Derrick McGrew Jr Shines For Capital District Sportsman Modified Racers While Pole Sitter Zach Buff Struggles During Great Lakes 75 At Super Dirt Week

10/11/25: Derrick McGrew Jr. of Ballston Spa, NY charged from 18th to 5th at Super Dirt Week 53 in the Great Lakes 75 DIRTcar Sportsman fall championship. He led all CDRA regulars and notable mentions. (Bill McGaffin Photo | RPW 2025)

OSWEGO, NY – Of all Capital District racers to qualify for the Great Lakes 75 DIRTcar Sportsman championship race at Super Dirt Week 53, it was Ballston Spa, NY racer Derrick McGrew Jr. whose talent light shined bright. McGrew led all CDRA regulars and notable mentions with an impressive fifth place finish when the checkered flag flew.

McGrew Jr. started his qualifying week off just 64th on the speed charts after practice with a lap time of 22.906. His team, led by his championship and multiple-feature winning father Derrick Sr., went to work to find speed in the Next Generation Roofing, West End Towing & Repair, and Herron Realty number 26 Bicknell Racing Chassis.

The young gun was able to find that speed and begin his trend forward by timing 8th overall in his time trial group, which featured some heavy hitting Sportsman Modified competitors such as Chad Edwards, Jessica Power, Mike Fowler, Brett Sears, and Donovan Lussier to mention a few.

Speaking of Canadian racer Donovan Lussier, Derrick McGrew Jr. would find himself in the pits early during his 15-lap qualifying event after inadvertent contact with Lussier resulted in attention required by the 26 crew. He’d return to the speedway and charge to a fifth-place finish locking McGrew into the 18th starting position for the Great Lakes 75.

Patience was key for young McGrew. With multiple wins to his credit in 2025, the CDRA notable mention had 75 laps to make his mark on Super Dirt Week, and he did just that. Starting 18th, he’d methodically begin hustling the high side and dodging accidents on his way forward. He’d even find himself in a wildly entertaining race with the DIRTcar Sportsman series point leader Shane Pecore.

After a spirited run past 13 other competitors, McGrew crossed the finish line solidly in 5th. Tops of all Capital District racers at Super Dirt Week 53 and leading all CDRA regulars and notable mentions. A valiant effort and another top five finish in the Great Lakes 75 for the Ballston Spa, NY racer who is a chip off the old block.

Hopes were high for Zach Buff who started on the pole, but never really seemed to capture the setup for the 75-lap main event. An uncharacteristically struggle-filled performance saw Buff slide back to finish 12th. Tough day at the office for the Glen Ridge track champion.

Chris Crane Jr. out of Canaan, CT was the only other CDRA regular or notable mention to qualify for the Great Lakes 75. Crane started 25th and was looking at cracking the top 15 before an unfortunate accident that started ahead of him sent him to the pits. He’d return and manage to finish 24th place.

For little brother Connor ‘kid cushion’ Crane, and fellow CDRA regulars and notable mentions Tavien Blowers and Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald, they sadly missed the cut and were not qualified to run the Great Lakes 75. Next year expect them to come back with a notebook and fierce determination to qualify at Super Dirt Week.

UP NEXT FOR CDRA: Next up for CDRA are the annual Honors awards, which will be released December 19th just one week before Christmas. They include honoring the Champion Tim Hartman Jr., Newcomer Of The Year (NOTY) Nick Brundige, the Driver Of The Year (DOTY), Outstanding Performance Of The Year (OPTY), Fan Favorite Of The Year (FOTY), Honorable Mentions Of The Year (HOTY), and the top 10 drivers in final point standings.

CDRA is a nostalgic throwback to CVRA days. Each season consists of a diverse schedule based around storied dirt tracks in the Capitaland such as Albany-Saratoga, Lebanon Valley, and Glen Ridge. Drivers who participate have the opportunity to earn hardware and monetary rewards for their efforts.

For more information on CDRA visit http://www.cdraracing.com on the web. Fans and drivers can also find CDRA on Social Media at http://www.facebook.com/cdraracing. Be sure to save, like, and follothee faw.

Anyone interested in joining CDRA family of marketing partners can contact the series via website, phone, or e-mail.

Official Primary CDRA Marketing Partners For 2025 include: Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Lebanon Valley Speedway, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, JAM Performance, Elmo’s Speed Supply.

Official Associate CDRA Partners For 2025 Include: Fox Racing Shox, SD Marketing and Designs LLC, Herrington Farms LLC, J-Tees Screen Printing, McGaffin Family Photography, and Final Reward Trophies.

Official Affiliate CDRA Partners For 2025 Include: DIRTcar Racing, Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, GM Performance 602 Crate Engines, Mad Skins Race Car Bodies, Cordova Plumbing & Heating, Bart Contracting, Hayes Trucking & Excavating, New Deals Used Cars, Joe Wilkinson & Sons Excavating, County Waste, and Doug Wholey Ideal Excavation.

Official Media | Social Partners For 2025 Include: Area Auto Racing News, Hazilla Brands, My Race Pass, DIRTvision, DTDtv, Race Pro Weekly, Dirt Track Digest, Race New York, Doug’s Dirt Diary.

Official CDRA Race Titles For 2025 Include: Sportsman Modified Spring Showdown (ALB), Montgomery County Brawl (GRMP), Flying Trowel 32 (ALB), Rumble At The Ridge (GRMP), Mr. Crate Track USA (LVS), and Great Crate Classic – Malta Massive Weekend (ALB).

Information shared about partners in Capital District Racing Association is obtained via website, social media, and/or track press. Info included but not limited to winner’s share, formats, laps, sponsors, or schedule dates are subject to change.

For the latest news, results, point standings, and more about the CDRA Series presented by JAM Performance and Elmo’s Speed Supply, please visit http://www.cdraracing.com.

Buff and McGrew Roar Into Great Lakes 75 DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Race At Super Dirt Week 53; Crane, Blowers, and Fitzgerald In LCS Events

10/10/25: Zach Buff continues to impress at Super Dirt Week 53. CDRA regular has won the pole and his qualifier ahead of the Great Lakes 75 DIRTcar Sportsman event. (Bill McGaffin Photo | RPW 2025)

OSWEGO, NY – Five Sportsman Modified racers from the Capital District have locked into the Great Lakes 75 DIRTcar Sportsman Championship race today at Super Dirt Week 53 in Oswego, NY. Of those drivers two are CDRA regulars and notable mentions. Zach Buff is the SRI Performance and Stock Car Steel Aluminum pole sitter and Derrick McGrew Jr. will start 18th.

Short and sweet, Zach Buff is having a dream week at the Clay Palace. The Amsterdam, NY racer set DIRTcar Sportsman chat on fire after earning the SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel and Aluminum pole award for today’s Great Lakes 75 championship race. He backed that up by storming to a 15-lap qualifier win.

Derrick McGrew Jr. led CDRA notable mentions following Thursday night qualifiers. The Ballston Spa, NY racer started his 15-lap qualifying event in trouble after inadvertent contact with Donovan Lussier sent him to the pits. He rejoined the field and raced his way to a 5th place finish earning the 18th starting spot in the Great Lakes 75 DIRTcar Sportsman championship event on Saturday.

Chris Crane Jr. will lead the charge of CDRA regulars and notables attempting to make the big show through the last chance qualifiers today. The Canaan, CT racer will be joined in LCS action by little brother Connor, Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald, and Tavien Blowers. All of these drivers will be looking to transfer to the main 75-lap event.

Next up for CDRA racers at Super Dirt Week 53 after LCS races will be the Great Lakes 75 DIRTcar Sportsman Fall Championship. A crown jewel for the Sportsman Modified teams and a victory would catapult someone to another level.

Anyone interested in joining CDRA family of marketing partners can contact the series via website, phone, or e-mail.

Official Primary CDRA Marketing Partners For 2025 include: Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Lebanon Valley Speedway, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, JAM Performance, Elmo’s Speed Supply.

Official Media | Social Partners For 2025 Include: Area Auto Racing News, Hazilla Brands, My Race Pass, DIRTvision, DTDtv, Race Pro Weekly, Dirt Track Digest, Race New York, Doug’s Dirt Diary.

For the latest news, results, point standings, and more about the CDRA Series presented by JAM Performance and Elmo’s Speed Supply, please visit http://www.cdraracing.com.

The Right Stuff Zach Buff Earns SRI Performance Pole For Great Lakes 75 Sportsman Modified Championship Race At Super Dirt Week 53

10/09/25: Zach Buff led all CDRA regulars and notable mentions in qualifying at Super Dirt Week 53. (Bill McGaffin Photo | RPW 2025)

OSWEGO, NY – For the first time in his Sportsman Modified racing career Zach Buff will lead the field to green Saturday at the Clay Palace in Oswego, NY to start the Great Lakes 75 DIRTcar championship event. He bested 83 fellow competitors to earn the SRI Performance and Stock Car Steel Aluminum pole award.

The Latham, NY racer led the charge for CDRA regulars and notable mentions attempting to qualify for the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified portion of Super Dirt Week 53. Buff, a series regular, and Capital District winner and track champion, has multiple top five finishes and a win to his credit in CDRA points paying races.

Buff went to work with his pops to find speed in his West End Towing & Repair 01 Bicknell Racing Chassis after showing up 39th on the speed charts after practice. Find speed they did indeed, as he ripped the lip for a lap time of 23.071 and topping the head-to-head Super Six round to end qualifying as the mark to beat. I guess one could say, Buff had the right stuff.

“You really have to work hard and come here with the best you’ve got. Everything has to be perfect on these cars if you want to run up front. Me and my dad have been in the shop nonstop trying to find the speed we’re looking for, and it looks like we finally did,” said Buff in an interview with DIRTVisions Rich Vleck.

Next up for CDRA racers at Super Dirt Week 53 would be the Crane’s Outdoor Power Equipment 711 of Chris Crane Jr. from Canaan, CT. Junior has multiple top five finishes and two points paying wins to his credit in CDRA action, and found himself 13th on the speed charts after practice. He would improve to 10th in time trial group one with a time of 23.624.

Little bro Connor Crane, also from Canaan, CT, was next up for CDRA notable mentions after clocking in 11th in group three with a time of 23.645. A significant improvement from practice where he found himself 22nd on the speed charts. Connor wowed the Malta, NY crowd with a slide job clinic during Massive Weekend for a Great Crate Classic victory for kid cushion.

Ballston Spa, NY racer and CDRA notable mention Derrick McGrew Jr. was deep on the speed charts after practice in 64th, but vastly improved during time trial group two to earn 8th fastest with a time of 23.734. McGrew, a viable title contender, has multiple top 10 finishes in CDRA points paying races to his credit.

Gansevoort, NY racer Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald found himself roughly mid-pack after practice on the speed charts, but did improve a bit to earn 12th fastest in time trial group one with a lap time of 23.880. Mikey Waggs was in the hunt for the Season Two (2025) title and NOTY honor until missing a pair of mid-season races. Good kid and notable mention without a doubt.

CDRA regular Tavien Blowers of Caroga Lake, NY has struggled to find speed at Super Dirt Week. He’s a resilient competitor with drive and determination to improve, so after being buried deep in practice on the speed charts he picked up the pace a bit to land 16th in time trial group three with a lap time of 23.887. If Blowers could find half a second of speed, he’d be in the top 10.

Practice and time trials are complete for the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified at Super Dirt Week 53. The ‘Super Six’ are locked in and part of the field is set. Next we’ll report on how these Capital District racers fair during qualifying events. Continued well wishes and good luck to all Capitaland racers at Super Dirt Week.

Anyone interested in joining CDRA family of marketing partners can contact the series via website, phone, or e-mail.

Official Primary CDRA Marketing Partners For 2025 include: Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Lebanon Valley Speedway, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, JAM Performance, Elmo’s Speed Supply.

Official Media | Social Partners For 2025 Include: Area Auto Racing News, Hazilla Brands, My Race Pass, DIRTvision, DTDtv, Race Pro Weekly, Dirt Track Digest, Race New York, Doug’s Dirt Diary.

For the latest news, results, point standings, and more about the CDRA Series presented by JAM Performance and Elmo’s Speed Supply, please visit http://www.cdraracing.com.

CDRA Sportsman Modified Regulars Slap Clay Running At Super Dirt Week In Crown Jewel Of Northeast Dirt Racing Post Season

10/6/25: Chris Crane Jr., who has 2 CDRA wins to his credit, is at Super Dirt Week 53 looking to win another crown jewel event for Sportsman Modifieds. (Bill McGaffin Photo | RPW 2025)

OSWEGO, NY – While the points season has concluded for Sportsman Modified competitors in the JAM Performance & Consulting CDRA racing presented by Elmo’s Speed Supply, the ‘post-season’ racing is getting good. This week the Clay Palace hosts Super Dirt Week 53 where a handful of series regulars chase a Northeast dirt racing crown jewel.

Whenever possible CDRA tries to work in conjunction with DIRTcar Sportsman Modified events at the Ridge, the Valley, or the Great Race Place. These races, which double as points paying races for CDRA, typically highlight the season schedule for competitors in the Sportsman division with all roads leading to Super Dirt Week.

For Super Dirt Week 53 a six-pack of drivers considered CDRA regulars or notable mentions have taken to the Clay Palace chasing a career defining victory. Those drivers include series regulars Tavien Blowers and Zach Buff, along with series notable mentions Chris Crane Jr., Connor Crane, Derrick McGrew Jr., and Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald. All top 10 in final CDRA points in 2025.

Zach Buff from Latham, NY has earned top five finishes in final point standings two consecutive seasons of CDRA racing. His best finish was a win during Season One (2024) at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in the Montgomery County Brawl. Buff is a track champion, DIRTcar series champion, CDRA series title contender, and rolls into Super Dirt Week looking for a dub.

Canaan, CT racer Chris Crane Jr. is a notable mention. He’s yet to compete with full-time status with CDRA, but has run roughly 75% of scheduled races. In doing so, Crane Jr. has found himself top 10 in final point standings in both Season One (2024) and Season Two (2025). Crane also has two CDRA wins to his credit. A versatile young racer looking for another massive win.

Chris’s little brother Connor Crane, also from Canaan, CT roared into 2025 hustling the high side so well, he earned the nickname ‘Kid Cushion’ from his fans. In six starts with CDRA this notable mention has only finished outside the top 10 one time, in 14th place respectively. Connor also earned a Malta Massive win in CDRA action claiming victory in the Great Crate Classic this season.

Ballston Spa, NY young gun Derrick McGrew Jr. has a mentor in dear old dad who knows how to contend for wins and championships. Jr. has six CDRA points paying starts to his credit where he earned multiple top 10 finishes and was in contention for the NOTY in Season Two (2025). This notable mention could contend again in Season Three (2026) with ‘Super’ momentum on his side.

CDRA is a perfect tour for racers like Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald. A Capital District kid, this talented notable mention was in contention for the NOTY and title this season until missing a pair of races mid-season. His best series finish was 7th at Glen Ridge back in August for Rumble At The Ridge. ‘Mikey Waggs’ was to make his mark starting with a solid performance at Super Dirt Week.

“Super Dirt Week has always been a special race to me. Even though I was disappointed with what they did to the mile, it’s still our sports Super Bowl. It is the crown jewel, and we’ll support our series racers that venture there yearly through our platform. It’s what we do here with CDRA. We promote our tracks, our partners, and the stars of the show, our racers,” said CDRA competition director Rob Hazer.

UP NEXT FOR CDRA: Next up for CDRA are the annual Honors awards, which will be released December 19th just one week before Christmas. They include honoring the Champion Tim Hartman Jr., Newcomer Of The Year (NOTY) Nick Brundige, the Driver Of The Year (DOTY), Outstanding Performance Of The Year (OPTY), Fan Favorite Of The Year (FOTY), Honorable Mentions Of The Year (HOTY), and the top 10 drivers in final point standings.

Anyone interested in joining CDRA family of marketing partners can contact the series via website, phone, or e-mail.

Official Primary CDRA Marketing Partners For 2025 include: Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Lebanon Valley Speedway, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, JAM Performance, Elmo’s Speed Supply.

Official Media | Social Partners For 2025 Include: Area Auto Racing News, Hazilla Brands, My Race Pass, DIRTvision, DTDtv, Race Pro Weekly, Dirt Track Digest, Race New York, Doug’s Dirt Diary.

For the latest news, results, point standings, and more about the CDRA Series presented by JAM Performance and Elmo’s Speed Supply, please visit http://www.cdraracing.com.