Frank Cozze has been coming to the New York State Fairgrounds landmark oval for 40 years. Sunday afternoon proved to be more than a happy ending as he captured the biggest DIRTcar Modified victory of his career in the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Rite Aid 200 to close out the 37th edition of Super DIRT Week on the storied Syracuse Mile.“I don’t even know what to say, I’m kind of choked up,” Cozze said while in victory lane. Now at the age of 53, the seasoned veteran from Wind Gap, Pennsylvania becomes the oldest driver to win DIRTcar NorthEast’s premier event for Big-Block Modifieds with the $50,000 top prize going toward an early retirement fund. “Everybody did such a great job … my brother spotting in the stands … all my sponsors … just so many people I don’t know who to thank first.”
Joining Cozze on center stage this Columbus Day Weekend were second-generation chauffeur Matt Sheppard and fellow Pennsylvania pilot Duane Howard, while a late-race charge afforded Canadian standout Stewart Friesen fourth-place just ahead of pole-winner and 2004 Rite Aid winner Tim Fuller.
“Nobody, I mean nobody, gets the gas mileage we got all week,” declared Cozze, who would ultimately circle the Syracuse Mile the last 129 laps on one tank of gas, with a handful of his closest challengers running dry as the final laps clicked off. Cozze went in for his pitstop on lap 71. Special thanks to Tom Skibinski, who his the PR Coordinator for DIRT Motorsports NE for the help with this article.
Steven Petty
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