Stewart Friesen Beats Rain, Takes 14th Career Short Track Super Series Victory at Outlaw Speedway Worth $5,425

Stewart Friesen Beats Rain, Takes 14th Career Short Track Super Series Victory at Outlaw Speedway Worth $5,425

Story By: Chris Moore/SSTS

Photos By: Mark Ranalletta/RacersGuide.com

DUNDEE, NY – With rain falling from the sky in Dundee, N.Y., the all-time winningest driver in Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco Modified history celebrated on Wednesday night.

Recovering from a miserable outing in the season’s most recent event at Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville, Pa., Stewart Friesen won the ‘Outlaw Showdown’ at Outlaw Speedway for the second consecutive year. Friesen prevailed in Race No. 4 of the Halmar International North Region nine-race schedule.

The win for Friesen was his 14th in 71 Short Track Super Series events and second of the season with the series, having won at Georgetown (Del.) Speedway in March.

Precipitation moved over the facility on the 33rd lap, curtailing the night’s scheduled 50-lap feature 17 laps shy of the finish. Since the event was past halfway, scoring reverted to lap 33 and the results were deemed official.

Friesen celebrated in Victory Lane as the showers grew heavier.

At the pre-race drivers’ meeting, Sprakers, N.Y.’s Friesen drew ‘72’ of a possible 75, relegating him to an eighth-place starting berth in his heat race, which he won.

A redraw of the top heat-race qualifiers put Friesen’s Halmar International No. 44 on the pole for the main event alongside Mike Mahaney.

Friesen darted into the lead early while Billy Decker shot from fourth to second. Decker was pressuring Friesen for the lead when a flat left-rear tire caused his Jeremy Smith Racing No. 91 to spin in turn one, collecting Mike Gular and Pat Ward on lap eight.

Following the melee, ninth-starter Sheppard sat fourth in his Hurlock Auto & Speed No. 9s. He bolted into second, with eighth-starter Mat Williamson climbing to third.

Williamson found the high line to his liking in the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse No. 3 and began making moves. Williamson followed Friesen and pulled up alongside Sheppard for second. The two would battle side-by-side, trading paint on three separate occasions.

Sheppard finally inched ahead and began reeling in Stewart Friesen as the two approached lap traffic. However, under a caution for Kyle Coffey on lap 24, Sheppard headed to the pit area with a soft right-rear tire.

Meanwhile, Erick Rudolph emerged as a contender. After starting 13th, Rudolph’s big-block-powered car ducked beneath Williamson for second on lap 30.

A light sprinkle, however, intensified on lap 33 causing the cars to be sent to the pits. The rain ultimately ended the event.

Friesen picked up a victory worth $5,425: $5,000 from the posted payout, $200 as the Superior Remodeling Halfway Leader, $125 as the MJK Home Maintenance Heat-Race Hard Charger and $100 from Rob Sherlock Roofing as a heat winner.

Rudolph, of Ransomville, N.Y., made his return to STSS competition a successful one, earning a $3,000 runner-up finish.

St. Catharine’s, Ont.’s Mat Williamson recorded his third straight podium finish on the STSS Halmar International North Region in third, followed by Triangle, N.Y.’s Jeremy Smith and Danny Johnson of Phelps, N.Y., who started 27th via a track provisional and finished fifth.

Placing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Andy Bachetti of Sheffield, Mass., up from 20th on the grid; Alan Johnson of Middlesex, N.Y., who started 11th; Billy Van Pelt of Westfield, Pa., recovering from a flat tire on lap 12; Decker of Sidney, N.Y., rebounding from his lap-eight melee; and Johnstown, N.Y.’s Craig Hanson, who started 26th.

A field of 40 STSS Modifieds signed in for competition.

Rob Sherlock Roofing $100 heat winners were Justin Wright, Decker, Williamson, Friesen and Smith.

Consolation victors were J.R. Hurlburt and Colton Wilson.

All remaining Outlaw Speedway divisions fell to rain. Speedway management will announce make-up dates in the coming days.

OUTLAW OUTLETS: With numerous showers in the area, Outlaw Speedway went on with Wednesday night’s program. Despite the threatening weather, a healthy, but late-arriving crowd filed into the speedway’s historic grandstand….

Series traveler Anthony Perrego was an early retiree in the event with a broken radius rod mount on the Superior Remodeling No. 44….

Ryan Jordan made his debut in a brand-new No. R21 Modified but was the first car out of the feature with a stuck throttle….

Fourteen drivers have attended every STSS Halmar International North Region event as the season reaches the halfway mark….

Next up for the Short Track Super Series is the Fuccillo Automotive Group ‘Firecracker 50’ presented by Teo-Pro Car at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway, Race No. 5 of the Halmar International North Region paying $10,000-plus to win for 50 laps. The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman North Region race 25 laps for a massive $2,000 to win.

To learn more about the 2019 Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit e-mail www.shorttracksuperseries.com, by e-mail at 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, Velocita-USA, Design for Vision/Sunglass Central, Rob Sherlock Roofing, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH Springs, Escape RV, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, HyperCo, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Land Hoe Maintenance, K&N, MJK Home Maintenance, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, QA1, Racing Optics, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, Velocita, WELD Racing & Wilwood.

‘OUTLAW SHOWDOWN’ RACE SUMMARY – OUTLAW SPEEDWAY JUNE 19, 2019

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Halmar International North Region Event No. 4 Feature Finish (50 laps): STEWART FRIESEN, Erick Rudolph, Mat Williamson, Jeremy Smith, Danny Johnson, Andy Bachetti, Alan Johnson, Billy Van Pelt, Billy Decker, Craig Hanson, Mike Gular, Danny Creeden, Steve Paine, Justin Wright, Jim LaRock II, Matt Sheppard, Allison Ricci, Mike Mahaney, Pat Ward, Dillon Groover, Anthony Perrego, Kyle Coffey, Mike Bowman, J.R. Hurlburt, Colton Wilson, Tyler Siri, Brady Fultz, Ryan Jordan.

Did Not Qualify: Ray Bliss, Greg Birosh, Nick Nye, Timmy Hartman Jr, Derrick Podsiadlo, Daniel Johnson, Brett Tonkin, Eric Williams, Billy Paine, Cory Costa, Donnie Lawson, Tommy Collins.

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): Billy Van Pelt (eighth) & Justin Wright (14th)
ATL Fuel Cells Bonus ($200 Certificate): Danny Johnson (fifth)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Card): Jeremy Smith (fourth) & Billy Decker (ninth)
EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Andy Bachetti (sixth)
Henry’s Exhaust System Power Position ($50 Certificate): Mike Gular (11th)
MJK Home Maintenance Heat-Race Hard Charger ($125): Stewart Friesen (eighth to first)
Racing Optics Bonus (Sleeve of Tear-Offs): Mat Williamson (third)
Rob Sherlock Roofing Heat Winners ($100 each): Justin Wright, Billy Decker, Mat Williamson, Stewart Friesen & Jeremy Smith
Sunoco Race Fuels/Insinger Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Erick Rudolph (second), Danny Creeden (12th) & Kyle Coffey (22nd)
Superior Remodeling Halfway Leader Award ($200): Stewart Friesen
WELD Wheels Hard Luck Award (FREE 5XL Wheel): Ryan Jordan
Wilwood ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($50 Certificate): Alan Johnson (seventh)