YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Dirt track racing is in full swing, but the weather has not exactly been cooperating.
Rain, wind and cold temperatures are something race tracks have had no shortage of dealing with in the early portions of 2024. Wet weather forced three tracks to postpone racing over the Easter holiday weekend, including BAPS Motor Speedway.
The Super Sportsman class at BAPS has already had two of its racing events postponed due to weather. Drivers say it's all part of the early racing season and they just need to be ready when their names are called.
"March and April racing is one of those things where you don't know if you're going to get it in or not," said Kenny Edkin, No. 75 driver in the Super Sportsman class. "They schedule it and nine times out of ten it rains out or you have bad weather."
The ever-changing schedules force a preparation process that requires the whole team to be hands on deck.
"We spend a lot of time getting these cars together and [getting] them ready, and you predict throughout the week what the weather is going to do," said Troy Rhome, No. 00 driver in the Super Sportsman class. "You set your car up for what the weather is supposed to be like, [but] the rain has really been killing us lately. It's tasking to keep these things situated for the track conditions when you don't know what the weather is going to be like. It's a full-time job to keep these things top-notch, to keep them where they should be. It's a whole team effort, it's not just one person."
Luckily, with the rain holding out on Saturday, it was a go for racing at BAPS and a chance to carry out its belated Easter festivities.
Many eyes were on the Super Sportsman class where Edkin, the 2023 champion, had already started hot with a win in the season's opening event. The feature event started with Rhome on the pole and Edkin tailing right behind him. However, it was the driver sitting in fifth to start the race that would end up charging through the field for some revenge.
Scott Dellinger, No. 30 driver in the Super Sportsman Class, finished 2nd last year behind Edkin; it's a battle that began in 2024.
"We've raced each other a lot of years," said Dellinger. "We know what to expect from one another, who's going to give and who's going to take."
Dellinger made his way through the field and by the early portion of the race, was able to pass Rhome on the inside for the lead. Along with a handful of yellows, it was a back-and-forth affair between Edkin and Dellinger, but in the end No. 30 was able to pull away to take his first checkered flag of the season.
"To beat him was a pretty stellar moment at the beginning of the year," said Dellinger. "[Edkin] has been on [his] game the last two or three years, so it's a feather in our hat to pull something like that off. [It] puts you right back in the hunt of things."
In the season standings, Dellinger sits 25 points behind Edkin who has tallied 200 points two races in.