By ohnson 
Mike Mahaney has consistently spent every February of his racing career in Upstate New York, yearning to be competing with the drivers of the Super DIRTcar Series at Volusia Speedway Park during the DIRTcar Nationals. And now, his long-awaited wish has finally materialized. In just a little over a week, he will seize his very first opportunity to bring home a highly sought-after gator trophy.
The driver from King Ferry, N.Y., along with his Buzz Chew Chevrolet team, is currently perfecting the final details of their Performance Engines by Billy the Kid powered Troyer Cars, all in preparation for their journey south to kick off the season under the warm Florida sun.
“This is an absolutely amazing opportunity,” declared Mahaney. “I have always yearned to be there, and now I get the chance to be present and discover what it’s all about. We’re eager to see what we can achieve.”
This marks Mahaney’s second year at the helm of the Buzz Chew No. 88 vehicle. The team was assembled last off-season after the Buzz Chew team made the switch from the pavement world to dirt racing. Despite a sluggish start, they began to find their rhythm during the summer and concluded the season on a positive note. Mahaney is hopeful of maintaining this progress during their trip to the Sunshine State.
“I have the distinct feeling that we are way ahead of where we were last year in terms of preparedness,” remarked Mahaney. “Towards the end of last year, we were performing far better than our initial stages. Even now, while working in the shop, we have organized our equipment even more effectively than before. I am indebted to Buzz for this. He has made it feasible for me to work with equipment that I could only have dreamt of prior to joining his team last year.”
Mahaney attributes this improvement to the unwavering dedication and hard work that the team has invested since its formation. They have been constantly making alterations and adjustments to reach a stage where they function seamlessly together.
“Spot (Ron St. Marie) and the rest of the guys on my team have dedicated an immense amount of effort from the very beginning to elevate our entire team to where we currently stand,” he stated. “It demands such commitment. You can’t simply purchase a car and expect to be competitive. Everything has to gel perfectly. There are numerous diverse aspects that need to be precise to be fast on any given night. If two or three elements are overlooked, you won’t succeed. Buzz enables us to make any essential modifications to all aspects of our program. Towards the end of the season, we managed to align everything closely. During the off-season, we are making further enhancements from that point.”
Since Mahaney has never set foot at Volusia, he will have to swiftly adapt to the fast half-mile track if he aspires to contend against the seasoned drivers who have completed countless laps at the Barberville, Fla., facility. He is confident that he will be able to quickly grasp the nuances of the track. He holds lofty expectations for himself and the team.
“There is likely to be a slight learning curve with the race track,” noted Mahaney. “I have never laid eyes on it. In the past, I have ventured to new tracks and performed well regardless. I’m not going to lower my expectations because of this. I genuinely believe that we can head down there and fare extremely well. I have utmost confidence in our equipment. I’m excited to witness what we can accomplish. I have as much confidence as I have ever had when approaching a track that I have never visited before.”
The team embarks on their southern journey with the backing of several outstanding sponsors, including JRI Shocks, Art’s Radiator, PAC Racing Springs, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Strange Oval, Arctic Cat, and Beyea Custom Headers.