After two races on 1/2-mile tracks, a bullring brawl awaits the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series this weekend.
The top Small Block drivers in the Northeast will visit Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in Fultonville, NY, on Sunday, June 7, for round three of the 2026 season.
Sunday’s race will be a 50-lap Feature, paying $4,000-to-win in the first of two events on a 1/4-mile track this season.
Joining the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series on Sunday are the track’s DIRTcar Sportsman, DIRTcar Pro Stock, 4-Cylinder, Limited Sportsman, and Slingshot divisions.
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Here’s a look at what to watch for at Glen Ridge:
Separated by 2: Entering Sunday’s battle at Glen Ridge, Mike Mahaney and Alex Payne are separated by two points after consistent starts to 2026.
Both drivers finished in the top five at Lebanon Valley Speedway and earned podium finishes during the Series’ last stop at Devil’s Bowl.
Mahaney has the advantage over Payne at Glen Ridge, finishing in the top five in five of his six starts at the bullring. Payne, meanwhile, has never made a start at the 1/4-mile track.
“Smooth Shoe” has been successful in Series events at tracks similar in size to Glen Ridge, finishing second in last year’s Series stop at Cornwall Motor Speedway.
Moving Up the Ladder: Following a 29th-place finish in the Series opener at Lebanon Valley, two-time and defending Series champion Mat Williamson bounced back by earning a win at Devil’s Bowl. That victory moved him into the top five in the Series standings, 36 points behind Mahaney.
To gain more points on the No. 35, he’ll need another good finish at a track he’s struggled to get top fives at over the past few seasons. Glen Ridge is one of the few tracks where Williamson has yet to reach Victory Lane and has only finished in the top five once in three starts.
A win by the St. Catharines, ON driver this weekend will be his 22nd career Series victory, tying Tim Fuller for fourth on the Series all-time wins list.
Rolling at the Ridge: Glen Ridge races DIRTcar 358 Modifieds weekly on Sundays, which means there’s a stout group of drivers with experience at the track aiming for a good result.
That starts with defending track champion Jordan McCreadie, who leads the track’s point standings with two victories. The Watertown, NY driver has eight Feature wins at “The Ridge,” but has yet to earn a Series victory at the bullring. However, he’s consistently been in contention, finishing third in each of the last two seasons.
A win by McCreadie this weekend would be his first career Series victory.
Another driver to watch on Sunday is the defending race winner, Brian Calabrese. The Johnstown, NY competitor drove from fifth to first to score his first career Series victory at Glen Ridge last year. Overall, Calabrese has two wins, 11 top fives, and 18 top 10s in 19 starts at the track.
DIRTcar 358 Modified Series regulars Lance Willix and Andrew Buff are also no strangers to Victory Lane at the track.
Willix, the 2024 Glen Ridge champion, won the Series event there that same season. The Theresa, NY driver has 17 overall wins and 32 top fives at the track, including a victory earlier this year. He’s currently tied for second in Glen Ridge’s points standings, 14 points behind McCreadie, and enters Sunday fourth in Series points – 32 points behind Mahaney.
Buff, from Latham, NY, has also been to Victory Lane on two occasions at “The Ridge,” scoring a win in each of the last two seasons. He’s currently eighth in the Series standings, 60 points out of the lead with a chance to win on his home turf.
2026 DIRTcar 358 Modified Series Schedule
Saturday, April 18/Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon, NY- Andy Bachetti
Saturday, April 25/Devil’s Bowl Speedway/West Haven, VT- Mat Williamson
Sunday, June 7/Glen Ridge Motorsports Park/Fultonville, NY
Thursday, June 11/Airborne Park Speedway/Plattsburgh, NY
Tuesday, June 30/Weedsport Speedway/Weedsport, NY
Wednesday, July 1/Can-Am Speedway/LaFargeville, NY
Wednesday, July 15/Utica-Rome Speedway/Vernon, NY
Sunday, Aug. 2/Cornwall Motor Speedway/Long Sault, ON
Tuesday, Aug. 25/Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville, NY
Friday, Sept. 11/Can-Am Speedway/LaFargeville, NY
Friday, Sept. 18/Mohawk International Raceway/Akwesasne, NY
Friday, Sept. 25/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, NY
Friday, Oct. 9/Oswego Speedway/Oswego, NY
Saturday, Oct. 17/Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville, ON
Current DIRTcar 358 Modified Series Standings
- Mike Mahaney 288
- Alex Payne -2
- Chris Raabe -20
- Lance Willix -32
- Mat Williamson -36
- Peter Britten -52
- Brad Rouse -52
- Andrew Buff -62
- Jack Butler -72
- Brendan Gibbons -78
For a complete look at the Series points standings, CLICK HERE.
This article was republished with permission from DIRTcar. The original article can be found here: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ne/358-modifieds/dirtcar-358-modified-series/what-to-watch-for-tight-point-battle-highlights-dirtcar-358-modified-series-stop-at-glen-ridge/
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