PLANS SET FOR ERICK RUDOLPH’S 2017 SEASON, ADDS WEEKLY BIG-BLOCK ACTION TO SCHEDULE

By MIKE MALLETT

RANSOMVILLE, NY – Much like he has in the past, Erick Rudolph has an ambitious schedule planned for the 2017 racing season that includes two nights of weekly racing. He’ll also hit to road to compete with the Super DIRTcar Series, the 358-Modified DIRTcar Series while also defending his title on The Mod Tour in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.

“I’m really excited to get going,” stated Rudolph. “I don’t think we’ve had this good of equipment all lined up to go into one year. We’ll definitely be busy this year. We’ll start off with weekly racing in April and May before hitting the road a lot during the summer. We’ll have our hands full but we’ve got good teams with good equipment.”

Rudolph will drive for BBL Racing for his weekly schedule. He’ll call his hometown track Ransomville Speedway home on Fridays before committing to action on Saturday nights at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. He’s hoping running the big-block weekly at Canandaigua will improve his overall program.

“Basically it comes down to that fact that I felt like I would learn more and get better as a driver running there,” commented Rudolph about his plans to run at Canandaigua. “I felt like I’d learn the big-block more if I ran there. I think it will make me better in the small-block as well. The big-block is a little more challenging. As a team we are ready to learn and hopefully it makes our whole operation better. I believe the extra night a week in the big-block is going to help.”

BBL Racing will also provide Rudolph the opportunity run several 358-Modified Series events, special events at Cornwall Motor Speedway and races yet to be determined where a DIRTcar legal small-block is the preferred combination.

Rudolph’ partnership with Randy Chrysler is set to continue as the potent duo return to defend their title on The Mod Tour. Last year Rudolph captured the championship by 40 points over Rex King Jr. The title was capped off with a win in the Russ King Memorial at Sharon Speedway.

The Chrysler team also will provide support for Rudolph to run events on Brett Deyo’s Short Track Super Series along with other non-sanctioned events. The team started their season together already at the DIRTcar Nationals in Florida.

Rudolph’s family owned No. 25 has a schedule of 15 to 20 races with the Super DIRTcar Series tour.

For 2017 season, Rudolph’s BBL Racing team is supported by BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, Crown Benefits, National Maintenance Contracting Corp., Niagara Lawn & Garden, Lewis & Lewis, and Tim Hortons.

Rudolph’s other teams receive sponsorship from Snyder Industries, Brigham Concrete, Fox Shocks, Mohawk Northeast, VP Race Fuels, Champion Lubricants, LAX PRESS Lacrosse Equipment.

http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/New17/?p=2482

NORTHEAST: MOMENTUM ON RUDOLPH’S SIDE AS 2017 SEASON NEARS

Marshall Gabell – January 31, 2017

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Erick Rudolph remained atop his Three Quarter (TQ) Midget game during the Gambler’s Classic at Boardwalk Hall this weekend, a race in which he earned his sixth career win in the Len Sammons-promoted Indoor Auto Racing Series Championship.

Rudolph, 25, led the event wire-to-wire — defeating Zane Zeiner in a photo finish — en route to becoming the second driver to reach three wins inside the historic Boardwalk Hall.

“It means a lot. It means a lot, especially after the last outing here [in Atlantic City] where we weren’t able to get any wins, when we were in really good contention and had the best car,” Rudolph said after the triumph. “Tonight, maybe not the best car but nevertheless get it here in victory lane.”

Along with inching closer to evening up with veteran Ted Christopher for the all-time wins record (8) in the indoor series, Rudolph also is now booming with confidence as he returns to his usual ride during the racing season.

Hailing from Ransomville, N.Y., Rudolph had an impressive campaign across multiple series last season in Northeast big-block Modified competition, scoring wins in over three unique and competitive divisions.

In fact, the hotshoe tallied victories in The Modified Tour (5), Super DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series (1) and the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series (4) last season.

Having those performances under his belt, along with becoming the inaugural champion in The Modified Tour, a 10-race big-block Modified division, last September, Rudolph is even more excited to begin another jam-packed schedule — looking to continue furthering his reputation in the dirt ranks.

“I’ll tell you what, everything is really starting to come together here for this season,” Rudolph said. “It is looking like we have our weekly things figured out, running Ransomville and Canandaigua shows most of the time. And then we are going to run the BPR Series [The Modified Tour Inc.], some Super DIRTcar Series races and then [the Short Track Super Series] shows.”

“Of course, if there is a big race somewhere, and we feel like going there, then we will go. We will probably run about as many races as we did this season — about 80 or so. We are very excited, the car is coming together nicely. We have four cars that will be in rotation.”

Racing between multiple tracks and series, Rudolph will also travel across four or more states in competition this season and continue to make a living from his performances on the racetrack; which is something he would not trade for a thing in the world.

“I would not be able to do this without the help from some great people,” Rudolph explained. “I just feel very, very blessed and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. To be able to support myself [through racing], I just feel totally blessed.”

Despite the thriving success on the dirt side, Rudolph does not have plans, however, to continue his asphalt career, which has included four seasons and 50 races in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (he recorded a win and seven top five finishes in that span).

Rudolph competed in just one Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour event last season, where he finished seventh.

“Right now, I have no plans to get back on asphalt,” Rudolph said. “You never know what is going to happen, but obviously my bread and butter is the dirt modifieds. And that is what I’m going to stick with.”

http://www.racechaseronline.com/racing-nation/northeast/northeast-momentum-rudolphs-side-2017-season-nears/