NJ-PA Area Drivers Set Plans For Thursday Night’s Behrent’s ‘Hard Clay Finale’

NJ-PA Area Drivers Set Plans For Thursday Night’s Behrent’s ‘Hard Clay Finale’ At Orange County Fair Speedway

Story By: Brett Deyo/SSTS

Photos By: Pete MacDonald/RacersGuide.com

MIDDLETOWN, NY – Conjuring up memories of days gone by and the Tri-Track Series encompassing Orange County Fair Speedway and the now-closed Flemington (N.J.) and Nazareth (Pa.) Speedways, New-Jersey-Pennsylvania area racers are gearing up for Thursday night’s Behrent’s Performance Warehouse ‘Hard Clay Finale’ event.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By VP Modifieds invade Orange County Fair Speedway Thursday night to conclude the nine-race STSS Halmar International North Region and kick off the 56th annual Eastern States Weekend.

STSS Modified competitors will battle for a purse structure of $30,900 total: $5,000 to win, $1,000 for 10th and $500 to take the green flag. Other bonuses sweeten the pot further for racers.

Billy Pauch Jr. brings his famed family name back to Eastern States Weekend at Orange County Fair Speedway. The third-generation Milford, N.J., star will pilot the Daniel Sommeling-owned No. 51 in the 50-lap STSS-sanctioned program.

Another renowned family will be represented by David Van Horn Jr. who will be at the wheel of Fred Vahlsing’s No. 323ov. Van Horn is a past Orange County Fair Speedway champion who now races regularly at New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway. His grandfather, of course, is the late legend Carl ‘Fuzzy’ Van Horn.

The ‘Wizard’ of Wind Gap, Pa., Frank Cozze has the Dave Renaldo-owned No. 401 at the ready for Thursday night’s inaugural event. Cozze has been stout in the Renaldo mount in recent STSS South appearances.

The ‘Ringoes Rocket’ Ryan Godown is set for a Thursday night fight driving the Dieter Schmidt-owned No. 5 with sponsorship from Escape RV. Godown said the team has completed repairs to the car from a heavy impact at Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway.

Young gun Brandon Grosso excelled in the Sportsman ranks. This August, Grosso moved into big-block competition and plans to make his Modified debut at OCFS on Thursday night.

Fresh off a podium finish at the Bridgeport (N.J.) Speedway STSS-sanctioned ‘Dirty Jersey 5’ Somerville, N.J., driver Sammy Martz has set plans to tackle the OCFS five-eighths-mile for the ‘Hard Clay Finale’ event.

Orange County’s 2017 champion Jimmy Horton is no stranger to PA/NJ action and sits atop the all-time win list at Bridgeport. Horton will have his Halmar No. 43 at the ready, outfitted with sail panels, for Thursday night’s STSS visit.

Excitement continues to build for the first-time ‘Hard Clay Finale’ happening on Thursday night with support from Behrent’s Performance Warehouse and Escape RV!

Teams will be permitted to enter the facility beginning on Wednesday (October 18). A Thursday pit pass, however, will be required for entry in the pits beginning at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Drive-in gates will be unlocked at 4 p.m., with grandstand gates opening at 5 p.m.

Cars will hit the track at approximately 5:45 p.m., with the first heat race rolling off at 6:30 p.m.

General admission is $25 for Adults, $23 for Seniors and $5 for Kids 12 and under. Reserved seats (Rows H-O of the covered grandstand) are available for $30 by calling the speedway at 845.342.2573.

Pit admission is $35 with no license required.

Complete STSS Modified rules and race information can be found on the web: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/hard-clay-finale-rules-prices-general-information/

Street Stocks, under Orange County rules, will complete the doubleheader racing for $200 to win (no car entry fee).

The Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP and BD Motorsports Media LLC can be found on the web at www.shorttracksuperseries.com or www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com. Brett Deyo can be reached by phone at 845.728.2781 or via e-mail: bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com. The series is also on Twitter @ShortTrackSS and Facebook under “Short Track Super Series.”

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.

The 2017 Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, VP Racing Fuel, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Halmar International, Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Hig Fab, Henry’s Exhaust, HyperCo, Keizer Wheels, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, K&N, QA1, Race Pro Weekly, Racing Optics, Speed51.com, Teo-Pro Car, Velocita, Weld & Wilwood.
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP 2017 Schedule

Halmar International North Region

Sunday, April 9 – Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown, N.Y. ‘Hard Clay Open’ – WINNER: ANDY BACHETTI

Sunday, May 28 – Thunder Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, N.Y. – ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ – WINNER: ANTHONY PERREGO

Wednesday, June 21 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. – ‘Afton Action 50’ – WINNER: STEWART FRIESEN

Monday, July 3 – Accord Speedway/Accord, N.Y. – ‘Battle of the Bullring 5’ – WINNER: ANTHONY PERREGO

Sunday, July 16 – Big Diamond Speedway/Minersville, Pa. – ‘Anthracite Assault’ – WINNER: RYAN GODOWN

Tuesday, August 15 – Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, N.Y. – Recovery Sports Grill Stampede ‘toga – WINNER: MATT SHEPPARD

Wednesday, August 23 – Woodhull Raceway/Woodhull, N.Y. – ‘Hustlin’ the High Banks 53’ – WINNER: ANDY BACHETTI

Saturday, October 7 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. – American Racer Cup Short Track SuperNationals 10 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. – WINNER: RUSTY SMITH

Thursday, October 19 – Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown, N.Y. – Behrent’s Performance Warehouse ‘Hard Clay Finale’ at Eastern States Weekend (Rain Date: October 20) – CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS