Regional Barriers Broken Down Sunday At Big Diamond Speedway For SSTS Civil War

Regional Barriers Broken Down Sunday At Big Diamond Speedway ‘Anthracite Assault’ As Northeast’s Best Converge For STSS Showdown

Story By: Brett Deyo/SSTS

Photos By: Pete MacDonald/RacersGuide.com

MINERSVILLE, PA – Regional barriers will be erased on Sunday (July 16) at Big Diamond Speedway.

Drivers from both the Halmar International North Region and Velocita-USA South Region converge at the Coal Region facility when the annual Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By VP ‘Anthracite Assault’ takes center stage.

A lucrative payout – more than $25,000 total – is set for the STSS Modifieds: $5,000 to the winner, $1,000 for 10th and $400 to take the green flag will be available at the completion of 50 laps. Additional cash and product bonuses further sweeten the pot for racers.

The only North-South ‘combined’ point event of 2017 on the STSS circuit will be a treat for race fans.

Serving as a “dual-citizen” as a regular and past champion of the North and South circuits, Stewart Friesen looks to better runner-up finishes in the past two editions in the ‘Anthracite Assault’ before he jets to Ohio to participate in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at the famed Eldora Speedway next week.

Leading the southern brigade is red-hot Ryan Watt who won the most recent STSS South Region contest at Delaware International Speedway in June among many recent conquests on the Pennsylvania-New Jersey circuit. Watt is the defending ‘Anthracite Assault’ victor.

Joining Watt representing the South are Duane Howard, Jimmy Horton, Jordan Watson, Brett Kressley, David Van Horn, Rick Laubach, Jamie Mills, Ryan Godown, Billy Pauch Sr., Billy Pauch Jr., Jim Britt, Danny Bouc, Jeff Strunk, Matt Jester, Frank Cozze, Craig Von Dohren and more.

Friesen currently heads the STSS North Region class with a narrow 10-point advantage over Anthony Perrego who has a pair of North triumphs to his credit at Accord (N.Y.) Speedway and Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y.

In addition to Friesen and Perrego from the North are two-time series champion Andy Bachetti, Billy Decker in a rare Big D appearance, Jeremy Smith, Jerry Higbie, Tommy Meier, Danny Creeden, Ryan Jordan, J.R. Hurlburt, Matt DeLorenzo, Nick Nye, Craig Hanson and more.

Of course, the tough Big D weekly contingent will look to defend their home turf with extra money on the line. A number of invaders will spice up the field as well.

Unique to this event, Modifieds will utilize sail panels for the ‘Anthracite Assault’ – the only time all season at the three-eighths-mile oval.

Joining the STSS Modifieds on the card are Sportsman battling for a $1,000 winner’s share in a 25-lap contest and the popular, full-fender Roadrunners (offering Big Diamond weekly points).

Rules, prices, times and general information for the ‘Anthracite Assault’ have been posted on the STSS website: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/anthracite-assault-rules-prices-general-info/

Big Diamond Speedway is a three-eighths-mile clay oval located in Minersville, Pa., just miles from Pottsville. The facility offers free parking, state-of-the-art concession areas and restrooms and not a “bad seat” in the house, with hillside grandstands overlooking the on-track action. The speedway GPS address is 392 Forest Lane Pottsville, PA 17901. The official website is www.bigdspeedway.com.

To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP or BD Motorsports Media LLC, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com or www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, call 845.728.2781 during business hours, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, “like” Short Track Super Series on Facebook or follow @ShortTrackSS on Twitter.

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 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’ – COMBO (Rain Date: TBA)

Tuesday, August 15 – Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, N.Y. – Recovery Sports Grill Stampede ‘toga (Rain Date: August 16)

Tuesday, August 22 – Woodhull Raceway/Woodhull, N.Y. – ‘Hustlin’ the High Banks 53’ (Rain Date: August 23) – AMERICAN RACER CUP CHALLENGE EVENT

Saturday, October 7 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. – American Racer Cup Short Track SuperNationals 10 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. (Rain Date: October 8)

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
Velocita South Region

Saturday, March 11 – Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown Del. – Melvin L. Joseph Memorial – WINNER: JIMMY HORTON

Sunday, April 23 – Bridgeport Speedway/Bridgeport, N.J. (Five-Eighths-Mile) – South Jersey Shootout – WINNER: STEWART FRIESEN

Thursday, June 15 – Delaware International Speedway/Delmar, Del. – Diamond State 50 – WINNER: RYAN WATT

Sunday, July 16 – Big Diamond Speedway/Minersville, Pa. – ‘Anthracite Assault’ – COMBO (Rain Date: TBA)

Sunday, July 30 – Susquehanna Speedway/Newberrytown, Pa. – York County Nationals $10,000 to win (Rain Date: TBA)

Tuesday, August 29 – Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown, Del. – Blast at the Beach 4 (Rain Date: August 30)

Saturday, September 30 – Bridgeport Speedway/Bridgeport, N.J. (Three-Eighths-Mile) – Dirty Jersey (Rain Date: October 1)

Friday-Saturday, October 27-28 – Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown, Del. – Mid-Atlantic Championship (Rain Date: Oct. 29) – CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS