9/6/2024
Can-Am Speedway
Champions crowned for regular season at Can Am: Speedway to honor Hutchinson, Burr and White during Showdown Weekend
The 2024 Golden Jubilee season at the Can Am Speedway has been a memorable one with plenty of exciting action and emotional moments during the year.
Last week the regular season wrapped up with track champions crowned in all divisions.
Tim Fuller took his 4th straight Whitesboro Plow Shop DIRTCar 358 Modified championship. Fuller won 5 times on his way to the title, with a 74 point lead over Billy Dunn who won his third feature of the season. Lance Willix, Shaun Shaw and Ryan Bartlett completed the top 5. Willix was also crowned the overall DIRTCar 358 Modified Hoosier Tire Weekly Racing Series champion for a second straight year and will be honored for that at this years DIRTCar Northeast banquet.
The Bob Johnson Auto Group DIRTCar Sportsman division belonged to Mike Fowler as he scored his first ever track championship. Fowler won twice and was consistent all year. Fowler won the title by 8 points over Eric Nier who did what was needed, winning his first career feature Friday night. Gavin Eisele, Brennan Moore and Jessica Power rounded out the top 5 in points.
Josh Verne Jr. did what many dream about when winning a championship, by winning the season finale. Verne claimed his 4th of the season and 15th career win at Can Am in the Panther Frameworx Crate Sprints. Title rival Andrew Hennessy finished 2nd just 24 points behind with Tucker Donath, Ken Klinkowsky and George Sanford ending their season in the top 5.
Damien Bechler claimed two feature wins and also used consistency to win the 2024 Sundance Leisure Thundercar title. The Sackets Harbor native was solid all season long winning the title by 16 points over defending track champion Francis White. Tony Frezzo, Jared Gilson and OJ White completed the top 5. Anthony St. Mary Jr. finished just outside the top 5 this year but claimed 4 wins on the year, the most of all drivers.
The Donath Motorworx Limited Sportsman was all about winning races and Logan Brown did plenty of that in 2024. The Clayton New York driver won 7 races including the season finale last Friday night. Brady Howard finished the year with 5 wins on the season. Watertown’s Genavieve Bartlett was the only other driver to claim a win this season, scoring her only win on June 21st.
This weekend Can Am is set to honor three individuals who played an important role in the history of the speedway and helped get it to where it is today.
Richard Hutchinson was the “go to guy” at the speedway for so many years. Many staff and promoters Tyler and Michelle Bartlett say they could always rely on Dick to come help out in a time of need and Friday’s Super DIRTCar Series event will be a 67 lap contest in his honor.
The Sundance Leisure Thundercar division will honor legendary Modified driver Ron White with their annual memorial event on Saturday during the Showdown in September. White won countless races at many area speedways in his career. The division has honored White for several years and son Francis will be one of the many drivers looking for the coveted victory this year.
John Burr had the great ability to make those classic calls at Can Am and brought fans to the edge of their seats every night the cars were on track at the speedway. “We gotta green Can Am here we go!!” “This is what ya come to see Can Am! This is what ya come to see!” Just some of the classic calls he made from the booth over the years and Burr’s memory will be honored during the Bob Johnson Auto Group DIRTCar Sportsman race Saturday night.
The weekend will be packed as the R.D Hutchinson Memorial 67 for the Super DIRTCar Series headlines the night plus the DIRTCar Sportsman Championship Tour and a special appearance by the Crate Late Models. Hot laps begin at 5:45pm
Saturday the John Burr Memorial for the Bob Johnson Auto Group DIRTCar Sportsman will be on the card plus the Ron White Memorial for the Sundance Leisure Thundercars. The Empire Super Sprints will also return for the second time this year. Billy VanInwegen won his first career series race back in August and will be one of many tour regulars on hand. Racing on Saturday begins at 7pm.
Don’t forget to check out all the latest new on our website at racecanam.com and for instant updates give us a follow on Facebook. Also make us one of your favorites and follow the live timing and scoring at Can Am, on My Race Pass.
Article Credit: Tim Baltz
Submitted By: Tyler & Michelle Bartlett
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