Andy Bachetti Collects $10,014 As 2014 Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Champion; Sheffield, Mass., Star Named Inaugural Point Title Winner; First Short Track Super Series A Huge Success With Average Car Count Of 57!
AFTON, NY – Andy Bachetti has etched his name in the history books as the inaugural Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP champion.
Bachetti, of Sheffield, Mass., finished sixth in last Saturday night’s Alpine Building Supply Short Track SuperNationals presented by Olum’s at I-88 Speedway, the final event on the six-race 2014 Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP schedule. Bachetti entered the championship event tied for the point lead with Danny Johnson.
Bachetti struggled with tire choice, placing sixth in the 50-lap feature, while Johnson – battling illness – finished 14th. The final tally was 475-442 points, with Bachetti’s winning margin just 33 markers.
“This is unbelievable, to win the Short Track Super Series championship in the first year,” Bachetti offered. “I enjoyed getting out to different tracks I hadn’t been with before and racing with a whole new group of racers who I have earned respect for and I think they respect me.
“This series was as good as it gets for a racer. I’m looking forward to being back in 2015.”
The Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP enjoyed a highly successful first season. A total of 153 drivers attempted to qualify for at least one series race during the year. The average car count over six events was 57! Twelve drivers had perfect attendance on the series.
The 38-year-old Bachetti earns $10,014 for his efforts on the series, having perfect attendance on the series this year. Bachetti opened the season at Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway in April, winning the ‘Hard Clay Open’ special at the historic five-eighths-mile facility.
Bachetti finished every Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP feature lap run this season: all 310!
At Thunder Mountain (N.Y.) Speedway in May, Bachetti drove from deep in the starting field – 22nd – and finished a respectable eighth in his first visit to the Center Lisle three-eighths-mile facility. He maintained the point lead with his effort in the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ 50-lap feature.
Perhaps Bachetti’s most impressive performance on the series took place at I-88 Speedway in the July ‘Crazy 8s Special’ 48-lap event. Bachetti started the main 21st, became entangled in a turn-two skirmish that sent him to the rear of the field on lap eight, and charged through the field to earn a runner-up finish to Danny Creeden.
At Accord (N.Y.) Speedway in August, Bachetti led the race’s opening 22 laps, but lost brakes and faded back. He was able to salvage a 10th-place finish in the 52-lap ‘Battle of the Bullring 2’ special.
The worst finish of Bachetti’s season took place at Penn Can (Pa.) Speedway in the rain-postponed ‘Hot Summer Night’ special run on Sept. 9. He ended the 60-lap event in 12th-place. The Penn Can was ultimately Bachetti’s “drop race” on the series, as competitors were permitted to drop their worst finish in the first five.
Johnson, of Rochester, N.Y., placed second in the standings for car owner Chris Gennarelli. ‘The Doctor’ won the Penn Can event in September and earned top-five finishes at Orange County, Thunder Mountain and I-88. He will receive $3,722.22 in point-fund money.
Jeff Heotzler of Wallkill, N.Y., drove Mel Schrufer’s No. 2A to a third-place finish in the standings. ‘The Jeffer’ was a top-five finisher at Orange County to open the season and drove from 27th to finish seventh in the SuperNationals finale to maintain the podium position with 415 points.
Danny Creeden of Wurtsboro, N.Y., the July ‘Crazy 8s Special’ winner, placed fourth, accruing 375 points. Creeden rallied late in the season for the top-five point position. Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa., driving for Ron Roberts, finished the season in fifth. He earned 362 points.
Placing sixth through 12th, respectively, were Danny Tyler of Cottekill, N.Y., (361 points); Mike Mahaney of King Ferry, N.Y., (359 points); teenager Tyler Dippel of Wallkill, N.Y., (353 points); Tommy Meier of Waldwick, N.J., (345 points); Matt Jester of Milford, Del., (304 points); Bobby Varin of Sharon Springs, N.Y., (288 points) and Short Track SuperNationals winner Shaun Walker of Masonville, N.Y., (284 points).
Nick Nye of Groton, N.Y., was declared the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Rookie of the Year. He earned $350 courtesy of Sleepy Hollow Golf Carts and Turf Equipment Sales, Service & Leasing.
Point fund checks were mailed out to race teams on Oct. 14.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP, visit www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, contact BD Motorsports Media LLC at 845.728.2781 or bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com. BD Motorsports Media LLC is on the web at www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, on Facebook “BD Motorsports Media” and on Twitter @BrettDeyo.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by VP Racing Fuels, Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., East Coast Speed/ECS Auto, Rochinski Contracting Services, Allstar Performance, American Racer/Lias Tire, Art’s Radiator, ATL Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, BFP Specialty, Bicknell Racing Products, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, COMP Performance Group, Dirt Track Digest, DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends, DRACO Springs, Driven Racing Oil, ERK Steering, Finish Line Web Design, FOX Shox, H.B. Steele & Son, Henry’s Stainless Steel Exhaust, Hig Fab Chassis, Hoosier Racing Tire, Jack’s Used Race Car Parts & More, Kirkey Racing Products, PM3 Digital Imaging, Quarter Master, Race Pro Weekly, Schaeffer Racing Oil, Shiley Fabrication, Sleepy Hollow Golf, Teo-Pro Car, Troyer Race Cars & Vahlco Wheels.
Sources: BD Motorsports Media