WOODVILLE, ON- With a 2014 division championship and four 2015 feature victories to his credit, second-generation racer Anthony DiBello is currently riding a wave of momentum comparable to few in Ontario short track racing. Still, despite his recent run of success, the blue-collar standout makes no bones about his current ambitions in the Peterborough Speedway Thunder Car division.
“I’m no less hungry now than I was when we first started in this class,” insists DiBello. “Being the defending champion is an honour, and being the current points leader is huge, but it does absolutely nothing to slow down my motivation. I want to win even more now than ever before. Every time we get to victory lane, I ask myself ‘What do I need to do to get back here?’”
DiBello’s 2014 championship battle with longtime Peterborough-area frontrunner Howie Crowe garnered province-wide attention, and helped to establish the 23-year old as one of the foremost rising stars in the veteran-heavy division.
“Winning our first championship was like a dream come true,” recalls the Woodville, ON driver. “It’s literally all I thought about from the moment I built my first car. It was everything I’d ever wanted. But, the moment we won the championship, our goals instantly changed from getting to the top to staying at the top. I’m not interested in being a ‘one and done’. I want to defend this title”
“When we move on from the Thunder Car division, I don’t want people to remember our championship run and think that we lucked our way into it,” continues DiBello with brewing intensity. “We’ve worked hard for everything we’ve gotten, and I want to be able to cement ourselves as the best before we concentrate on doing anything else. In a lot of ways, I still feel like our job is far from done in this division”
From his early days spent with the Mosport Speedway ‘6 or Less’ division, DiBello maintains that his family-run operation’s work ethic is what has allowed them to progress their way through the rankings in a relatively short amount of time.
“There’s no secret to getting here. It’s just been hard work. Long, long hours in the shop,” explains the well-spoken standout. “We started out as mid-packers and just started doing everything we could to improve every weekend. I’m proud of where we are right now, because it’s the result of a lot of sacrifices made”
“Remembering everything we’ve given up to put this program together is what keeps us motivated,” adds DiBello. “And, knowing that we can lose it in a heartbeat is what keeps us humble.”
Anthony DiBello will take one more step towards his second straight championship this Saturday at Peterborough Speedway. For information on the August 8th event, visit www.PeterboroughSpeedway.com.
Anthony DiBello’s Peterborough Speedway championship defense is powered by DiBello Towing, B&G Truck Repair, Race Toyota, Federal Wireless Communications, Giorgio’s Fine Dining, Langille’s Scrap & Cores, Kawartha Lakes Contracting, Country 105, Nick Oram Autobody and MBH Southern Iron.
Fans can stay up to date with Anthony and the rest of the team by visiting the official DiBello Racing page on Facebook.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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