Titanic Duel: After Race-Long Battle, Friesen Capitalizes on Sheppard’s Woes for Outlaw Win
DUNDEE, NY – Titanic duel.
After the bad luck bug struck Stewart Friesen at the ‘Firecracker 50’ at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway, the Sprakers, N.Y., resident was on the other end of the spectrum in the Dave Machuga Memorial Outlaw Showdown, capitalizing on Matt Sheppard’s late-race misfortune for the win.
Sheppard pulled off under yellow with three laps to go with a flat right-rear tire, forfeiting the lead, and the win, to Friesen.
“You hate to win them like that, you want to race it out,” Friesen stated. “I’ve been on the other end of it though, we had it happen to us just last week the Firecracker.
“You’ll take wins however you can get them though.”
The win was Friesen’s 46th of his Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco victory, netting him a $7,078 dollar payday in honor of Dave Machuga’s No. 78.
The win catapulted Friesen into a tie atop the River Valley Builders North Region standings, and into fourth in the Ollie’s Overall Championship title fight.
The race wasn’t all about Sheppard’s flat tire, however, as the duo waged an all-time battle amongst each other, adding another chapter to their historic rivalry.
Sheppard raced to the early lead after firing from third following the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw, while Friesen started from fifth.
Friesen worked quickly, making his way into the runner-up spot just four laps into the affair and set his sights on Sheppard.
Sheppard appeared to have the superior racecar in the early going, with a lead of over two seconds and four lapped cars between himself and Friesen at the completion of lap 14.
Friesen, however, wasn’t willing to settle into the runner-up spot. While battles were happening further back, Friesen was marching his way closer to the rear bumper of Sheppard’s No. 9S.
The shrinking deficit became apparent on lap 20, and the lead changed hands on lap 23, moving Friesen into the top spot.
The lead was short-lived for Friesen, as the race’s first yellow flag came just one lap later, giving Sheppard the advantage of clean racetrack and a restart alongside Friesen.
The second half of the race became caution filled with multiple drivers succumbing to right rear flat tires.
“Every time we’d get going and I felt like I was coming back to him, the yellow would come… I was getting frustrated with those,” Friesen laughed.
The final yellow flag flew on lap 47, with just three laps to go, and was the one that changed the race. Just as it appeared the race was set to return to green flag action, Sheppard ducked off into the pit area for a right-rear tire going down.
Friesen took the lead and went unchallenged in the final three laps to pick up the victory.
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.’s Jack Lehner came from the 10th starting position to take the runner-up spot in his BDR Speed No. 02.
“It’s always a good day when you run second to (Stewart Friesen),” Lehner smiled.
“The restarts fell our way, seemed like we were in the right lane a lot on the yellows.”
Elmira, N.Y.’s Ajay Potrzebowski II claimed his best career STSS finish, rounding out the podium in his family-owned No. 72.
“We went with a harder tire, and we were pretty horrible early,” Potrzebowski explained. “We got better though as the race went along and it definitely came to us.”
Johnstown, N.Y.’s Bobby Varin took his Tyler Siri owned No. 18 car to a fourth-place finish and Walden, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego rounded out the top five after starting 15th in the Bob Hentschel owned No. 4.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Saint Catherines, Ontario, Canada’s Mat Williamson in the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse No. 3; Schnecksville, Pa.’s Tanner Van Doren who started 22nd and got a flat tire early in the race; Elizabethtown, N.Y.’s Mike Mahaney in the George Huttig owned No. 35; Horseheads, N.Y.’s Tyler Siri in his self-owned No. 5*; and Savona, N.Y.’s Kreg Crooker in the Brent Cross owned No. 47.
Forty-one STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds took part in the ‘Dave Machuga Memorial Outlaw Showdown’ at Outlaw Speedway.
The four heat races were won by Sheppard, Alex Yankowski, Michael Trautschold, and Danny Johnson. Consolations were won by Stacy Jackson and Van Doren.
The STSS heads to a ‘home base’ on Thursday, July 18 for the ‘Richie Evans Remembered 61’ at Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, N.Y. The STSS Modifieds go for 61 laps and a $6,100 top prize in Round No. 6 of the River Valley Builders North Region and Round No. 12 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship. The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman are also on the docket, going for 25 laps and a $2,061 payday in Round No. 4 of the Madsen Overhead Doors North Region.
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, @ShortTrack_SS on Twitter or @ShortTrackSS on Instagram.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by Bob Hilbert Sportswear, FloRacing, American Racer, Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, BDR Speed, NJ Quality Drywall, River Valley Builders, Ollie’s, Penske Racing Shocks, Saint Lawrence Radiology, Capitol Custom Trailers & Coaches, Bicknell Racing Products, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Madsen Overhead Doors, Belmont’s Garage, Wegner Automotive, DIG Race Products, ATL, Dirt Draft, Swagger Factory Apparel, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Algonkin Motel LLC, Beyea Custom Headers, Design for Vision, Sunglass Central, Dirt Track Digest TV, DKM Fabrication, EIBACH, Fastline Performance, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Headers & Exhaust Systems, JK Signworks, JLR Technologies, Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Superior Remodeling, TV 12 Racing Products, VAHLCO Wheels & Wilwood Disc Brakes.
‘DAVE MACHUGA MEMORIAL OUTLAW SHOWDOWN’ RESULTS SUMMARY – OUTLAW SPEEDWAY THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2024
‘Dave Machuga Memorial Outlaw Showdown’ Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco River Valley Builders North Region Round No. 5 Feature Finish (50 laps): 1. 44-STEWART FRIESEN[5]; 2. 02-Jack Lehner[10]; 3. 72-Ajay Potrzebowski II[6]; 4. 18-Bobby Varin[9]; 5. 4P-Anthony Perrego[15]; 6. 3W-Mat Williamson[1]; 7. 27-Tanner Van Doren[22]; 8. 35M-Mike Mahaney[18]; 9. 5*-Tyler Siri[19]; 10. 47-Kreg Crooker[8]; 11. 28T-Michael Trautschold[2]; 12. 27J-Danny Johnson[12]; 13. 7MM-Michael Maresca[14]; 14. 70-Brady Fultz[13]; 15. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[4]; 16. 35B-Francois Bellemare[26]; 17. 9S-Matt Sheppard[3]; 18. 713-Tommy Collins[23]; 19. 70A-Alex Payne[11]; 20. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[7]; 21. X-Stacy Jackson[21]; 22. 82S-Will Shields[20]; 23. 2B-Ron Cartwright Jr[16]; 24. 58L-Jim LaRock[27]; 25. 23-Brandon Loucks[24]; 26. 222-Jeffery Daugherty[17]; 27. 01-Chris Raabe[25]
Did Not Qualify: 24-Jake Dgien; 23JR-John Michael Phillps; 29J-Chris Ostrowsky; 87.9-Darryl Mitchell; 3B-Scott Boudinot; 1B-Billy Paine; 14J-Alan Johnson; 45-Leslie McCann; 7X-Steve Paine; 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr; 21X-Eric Williams; 6-Tommy Paine; 84JR-Adam Coots; 21G-Aiden Grover
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Tyler Siri (ninth) & Alex Yankowski (15th)
ATL Fuel Cell ‘Hot Lap Hero’ ($100): Brady Fultz (14.468)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Bobby Varin (fourth) & Tyler Siri (ninth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Danny Johnson (Redrew 12th)
Eibach Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Mat Williamson (sixth)
Elite Welder Training & Testing Halfway Leader Bonus ($150): Matt Sheppard
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Michael Trautschold (11th)
PEM Engineering Bonus (Quick Change Gears): Ajay Potrzebowski II (third)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Stewart Friesen (first – $150 certificate); Jack Lehner (second – $75 certificate); Ajay Potrzebowski II (third – $50 certificate); Bobby Varin (fourth – $25 certificate)
Schultz Racing Fuel Cells Bonus ($100 Certificate): Kreg Crooker (10th)
Wilwood Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($100 Certificate): Tanner Van Doren (seventh)
Sources: Chris Moore/BD Motorsports Media LLC
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