RPW Exclusive: The Gap Is Closing: A Look At The 2018 Super DIRTcar Series Season To Date

Column By: JOHN DOUGLAS / RPW – VERNON, NY – In recent years, fans of the Super DIRTcar Series have gotten used to something. If Matt Sheppard unloads at the race track, he’s probably going to win.

However, the 2018 season hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for the man known as “SuperMatt” A resurgence of veteran talent this year has put Sheppard on notice that he and his team still have work to do if they wish to remain the dominant force in Big Block Modified racing.

Though the season is only seven races old, Sheppard and Stewart Friesen are tied with two wins a piece. Three other drivers have secured victories, and for all three of those competitors, it marks their first series triumphs in over a year.

In seasons gone by, if you wanted to beat Matt Sheppard, you had to hope for mechanical failure or other bad luck to befall the No. 9s. Now it appears that the competition may be catching up.

The first sign of change came at Brett Hearn’s The Big Show X at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway. Sheppard dominated in usual fashion, only to be thwarted with just five laps remaining by lapped traffic coming into play. Stewart Friesen was the eventual winner.

The Freedom Fighter 100 at Utica-Rome Speedway…one of Sheppard’s most successful venues…was a real eye opener. Sheppard has dominated the half-mile in recent years, but not on this night.

Not only was Jimmy Phelps the car to beat, leading all 100 laps, but Sheppard never contended for the top spot. However, he did have a solid top ten finish, which was enough to maintain his points advantage.

Danny Johnson’s victory at the Land of Legends Raceway in Canandaigua was well received by fans as he notched his 81st career Series victory. Sheppard came home a strong third, but was never really a factor for the top position all night.

Finally, Brett Hearn won the Series’ most recent event at Outlaw Speedway, bringing the Series win total for undoubtedly the most famous Big Block driver in history to 139. Sheppard managed to make his way to second, but after leader Stewart Friesen had trouble with nine-to-go, Matt tried but never had the car able to contest the winner.

Sheppard’s consistency has been the key to his season thus far. Sitting atop the Series points standings, he, like most racers, isn’t most likely worried about points totals as of yet. However, with a dozen wins during last year’s tour, it seems that the all-out performance gap Sheppard had over his competition has closed down a bit.

In fact, Sheppard’s 12 wins in 2017 were three times that of his next closest competition, Billy Decker. Decker only managed four checkered flags on the season.

In comparison, Sheppard’s two wins-to-date aren’t necessarily concerning, but the times do seem to be changing. If he doesn’t adapt to the new status quo, he could find himself behind the metaphorical 8-ball.

The driver from Waterloo, NY will need to focus on that consistency through the hot summer months if the all-out performance isn’t there. Maybe it is time to play the points game now, before it’s too late. Maybe nothing at all needs to change. Either way, this season is anything but a lock after seven events. For the Series itself, that’s may just be a great thing.

Closer competition and more players in the game are two things that will bring more fans to the track each time the Super DIRTcar Series takes to the racing surface.