RPW Exclusive: Erick Rudolph Has Turned Into A Real Contender For The Super DIRTcar Series Title
Column By: JOHN DOUGLAS / RPW – WEEDSPORT, NY – Erick Rudolph is quickly becoming a top tier modified racer on the dirt tracks of the Northeast.
The Ransomville, N.Y. native wasn’t always focused on the Big Block modifieds though. As a competitor on the NASCAR Whelen Modified tour, Rudolph found his way to the Super DIRTcar Series after leaving the asphalt world and has shown strength and consistency in 2018, making him one of the top contenders to shake up the landscape as we know it in Big Block Modified racing.
For the last decade there’s been a crop of drivers at the top of the modified ranks including Matt Sheppard and Stewart Friesen. Those two young drivers were the last pair to insert themselves into the upper echelons of the sport at a young age. Others have come along and had sporadic successes but haven’t shown the consistency it takes to be a long term staple of the sport. Rudolph however, has shown steady improvement over the last few seasons and is now in position to be included in that small crowd.
Rudolph’s one win in the Whelen Modified series was less than he’d hoped to accomplish in NASCAR’s oldest touring division. The grind of the tour and the relentless search for speed however, shaped Rudolph into a consistent racer.
On the dirt tracks of the Northeast, consistency is everything. Rudolph currently has eight top ten’s including 3 top five’s and a win at last Saturday Night’s Hall of Fame 100 at Weedsport Speedway. A track where his father himself graced victory lane. Rudolph’s consistency is evident and he has been rewarded for that consistency as he sits in second place in the overall point standings behind Matt Sheppard.
“We started out the year strong with a couple nice runs but we’ve had a couple issues with the car the last couple races.” Rudolph said after his third place run at Utica-Rome Speedway earlier in the year. “Hopefully we’ve shaken off those gremlins and we can put together a string of solid runs.”
It seems Rudolph’s team has done just that. The only thing left for Rudolph to accomplish is to become a consistent winner. With one win so far this season, Rudolph has a legitimate shot to win this year’s championship. However, consistent top ten’s and top five’s may not be enough to get the job done. It’s consistent winning that matters on this top tier of Big Block modified racing.
Matt Sheppard amassed twelve wins on last year’s tour, an incredible feat. However, it’s one he is capable of doing again. Stewart Friesen will not be a factor this year as in years past, as his focus shifts to the national spotlight and his full time gig with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. With Friesen out of the picture in the points race, Rudolph will have to make sure that he can grab a few of those wins away from Sheppard as he did on Saturday night to have a chance at the Championship crown.
The Super DIRTcar Series heads to Airborne Speedway for the Battle of Plattsburgh 100 on July 31st.
