Stewart Friesen’s Big-Block Gains Retribution Sunday at BAPS Motor Speedway York County Nationals

Stewart Friesen’s Big-Block Gains Retribution Sunday at BAPS Motor Speedway York County Nationals

Story By: Chris Moore/SSTS

Photos By: Dan DeMarco/RacersGuide.com

YORK, PA – After two consecutive years of disappointment, Stewart Friesen got retribution on Sunday evening at BAPS Motor Speedway.

Friesen, of Sprakers, N.Y., rebounded from a pair of consecutive runner-up finishes after leading the York County Nationals to win the 18th edition presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Insinger Performance. The 50-lap conquest annexed Friesen a paycheck of $10,300 for his efforts.

The annual BAPS visit marked race No. 5 of the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco Velocita-USA South Region presented by Sunglass Central and Design for Vision.

Friesen started the event sixth in the big-block-powered Halmar International No. 44 DKM mount.

Pole starter Rick Laubach, however, set the pace from the outset of the main. Laubach’s Ryan Kerr-owned No. 1K shot into the lead with the drop of Joe Kriss’ green flag.

Friesen swiftly moved into the runner-up position.

On lap 15, the stout performance by Laubach came to a halt on the frontstretch as he lost power and coasted to a stop.

“He was setting a pretty good pace,” Friesen said of Laubach. “I was trying to ride a little bit early on. The track was fast tonight.”

With Friesen now leading, 18th-starter Duane Howard was on the move in Norm Hansell’s No. 357. Howard cracked the top-five by lap 15.

Following a 25th-lap restart, Howard swept past Matt Sheppard – who had made his own charge from 12th on the starting grid – on the outside lane for third, then drove inside Jared Umbenhauer for second.

The runner-up spot was as high as Howard would get. His car began showing smoke on lap 30. Three laps later, the Oley, Pa., driver retired to the infield.

Sheppard was able to clear Umbenhauer for second and appeared to close on race leader Friesen in the late distance.

With just five laps remaining, Billy Pauch Jr. slowed in turn three to draw the caution. Sheppard lined up behind the leader for a final five-lap dash, but Friesen repelled all advances for the conquest.

“I tried to switch it up the last couple laps,” Friesen said, knowing ‘Super Matt’ lined up on his rear bumper for the restart. “It was good enough.”

Sheppard, the race’s 2018 winner, settled for second position, extending his lead in the STSS South Region standings with three events remaining as he races for a $10,000 championship.

“The redraw kind of beat us tonight,” noted Sheppard, who picked the worst number – 12 – of all the top qualifiers.

Sheppard, like Friesen, was utilizing big-block power between the frame rails of his Hurlock Auto & Speed No. 9s.

Umbenhauer, of Richland, Pa., guided the second Dick Biever-owned No. 14s to a series-best third-place finish, running as a teammate to Craig Von Dohren. Umbenhauer was thrilled with the effort, piloting a 360 cubic inch small-block engine.

“This feels like a win to me,” offered Umbenhauer after chasing the sport’s two titans across the line.

Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa., guided Glenn Hyneman’s No. 126 to a fourth-place result and Andy Bachetti’s long ride to Central Pennsylvania from Sheffield, Mass., resulted in a top-five finish aboard his Garrity Asphalt No. 4.

Completing the top-10 were defending STSS South Region champion Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa.; legendary Billy Pauch Sr. of Frenchtown, N.J.; Oley, Pa.’s Craig Von Dohren; Pauch Jr. of Milford, N.J., recovering from his late-race issue; and David Van Horn Jr. of Ringoes, N.J., with Fred Vahlsing’s No. 323ov.

Friesen received $100 as the Beyea Custom Headers Fast Time Award recipient with a lap of 17.824.

Friesen also collected $200 as the race’s Halfway Leader courtesy of Precision Hydraulic & Oil in Wrightstown, N.J.

Brandon Grosso, Danny Bouc and Sheppard were heat winners.

BAPS BEATS: A sizeable Sunday crowd took in the second and final STSS appearance in Central Pennsylvania for the season, witnessing a quickly run program that saw the Modified checkered fly prior to 10 p.m. with a workday looming….

Tough luck for heat winner Danny Bouc, whose Craig and Leslie Pondish No. 6 showed signs of smoke almost immediately in the main event. Jimmy Horton also retired from the event after losing power on the Halmar International No. 43….

Richie Pratt Jr. saw a solid performance nixed by a right-rear flat tire on the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz No. 51….

The Short Track Super Series takes a hiatus of approximately one month before firing into August with three consecutive weeks of racing kicked off by the ‘Hustlin’ the High Banks 55’ at Woodhull (N.Y.) Raceway on Tuesday, August 13 featuring the Halmar International North Region Modifieds and Crate 602 Sportsman and ted White’s high-banked facility.

To learn more about the 2019 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, 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.

YORK COUNTY NATIONALS RACE SUMMARY – BAPS MOTOR SPEEDWAY JULY 14, 2019

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Velocita-USA South Region Event No. 5 Modified Feature Finish (50 laps): STEWART FRIESEN, Matt Sheppard, Jared Umbenhauer, Jeff Strunk, Andy Bachetti, Ryan Watt, Billy Pauch, Craig Von Dohren, Billy Pauch Jr., David Van Horn, Jordan Watson, Ryan Krachun, Richie Pratt Jr, Mike Gular, Duane Howard, Brian Hitz, Frank Cozze, Jimmy Horton, Anthony Perrego, Joseph Watson, Brandon Grosso, Rick Laubach, Danny Bouc.

Did Not Start: Nick Mady

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): David Van Horn Jr. (10th) & Mike Gular (14th)
ATL Fuel Cells Bonus ($200 Certificate): Andy Bachetti (fifth)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Card): Jeff Strunk (fourth) & Billy Pauch Jr. (ninth)
Beyea Custom Headers Fast Time Bonus ($100): Stewart Friesen (17.824 seconds)
Bill Brown & Company ‘Move of the Race’ Award ($50): Duane Howard
EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Ryan Watt (sixth)
Henry’s Exhaust System Power Position ($50 Certificate): Jordan Watson (11th)
Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. Hard Charger ($200): Ryan Krachun (23rd to 12th)
Precision Hydraulic & Oil Halfway Leader ($200): Stewart Friesen
Racing Optics Bonus (Sleeve of Tearoffs): Jared Umbenhauer (third)
Sunoco Race Fuels/Insinger Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Matt Sheppard (second), Ryan Krachun (12th) & Rick Laubach (22nd)
WELD Wheels Hard Luck Award (FREE 5XL Wheel): Duane Howard