FAIR HAVEN, Vt. – Reigning Super DIRTcar Series champion Mat Williamson pocketed $10,000 for his victory in Saturday’s Slate Valley 100 big-block modified race at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Williamson drove by Mike Mahaney on a lap-85 restart and never looked back.
“It’s pretty cool to win this one,” Williamson said. “We won a few big ones back home and have come over and won a few races with Buzz.”
In two visits to the New England half-mile this year, Williamson has come away with two wins and a runner-up finish.
“It’s an awesome place,” Williamson said of Devil’s Bowl Speedway. “It’s very similar to Merrittville (Speedway) really. The corners here are the same in both ends which makes it configured a little different then Merrittville. But (turns) one and two are similar to how you race there. You enter on the bottom and slide up to the cushion and drive off to down the back and really throw it into three. I love Merrittville and this is my American version of it.”
Williamson said he knew he had to take advantage of every opportunity to get by Mahaney, which is exactly what he did with 15 laps left.
“Mike was really good,” Williamson said. “I knew I had to capitalize on the opportunities I was given. The restart seemed like it would be only shot. Luckily we could take his momentum away and then I could run my own line and the rest is history.”
For Williamson the victory gives him momentum heading into a busy week of racing in October.
“Next up for us is Dirt Week (DIRTcar OktoberFAST) and then down to Port Royal with Jeff (Behernt),” Williamson said. “We will try to make some money before the winter. Our guys work really hard and i want to perform for them.”
Mahaney settled for second, followed by Matt Sheppard, Larry Wight and Tim Fuller.