Friesen Cashes In at Akwesasne Mohawk Casino 100
Scores second win in a row and third of the Super DIRTcar Series season
HOGANSBURG, N.Y. – July 7, 2016 – Stewart Friesen dominated the 100-lap nonstop Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds feature event Thursday night at Mohawk International’s Akwesasne Mohawk Casino 100.
“The boys did some track prep during intermission and that was just what we needed. I had a little tip from a friend that it would lay rubber,” laughed Friesen in victory lane. “I’ve got a lot of friends up here so it feels good to finally get a win on their soil.”
Once the green flag dropped for the feature, Billy Dunn pulled away to an early lead over Danny Johnson. Fourth place starter Tim Fuller, passed Johnson on the outside for second place on lap seven.
Dunn, pulling away from the field, caught the tail end of the pack on lap eight.
Lapped traffic gave Dunn an advantage as he was able to maneuver around the lapped cars and pulled away from second place runner, Fuller.
Lap 32 saw Fuller reeling Dunn in on the topside. Dunn moved to the bottom going into turn three and Fuller drove hard into the top as he then captured the lead coming out of turn four on lap 34.
Friesen, who started the feature in fifth, was running in third and was a straightaway behind Dunn in second as he tried to make up some ground and catch second place.
Fuller had a straightaway lead over Dunn by lap 40. Friesen then squeezed by Dunn on the bottom coming out of turn four for second position on lap 49.
On lap 50 the scoreboard saw Tim Fuller, led Stewart Friesen, Billy Dunn, Danny Johnson, and Matt Sheppard.
Fuller was running the top side through traffic but seemed to be losing ground as Friesen was closing in on the bottom.
“I didn’t realize the bottom was taking rubber then the lapped cars started going back by me. The right rear was cooking hot,” Fuller said. “I saw Stewart get up beside me so I dropped down and decided to ride it out.”
Friesen squeezed his nose under Fuller’s car going into turn three and captured the lead from Fuller coming out of turn four on lap 57. Fuller tucked in behind Friesen to the bottom.
“I just caught Tim by surprise. We started to lock down and were able to sneak by him,” Friesen said.
Fuller was impressed by Friesen’s move. “He’s smart to have stuck it out; he must have felt the rubber taking. He did a good job,” Fuller said.
The top three runners were all in line with no lapped traffic in between them as they all followed along the bottom line, one by one.
Friesen had a couple car lengths over Fuller in the end while Fuller patiently waited for Friesen to miss his mark and open up that bottom door for him to sneak back through.
Nobody dared to move to the outside to make a charge after Friesen for that top spot.
“Everybody that’s given this track such an uplifting over the past years, I really appreciate that,” said Friesen about the track improvements.
Friesen went on to win his third Super DIRTcar Series feature of the year and his second straight series win of the year.
The top five respectively were Friesen, Fuller, Dunn, Sheppard, and Johsnon.
Thirty-seven modifieds attempted to qualify while 31 cars started the feature event. The feature went from green to checkered without any yellows. Matt Sheppard was fastest at the beginning of the night in time trials and heat races. Stewart Friesen took home $6,000 tonight at Mohawk International Raceway.
The Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds return to action at Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, N.Y. on Tuesday, July 12. Then on Thursday, July 14 they head south to Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, P.A.
For more information on the Super DIRTcar Series, visit SuperDIRTcarSeries.com. Follow the Super DIRTcar Series on Twitter at Twitter.com/SuperDIRTcar.
Super DIRTcar Series Statistical Report; July 7, 2016; Mohawk International Raceway, Hogansburg, N.Y.
A-Main (100 Laps) – 1. 44 -Stewart Friesen; 2. 19-Tim Fuller ; 3. 49-Billy Dunn; 4. 9s-Matt Sheppard; 5. 27J-Danny Johnson; 6. 99L-Larry Wight; 7. 20-Brett Hearn; 8. 7-Carey Terrence; 9. 38-Luke Whittaker; 10. 91-Billy Decker; 11. 25R-Erick Rudolph; 12. 42p-Pat Ward; 13. 47s-Corey Wheeler; 14. 22d-Mario Clair; 15. 6m-Mat Williamson; 16.18h-Peter Britten; 17. 98H-Jimmy Phelps; 18. 32c-Vic Coffey ; 20. 21-Yan Bussiere; 21. 8-Rich Scagliotta; 22. 6H-Max McLaughlin; 23. 35-Frank Cozze; 24. 48T-Dave Rauscher; 25. 2-Zach Aubertine; 26. 33-Ryan Arbithnot; 27. 01-Chris Raabe; 28. 16w-Lance Willix II; 29. 28p-Eldon Payne; 30. 9J-Jordan McCreadie; 31. 16-Gage Morin
Last Chance Showdown 1 (10 laps) – 1. 88m-Mike Mahaney; 2. 01-Chris Raabe; 3. 35-Frank Cozze; 4. 8-Rich Scagliotta; 5. 28p-Eldon Payne; 6. 55-Matt Woodruff; 7. 34-George Foley; 8. 16w-Lance Willix II
Last Chance Showdown 2 (10 laps) – 1. 18h-Peter Britten; 2. 9J-Jordan McCreadie; 3. 2-Zach Aubertine; 4. 33-Ryan Arbithnot; 5. 16-Gage Morin; 6. 48T-Dave Rauscher; 7. 12-John Mulder; DNS 7m and 151
Heat 1 (8 Laps) – 1. 20-Brett Hearn; 2. 25R-Erick Rudolph; 3.99L-Larry Wight; 5. 91-Billy Decker; 6. 88m-Mike Mahaney; 7. 01-Chris Raabe; 8. 8-Rich Scagliotta; 9. 55-Matt Woodruff
Heat 2 (8 Laps) – 1. 9s-Matt Sheppard; 2. 49-Billy Dunn; 3. 42p-Pat Ward; 4. 98H-Jimmy Phelps; 5. 43-Keith Flach; 6. 35-Frank Cozze; 7.16w-Lance Willix II; 8. 34-George Foley; 9. 28p-Eldon Payne
Heat 3 (8 Laps) – 1. 27J-Danny Johnson; 2. 19-Tim Fuller; 3. 38-Luke Whittaker; 4. 32c-Vic Coffey; 5. 6H-Max McLaughlin; 6. 9J -Jordan McCreadie; 7. 33-Ryan Arbithnot; 8. 151-Brian McDonald; 9. 7m-Madison Mulder
Heat 4 (8 Laps) – 1. 44-Stewart Friesen; 2. 6m-Mat Williamson; 3. 21. Yan Bussiere-21; 4. 47s-Corey Wheeler; 5. 2d-Mario Clair; 6. 18h-Peter Britten; 7. Gage Morin; 8. 2-Zach Aubertine; 9. 48t- Dave Raushcer; 10. 12-John Mulder
Qualifying Group 1 – 1. 99L-Larry Wight; 18.389, 2. 20-Brett Hearn; 18.403, 3.- 25R; Erick Rudolph, 18.461, 4. 7-Carey Terrence; 18.497, 5. 5 91-Billy Decker; 18.693, 7. 88m-Mike Mahaney; 18.890, 8. 55-Matt Woodruff;19.385, 9. 8-Rich Scagliotta,19.413
Qualifying Group 2 – 1. 9s-Matt Sheppard; 18.160, 2. 43-Keith Flach; 18.662, 3. 49-Billy Dunn;18.688, 4. 42p-Pat Ward; 18.753, 5. 98H-Jimmy Phelps; 18.766, 6. 35-Frank Cozze; 18.833, 7. 28p-Eldon Payne; 18.931, 8. 16w-Lance Willix II; 19.107, 9. 34-George Foley; 19.404
Qualifying Group 3 – 1. 27J-Danny Johnson; 18.412, 2. 38-Luke Whittaker; 18.490, 3. 19-Tim Fuller; 18.512, 4. 9J-Jordan McCreadie; 18.615, 5. 6H-Max McLaughlin; 18.706, 6. 151-Brian McDonald; 18.791, 7. 33-Ryan Arbithnot; 18.886, 8. 32c-Vic Coffey; 18.891, 9. 7m -Madison Mulder; 19.040
Qualifying Group 4 – 1. 44-Stewart Friesen; 18.209, 2. 6m-Mat Williamson; 18.695, 3. 18h-Peter Britten ; 18.787, 4. 21-Yan Bussiere ;18.928, 5. 47s-Corey Wheeler; 19.021, 6. 16-Gage Morin; 19.155 1, 7. 2-Zach Aubertine 8. 12-John Mulder 9. 22d-Mario Clair; 38.307, 10. 48T-Dave Rauscher; 38.890
The Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel), Chevy Performance Parts and NAPA Auto Parts; in addition to contingency sponsors, including: ASI Race Wear, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Fox Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, KSE Racing Products, Mike’s Racing Heads, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD, Mobil 1, Pole Position Raceway, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Beyea Headers, Racing Electronics and TNT Rescue.
Sources: Mandee Pauch/Super DIRTcar Series PR