Circle Track Parts

Decker Outlasts Hearn to Snag Inaugural Jan Corcoran Memorial

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. -- Former fairgrounds points champion Billy Decker returned to familiar territory Tuesday night, outlasting all-time tour titlist Brett Hearn to capture the first-ever Jan Corcoran Memorial as part of the 32nd Annual Super DIRTcar Series presented by Klein Steel Retail and Promotion Custom Metal Fab at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.

Decker topped a stellar field of Big-Block Modified entries in the series first visit to the ‘Land of Legends’ since 2009, collecting a $3,000 top prize in the 64-lap headline event.

Open-wheel veteran Steve Gray (NAPA Sportsman Modified) and Central New York full-fender standout Russ Marsden (Parts Plus Stock Car) claimed checkered flags in companion Corcoran Memorial events in honor of track promoter Jeremie Corcoran’s late mother who passed away last October at age 64.

Unseasonably cool temperatures greeted 39 Big-Block teams that signed in for round two of the 2011 Super DIRTcar Series, with Decker staying hot by improving one position from his runner-up tally posted in the tour lid-lifter on May 29 at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y.

“Canandaigua is a pretty special place, seems like the guys that have success here have success all over (the circuit),” remarked Decker, 46, who scored his last series win at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway in March of 2010 and has now reached the SDS winner’s circle 55 times. A fourth tour triumph at CMP pushed his career track total to 17, with 2008 marking his most recent trip to victory lane in wine country prior to Flag Day.

“We had a mediocre car most of the race, even slid back to fourth but had a really good restart (lap 45). Seems like the track kind of changed a bit and fit our car really well and it started rolling. I’m just tickled to get away with one (win) tonight,” said Decker, who captured his lone Canandaigua points title in 1998, the same year the Unadilla, New York driver earned his first overall Mr. DIRTcar crown.

By luck of the draw after four qualifying heats and two consis determined the 31 car starting grid, Decker filed in outside the front row alongside pole-sitter Matt Sheppard. Current CMP points leader and already winner in four of the opening five feature races, Sheppard seemed destined for yet another first-place check before Decker reeled in ‘Super Matt’ for the final lead change on lap 46.

“I was throwing everything I had at Matt, he was just driving away.

10 Questions With GM Performance Parts Circle Track Guru, Bill ...

We had the opportunity to sit down with Bill Martens, the resident Circle Track guru at GM Performance Parts, and talk about the sport with him. Bill shared with us his insight and opinions on many aspects of the Circle Track world, and we’re happy to be able to share the conversation with you.

Bill, if someone was interested in getting involved with this sport, what sort of insight would you offer?

Circle Track racing, either asphalt or dirt, has a class for everybody. From the most basic street or import stock vehicle, all the way up to super late models at the top of the grassroots-type classes, there’s a direct equation that comes to mind, which is: Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go? If you’re interested, the best thing to do is find a local track in your area and go down and just spend some time in the pits. Look around at the various classes of cars and talk to the drivers. These drivers are — for the most part — very accessible, and pit passes are generally included as part of your ticket. The drivers will tell you what it takes to get involved and stay involved in this sport.

If you want to get started, especially for the really young guys, the best avenue is to offer your services to another team. You’re probably going to be working on a volunteer basis, but you’ll absolutely get a real taste for what this sport is all about. And once you see the sheer amount of time and hard work that goes into this behind the scenes, you’ll be able to decide if this is your cup of tea or not. It’s a significant investment of time and money, and it’s a lot of hard work. The pits at many of these tracks are not paved, so you’ll spend a lot of time on your back in the dirt and mud.

Who are the major sanctioning bodies?

The three that GMPP is partnered with for 2010 are Dirt Motorsports (a new partnership for this year), IMCA, primarily in their sport-mod class, the ASA Late Model Series (which is an asphalt series and uses the 8604 motor), and Fastrak Racing, which is a late-model series on dirt based primarily in the Midwest and southeast United States. And last but not least is the Nesmith Chevrolet Late Model Series, which runs primarily in the southern tier states, Mississippi to Georgia, and uses both of GMPP’s most popular engines, the CT350 and CT400. These are supplemented around the country by rules options that allow these engines to participate in many classes at many tracks. Definitely check with your local track regarding allowable engines in their specific classes.

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