STSS Race Day: Outlaw Speedway ‘Outlaw Showdown’ Storylines, Stars & Sleepers
DUNDEE, NY – An “Outlaw Showdown.”
It’s Race Day in the Finger Lakes region of New York as the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco heads to Outlaw Speedway for another rendition of the ‘Outlaw Showdown.’
The STSS heads to Tyler Siri’s Outlaw Speedway – a progressively banked, four-tenths-mile oval – for the sixth time in series history.
Tonight’s 50-lap headline affair offers $5,078.78-to-win and represents Round No. 3 of the River Valley Builders North Region for the STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds.
THE STORYLINES
Tonight’s ‘Outlaw Showdown’ also dawns the name of the Dave Machuga Memorial. Machuga, a well-respected driver, fabricator and mechanic, passed away in Oct. 2022 after a courageous battle with cancer. Machuga was known for his No. 78 ‘Orange Blossom Special’ and that trademark number will be incorporated into the event.
Defending North Region champion Matt Sheppard leads the brigade into Outlaw Speedway – a place he used to call home on Friday nights – having won each of the first two North Region events.
Despite Sheppard’s torrid start, Canadian Mat Williamson has kept pace with the defending champ, sitting just 15 markers behind Sheppard’s perfect 200 points. Bohemia, N.Y.’s Dillon Steuer rounds out the top three at 157 points.
Tonight’s race kicks off a three-race stretch for the North Region over the next month. Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt., hosts the STSS on Sunday, June 18, before a trip to Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway on July 2.
THE STARS
Matt Sheppard owns a perennial place on the ‘stars’ list for the foreseeable future after his record-setting 2022 campaign and his hot start to 2023. The Savannah, N.Y., resident checked off Accord (N.Y.) Speedway on the STSS as his most recent triumph, winning at a track he’d never conquered before.
Ransomville, N.Y.’s Erick Rudolph has a strong history in STSS competition at Outlaw Speedway. Rudolph holds two runner-up finishes coming in 2016 and the rain-shortened 2019 event.
Mat Williamson has 12 wins across Northeast Modified competition but is still in search of his first win on the STSS tour in 2023. Williamson has two third-place finishes in STSS competition at Outlaw. ‘Money Mat’ will look to close the distance between himself and Sheppard in the North Region standings.
THE SLEEPERS
Canandaigua, N.Y.’s Alex Payne won several times on Friday nights at Outlaw in ’22 and claimed a top five in last year’s ‘Outlaw Showdown.’ This year, Payne’s sophomore Modified campaign saw him become the youngest Modified in Utica-Rome (N.Y.) Speedway history.
Corning, N.Y.’s Cory Costa calls Outlaw Speedway home on Friday nights. Costa – currently second in Outlaw Speedway points – has always been competitive on his home turf when the STSS invades, and he’ll look to turn away the invaders and steal the $5,078 paycheck.
Otisville, N.Y.’s Corey Cormier has quietly gotten off to a strong start on the North Region tour. Cormier sits seventh in the North Region points heading into Round No. 3 of the North Region championship chase.
ALSO IN ACTION
Joining the STSS-sanctioned Modifieds are the Crate 602 Sportsman ($2,078.78 to win), Street Stocks ($1,778.78 to win) and Four Cylinders ($1,078.78 to win), all under Outlaw Speedway rules and procedures.
DIRT DRAFT
Don’t forget to set your Dirt Draft lineups before the night’s first heat race begins. Visit www.dirtdraft.com or download the app to join Dirt Draft and compete against thousands of others for the entire 2023 STSS season. A subscription is just $5.99 a month with plenty of prizes up for grabs in the Dirt Draft Speed Shop.
Following along with the STSS on Dirt Draft throughout the ‘23 season will pay one lucky fan dividends at year-end.
The STSS Dirt Draft Champion receives two tickets to the STSS year-end banquet and will be honored with a custom trophy presented by Dirt Draft.
GATES AND PRICES
Pit gates will open at 5 p.m. with grandstand gates to follow at 6 p.m. Hot laps are slated to start at 6:45 p.m. and racing beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Adult admission is $28, and Seniors pay $25. Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.
Pit admission is $45 for all ages.
HOW TO WATCH
The entire night of racing, along with every STSS race in 2023, will be broadcast LIVE on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).
Outlaw Speedway is located at 82 Main Street Dundee, NY 14837 and can be reached by phone at 607.678.4044. The speedway website is www.outlawspeedwayllc.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, 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.
PAST EVENT HISTORY: OUTLAW SPEEDWAY
May 17, 2022 – MATT SHEPPARD – Stewart Friesen – Billy Decker – Brett Haas – Alex Payne
May 18, 2021 – STEVE PAINE – Mike Mahaney – Anthony Perrego – Stewart Friesen – Matt Sheppard
June 19, 2019 – STEWART FRIESEN – Erick Rudolph – Mat Williamson – Jeremy Smith – Danny Johnson
June 20, 2018 – STEWART FRIESEN – Alan Johnson – Mat Williamson – Mike Mahaney – Ryan Godown
June 8, 2016 – MATT SHEPPARD – Erick Rudolph – Andy Bachetti – Danny Creeden – Billy Van Pelt
Sources: Chris Moore/BD Motorsports Media LLC