Slack and Fuller Ready to Prove Team Combination at Super DIRT Week
Story By: MANDEE PAUCH / DIRTcar SERIES MEDIA
Photos By: DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
WEEDSPORT, NY –September 28, 2016- With just a few days ’til go-time, drivers and crew are gearing up for the 45th annual NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week at Oswego Speedway. In addition to the new location of Super DIRT Week the 358 Small-Block Modifieds will now be allowed to run a W-16 motor for the first time in DIRTcar competition for the Riccelli-Northern Salute the Troops 150 on Saturday, October 8.
One of the teams to take advantage of the early entry for Super DIRT Week in the 358-Modified division are car owners Randy and Bobby Slack.
Randy and Bobby Slack have been long-time supporters of the 358 Small-Block Modifieds in the Northeast. With costs creeping up, the Slacks are big advocates for making a more affordable motor to run in the small block division. You will find them taking advantage of this new rule by running a W-16 motor at NAPA Super DIRT Week.
“I’ve put a lot of time, effort and money into this whole deal, not just for my own benefit but to save 358 racing up here,” Bobby Slack said about the new motor rule. “Last year we were basically the only ones allowed to run the W-16 motor. We were basically the designated test car.”
Slack expects this new W-16 motor to gain momentum. “It’s such a simple motor. You don’t have to set the valves. As long as you change the oil every four weekends and keep clean air filters on it and keep it maintained, it’ll be good.”
To show the potential of the W-16 motor, Slack drove up to Can-Am Speedway with the motor out of his car and put it in Billy Dunn’s car. Dunn would go on to claim the win.
In fact, Randy- and Bobby Slack-built W-16 motors have made their way to victory lane several times with multiple drivers. This summer they towed six hours from Merrittville to Mohawk Speedway with their car, this time with Tim Fuller behind the wheel.
“We started last in the feature and killed them. We’ve got one race together and one win with that motor,” Fuller said. “That’s when they asked me to run Super DIRT Week with them.”
Fuller thinks this engine is a good concept to get more 358 drivers from the Sportsman division. “Giving the Sportsman guys a chance to run in the 358s for about $12,000 is a great idea. There are some guys that need to move up because they dominate the Sportsman division. It’ll give the kids coming into it a fair shot. It is a cheaper motor option by about half.”
Fuller is confidant going into Super DIRT Week with Randy and Bobby Slack, both with the motor and with the team. “We’re all in the land of the unknown of what it’s going to do, but I think it’s going to be really good for the race.”
Slack believes they may be the only ones attempting to tackle Super DIRT Week with this W-16 motor. “The motors work really nice on those big tracks. I’m really interested to see how it goes. We proved it was good at Mohawk and Can-Am. We want to prove to ourselves and everyone else that it’s a good option.”
