Oswego Speedway wrapped up their pavement track schedule in September, but the racing did not stop there. Clay has been put down on the track surface for another Super DIRT Week. This will be the 50th running of the event since the first race in 1972.
The event brings a lot of racing fans to the City of Oswego for the weeklong event, but for two SUNY Oswego students, it is a chance to bring their passion for racing in front of peers and fans of DIRTcar.
Tyler Stevenson will race his DIRTcar Sportsman entry for the second time in the event after a successful second season racing in a dirt car. The Oswego State men’s lacrosse player had a successful summer at Can-Am Speedway in La Fargeville.
“We were really consistent,” Stevenson said. “We finished sixth in points this season. Considering it was my second season and last year we finished tenth in points, we will take it.”
Stevenson put his Fox 28 car in victory lane three times this summer at the track. The second-generation racer touched on how important it was to find that success as his family is a huge part of his racing endeavors.
“Ever since I was little, I have been working on a dirt modified,” Stevenson said. “My dad has raced for many years, and I took over while he is my crew chief now. He does everything on the car to help me out. I raced karts for five years. I would race on Friday night and my dad would race Saturday night.”
The family atmosphere in dirt racing is often seen at tracks across the United States and especially in the pits. This is exactly how Stevenson gets to race once the work week comes to an end.
“It is a family thing we do,” Stevenson said. “[Racing] has been in our family for a few years. My sister comes, my parents, and that is basically my crew. I would have my college buddies come up every once and a while.”
That is where Pat Egan fits into the puzzle. Stevenson and Egan met in the Oswego State Technology Department and Egan started helping Stevenson when the two talked about racing.
“The first race I went to was at Can-Am,” Egan said. “We go up there and it is a scramble to get stuff done. We could be changing stuff five minutes before [Stevenson] hopped into the car. There would be times when we would be putting tires on as he is about to drive out.”
Egan would travel with Stevenson and his family to as many races as he could make. Stevenson’s friend would work on his crew preparing the car on race days.
“You have to stay focused,” Egan said. “There is so much other stuff always going on around you. You have to stay calm, or you are going to make mistakes. You are going to forget to tighten a bolt and that is the last thing you want to do is have [Stevenson] get hurt out on the track because I messed up.”
Both Stevenson and Egan were a part of last year’s Super DIRT week. Egan touched on how special his first race was at Oswego Speedway.
“I really have not been to many other races before meeting [Stevenson],” Egan said. “The first night we walked in there we were looking around and there were hundreds of trailers and cars. Thousands of people with the same hobby in the same setting was pretty eye opening.”
Super DIRT Week returns to the racetrack for the 50th edition of the event. The event started at the Moody Mile on the site of the New York State Fairgrounds. After the 2015 event, the grandstands were torn down and the event moved 34.1 miles north to the Steel Palace.
Stevenson will compete in the DIRTcar Sportsman Series this coming week. The driver plans to qualify this upcoming weekend for the Outlaw 200 at Fulton Speedway before heading to Weedsport Speedway for the Super DIRT Week Kickoff Party on Oct. 4.
The DIRTcar Sportsman Series starts Oct. 7 with on track practice, time trials, and qualifying heats. Oswego State students can get tickets for only ten dollars for Friday Night Lights. Stevenson talked about the importance of having his peers and men’s lacrosse teammates in the stands to support his racing.
“It is a good group of guys we got,” Stevenson said. “My housemates who are not on the team come out and help me in the pits. I would text the lacrosse team when I am racing, and they would come and watch. They are not just there to be there; they are into it.”
Photo provided by Tyler Stevenson
