Super Year: Matt Sheppard Earns $55,000 at Short Track Super Series Awards Banquet
VERNON, NY – The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco celebrated its historic 2022 campaign on Saturday night.
The season-ending Awards Banquet was held at the picturesque Turning Stone Casino & Resort in Verona, N.Y.
Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard was the man of the evening, taking home $55,000 after winning all three STSS Modified championships after his extraordinary 2022 campaign. He received $55,000 for his efforts.
“It was a storybook season,” Sheppard said. “Everything went our way this year on the series.”
The event began following dinner hour with series promoter Brett Deyo addressing the room full of the stars of the STSS.
Deyo outlined astounding FloRacing viewership numbers and looked ahead at the series’ milestone 10th anniversary season.
Following Deyo’s speech and the recognition of series partners Bob Hilbert Sportswear (title sponsor), American Racer/Lias Tire (official tire), Sunoco Race Fuels (official fuel), and FloRacing (official live stream partner), driver ceremonies began.
Up first was the Precision Hydraulic & Oil North Region for the Crate 602 Sportsman. A $4,025 total purse was distributed amongst the top-10 in the year-end standings.
Cream Ridge, N.J.’s Steve Davis earned his first-ever STSS championship and the $1,500 for the top honors.
The Crate 602 Sportsman of the Belmont’s Garage South Region followed suit as Newtown, Pa.’s Joe Toth was awarded his second consecutive South Region title.
Toth also earned a $1,500 winner’s share as part of a total purse of $4,025 that was distributed amongst the top 10.
At the conclusion of the Crate 602 Sportsman awards, Robeline, La.’s Caleb Dillard stepped to the stage to represent the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet ‘Cajun Region.’
Dillard received a $2,000 championship check from a total $8,450 point fund distributed to the Louisiana-Texas competitors for their 2022 season.
The American Racer Cup champions of 2022 were lauded next as Ringoes, N.J.’s Ryan Godown and Durhamville, N.Y.’s Matt Janczuk were championed after excellent seasons at their respective home tracks.
Godown, of Bridgeport Motorsports Park, took home $11,000 following his incredible 12-win season at the high-banked New Jersey facility as the American Racer Cup Modified champion.
Janczuk meanwhile pocketed $2,000 after being crowned the American Racer Cup Sportsman champion. The Utica-Rome Speedway regular scored 11 wins during the American Racer Cup season to secure his second title in as many years.
Attention turned back to the STSS as the Hurlock Auto & Speed Supply South Region for the STSS Modifieds was first up to be recognized.
The top 12 drivers were rewarded a piece of the $46,650 total point fund for their 2022 efforts.
Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard took home the bulk of it, walking away with $15,000 as the champion of the South Region.
Sheppard took home another $15,000 as the champion of the River Valley Builders North Region in 2022. The top 12 in North Region competition also split up a $46,650 total point fund.
The evening concluded with the top 12 the first-ever Halmar International ‘Elite’ Series standings being lauded.
The 12 shared a total $69,000 point fund with Matt Sheppard once again taking home the largest piece of the pie. ‘Super Matt’ received another $25,000 as the inaugural ‘Elite’ Series champion.
The Short Track Super Series kicks off its 2023 Northeast season at Md.’s Hagerstown Speedway on March 10-11 with the ‘Mods in the Mid-Atlantic’ special.
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, FloSports, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Rent Equip/Party Central, BDR Speed, Bicknell Racing Products, Ollie’s, Penske Racing Shocks, Wegner Automotive, River Valley Builders, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, DIG Race Products, Velocita-USA, Franklin Products, Design for Vision & Sunglass Central, Belmont’s Garage, Quality Drywall, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Prime MAC Tools, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Algonkin Motel, Beyea Custom Headers, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH, Electric Neon Custom Signs, Fastline Performance, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Spyder Filters, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO & Wilwood.
Sources: Chris Moore/BD Motorsports Media LLC