Mr. Dirt Track USA
With such a big event for the Super DIRTcar Series and Big Block Modified racing, I wanted to do something more than one of our DirtInfo Dig graphics, but less than a full article due to holiday weekend time constraints.
Andy Bachetti $21,100: Looking at his career as a whole, Bachetti seems to alternate between double digit win seasons and seasons with around 5-6 wins. This is one of those "down" seasons, but he will be the driver that everyone is looking at come Saturday night. Why? He has won the past two runnings of this event. Not enough of a reason? He just won his 6th straight title. Still not enough? He is only 10 points behind L.J. Lombardo entering September 9th's Small Block Championship Night, so it could be Title #7 in 8 chances between 2020-2023.
Matt Sheppard $21,500: Sheppard has not finished outside of the top 10 in any event since a 22nd at Fonda on July 1st. That stretch features a mind-boggling 13 victories and only 5 finishes off of the podium. This does not count his 3rd place at Georgetown on Thursday night, where Sheppard could not make it to the podium ceremony due to a parts failure after the checkers. Anyway, Sheppard won the King of the Spring here in May and he is having an even better season than he had last year. He had 42 wins last year. He is that good.
L.J. Lombardo $21,100: Outside of three trips to Albany-Saratoga, Lombardo has campaigned exclusively at Lebanon Valley this year, and has made good on that decision, as he is in line to snag the Small Block title after finishing 3rd in the Big Blocks. Lombardo was 2022's King of the Spring SDS winner here, finished 6th this year, and comes into this edition of Mr. DIRT Track USA with consecutive 10th place finishes in 2021 and 2022.
Felix Roy $19,400: I pumped up Roy in my Ransomville article from a few weeks ago and he delivered a 9th place finish. That marked his 4th SDS top 10 since July 31st. Roy made 47 total starts in his rookie modified season last year and clicked off that first victory. In 47 starts this year, Roy already has 4 victories, including a $10,000 Canadian Nationals victory last Sunday at Cornwall. Roy finished 16th in his first visit to Lebanon Valley in May, but now he knows the track and is riding high on the heels of his big victory.
Adam Pierson $19,600: I had started a blurb on why to watch Pierson at Ransomville, but I deleted it. I am still kicking myself for that, because the Vermont driver is on form. He has won twice at Albany-Saratoga in August, bringing his season total to 3, while finishing 4th at the SDS Summer Nationals at Ransomville, and a solid 6th at Albany-Saratoga's weekly event last Friday. He has only made 4 starts at Lebanon Valley, but finished 11th in the King of Spring. He has two straight 18th place finishes in this event, so I think a finish up the order is in the cards for the Vermont driver.
