Ward Bags 2nd Straight In Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH Big-Block Main!

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Barberville, FL – February 12, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series PR Director

Twenty-four hours earlier, Pat Ward was winless in 33 straight Advance Auto Parts Big-Block Modified feature events run at Volusia Speedway Park. After round two of the 38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH at the ultra-fast Barberville, Florida oval, Ward is undefeated in two tries with no signs of slowing down in the potent LJL Racing no. 42P Gypsum Express/Bicknell entry.

Mirroring the 30-lap Modified main held the night before, just two caution periods slowed the finale that needed only 16 minutes to complete. Ward did lead 19 laps in the Wednesday opener after starting fourth, yet despite starting on the pole Thursday he grabbed the lead from Jeff Brownell Jr. on lap 22 and ran out front the rest of the way.

“There’s nothing like winning, the older you get the more they mean to you,” remarked Ward, 51, after picking up his second $2,000 payday in two days. “You never know if these young guys are going to pass you up.”

Following Ward across the line were Matt Sheppard and Brett Hearn, who slipped past Brownell on the final circuit, and Keith Flach to fill out the front-five. Andy Bachetti, Dale Planck, Jim Rasey, Ray Swinehart and Dave Camara rounded out the top-10 while Guy Sheldon (19th) was the last driver to complete the entire distance.

Ward crossed the line second in the first of three heats, yet when it was time for the top-two finishers from each qualifier to re-draw, the Genoa, New York veteran pulled the #1 pill to land the pole-position start. But when the first green flag waved, Brownell charged from outside the second row and overtook front row partners Ward and Keith Flach to set the early pace.

Continuous green flag action around the spacious half-miler kept all eyes on the leaders as they ducked in and out of traffic lap after lap. Jamie Mills finally slipped high and rapped the turn one outside wall to require the first caution flag on lap 13. And at the halfway mark, Ward remained closest to leader Brownell with Sheppard, Hearn and Dale Planck filing into front-five slots.

The battle out front raged on for a half-dozen more circuits until Ward swept high around Brownell in turns three and four to forge the only lead change on lap 22. Brownell tried relentlessly to regain his lost ground the following lap with contact made on the home stretch, yet Ward remained unrattled and stayed in control for the duration.

“Jeff got out front, must’ve had a tire cut up a little better than we did,” said Ward, who matched Hearn’s streak of two Florida Tour triumphs last posted at VSP in 2006. “I thought if I could hang there with him a little bit and get the tire going he’d slow down a little. He only really made one mistake going to the bottom that one time, and that’s all it took because we were revved up and ready to go on the top.”

Ward bolted past Brownell exiting turn four to snatch the lead before Canadian Tim Kerr parked his mount high against the turn one wall to cue the second and final yellow flag on lap 24. Sheppard blasted by his teammate on the ensuing restart and Brownell reciprocated over the next half-mile as the final laps clicked off. Ward opened a 10-car advantage after Sheppard stole back second, and when the final checkered flew Hearn had just slipped under Brownell to match Ward with a pair of top-fives in the opening two events.

“I love (winning twice) and I like coming down in this good weather, these Bicknell cars are great” smiled Ward, who more than made up for teammate Larry Wight’s finish second from the end in the 27-car field. “We weren’t that good the last couple years down here, we were top-five but couldn’t win. I had some conversations with Randy (Williamson, Bicknell fabricator) and he helped me out with some things, thank god I got a Bicknell car. And I have to thank John and Laura Wight for giving me the wheels to get the job done, I can’t wait for the next one.”

Second-place finisher Sheppard also enjoyed the success of a Bicknell mount, with his owner Jeff Brownell Sr. providing him with a car he felt was only second-place on the final scoresheet.

“Pat was super fast, my teammate Jeff was super fast tonight as he led a lot of laps, but I’ll tell you what, the track is so fast and there are so many good cars, the first one to the front is tough to beat,” exclaimed Sheppard, 26, who for the second straight night had Ward squelch any chance of taking home his first trophy from the Sunshine State. In the customary post-race inspection, however, the JB Motorsports no. 9S Xtreme Lubricants-Seneca Auto Sales/Bicknell mount crossed over the scales 20 pounds light, cutting in half both Sheppard’s payoff and points in the final box score.

“Pat was able to get by Jeff and I was coming. Think I was just as fast as them guys. I was searching around a little bit but its one of those deals where if you’re behind them you’re going to finish behind them and if you’re in front you’re going to finish in front of them. We still had a good car tonight.”

“The top finally really started going away enough and I think the guys were getting their tires hot enough and starting to fade. It just took way too long for the top to fade. My car was pretty good on the bottom, we could get a pretty good bite down there but I probably needed a 15-20 laps longer race to take a shot,” added Sheppard, following his 13th career start in the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia.

Improving two positions from the previous night, Hearn rallied into third at the end to keep him in the hunt for an unprecedented eighth Florida Tour title since DIRTcar returned to racing at Volusia in 1998.

“Just have to keep on tuning man,” figured defending winter time champion Hearn, 50, who has also won at least one feature at VSP every year with the exception of 2007. “We’ll put our heads together tonight and the guys and I will get with the shock people from Bilstein and we’ll keep on working.”

“I thought we were best on the bottom in (turns) three and four. Late in the race I found the middle of one and two, and that’s what got me that squirt to get into third and almost second. Its one of those deals where you just have to keep on searching,” noted Hearn, who recently signed up Benjamin Moore Paints as a partner with the mighty Madsen Motorsports no. 20 Wentworth Custom Homes-Kruger-WLR-BPG/TEO machine.

The Advance Auto Parts Modifieds return to Volusia for their final 30-lap feature on Friday before DIRTcar Racing Northeast's Big-Block stars battle in the fourth and final round on Saturday, February 14 as a $5,000-to-win 50-lap championship event determines the 2009 Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH points champion.

Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series – Volusia Speedway Park, February 12, 2009

38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH Event #2

BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED FEATURE

FIN STR CAR# DRIVER/HOMETOWN

1 1 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY($2,000)

2 5 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY

3 3 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ

4 4 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY

5 2 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY

6 8 34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA

7 6 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY

8 10 32 Jim Rasey/Southington,OH

9 9 33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA

10 18 26 Dave Camara/Poultney,VT

11 21 5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ

12 12 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY

13 7 62 Matt Jester/Lincoln,DE

14 14 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY

15 17 165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH

16 24 85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA

17 20 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE

18 13 79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY

19 15 42 Guy Sheldon/Nassau,NY

20 16 1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA

21 23 33t Brad Trice/Parsonsburg,MD

22 19 17 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY

23 26 07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT

24 27 3g Jimmy Johnson/Bloomingburg,NY

25 11 30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE

26 22 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY

27 25 8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ

DID NOT QUALIFY(6)

5b-Brian Sadler/Erie,PA

9-Jeff Brown/Parsonsburg,MD

t21-Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY

52-James Friesen/St.Catharines,ONT

88k-Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY

97-Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile de Milton,QUE

Lap Leaders: Brownell (1-21), Ward (22-30).

Cautions: 2 (lap 13, lap 24).

QUALIFYING

Heat Races (10 laps, top 7 finishers transferred to feature)

#1: Planck, Ward, Jester, Rasey, Markle, Greene, Beardsley, Friesen, Hearn(spec), Kerr, Ro.Chrysler, Chicoine.

#2: Brownell, Sheppard, Bachetti, Mills, Rauscher, King, Clair, Trice, Vauter, Sadler, Brown.

#3: Hearn, Flach, Swinehart, A.Johnson, Sheldon, Camara, Horton, Ra.Chrysler, Wight, Scagliotta.

Consolation Round (10 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature)

#1: Wight, Trice, Vauter, Scagliotta, Kerr, Hearn(spec), Ro.Chrysler, Chicoine, Sadler, Ra.Chrysler, Friesen, Brown (DNS).

Alternate: J.Johnson.

Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Point Standings (through Feb. 12, 2009)

PTS CAR# DRIVER / HOMETOWN

120 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY

100 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY

100 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ

98 34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA

94 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY

88 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY

77 85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA

74 62 Matt Jester/Lincoln,DE

74 26 Dave Camara/Poultney,VT

72 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY

66 30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE

63 32 Jim Rasey/Southington,OH

56 5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ

55 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY

54 07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT

50 8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ

50 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY

49 1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA

48 165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH

47 33t Brad Trice/Parsonsburg,MD

46 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE

44 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY

42 88k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY

41 17 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY

40 33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA

35 79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY

34 42 Guy Sheldon/Nassau,NY

33 97 Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile,QUE

32 9 Jeff Brown/Parsonsburg,MD

30 3g Jimmy Johnson/Bloomingburg,NY

20 3g Gary Risch Jr./Sarver,PA

20 5b Brian Sadler/Erie,PA

20 t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY

20 52 James Friesen/St.Catharines,ONT

10 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY

10 923 Colin Jackson/Peckville,PA

2009 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Roster (33)

Car# Driver/Hometown Team (Sponsor / Chassis / Engine)

07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT Bronskill & Coe-Greenbush Electric-Kerr Construction/Bicknell/Enders

1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA Greene Quality Bluestone-Blue Diamond Tools-TJ's NAPA/Bicknell/Jensen Tech

3g Jimmy Johnson/Bloomingburg,NY Budweiser (LaRusse Distributing)-Valvoline-Lajoie Seats/TEO/GM

5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ Lincoln Auto Body-Schmidt Racing/Troyer/JPM

5b Brian Sadler/Erie,PA McLallen Construction-Perkins Law Group/Bicknell/Honest Abe

8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ Central Jersey Trailer & Hitch Depot-Adamsville Maintenance/Troyer/Feil

9 Jeff Brown/Parsonsburg,MD Chesapeake Paving/Bicknell/JB Auto & Machine

9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY Xtreme Lubricants-Seneca Auto Sales/Bicknell/C.C. Performance

14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY Thompson Road Tavern-Circle S Stables/Troyer/Kevlar

17 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY Behron Auto Glass-Town Mechanical-JIR Motorsports/Troyer/Moshier

20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ Madsen Motorsports-Wentworth Custom Homes-Kruger-WLR-BPG/TEO/Enders

t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY Iroquois Water-Randy's Smoke Shop-Joey's Sneaks/Bicknell/JanCen

22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE Bully's Truck Stop-Bert Transmission-Batiments JDL/Bicknell/Morrison

26 Dave Camara/Poultney,VT Camara Slate Products/TEO/Finger Lakes

29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY Xtreme Lubricants-Seneca Auto Sales/Bicknell/C.C. Performance

30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE I.G.Burton Car Dealership-ReMax Realtor-L&W Ins./Bicknell/DDE

32 Jim Rasey/Southington,OH Twin Oaks Services South-Alcon Mechanical/Dirt Wheels/Minors Performance

33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA J & L Speed Supplies-Scrap USA LLC/Bicknell/Precision

33t Brad Trice/Parsonsburg,MD Chesapeake Paving-Delmarva Improvement Services/Troyer/JB Auto & Machine

34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA Steve Hough Motors/PMC/JPM

42 Guy Sheldon/Nassau,NY Judd Construction-Heinz Inc./PMC/42 Racing

42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Chevrolet

43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY Flach Crane & Rigging-Gould Erectors & Riggers/TEO/Enders

48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY Magee Transportation Services-Monadnock Disposal Service/Bicknell/Morrison

52 James Friesen/St.Catharines,ONT Blue Moon Potatoes-New Generation Racing Engines/Bicknell/Al Blanchard(NG)

62 Matt Jester/Lincoln,DE Clearview Forms-Smith Concrete/TEO/Dan Denny(DDE)

77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY RezX Racing-Grow It Hydroseeding-Action Race Parts-Teo Fab./TEO/Kevlar

79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY Len & Jo's Restaurant-Advance Recovery/Bicknell/Precision

85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA Sportsburg.com-Community Bank & Trust/Troyer/Enders

88k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY Signal Cigarettes-Randy's Smoke Shop-Jacobs Tobacco Co./Bicknell/JanCen

97 Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile de Milton,QUE GMCI Express-E.Beaudry Enterprises/Bicknell/Enders

99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Chevrolet

165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH Jim Brown Seed Sales-Meander Homes-Reese Services/Bicknell/Jim Bailey

2009 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Schedule

NP=Non-Point event; SP=Show-Up point event;

TBA=To Be Announced; TBD=To Be Determined.

DAY-DATE TRACK LOCATION/WINNER

Wed-Feb 11 Volusia Speedway Park Pat Ward

Thr-Feb 12 Volusia Speedway Park Pat Ward

Fri-Feb 13 Volusia Speedway Park Barberville,FL

Sat-Feb 14 Volusia Speedway Park Barberville,FL

Sat-Mar 28 Hagerstown Speedway Hagerstown,MD

Sun-May 24 -TBA-

Sat-Jun 6 Lebanon Valley Speedway West Lebanon,NY

Sun-Jun 7 Airborne Speedway Plattsburgh,NY

Sat-Jun 13 Fulton Speedway Fulton,NY

Fri-Jul 3 Ransomville Speedway Ransomville,NY

*** GREAT CANADIAN TOUR ***

Thr-Jul 9 Brockville Ont. Speedway Brockville,ONT

Fri-Jul 10 Autodrome Granby Granby,QUE

Sat-Jul 11 Autodrome Drummond Drummondville,QUE

Sun-Jul 12 Cornwall Motor Speedway Cornwall,ONT

Mon-Aug 3 Merrittville Speedway Thorold,ONT

Fri-Aug 7 Brewerton Speedway Brewerton,NY

Sat-Aug 8 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua,NY

Fri-Aug 21 Can-Am Motorsports Park LaFargeville,NY

Thr-Aug 27 Lebanon Valley Speedway West Lebanon,NY

Sun-Sep 6 Cayuga Co.Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY

Mon-Sep 7 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY

Fri-Sep 18 Lernerville Speedway Sarver,PA

Sat-Sep 19 -TBA-

Sat-Sep 26 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY

Sun-Oct 11 New York State Fairgrnds Syracuse,NY

-TBA- Orange Co.Fair Speedway Middletown,NY

-TBD- Big Diamond Raceway Minersville,PA

-TBD- Cayuga Co.Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY

Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items in the United States, serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets As of April 19, 2008, the Company operated 3,291 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts and accessories can be found on the Company's web site at www.advanceautoparts.com.

The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and VP Racing Fuels. Promotional partners include Rite Aid Corporation, Dig Safely New York and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks, Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Ferris Industries, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Rislone Oil Stabilizer and Wrisco Industries.