Selinsgrove Ford Appalachian Mountain Speedweek is perhaps the most crucial stretch of races American Racer has prepared for as a tire brand in Dirt Late Model racing.

Until this year, the Indiana, Pa.-based company founded in 1915 had never been the exclusive tire provider on a Dirt Late Model tour.

Miniseries organizer Jim Bernheisel, along with Jay’s Automotive United Late Model Series director Trevor Zuver, have worked closely with Dustin Leverknight, president of Lias Tire, to make the American Racer the official tire brand of their tours.

American Racer debuted as the sole tire carrier of ULMS May 10, which has led Leverknight to say “the support leading up to this has been extremely good.” Saturday’s miniseries opener at Port Royal, which drew 41 cars (comparative to last year’s 45-car AMS event at Port Royal), was another success Leverknight claims for American Racer.

“This week is a week we’ve had marked on our calendar,” Leverknight said. “It’s a goal we’ve wanted to be the supplier for. A lot of teams in the Northeast have given us a chance and tried our product the last couple years. We’ve gained enough support and recognition and success with races won where I felt like we could have a conversation with Jim about this.

“We come here, 41 cars. Fantastic. It’s the highest car count for the late models this season here at Port. That shows the teams are willing to embrace this and support it.”

Of course, Leverknight “knew there were going to be growing pains” on opening night. He labels himself as “a guy who worries and cares an awful lot about the teams,” admitting “some guys did have tire issues, blistering, you know, and different stuff like that.” Of the 100-plus tires that hit the track Saturday, only one had a blowout — Jason Covert’s right-front on lap six of the 35-lap feature.

Leverknight also points out that driving styles, spring loads and tire-grooving techniques matter, too, when it comes to employing the compounds he oversees.

“You’ll get that with cutting patterns,” Leverknight said of drivers learning how to use American Racers. “There’s growing pains anytime anybody makes a change. One guy’s tire wear and another guy’s tire wear are two completely different things.”

The highlight for Leverknight was that podium finishers — winner Gregg Satterlee, runner-up Jared Miley and Trever Feathers — all had different right-rear compounds. And Satterlee won from eighth while Miley charged from 14th.

“I was glad to see that. That was one thing … in open-comp racing, we had a lot of comers and goers. That’s what I think made racing really good again,” Leverknight said. “Everybody here, Port Royal historically going back to the four-digit code Hoosier days, everybody bolted a 1425 on and they ran the same tire, and everybody was the same speed. I think this has helped make racing better.

“More of the guys who do their homework have advantages. Me as a past crew member, I like that part and I embrace that part. That’s what I want to see: the guy who does their most homework is rewarded, not just the guy who spends the most money.”

Leverknight says Satterlee's PRO2 right-rear is one of American Racer’s most cost-effective tires at $195.

“It doesn’t get any better than that for the sport, when a $190 tire can win $5,000,” Leverknight said. “That’s awesome for racing. That’s what American Racer is trying to do, save guys money. … And Satterlee’s tires, they looked good. He’s going to grind them, he runs a lot of used tires, and he’s going to run them again this week, I’m sure.”

Of the 41 teams at Port Royal, Leverknight estimated about half of them had never used American Racers before. By the end of the night, Leverknight’s Google Fit clocked him at 4.95 miles walked throughout the Port Royal pits as he bustled around nonstop to service inquiring teams. He also brought two employees with him to manage the load.

“My phone was going off, ‘Hey, can you give me your thoughts on this? What do you think about that?’ ” Leverknight said. “American Racer, we’ve always said relationships are huge. Pricing is one thing, product is one thing, but relationships are a lot more to that.

“At the end of the week, there’s going to be some guys who go back to running Hoosiers. There’s going to be some who stay on the brand. We hopefully expect to gain some business out of this.”

What Leverknight doesn’t want to do, though, is gain business at the racer’s expense.

“My biggest thing tonight is trying to educate guys so they don’t put the wrong tires on at the wrong time,” Leverknight said. “The last thing we want to do is run everyone broke this week with running the wrong tires.”