Legendary Rich Eurich To Be Honored At ‘Hard Clay Finale’ – STSS North 50 To Pay $10,000 To Win, $1,000 To Start!

Legendary Rich Eurich To Be Honored At ‘Hard Clay Finale’ – STSS North 50 To Pay $10,000 To Win, $1,000 To Start!

Story By: Brett Deyo/SSTS

Photos By: Walt Smith & George Steigerwalt/RacersGuide.com

MIDDLETOWN, NY – A legend of Tri-State auto racing will be in the spotlight when the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco concludes its 2018 Halmar International North Region at Orange County Fair Speedway.

Rich Eurich – the personable veteran who has competed at the Orange County ‘House of Power’ since the late-1960s – will be recognized at the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse ‘Hard Clay Finale’ on Thursday, October 18 to kick off the Eastern States Weekend spectacle.

Eurich, 70, a native of Warwick, N.Y., has made his traditional blue No. 10 an icon at OCFS, where he continues to compete in the track’s big-block Modified division.

As a tribute to Eurich’s recognizable No. 10, the 50-lap ‘Hard Clay Finale’ will now pay $10,000 to the winner!

And there’s more: the ‘Hard Clay Finale’ start money has climbed to $1,000. Yes, $1,000 just to take the green flag.

A total pay structure of approximately $40,000 will be distributed for this one-night event.

Eurich, who is one of only four drivers in the history of Orange County Fair Speedway to achieve 50 Modified victories, was truly honored to have the event in his name.

“I’ve never been one to look back,” Eurich said while working at his auto body shop. “I always try to look ahead at the future.

“I’m not a big one for being in the spotlight, but I appreciate being thought of and being recognized.”

Eurich added with a laugh that his wife has been the statistician over the year for his career.

Fans will be able to meet with Eurich in an autograph session during the night. He’s also agreed to say a few words about his long career and dedication to racing at Orange County Fair Speedway for decades.

While he has traveled successfully over the years, OCFS has always been home for Eurich.

After achieving his milestone 50th win in 2017, Eurich said proudly: “I’ve raced at many tracks over the years, but I consider this one to be the greatest of them all.”

OCFS and STSS management were anxious to honor one of the speedway’s all-time greats.

On the ‘Hard Clay Finale’ docket will be the STSS Halmar International North Region final points-paying event. With increased ‘Championship Points’ on the line, the $12,500 title winner will be decided in the 50-lap finale. Street Stocks are scheduled as the second division on the docket.

For the second consecutive year, this ‘Hard Clay Finale’ decides the STSS North Region championship and is the kickoff to a four-day weekend of speed with Eastern States Weekend to follow.

Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, located in Florida, N.Y., has signed on once again as the ‘Hard Clay Finale’ title sponsor.

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

Tuesday, August 14 – Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, N.Y. – Stampede at ‘toga

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

Friday-Saturday, October 5-6 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. – American Racer Cup Short Track SuperNationals 11

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