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DEREK WAGNER SETS HIS SIGHTS ON 2025

Derek Wagner of Middleport, NY came into 2024 as the two-time defending Stirling Lubricants Champion. Making it three in a row is a tough feat to accomplish and Wagner found himself in an uphill battle early.

“We had such a rough start in 2024, it’s tough when you come off of two straight championships,” said Wagner. Despite having a very competitive season scoring 10 top ten’s and 6 top five’s, he would score only one victory. To say the Stirling Lubricants Sportsman class is highly competitive would be an understatement.

Wagner got his stock car racing experience, before moving into the Stirling Lubricants Sportsman, racing Mod Lites and Four Cylinders, traveling from New York to Virginia. 

Derek has one of the best wenches in local short track racing on his team…Dave Botsford, who worked with DIRTcar Modified racing stars Danny Johnson and Alan Johnson. Dave is also Derek’s father-in-law. Derek married Dave’s daughter, Shannyn, in October 2023.

Derek has eight career Ransomville Speedway Stirling Lubricants Sportsman feature victories and crossed one major event off his bucket list in 2024, by driving at Charlotte Motor Speedway this past October to compete in the Short Track Championships. Over 500 cars filled the pit area for the three day stint, approximately 37 of them being DIRTcar Sportsman.  

“I’ve always wanted to do that, but we were off after we messed up on the set up on the final night. The competition is so tough. We started tenth and got up as high as seventh”.

Derek’s biggest career victory was the 2017 King of the Hill, the final year they ran the Sportsman class for the King of the Hill.

Derek is dedicated to the Stirling Lubricants Sportsman class and shows no interest in moving up to the Krown Undercoating 358 Modifieds,“I like what I’m driving now, so I’m staying put.”

Sponsoring Derek Wagner Racing is Performance MFG, Eleanor Delilah, Villianis Lawn Landscape, Five Star Automotive, Drum Oil & Propane, N & M Farms, Pudgies Veggies, Harris Beach, Sigmamotor, Fish’s Automotive, Don & Jacquie O, Shelby Crushed Stone, CB Crane,
Wandering Trails Taxidermy, Middleport Tractor, Spanky, Meg and Gary and Milne Mfg, Hydro Fab, Memory of Ma Bailey and noclassratsgarage.

Along with Dave Botsford, Lyle Demmin, Scot Newman. Larry Wagner and Jesse Cottriss, who also competes in the Ransomville Speedway Krown Undercoating 358 Modifieds.

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