STSS Race Day at Bloomsburg: ‘Battle at Bloomsburg’ Storylines, Stars & Sleepers
BLOOMSBURG, PA – For the second time in the month of July, it’s Race Day!
Today, the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco heads to the Bloomsburg Fair Raceway.
The STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds are set for another 50-lap, $5,000-to-win thriller offering several special awards and bonuses.
The ‘Battle at Bloomsburg’ will serve as Round No. 5 of the Hurlock Auto & Speed North Region for the STSS Modifieds.
THE STORYLINES
The storylines are plentiful, as the STSS heads to a facility that has never hosted Modifieds in its history. The ‘Battle at Bloomsburg’ has been dubbed as a “wild card” on the STSS schedule.
Despite being a North Region race for the Modifieds, numerous stars from the Pennsylvania-New Jersey area are expected to be in attendance. Pennsylvania’s ‘Big
Three’ Jeff Strunk, Craig Von Dohren and Duane Howard all plan to attend.
New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway stars Billy Pauch Jr. and Brandon Grosso are among those planning to attend, along with Bridgeport (N.J.) Speedway’s Ryan Watt and Matt Stangle.
Middletown, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego and Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard come into Bloomsburg tied atop the STSS North Region standings after finishing sixth and third, respectively in the ‘Firecracker 50’ last week at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway.
The ‘Firecracker’ winner, Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen sits in third, 33 points behind the top-two.
THE STARS
Matt Sheppard is always considered among the favorites anytime Modifieds pull into a racetrack. However, Sheppard heads to Bloomsburg on a hot streak, having swept his schedule this past weekend. With no “notes” for drivers to look back on, ‘Super’ Matt Sheppard enters with more momentum than anybody.
Boyertown, Pa’s Mike Gular normally appears among those flying under the radar. Today, Gular heads to Bloomsburg having won two of the last three weeks at Pa’s Big Diamond Speedway and is the New Egypt Speedway point leader. Gular sits sixth in the STSS North Region, after a fifth-place run in last week’s ‘Firecracker 50.’
St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada native Mat Williamson will attend the Bloomsburg Fair Raceway inaugural today. While his North Region has not been what he had hoped after his runner-up at Accord, Williamson brings his best to the big races. With a stout field on hand, and bragging rights of being Bloomsburg Fair Raceway’s first-ever Modified winner, look for the Canadian to be in the mix.
THE SLEEPERS
Wallkill, N.Y.’s Tyler Dippel heads to Bloomsburg having lost his early season momentum on the STSS. However, Dippel had charged into the top-10 at Fonda before a late race tangle cut his impressive drive short. Look for Dippel to find that speed again tonight at a brand-new venue.
Oley, Pa.’s Duane Howard comes into Bloomsburg with his new Butch Getz-owned No. 15. The team has gotten off to a strong start, with wins at Grandview (Pa.) Speedway and currently sitting atop the Big Diamond Speedway points standings. The ‘Diamond Cutter’ will look to add Bloomsburg Fair Raceway to his long list of places conquered.
Bechtelsville, Pa.’s Jeff Strunk has made his name at the one-third-mile oval at Grandview. ‘The Bullet’ is coming off his first win this season in his Zubi’s Racing No. 88z at Grandview and his lone STSS win was at Bridgeport’s three-eighths-mile track in 2018. The short-track ace will look to show his prowess at Bloomsburg.
ALSO IN ACTION
The Crate 602 Sportsman will run Round No. 3 of the Precision Hydraulic & Oil North Region in a 25-lap, $1,500-to-win feature event.
2019 North Region champion Tim Hartman Jr. of Niskayuna, N.Y., holds a slim nine-point lead over South New Berlin, N.Y.’s Payton Talbot.
Joey Bruning, the ‘Battle at the Bullring’ Crate 602 Sportsman winner, sits third, just 12 points out of first.
GATES AND PRICES
For the July 14 event, all gates open at 4 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6 p.m. with racing following at 7 p.m.
Adult grandstand admission is $25. Student (ages 13-18) admission is $15 and Kids 12 and under get in FREE.
Pit Admission is $40 (no license required).
HOW TO WATCH
The ‘Battle at Bloomsburg’ will be streamed live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).
Bloomsburg Fair Raceway is located at 620 West Third Street Bloomsburg, PA 17815 and can be reached by phone at 570.784.4949 (Main Office) or 570.387.4145 (Grandstands). The Speedway website is https://racing.bloomsburgfair.com/
To learn more about the 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, FloRacing, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Hurlock Auto & Speed, Velocita-USA, Design for Vision/Sunglass Central, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, Penske Racing Shocks, Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz, Algonkin Motel, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Belmont’s Garage, Superior Remodeling, Spyder High Performance Filters, Fastline Performance, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, WELD Racing & Wilwood.
Sources: Chris Moore/BD Motorsports Media LLC