Highlights
Hometown: Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Born: April 1, 1975
Team: HBR Motorsports
Entry: No. 98h Wave Energy Drink-Mohawk Northeast-Joe Gibbs Racing Oil /Troyer
Owners: Al Heinke & Tom Baldwin
2009 Season Review: Continuing to be distinguished as a model of consistency since his first full-fledge tour campaign in 2005, Phelps remains one of the most solid performers despite just five full seasons under his belt following the demanding Super DIRTcar Series. The steady Central New York chauffeur is recognized as the headline ‘house’ driver for Troyer Race Cars as he looks to climb the final hurdle and capture that elusive first career overall Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Modified Championship. Finishing in the front-four in points for the third straight year, the ‘B’Ville Blizzard’ hovered around the front-five all season, recording 14 Top-10 tallies in 20 extra-distance events. The popular pilot posted a pair of Integra Shocks Fast Times and for the second successive season scored his lone series win north of the border --- in 2009 at Cornwall Motor Speedway. In August a $17,500 payday was lost due to a blown rear-end with just four laps remaining at Lebanon Valley Speedway before Phelps fell 10 laps short of an elusive Rite Aid 200 victory at Syracuse when a soft tire foiled his best effort.
2009 Super DIRTcar Series Stats
Points Diff Money Wins Top-5 Top-10 Starts
1,887 -157 $35,550 1 8 14 20
Series History: Phelps has displayed gradual improvement every year, moving from ninth in the 2005 overall Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block standings to second in ’08 before settling for the show position last season with five tour triumphs tallied along the way. Phelps made his debut with the H&H Motorsports/Troyer tandem in June of ’05 at Lernerville (Pa.) Speedway, the end result was fourth quick time before rain pushed the Super DIRTcar Series show into August. He went on to set two more fast times, win some qualifying heats and lead some feature race laps yet still had to wait until the next summer to claim his first career tour triumph closer to home at Brewerton (NY) Speedway in August. Also setting seven career Integra Shocks Fast Times, Phelps has proven his ability to be just as competitive across the border as out-of-state, winning at Williams Grove (Pa.) Speedway in ’06, Merrittville in Thorold, Ontario in ‘08 and last summer at Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway to complement a pair of Series wins at Brewerton and Rolling Wheels Raceway Park.
DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Diary
DIRTcar Super DIRTcar Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels
Year Circuit Wins Series Wins Mr. DIRTcar Points
2009 3 1 3rd
2008 4 1 2nd
2007 10 1 4th
2006 3 2 7th
2005 2 -- 9th
2004 1 -- 43rd
2003 -- -- 25th
2002 1 -- 26th
2001 1 -- 24th
2000 -- -- 19th
1999 -- -- --
1998 -- -- --
1997 1 -- 48th
Totals: 26 5
DIRTcar Racing Record: Prior to Phelps’ 2005 campaign, the only Super DIRTcar Series experience outside of his Central New York neighborhood was generated at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway and Lowe's (N.C.) Dirt Track, and the most tour events run in a single season were a half-dozen. Phelps now owns 26 career DIRTcar Big-Block feature wins ---with a season-best 10 posted in ’07--- and 11 in 358-Modified competition with two more in the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified ranks. On the local circuit, he owns Big-Block track titles in the Empire State at Cayuga County Fair and Fulton speedways and was high-point man at Rolling Wheels in 2007.
Fun Facts: While his growing household of wife Shannon and daughters Ashley and Sadie takes up the majority of any free time away from racing, other than his job in the family business working for father Andy (owner) and uncle Jim Bowman in the maintenance shop, Phelps enjoys snowmobiling and music, catching episodes of his favorite television show ‘The Office’ and rooting for the NFL Miami Dolphins on the gridiron.
