Decker, Perrego, Williamson, Sheppard & Gular Enter OCFS With Short Track Super Series North Title Hopes Thursday

Decker, Perrego, Williamson, Sheppard & Gular Enter OCFS With Short Track Super Series North Title Hopes Thursday

Story By: Brett Deyo/SSTS

Photos By: Pete MacDonald/RacersGuide.com

MIDDLETOWN, NY – It’s ‘title time’ for the Halmar International North Region of Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco.

This Thursday night (October 18) at Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, N.Y., the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse ‘Hard Clay Finale’ will decide the 2018 STSS Halmar International North Region $12,500 champion.

Five drivers enter the Legendary House of Power with a shot at the crown assuming Decker takes the green in the 50-lap feature.

Sidney, N.Y.’s Billy Decker, while winless on the STSS, has been an absolute model of consistency driving for Jeremy Smith Racing. Decker has accrued 654 points entering Thursday’s event.

Lurking just behind Decker – 30 points to be exact – with 624 to his credit is Middletown, N.Y.’s own Anthony Perrego aboard the Brian Smith-fielded Superior Remodeling No. 44. Perrego is the reigning champion at OCFS and looks to be strong on his home turf.

St. Catharines, Ont., driver Mat Williamson is a first-year series traveler driving for the proven Behrent’s Performance Warehouse team. Williamson, on the heels of a runner-up finish in the American Racer Cup Short Track SuperNationals 11 at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y., has accumulated 613 points.

Waterloo, N.Y., driver Matt Sheppard has been unable to reach Victory Lane on the STSS Halmar International North Region this season, but is within reach of the ultimate goal: the championship. Sheppard, who has driven for the Hurlock Auto & Speed and Sweeteners Plus teams during the ’18 campaign, has 609 points.

Mike Gular of Boyertown, Pa., could be considered a ‘southern’ driver, but has performed admirably on the STSS North Region driving for Terry Fasnacht. Gular has 598 points to his credit.

As the Championship Event on the schedule, the ‘Hard Clay Finale’ operates on a 150-point schedule. With 60 points awarded for 24th on back, there is a potential 90-point swing during this event.

Decker leads Perrego by 30, Williamson by 41, Sheppard by 45 and Gular by 56.

None of the aforementioned drivers has won a championship previously, so any of the five would break new ground on the STSS.

The 150-point breakdown is as follows: 1 – 150; 2 – 145; 3 – 140; 4 – 135; 5 – 130; 6 – 125; 7 – 120; 8 – 116; 9 – 112; 10 – 108; 11 – 104; 12 – 100; 13 – 96; 14 – 92; 15 – 88; 16 – 84; 17 – 80; 18 – 77; 19 – 74; 20 – 71; 21 – 68; 22 – 65; 23 – 62; 24-Last – 60. Did Not Qualify receives 35 points.

The top-12 drivers in series points receive cash at the Awards Banquet, with $12,500 going to the champion back to $1,000 for 12th. Drivers outside the top-12 with perfect attendance take home $250.

STSS Modifieds compete in their richest-ever single-day event paying $10,000 to win and $1,000 to take the green flag Thursday night honoring OCFS legend Rich Eurich.

Joining the Modifieds on the program are 360 Sprint Cars racing for $3,000 to win and $300 to start in their 25-lap main.

Pit gates officially open at 3 p.m. on Thursday. Drive-in gates are unlocked at 4 p.m. Grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. The drivers’ meeting takes place at 5:40 p.m. (including the STSS heat-race draw). Hot laps begin at 6 p.m. Qualifying gets underway at 7 p.m.

Adult admission is $28. Children 10 and under pay $10. Pit admission is $35, with no license required.

Located at 239 Wisner Avenue Middletown, N.Y., 10940 on the Orange County Fairgrounds, Orange County Fair Speedway is the oldest continuously operating dirt track in the United States. The first auto race was held at the speedway in 1919. The five-eighths-mile oval offers fully-covered and half-covered grandstands in addition to open bleacher seating on the frontstretch and turn one areas, with drive-in viewing on the backstretch. To learn more, contact the Orange County Fair Speedway office at 845.342.2573 or visit www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net.

To learn more about the 2018 Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out ‘Short Track Super Series’ on Facebook or @ShortTrackSS on Twitter or Instagram.

The Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, Insinger Performance, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Halmar International, Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, HyperCo, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Land Hoe Maintenance, K&N, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, QA1, Race Pro Weekly, Racing Optics, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, Vahlco, Velocita, Weld & Wilwood.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco 2018 Schedule

Halmar International North Region

Tuesday, May 8 – Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown, N.Y. – Hard Clay Open – WINNER: STEWART FRIESEN

Wednesday, June 20 – Outlaw Speedway/Dundee, N.Y. – Outlaw Showdown – WINNER: STEWART FRIESEN

Tuesday, July 3 – Accord Speedway/Accord, N.Y. – Battle of the Bullring 6 – WINNER: JERRY HIGBIE

Monday, July 16 – Big Diamond Speedway/Minersville, Pa. – Anthracite Assault – CANCELED DUE TO RAIN

Thursday, July 26 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. – Afton Action 50 – WINNER: JEREMY SMITH

Thursday, August 9 – Woodhull Raceway/Woodhull, N.Y. – Hustlin’ the High Banks 54 – WINNER: BILLY VAN PELT

Wednesday, August 15 – Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, N.Y. – Stampede at ‘toga – WINNER: MARC JOHNSON

Sunday, September 23 – Thunder Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, N.Y. – Lightning on the Mountain – WINNER: DANNY CREEDEN

Friday-Saturday, October 5-6 – Thunder Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, N.Y. – American Racer Cup Short Track SuperNationals 11 – WINNER: ANDY BACHETTI

Thursday, October 18 – Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown, N.Y. – Hard Clay Finale