STSS Race Day at Georgetown: Blast at the Beach Storylines, Stars & Sleepers
GEORGETOWN, DE – It’s Race Day… at the Beach!
Tonight, the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled by Sunoco heads back to Georgetown Speedway for the ‘Blast at the Beach’ presented by Melon 1 and Earth Movers LLC.
The famed Sussex County half-mile plays host to Round No. 7 of the Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central. The STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds go for battle in a 35-lap, $6,000-to-win main event.
THE STORYLINES
Georgetown Speedway hosts its series leading 16th race in STSS history, and it’s second of three on the schedule in 2021.
The 2021 ‘Blast at the Beach’ will be the eighth running will be the eighth running of the annual event, which began back in 2014 and has been STSS sanctioned since the 2015 event.
The stars of the South Region last ran back on July 27 when Boyertown, Pa.’s Ryan Watt tackled the high banks of Bridgeport Motorsports Park for his first STSS win since 2018.
King Ferry, N.Y. native Mike Mahaney leads the South Region into Georgetown, holding a 23-point lead over Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard.
THE STARS
Picking up right there, Matt Sheppard comes into the ‘Blast at the Beach’ having won each of his last two appearances at Georgetown Speedway. Sheppard picked up his first career Georgetown win last October in the ‘Mid-Atlantic Championship’ and then again in this year’s ‘Melvin L. Joseph Memorial.’ The North Region point leader enters Georgetown in his top form looking to gain ground in the South Region.
The defending ‘Blast at the Beach’ winner Stewart Friesen is also the only two-time winner of the event, having also won back in 2016. The Sprakers, N.Y. native also has a chance to pick up the $2,000 ‘Stockley Tavern Double Down,’ after winning the ‘Diamond State 50’ back in April.
Frenchtown, N.J.’s Billy Pauch Jr. enters Georgetown having finished first and second each of the last two years in the late summer classic at Georgetown. The ‘Kid’s Kid’ is also the most recent winner at Georgetown, having claimed the 30-lap event on July 23.
THE SLEEPERS
Not often is Milford, Del.’s Jordan Watson a sleeper in southern Delaware events, however the hometown kid hasn’t had ‘lady luck’ on his side in recent months with the STSS. Watson, however, remains the only First State driver to claim STSS triumphs with both coming at Georgetown Speedway.
While he can be tough to consider a sleeper, Middletown, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego often gets overlooked when the STSS comes to Georgetown. The 2018 ‘Blast at the Beach’ winner comes to Georgetown in the top three in both the North and South Region standings.
Sayreville, N.J.’s Dominick Buffalino comes to Georgetown still looking for his first standout performance with the STSS in 2021. Buffalino is a self-proclaimed fan of the bigger, faster racetracks, putting Georgetown Speedway right up his alley. Buffalino will look to show his big-track prowess tonight.
ALSO IN ACTION
The Belmont’s Garage Crate 602 Sportsman will take part in Round No. 6 of their South Region.
Horseheads, N.Y.’s Ajay Potrzebowski II returns to the site of his lone STSS triumph as the South Region point leader.
Potrzebowski holds a 30-point lead over Newtown, Pa.’s Joe Toth and a 60-point advantage over Belle Mead, N.J.’s Justin Grosso.
The Delaware Super Trucks and Delmarva Chargers will also run 12-lap features only events.
GATES AND PRICES
For the August 24 event, pit gates open at 4 p.m. and grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6:20 p.m. with racing following at 7:15 p.m.
Adult grandstand admission is $22. Seniors (ages 65 and over) and Students (ages 13-17) admission is $18. Children (ages 9-12) are $10 and Kids 8 & under get in FREE.
Pit Admission is $35 (no license required).
HOW TO WATCH
The ‘Blast at the Beach’ will be streamed live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).
Georgetown Speedway, originally constructed by Melvin L. Joseph in 1949, is located at the intersection of Route 113 and Speedway Road in Georgetown, Del., just miles from the Delaware beaches and less than a 40-minute drive from Ocean City, Md.
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.
STSS ‘BLAST AT THE BEACH’ HISTORY: PAST EVENT WINNERS
August 25, 2020 – STEWART FRIESEN – Billy Pauch Jr. – Anthony Perrego – Matt Sheppard – Jeff Strunk
August 27, 2019 – BILLY PAUCH JR. – Matt Sheppard – Andy Bachetti – Billy Pauch Sr. – David Van Horn
August 28, 2018 – ANTHONY PERREGO – Craig Von Dohren – Duane Howard – David Van Horn – Ryan Watt
August 30, 2017 – DUANE HOWARD – Ryan Watt – David Van Horn – Jamie Mills – Ryan Godown
August 30, 2016 – STEWART FRIESEN – Ryan Watt – Jimmy Horton – Duane Howard – Craig Von Dohren
September 1, 2015 – JORDAN WATSON – Howard O’Neal – Jimmy Horton – Ryan Watt – Andy Bachetti
August 26, 2014 (Not STSS Sanctioned) – TYLER DIPPEL – Jamie Mills – Duane Howard – Rick Laubach – Ryan Godown
Sources: Chris Moore/BD Motorsports Media LLC