OHSWEKEN, Ontario – The biggest Canadian dirt track event of the summer just got even better.

Canadian NASCAR star and dirt track ace Stewart Friesen has announced he will compete in the inaugural NASCAR Pinty’s Series race on dirt at Ohsweken Speedway on Aug. 18.

Friesen will also compete in a 360 sprint car at the track’s Northern Summer Nationals on Aug. 17-18 as part of the show.

“This is already a destination event for Canadian motorsports fans, and adding Stewart Friesen to the cast of talent in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series and in our local Ohsweken divisions just adds to this star-studded event,” said Ohsweken Speedway general manager Clinton Geoffrey.

Friesen is no stranger to muscling a stock car on dirt, as the Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario, native has competed with the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series at Eldora Speedway four times. He earned his first career NASCAR national series win there in August and has finished on the podium at Eldora three times in four starts at the event.

While Friesen’s ride for the Pinty’s Series event will be announced at a later date, he will be bringing crew chief Trip Bruce north of the border to turn the wrenches for the race.

Friesen is no stranger to Ohsweken Speedway either. Arguably one of the most versatile racecar drivers on the planet right now, Friesen has previously proven he can succeed behind the wheel of any car on asphalt or on dirt.

Four years ago, Friesen showed just that when he became the second Canadian-born driver to win a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event by beating the Outlaws at Ohsweken on July 28, 2015.

A year later, he won the biggest annual event on the big-block modified calendar when he triumphed during Super DIRT Week in Oswego, N.Y., on Oct. 9, 2016.

This year, Friesen will also attempt to get the better of a talented cast of Ohsweken 360 sprint car regulars when he races in a Kevin Loveys-prepared Glenn Styres Racing sprint car with support from Ohsweken Speedway Racesource.

The 360 Sprint Cars will compete on back-to-back nights, with full shows on Monday, Aug. 17 and Tuesday, Aug. 18.

In addition to the NASCAR Pinty’s Series and Kool Kidz-Corr/Pak 360 Sprint Cars, the Action Sprint Tour and Middleport Mechanical Thunder Stocks will also be in action on Aug. 17.

The HRW Automotive Mini Stocks will also join the NASCAR Pinty’s Series and Kool Kidz-Corr/Pak 360 sprint cars on Aug. 18.