The Contenders: Laubach, Watt, Perrego, Pauch Jr., Van Horn & Godown Separated By Just 19 Points Entering Next Short Track Super Series
[xyz-ihs snippet=”Posts-Ad”]
DELMAR, DE – As the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek (STSS) Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. South Region presented by Scotty’s Speed & Diesel heads to The First State for the final two legs of the five-race series, six drivers are tightly locked into a battle to grab the title and top prize of $7,500.
After traveling to Bridgeport (N.J.) Speedway for the ‘South Jersey Shootout,’ the ‘Anthracite Assault’ at Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville, Pa., and New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway for the ‘Dirty Jersey 3,’ Rick Laubach and Ryan Watt are tied atop the standings with Anthony Perrego just five points behind. The trio of Billy Pauch Jr., David Van Horn Jr. and Ryan Godown all sit within 19 points of the two leaders.
With just the ‘Diamond State 50’ at Delaware International Speedway and the ‘Blast at the Beach 2’ at Georgetown Speedway standing in the drivers’ way of a potential $7,500, Modified racing in the state of Delaware will be more important than ever in the next two months.
The Contenders:
Rick Laubach (Hellertown, Pa.) No. 7/91 – 242 points – You absolutely could not have started better than how Rick Laubach opened up his quest for a STSS South Region championship. Laubach drew the pole at the ‘South Jersey Shootout’ at Bridgeport and completely overwhelmed the competition on his way to a comfortable win and $5,400 payday. Laubach followed that up with another victory, this time at Big Diamond Speedway, where once again nobody was really able to put up enough a challenge to put the result in doubt. He struggled, however at New Egypt and did not finish, giving him a 22nd-place finish. Through three races, Laubach has the worst average finish of the six top contenders (8th) because of the ‘Dirty Jersey 3’ result, but his two victories push him into the top spot in the standings with two races remaining. Thanks to those wins, the Hellertown, Pa. driver has amassed an astounding$11,340 total for three nights of racing.
Ryan Watt No. 14w (Boyertown, Pa.) – 242 points – Ryan Watt has done his work relatively under the radar in the STSS South Region thus far, yet with just two races remaining, he finds himself tied atop the standings. He roared around the outside at Bridgeport on his way to a fourth-place finish coming from 12th. At Big Diamond, he started deep in the field once again (20th), survived all the mayhem and maneuvered to a seventh. Watt then turned a third starting spot into a fourth-place finish at New Egypt, racking up his second top-five and third top-10 of the series. He has the best average finish of anyone who has raced all three races in the South Region of fifth even with an average starting position of 11.67. Watt’s steady run of finishes has earned him $4,305 along the way.
Anthony Perrego No. 55 (Montgomery, N.Y.) – 237 points – With two races left, Perrego sits just five points from the South Region leaders, and is also in third in the STSS Bob Hilbert Sportswear North Region. Perrego has been very steady in the three races thus far, collecting two top-fives, and has yet to finish worse than 10th. He opened the South with a 10th at Bridgeport even after having to go to the rear with a flat tire midway through the race. He bounced back with a tremendous run at Big Diamond, when he came from the 21st to finish fourth. At New Egypt, Perrego led the first couple of circuits from outside the front row, before battling to a third-place finish. In three races, Perrego has scored a solid average finish of 5.66 and $4,863 in the process.
Billy Pauch Jr. No. 18 (Frenchtown, N.J.) – 228 points – Nobody has passed more cars in the STSS South Region thus far than Billy Pauch Jr. Pauch’s average starting position of 17.66 has been difficult, but he has been able to transform them into an average finish of sixth. He has yet to start better than 15th in a South Region race this season, but hasn’t finished worse than seventh, an impressive statistic. He was steady at Bridgeport, coming from 15th to seventh. At Big Diamond he was forced to the rear on two separate occasions, but still was able to battle back to a sixth-place finish. He started the night in 16th. Again, at New Egypt, Pauch Jr. was forced to qualify in the consolation, resulting in a 22nd starting spot. Quickly, he was a man on a mission, and was able to come home with a top five in fifth. Pauch Jr. has earned $4,185 in the three South Region races.
David Van Horn Jr. No. 71 (Harmony, N.J.) – 225 points – Van Horn has also put himself into contention despite a few rough beginnings to nights at the track. Van Horn’s average starting position is 17th even after starting second at Bridgeport. He was the last car to qualify at Big Diamond, resulting in a 24th starting position, a race in which he came home in 12th. He didn’t qualify at New Egypt, but a provisional gave him a shot, albeit from the 25th spot. Van Horn battled for a top-10, a seventh-place finish. Van Horn is in contention largely because of his performance at the opener, at Bridgeport Speedway. He took advantage of that front-row starting position and finished second. That result not only kept him in contention for the championship, but it also earned him $3,200 of the $5,095 that he has brought him thus far.
Ryan Godown No. 747/901(Ringoes, N.J.) – 223 points – It has been an up-and-down three races for the Ringoes Rocket. Godown made up some ground at Bridgeport for a sixth-place finish after starting in ninth. Big Diamond was full of bad luck, however. He started back in the 17th position, and was sixth by the halfway point before being involved in a restart melee that saw him wind up finishing 15th. That night at Big Diamond could end up coming back to haunt Godown, as a top-five finish would have placed him in the points lead as of now. But, he still sits just 19 points out of the lead, a manageable deficit thanks to his hard charging effort at his home track, New Egypt Speedway, where he muscled from 18th to finish as the runner-up. He is still in the hunt, and has added $5,425 through the three races.
All eyes in the Modified racing world will be glued on Delaware, first on Delaware International Speedway on Tuesday, August 4 (rain date: August 5), then again on Georgetown Speedway onTuesday, September 1 (rain date: September 2) with $5,000-plus up for grabs for the winner in each event.
In three races, 81 drivers have attempted to qualify in the STSS South Region, and now with two events remaining, six drivers are separated by just 19 points for the chance at a championship and big payday.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series or BD Motorsports Media LLC, visitwww.shortttracksuperseries.com or www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, call 845.728.2781 or e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com. “Like” Short Track Super Series on Facebook or follow @ShortTrackSS on Twitter.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by Hi-Tek Race Fuel, American Racer/Lias Tire, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., Scotty’s Speed & Diesel, East Coast Speed/ECS Auto, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Allstar Performance, ATL Fuel Cells, Bicknell Racing Products, COMP Performance Group (COMP Cams, Driven Racing Oil & Quarter Master), Crane Ignition, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Henry’s Stainless Steel Exhaust, Hig Fab Chassis, Hyperco, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Lineman Racing, Pilat Graphic Design, Race Pro Weekly, Racers Guide, S&D Bodyline, S&W Awards, Shiley Fabrication, Simplicity Design, Teo-Pro Car, Vahlco Wheels & VP Racing Fuel.
Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. South Region Presented By Scotty’s Speed & Diesel
Sunday, April 19 – Bridgeport Speedway/Bridgeport, NJ: South Jersey Shootout – WINNER: RICK LAUBACH
Tuesday, May 5 – Big Diamond Speedway/Minersville, PA (Combo): Anthracite Assault – WINNER: RICK LAUBACH
Thursday, June 11– New Egypt Speedway/New Egypt, NJ: Dirty Jersey 3 – WINNER: DANNY CREEDEN
Tuesday, Aug. 4 (Rain Date: Aug. 5) – Delaware International Speedway/Delmar, DE – Diamond State 50
Tuesday, Sept. 1 (Rain Date: Sept. 2) – Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown, DE – Beach Blast 2 – Championship Points
Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. South Region Presented By Scotty’s Speed & Diesel Point Fund (*based on 5 events): 1. $7,500; 2. $3,000; 3. $2,250; 4. $1,500; 5. $1,250; 6. $1,000; 7. $900; 8. $850; 9. $800; 10. $750.
Drivers with perfect attendance outside the Top-10 receive $250.
