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Popular Event Returns to Can-Am Speedway for Golden Jubilee Season

The Golden Jubilee Season has been one for the history books and this coming Friday night a long time favorite will make its return to the speedway, after 26 years of sitting on the sidelines.

May 25th 1998, a budding superstar named Tim McCreadie took the checkered flag in the Summer Starter, which featured the best Big Block and 358 Modified drivers in the Northeast. The win was one of the first major events he added to his now huge collection of trophies. Little did the speedway know, it would be the last Summer Starter event until this year.

With it being the 50th season, Can-Am Speedway Management decided the event needed to come back for 2024 and this coming Friday night it will return as part of a full program of racing.

Of the 87 drivers who competed in the previous eight Summer Starter races, only two drivers are still part of the Whitesboro Plow Shop DIRTCar 358 Modified field these days and they just happen to be related. Three time and defending champion Tim Fuller and his Cousin Jeff Sykes both competed in the last event 26 years ago, with Fuller Finishing 12th and Sykes coming home 18th.

Along with Fuller, five other drivers share the lead with the most starts in the event. Two-time winner Alan Johnson, Bob McCreadie, Steve Paine, Danny O’Brien and Steve Roberts all have 6 starts in the race.

McCreadie, Paine and Johnson lead all drivers with 4 top five finishes, while McCreadie and Paine lead everyone with 6 top ten efforts.

Drivers from this current season will all be looking to win the event for the first time including opening day winner Billy Dunn, Lance Willix, Nick, Scott and Derek Webb, with Preston Forbes, Ryan Bartlett, Shaun Shaw, Andy Howard and Lucas Fuller all looking for their place in the history books.

Also on this night the DIRT Modified Nostalgia Tour makes their return to Can-Am. The Bob Johnson Auto Group DIRTCar Sportsman will be on the card for a 20 lap contest, plus the Panther Frameworx Crate Sprint Cars, Donath Motorworx Limited Sportsman and the popular Sundance Leisure Thundercars.

Gates open at 5pm with racing starting at 7pm. Don’t forget to check out our website at racecanam.com for the latest updates. For instant updates give us a follow on Facebook. If you can’t be there in person watch the show live on Dirt Track Digest TV and add us to your favorites on My Race Pass.

PAST SUMMER STARTER WINNERS:
1990- Bob McCreadie
1991- Danny Johnson
1992- Brett Hearn
1993- Rained out
1994- Alan Johnson
1995- Buzzie Reutimann
1996- Alan Johnson
1997- Bill Gill
1998- Tim McCreadie

Finishing order from the most recent Summer Starter May 25th 1998:
Can Am Speedway- Summer Starter 8
May. 25, 1998- 33 Laps
Position - Driver Name
1 - Tim McCreadie
2 - Billy Decker
3 - Pat Ward
4 - Alan Johnson
5 - Dale Planck
6 - Bob McCreadie
7 - Brett Hearn
8 - Doug Hoffman
9 - Mitch Gibbs
10 - Jack Johnson
11 - Bobby Varin
12 - Tim Fuller
13 - Vic Coffey
14 - Billy Wilcox
15 - Andy Bachetti
16 - Frank Cozze
17 - Todd Milton
18 - Jeff Sykes
19 - Scott Parliament
20 - Lansing Petzoldt
21 - Lee Gill
22 - Danny Johnson
23 - Chris Jones
24 - Jimmy Narrow
25 - Ray Bliss Jr.
26 - Dave Bartlett

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