Hard-charging Brad Rouse claims victory in NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week Sportsman Modified Series Championship 30

St. Catherines, Ontario, driver makes his way from his 22^nd starting spot to the front in the season’s biggest DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series race

SYRACUSE, N. Y. – Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 – Brad Rouse just barely made it into the big race Saturday afternoon, finishing second in a Last Chance Qualifier to get a spot in the NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week Sportsman Modified Championship 30. Yet he didn’t let his disadvantage – starting 22^nd in a field of 30 – slow him down. He charged onward, taking on one of the region’s most challenging tracks, the “Moody Mile” at the New York State Fairgrounds, and one of the most competitive fields to claim victory.

“We had a lot of good help, a good crew, and sponsors. They gave me some good equipment,” Rouse said. “And the family helped and supported me.”

The St. Catharines, Ontario, driver is no stranger to victory lane, having already taken one win in the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series plus two wins at his home track, Merrittville Speedway. However, at the biggest DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series race of the year, the odds were against him.

While Brett Wright and Chris Herbison started in the front row, Rouse started 22^nd. Pole sitter Wright sped ahead at the initial green flag to claim an early lead. Caution within the first couple laps slowed the pace as several midfield cars came together in the backstretch.

When the field returned to green, Wright held on to his lead, followed by Shane Pecore, while Rouse worked his way forward from the back of the field.

In lap 14, Pecore went for the pass around Wright as the two leaders approached cars in the back of the field, but the attempted three-wide maneuver proved disastrous for Pecore. He fell back and collided with Cody McPherson’s No. 7, and both cars slid into James Henry’s No. 21, pushing him into the back wall. Several other cars, including the No. 66 of Daniel Wiesner, were involved in the wreck. The accident brought out the red flag as track crews towed off the No. 66 and the No. 7.

Wright managed to stay ahead of the trouble, and restarted at the pole with no damage done to his ride or his position. Henry followed closely from second, but fell to Rocky Warner in lap 19. Warner set his sights on the lead, and tried to steer around Wright on the outside, but the yellow flag waved before he could claim the position. In lap 20, Warner’s ride slowed and he pulled to the pits.

Meanwhile, Rouse had made his way to the top-five with ten laps to go. Off the lap 20 restart, he was poised to challenge for the lead, and made his move in turn 2. Rouse pulled ahead of the field while Wright fell back, passed by Jeremy Pitts.

Rouse kept his spot through the next 10 green laps to pick up the win at the fabled “Moody Mile” at the New York State Fairgrounds.

“There was a lot going on,” Rouse said. “The track was good and we just kept picking off cars and cars. We just kept making the moves when we had to.”

Pitts finished second, thanking his team and supporters for their help getting him there.

“The whole crew worked really hard on the car to get it here,” Pitts said.

Steve Barber finished third after starting 10^th, and was pleased to have been able to advance so well in the standings, especially after nearly wrecking early in the race.

“The track was really smooth. It’s a lot better than in previous years – it has a lot of bite in it this year,” Barber said.

“I was the first one through the melee in turn three that actually made it, but I clipped the inside wall and I buggered my steering up, so it was hard to steer after that. It could have gone a lot of ways wrong, but the heavens above made a clear way for me and I made it through.”

Racing continues at the New York State Fairgrounds Sunday, Oct. 13, with the NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week Pro Stock Championship 25 followed by the famed Syracuse 200 for the Big-Block Modifieds of the Super DIRTcar Series. For more information about NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week XLII, including a full schedule of events, visit www.superdirtweekonline.com.  

NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week

DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Championship 30

Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013

A-Main Finish:

Last Chance Qualifiers (2 transfer from each)

Last Chance Qualifier 1: 1. 92p Martin Pelletier, 2. 30s Brad Rouse, 3. 21d Ryan Darcy, 4. 92 Joey Ladouceur, 5. 22J Chris Daugherty, 6. 33 Corey Winters, 7. 28 Jimmy Spellmon, 8. 20 Jack Gentile, 9. 1R Ricky Thompson, 10. 82 Taylor Lamb, 11. 93J Dave Constantino. DNS: 38A John Aumick, 7F Matt Farnham

Last Chance Qualifier 2: 1.79 Rocky Warner, 2. 3a Adam Hilton, 3. 27b Robert Bublak, Jr., 4. 7m Mike Maresca, 5. 17J Matt Janiak, 6. 19c Boyd MacTavish, 7. 12 Jon Miller, 8. 30 Brent Kelsey, 9. 1sh Steve Hicks, 10. 21R Robert Delormaier. DNS: 2x Troy VanAllen, 44 Kevin Ward

Last Chance Qualifier 3: 1.m1 Dave Marcuccilli, 2. 51 Kevin Wills, 3. 25* Steve Bernier, 4. 77e Ryan Stabler, 5. 2T Chris Thurston, 6. 1 Bob Reis, 7. 57 Jimmy Maier, 8. 18J Louie Jackson, Jr. DNS: 28 Gary Lindberg, 73J Troy Arnold, 88h Chris Hulsizer, 111 Alan Wills

The Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast Region is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners including Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Chevy Performance Parts, NAPA Auto Parts, and Safety-Kleen. Contingency sponsors are ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD Performance, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Superflow and Wrisco Industries. Super DIRT Week sponsors include: Beyea Headers, Draco Springs, Fast Shafts, Fluidampr, FK Rod Ends, Fox Shocks, Pro Fabrication and Turbostart. Lighting for Super DIRT Week is brought to you by Musco Lighting.

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