Friesen Earns Accord Speedway First On Tuesday

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Breakthrough: Stewart Friesen Earns Accord Speedway First On Tuesday, Tops ‘Battle of the Bullring 4’ For $5,710 Payday; Tyler Boniface (STSS Open Sportsman) & Justin Mills (Slingshot) Also Score

Story By: Brett Deyo/SSTS Media – Images Courtesy: Dave Dalessandro/RacersGuide.com

ACCORD, NY – Stewart Friesen got the Accord Speedway monkey off his back.

Friesen, the Sprakers, N.Y., star, had enjoyed very little success at the quarter-mile oval located in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Until Tuesday night, that is. Friesen won for the first time in his career at Accord, topping the New York Truck Parts Inc. ‘Battle of the Bullring 4’ for the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By VP big-block/small-block Modifieds.

He collected $5,400 from the posted purse and an additional $310 in lap money and bonus awards for a total of $5,710.

“We haven’t had any luck here at all,” Friesen, 32, said after celebrating on the roof of his Halmar International-backed No. 44 Teo-Pro car. “It’s been one thing after another. We had one good finish here (second in the ‘Gobbler’ 2013 inaugural) and the rest of the time it’s been flat tires, wrecks, motor problems…”

On Tuesday, Friesen endured no misfortune after a side-by-side photo finish with Brett Graham in his heat race and rolling off eighth in the 54-lap feature.

At the outset of the main, teenager Tyler Dippel rolled off the outside lane to take command from pole starter Erick Rudolph. Dippel, the Wallkill, N.Y., teenager, opened up a solid lead in the early portions of the event.

Dippel’s outing, unfortunately, ended on lap 15 when he slowed and was pushed back to the pit area.

With Dippel sidelined, Rudolph assumed command over Friesen, who had diced through traffic to run second.

As such, an extended side-by-side battle raged, with Rudolph – in his Accord debut – occupying the topside of the banked oval and Friesen relentlessly working the bottom.

Finally – at lap 25 – Friesen executed a “slider” in turn three and assumed command.

As Friesen led, position-swapping was a plenty behind him as Danny Johnson (from 15th), Danny Creeden (from 14th) and Jimmy Horton (from 20th) were moving forward.

Creeden raced into second on lap 27. The Wurtsboro, N.Y., short-track talent caught Friesen as he was pinned in double-file lapped traffic. Johnson and Horton closed in as the top-four ran in tight formation.

Friesen led the contingent across the line, picking up his first STSS Halmar International North Region triumph of the season.

Inside the final five laps, Rochester, N.Y.’s Johnson slipped beneath Creeden to register a stout runner-up result in the Chris Gennarelli-owned No. 27J small-block.

Horton, driving a Halmar-backed small-block, ended his drive from 20th at third, a strong podium effort for the Neshanic Station, N.J., driver who turned 60 years old on Sunday.

Creeden, battling brake issues, settled for fourth and Rudolph maintained his lead in the quest for the STSS North Region crown, ending his long ride from Ransomville, N.Y., with a top-five result.

Completing the top-10 were Anthony Perrego of Montgomery, N.Y., who won the event in 2014; former Accord champion Andy Bachetti of Sheffield, Mass., who started 19th; heat winner and STSS mainstay Tommy Meier of Waldwick, N.J.; Rock Fantasy $150 Hard Charger Mike Ricci of Tillson, N.Y., who rolled off the grid dead last; and Rich Ricci Jr. of New Paltz, N.Y., from 21st in the field.

A diverse and talented 43-car field signed in. Five heat races were won by Meier, Perrego, Friesen, Brian Malcolm of Lake Ariel, Pa., and Brett Tonkin of Carbondale, Pa. Three consolations set the remainder of the starting field, with Bobby Varin of Sharon Springs, N.Y., Duane Howard of Oley, Pa., and Tyler Siri of Horseheads, N.Y., the 10-lap winners.

Pine Bush, N.Y., talent “The Twister” Tyler Boniface of Pine Bush, N.Y., earned a $1,000 payday in the accompanying 25-lap STSS Sportsman feature event. Boniface, a rising star in southeastern New York racing, was challenging Accord’s top winner – Jimmy Wells – for the lead for the early stages of the main.

Wells, whose car developed a water leak on the sixth lap, ultimately slowed amidst smoke and steam. Boniface took over at that point and raced to the win.

Boniface utilized a Crate 602 engine in his drive to the win.

Shane Jablonka extended his lead in the STSS Open Sportsman standings with a runner-up effort. Rafaele Carson, Dave Werber and STSS traveler Brian White completed the front five. White recovered from a tangle and right-front flat tire for his top-five effort.

Justin Mills earned a $300 payday in the 15-lap Slingshot feature. Mills, who inherited the lead mid-race, led Cole Stangle, Alan Selemba, Blaine Klinger and Samantha Muller.

The next Halmar International STSS North Region event takes place on Wednesday, July 27 at I-88 Speedway in Afton, N.Y., with the ‘Crazy 8s Special’ offering $8,888 to win (*with $20 “Gambler’s Fee” posted) and $388 to take the green plus GRIT Series Crate 602 Sportsman $1,000 to win and XCel 600 Modifieds.

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.

ACCORD AFTERTHOUGHTS: The only midweek event of 2016 at Accord packed the speedway’s pit area with 43 STSS Modifieds, 41 STSS Open Sportsman and 16 Slingshots signing in. A very healthy crowd filled the speedway’s grandstands….

Associate sponsors joining New York Truck Parts at the event were Zubi’s Racing, Lobas Productions, Copper Works Mechanical and Crystal Works Inc. for the fourth ‘Battle of the Bullring’ edition….

In a pick-up ride aboard the Norm Hansell No. 357, Capital District star Bobby Varin wheeled from 16th position to fourth and appeared poised to challenge for a podium finish before a flat right-rear tire sidelined his bid. Varin pitted and returned to place 12th….

Youngster Leo Fotopoulos drove from 23rd to finish sixth driving a Crate 602-powered No. 555 in the STSS Open Sportsman event….

A fuel leak kept veteran Jeff Heotzler, a winner of more than 50 Accord features, from starting the main event….

The 2016 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, COMP Performance Group, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Hig Fab, Henry’s Exhaust, Hurlock Auto & Speed Supply, HyperCo, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, K&N, Race Pro Weekly, Racing Optics, Teo-Pro Car, Vahlco Wheels & Velocita

NEW YORK TRUCK PARTS ‘BATTLE OF THE BULLRING 4’ RACE SUMMARY – ACCORD SPEEDWAY JULY 5, 2016

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Halmar International North Region Event No. 5 Big-Block/Small-Block Modified Feature Finish (54 Laps): STEWART FRIESEN, Danny Johnson, Jimmy Horton, Danny Creeden, Erick Rudolph, Anthony Perrego, Andy Bachetti, Tommy Meier, Mike Ricci, Rich Ricci Jr., Jerry Higbie Jr., Bobby Varin, Brian Malcolm, Danny Tyler, Matt DeLorenzo, Tyler Siri, Mike Mahaney, Brett Tonkin, Randy Green, Ryan Jordan, Ryan Godown, Brett Graham, Duane Howard, Tyler Dipple, Ryan Wood, Billy Van Inwegen.

Did Not Start: Jeff Heotzler

Did Not Qualify: Brad Szulewski, Nick Nye, Cory Lowitt, Robbie Green, Richard Smith, Nick Mady, Joe Judge, Brad Rothaupt, Craig Hanson, Chris Shultz, Kurt Hundeland, Dan Humes, Scott Ferrier, Matt Janiak, Bob McGannon, Willy Auchmoody.

‘Lucky 7’ Lap Money Breakdown ($1,111): Stewart Friesen ($260); Erick Rudolph ($140); Danny Creeden ($136); Danny Johnson ($115); Anthony Perrego ($105); Bobby Varin ($80); Jimmy Horton ($65); Tyler Dippel ($70); Ryan Godown ($60); Andy Bachetti ($40); Tommy Meier ($40)

Allstar Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Jimmy Horton (third) & Tommy Meier (eighth)
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): Andy Bachetti (seventh)
ATL Fuel Cell Bonus ($200 Certificate): Erick Rudolph (fifth)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Card): Danny Creeden (fourth) & Mike Ricci (ninth)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Bonuses ($100 Credits): Erick Rudolph (fifth) & Ryan Wood (25th)
DMJ Photos Top Orange County Regular Bonus ($50): Stewart Friesen (winner)
Fast Axle Bonus ($50 Certificate): Andy Bachetti (seventh)
QA1 Hard Charger Bonus ($100 Certificate): Mike Ricci (27th to ninth)
Racing Optics Bonus (Sleeve of Tearoffs): Danny Johnson (second)
Rock Fantasy Hard Charger Award ($150): Mike Ricci (27th to ninth)
Vahlco Wheels Bonus (FREE Wheel): Erick Rudolph (fifth)
VP Racing Fuels Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Danny Johnson (second), Bobby Varin (12th) & Brett Graham (22nd)

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Open Sportsman Event No. 3 Feature Finish (25 laps): TYLER BONIFACE, Shane Jablonka, Rafaele Carson, Dave Werber, Brian White, Leo Fotopoulos, Greg McCloskey, Mike DuBois, Cole Hentschel, Collin DuBois, Dave Demorest, Alissa Cody, J.R. Fulper, Joey Bruning, Connor Otten, Phil Goetchius, Jimmy Wells, Rich Ricci III, Bobby Trapper Jr., Tyler Johnston, Brandon McGill, Charlie Hendrickson Jr., Dillon Steuer, Darrel Ford, Jim Introne, Pat Jordan.

Did Not Qualify: Ralph Ronk, Danny Morgiewicz, Stan Vishinski, Chris Jordan, Robbie Knipe, Matt Stangle, Jason Reinberg, Nick Johnson, Allison Ricci, Joe Conklin, Nick Plumstead, Larry Mekic, John Stangle, Bobby DeLeon, Justin Brewster.

Slingshot Feature Finish (20 laps): JUSTIN MILLS, Cole Stangle, Alan Selemba, Blaine Klinger, Samantha Muller, Erin Paulison, Derrick McGrew Jr., Joe Krum, Hunter Lapp, Matt Ferris, Taylor Mills, Don Boonstra, John Kendal, Nick Del Campo, Ryan Auchmoody, Michael Corbin.

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