Fulton driver Richard Murtaugh will try to become the third DIRTcar Sportsman competitor to win consecutive Great Lakes 75 races when Super DIRT Week returns to Oswego Speedway in October.
Murtaugh, the defending Great Lakes 75 champion, is scheduled to pursue the repeat during Super DIRT Week 54, which runs Oct. 5-10.
A victory would put Murtaugh alongside Dave Marcuccilli and Matt Janczuk as the only Sportsman drivers to win the race in back-to-back years at Oswego.
Murtaugh said winning near his Fulton home in 2025 changed his career and raised his profile in the community. He took the lead early in last year's race and controlled much of the first 50 laps before late challenges from Emmett Waldron and Cody Manitta.
After a caution, Murtaugh said he struggled briefly to decide whether to run the top or bottom of the track while Waldron challenged from the outside. He regained his preferred line and pulled away to secure his first Super DIRT Week victory.
Building on a four-win season
The Great Lakes 75 was one of four DIRTcar Sportsman Series Championship victories Murtaugh earned in 2025, the most by any driver that season.
He is also pursuing the 2026 Sportsman Series championship, but said another Super DIRT Week victory remains his primary goal. His team keeps a car specifically for Super DIRT Week and other major races.
Murtaugh said the car won a $5,000 race at Devil's Bowl Speedway during the week before the release, adding to his confidence entering the October event.
He said a second straight Oswego victory would answer critics who described his first win as lucky or a fluke and would secure a place for his team in the event's record book.
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