by Tom Skibinski

BARBERVILLE, Fla. — Tuesday marked the eighth scheduled day of competition during the 39th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals By University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park, featuring the first appearance of 2010 by Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified teams from the Northeast.

Unfortunately, racing was not in the plans for Mother Nature as steady afternoon rain showers forced track officials to put an early end to the Big-Block debut with nearly 30 race teams ready to converge on the popular Barberville half-miler for practice.

“Our decision was made based on the hazardous conditions the persistent rain created and an 80% chance it would continue well into the night,” remarked VSP General Manager Tonya Moschell, following the decision to cancel all activity that was officially announced at 3 p.m. with rain still pounding down. “The forecast tomorrow calls for plenty of sunshine so the anticipation remains high by fans anxiously waiting to catch a glimpse of the Big-Blocks when they hit the track for the first time Wednesday.”

A big UMP doubleheader featuring full-fender Super Late Models and open-wheel Modifieds headlined Volusia’s scheduled Tuesday night card. Tickets purchased for the show may be presented for any of the remaining events during the DIRTcar Nationals. In the event that tickets cannot be used, tickets may be mailed to Volusia Speedway Park, 1500 E SR 40, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130 to obtain an refund.

Before the rain started falling at 1 o’clock, a growing number of race haulers waiting to unveil the newest mighty DIRTcar Modified creations had reached the speedway grounds. Over 40 race teams are expected back on Wednesday for the Big-Block Modified opener as the DIRTcar Nationals continues Race Weeks ’10 in the Sunshine State.

DIRTcar NE’s 35th season of short-track racing is now scheduled to kick off on Feb. 10 with a full set of qualifiers followed by a 30-lap feature race paying $2,000 to win. Two more Big-Block shows at VSP are scheduled for Feb. 11-12 before action concludes Saturday night with a big $5,000-to-win 50-lapper.

For additional Big-Block Modified information, log into www.superdirtcarseries.com or www.dirtcarnationals.com, where you can find complete race results for all divisions contesting in the DIRTcar Nationals. Be sure to sign up as a Super DIRTcar Series follower on Twitter by visiting http://www.twitter.com/SuperDIRTcar and receive updates anywhere at anytime as the 2010 season of Big-Block Modified racing gets underway.

A complete schedule of events can also be viewed by logging into Volusia Speedway Park on the internet at www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com, with more material about the entire circuit found on www.dirtcar.com.

2010 Super DIRTcar Series @ Volusia Speedway Park – Barberville, Fla.
39th DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH Big-Block Modified Roster (pre-race)
Car# Driver/Hometown Team (Sponsor / Chassis / Engine)
0 Richie Pratt Jr./Woodbury Heights,NJ South Jersey Overhead Door/TEO/DDE
01 Brett Ballard/Pennsville,NJ South Jersey Overhead Door/TEO/DDE
07 Tim Kerr/Picton,ONT Hubert Kerr Construction/Bicknell/Enders
1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA Greene Quality Bluestone-Big Diamond Tools/Bicknell/Jensen Tech
1f Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT Pizza Logs-Jeff Daley&Sons Oil-Westmoreland Golf Club/TEO/Enders
1p Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NJ K&A Excavating Contractors-Pioneer Pole Buildings/Bicknell/Morrison
3d Dexter Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE Bully’s Truck Stop-CFF,Inc.-Unicast Crusher Parts/Bicknell/Morrison
6 John Stangle/Neshanic Station,NJ Active Disposal-Lightning Delivery-Metro Optics/TEO/VanHorn
7 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA Benton Electric & Elevator-Jones Racing Products/TEO/Enders
8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ Central Jersey Trailer & Hitch Depot-Adamsville Maintenance/Troyer/Feil
8r Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY Westward Painting-Coffin Excavation-Lake Ontario Realty/Troyer/Finger Lakes
9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY Xtreme Lubricants/Bicknell/C.C. Performance
10v Bobby Varin/Sharon Springs,NY Commercial Roofing & Sheetmetal-JWJ Container-Gypsum/Bicknell/Morrison
14 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ Alpha Distribution Solutions-McKeansburg Hotel/TEO/Enders
14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY Sue Johnson Racing/Bicknell/Jimmy D’s Speed
19h Chris Higgins/Syracuse,NY Transportation Repair Service-JLRB Construction/Bicknell/Higgins Performance
20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ Madsen Mtrspt-Wentworth Custom Homes-Benjamin Moore Paints/TEO/Enders
21k Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY TIBchurch.org-Signal Cigarettes-Randy’s Smoke Shop/Bicknell/Mr. E
t21 Roger Chrysler/Lewiston,NY Frontenac Water-Randy’s Smoke Shop-Joey’s Sneaks-NECO/Bicknell/Nickel
22 Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE ResistO-Batiments JDL-Motel Drummond-Freightliner/Bicknell/Morrison
23 Billy VanInwegen/Sparrowbush,NY Len & Jo’s Restaurant/Bicknell/Precision
29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY Xtreme Lubricants/Bicknell/C.C. Performance
30 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE I.G.Burton Car Dealership-ReMax Realtor-L&W Ins./Bicknell/H&G Associates
33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA J & L Speed Supplies/Bicknell/Malcuit
34 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA Steve Hough Motors/PMC/JPM
m40 Mark Forte Jr./Blue Anchor,NJ Forte Motorsports/TEO/Finger Lakes
r40 Ryan Forte/Blue Anchor,NJ Forte Motorsports/TEO/Finger Lakes
42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Kevlar
43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY Flach Crane & Rigging-Gould Erectors & Riggers/Bicknell/Enders
48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY Magee Transportation Services-Monadnock Disposal Service/Bicknell/Morrison
49er Danny Johnson/Rochester,NYNick Nero Motorsports/Bicknell/Hi-Performance Chevrolet
56 Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY Affordable Landscaping-V & V Racing/Troyer/Enders
65 Rex King/Bristolville,OH Midway Garage Doors-RD Bank Chevrolet-GS Engine Poer/Bicknell/Jim Bailey
66w Wallace Stacey/Kahnawake,QUE Bully’s Truck Stop-CFF,Inc.-Unicast Crusher Parts/Bicknell/Morrison
77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY RezX Racing-Twin Leaf/Bicknell/Kevlar
79 Jeremy Markle/Port Jervis,NY Len & Jo’s Restaurant-Advance Recovery/Bicknell/Precision
85 Dan Vauter/Forest City,PA Vauter Racing/Bicknell/Enders
85j H.J. Bunting III/Milford,DE J&M Roofing & Builders-Art Collins Trucking/TEO/Medford Speed
91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY Gypsum Wholesalers-Stadium Int’l-Quality Hardwoods/Bicknell/Kevlar
97 Michel Chicoine/Ste-Cecile de Milton,QUE GMCI Express-E.Beaudry Enterprises/Bicknell/Enders
98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY HBR Motorsports-Wave Energy Drink-Mohawk Northeast/Troyer/Bruneau
99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Kevlar
165 Rex King Jr./Bristolville,OH Jim Brown Seed Sales-Reese Services-Cintas/Bicknell/Jim Bailey

39th Florida DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH Big-Block Modified Schedule
*All times and events subject to change.
Opening Night (Wed.-Feb. 10.)
26 Car Field Maximum
4 heats (8-laps) with 5 cars from each qualifying for 30-lap ‘A’ Feature
2 ‘B’-Features (10-laps) with 3 cars transferring
‘Heads Up’ Start for Feature from Qualifying events (No draw)
2nd & 3rd Nights (Thr.-Fri.)
26 Car Field Maximum
4 heats (8-laps) with 5 cars from each qualifying for ‘A’ Feature
2 ‘B’-Features (10-laps) with 2 cars transferring
2 Provisional Positions to highest finishing point earners not to qualify through the ‘B’-Features
(Top 8 – 1st and 2nd – from each heat Redraw)
Final Night (Sat.-Feb. 13)
28 Car Field Maximum
4 heats (8-laps) with 5 cars from each qualifying for ‘A’ Feature
2 ‘B’-Features (10-laps) with 3 cars transferring
2 Provisional Positions to highest finishing point earners not to qualify through the ‘B’-Features
(Top 8 – 1st and 2nd – from each heat Redraw)

General Daily Schedule:
10:00 am — Pit Gates Open, Transporter Parking, Team Entry
1:00 pm Pit Pass Sales Open
3:00 pm Pits Cleared, Pit Passes/Credentials required
4:40pm Grandstand, Midway areas cleared.
5:00pm Grandstand Gate opens
5:00pm Drivers meetings (All draws for starting position conclude at the end of the driver’s meeting)
6:00pm Hot Laps/ Qualifying
7:20 pm Opening Ceremonies
7:30 pm First Race