorold, Ontario, Canada

ABOUT THE TRACK : 3/8-mile clay banked oval

MORE TRACK INFORMATION : merrittvillespeedway.com | @Merrittville

MORE SERIES INFORMATION : superdirtcarseries.com | @SuperDIRTcar |facebook.com/DIRTcar

 

Alex Friesen Summer Nationals presented by Coors Light and Randy’s Smoke Shop

DATE : Tuesday, Aug. 5

TIME : Gates open at 4:30 p.m., racing begins at 7:15 p.m.

DIVISIONS : Super DIRTCAR Series (100 laps), plus Investors Services Sportsman & Ki-Po Chevrolet Street Stocks

LOCATION : Ransomvile Speedway, 2315 Braley Road, Ransomville, NY

MORE TRACK INFORMATION : ransomvillespeedway.com/ | @Ransomville | Facebook

MORE SERIES INFORMATION : superdirtcarseries.com | @SuperDIRTcar |facebook.com/DIRTcar

Rudolph ready for back-to-back races at Merrittville and Ransomville

Erick Rudolph charges to first career Super DIRTcar Series win, taking victory at Autodrome Drummond
Rudolph charges from 17th starting spot to win at Autodrome Drummond

DRUMMONDVILLE, QUEBEC — July 23, 2014 — Mere weeks after first sitting behind the wheel of his new ride, young Modified driver Erick Rudolph picked up a win in a Super DIRTcar Series race. A late-race charge took the Mike Payne owned Page Trucking No. to victory Tuesday, July 22, at Autodrome Drummond.

“Today we just hit it right on, where we needed to be,” the 22-year-old out of Ransomville, N.Y., said after the 100-lap Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modified Series race Tuesday. “It started a little slow, but slowly and surely we worked up to to the front.”

Rudolph, the defending DIRTcar 358-Modified Series champion, started 17th on the grid after finishing fifth in his heat and was able to make the right moves to claim the lead over veteran racer and eight-time Super DIRTcar Series champion Brett Hearn with just 10 laps to go.

Polesitter Matt Billings led the race at the green flag, followed by Steve Paine in second, Brett Hearn in third, Larry Wight in fourth and Monday’s feature winner Danny Johnson in fifth. Paine and Hearn gathered momentum in the first few laps, with Paine passing billings for the lead in lap 4 and Hearn passing Paine for the lead in lap 9.

The Gypsum Express Ltd. No. 99L wheeled by Wight stopped in turn two during lap 11, bringing the first caution of the race. Hearn was strong on restarts Tuesday, and didn’t give competitors behind him any opportunity to challenge his position. Meanwhile, Rudolph was working his way forward, making his way to 14th after the lap-18 restart.

A collision in lap 38 brought red-flag conditions to the race track with the No. 22c of Mario Clair flipped in turn 3. The No. 22c, as well as the No. 9H driven by point leader Matt Sheppard and the No. 54 of Steve Bernard were towed off the track.

Hearn led the next double-file restart over another veteran racer, Danny Johnson, with Rudolph running in eighth. Over the next 40 green laps, Rudolph steadily gained rank, passing Paine for fifth in lap 58 and Matt Billings for fourth in lap 74. Another caution took hold of the race track in lap 80, resulting in a single-file restart during which Rudolph gained two positions to run in second.

Billy Dunn challenged Rudolph for second in lap 88, and Rudolph powered forward, not only fending off Dunn’s challenges, but also making his way closer to the leader. Rudolph ran bumper-to-bumper with Hearn and wheel-to-wheel with Dunn, until Dunn fell back and Rudolph was able to pull alongside Hearn. Rudolph took the lead in lap 90 and never looked back.

“I was able to size him up. It seemed like I was a little quicker than him,” said Rudolph, whose win Tuesday marks the first Super DIRTcar Series victory of his career. “Then, when I got a run, I took the spot.”

Defending series champion Hearn, while hoping for a win Tuesday, was pleased with a strong second-place finish.

“We had a very fast car. I’m really proud of how the team came here ready to race,” Hearn said of his No. 20 Madsen Motorsports team. “We laid down some good laps in time trials both nights, we had good heat race runs, but we sealed the right rear tire and we got beat by a faster car at the end. It was a great race, obviously I’m disappointed, but at the same time I’m really proud.”

Dunn stayed strong the remaining laps to finish third after starting sixth on the grid. A hard-charging Gary Tomkins started 28th and finished fourth. Initial race leader Matt Billings finished fifth.

The Super DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series returns to Albany-Saratoga Speedway Wednesday, July 30, for the completion of Brett Hearn’s “The Big Show 6.” For more information about the Super DIRTcar Series, visit www.superdirtcarseries.com.
http://www.superdirtcarseries.com/news/race-reports/188-2014-race-reports/879-rudolph-on-a-roll-autodrome-drummond.html