2/8/2020
Short Track Super Series
Stewart Friesen Sweeps ‘Sunshine Swing’ Modified Events, Ballestero Brothers Top Crate 602 Sportsman
Written by Chris Moore
LAKE CITY, FL – Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen brought his broom to
the All-Tech Raceway on Friday night, sweeping each of the first two races of
the ‘Sunshine Swing’ for the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series
(STSS) fueled by Sunoco.
The “Friesen
Sweep� at earned him a total of $12,500 after the first two races of the STSS
maiden voyage to Florida.
After Mother Nature
intervened on Thursday night, the STSS crew gave the Florida faithful a double
program for Friday night, and it lived up to the billing.
Friesen
started the first feature on the pole starting position after the Beyea Custom
Headers redraw with Phoenix, N.Y.’s, Larry Wight starting alongside.
Friesen would
grab the early lead while Wight followed in toe as the guys continued learning
the new track.
Waterloo,
N.Y.’s, Matt Sheppard had quickly climbed from ninth and into the top five.
After a
yellow on lap 13 for Queensbury, N.Y.’s, Demetrios Drellos slowing on the
backstretch, things got interesting.
Friesen
elected to restart on the bottom, giving Wight the top, and Wight took
advantage, taking the lead at the exit of turn two. Two laps later, another
came out giving Wight lane choice on the ensuing restart.
To everyone’s
surprise, Wight chose the bottom, despite taking the lead from the top side on
the previous restart. Friesen took advantage, snatching the lead back from
Wight.
While the
leaders traded spots back and forth, Saint Catherine’s, Ontario’s Mat
Williamson had gone from fifth to third on the two restarts, and was challenged
Wight for second the next several laps.
Another
yellow on lap 24, gave us another double file restart, and again Friesen, the
leader, chose the bottom. This time, it worked for him, as he maintained the
lead.
It was
“Money� Mat, grabbing another spot on a restart, this one moving him into the
runner-up spot.
Another
yellow two laps later would result in a single-file restart, but Williamson
couldn’t do anything with Friesen, as he coasted to his 18th career STSS win.
Mat
Williamson would finish second, with Matt Sheppard climbing to third late.
Larry Wight faded back to the fourth spot, with Sidney, N.Y.’s, Billy Decker
came from 16th to round out the top five. Finishing sixth was Billy
Dunn, with Middletown, N.Y.’s, Anthony Perrego finishing seventh, Brisbane,
Australia’s, Peter Britten finishing eighth, Belle Mead, N.J.’s came home
ninth, with Frenchtown, N.J.’s, Billy Pauch Jr. rounding out the top ten.
The second
feature, 40 laps in distance, would not come as easy for Friesen. The fans in
attendance and tuning in on Dirt Track Digest TV were treated to a phenomenal
race. Matt Sheppard had the pole starting position, along with Watertown,
N.Y.’s Billy Dunn on the outside.
Dunn would
grab the lead with Sheppard, and Friesen following in toe. Mat Williamson was
the man on the move, as he had climbed from seventh to fourth and was catching the
top three.
On lap 10,
things went haywire at the front of the field. The top four traded spots back
and forth while working in lap traffic. At one point, Matt Sheppard went from
the lead to fifth in a lap and a half. Billy Dunn lost the lead and gained it
back twice in the commotion up front.
A lap 15
yellow gave the field a chance to reset after Milford, Del.’s Jordan Watson got
into the wall on the backstretch after being three-‘wide with the two leaders.
On the
restart, Dunn would lose the lead for good, as Williamson took the lead from
the outside and Dunn could never get it back.
Erick Rudolph
was another driver making moves, coming from his 22nd starting
position, the Ransomville, N.Y. driver had climbed into the top 10 and was
still advancing.
Lap 23
Stewart Friesen went to the outside and began to pressure Mat Williamson,
before taking the lead on lap 27.
However, the
fight wasn’t over, as Williamson moved up to the outside to follow Friesen as
the outside groove became the preferred groove among majority of the drivers in
the top 10.
A lap 34
yellow presented Friesen with another choice, this time, he chose the top.
Williamson threw everything but the kitchen sink at Friesen but never could get
by, as Friesen walked to his second win of the night.
Friesen would
say a farewell to his friend Jake Marine, who passed away on Wednesday
afternoon, in victory lane following the feature. “We’d always end up BS’ing in
the trailer until 2 in the morning at Volusia.�
Mat
Williamson would take his second runner-up finish of the night. Anthony Perrego
made a charge late to grab the third spot with Matt Sheppard finishing fourth,
and Erick Rudolph coming all the way from 22nd to a top five.
Billy Pauch
Jr. came from 14th to sixth, with Billy Dunn finishing seventh,
Billy Decker coming from 24th to eighth, and Sheffield, Mass.’, Andy
Bachetti coming from 26th to ninth, and Peter Britten rounding out
the top 10.
The Crate 602
Sportsman feature were also swept, but by a pair of brothers as Michael and
Tony Ballestero won each of the 25 lap main events, picking up $1,250 apiece
plus the Evergreen Fuels Inc. bonus cash.
In the first
feature, Michael Ballestero, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., would start in fourth
and passed Brian Sadler at the halfway point and never looked back. Sadler who
led the entire first half of the races car went away from him as the race went
on.
Cresco, Pa.’s,
Grant Hilfiger made a charge from his twelfth starting spot grab the runner-up
spot. Tony Ballestero, of Ballston Spa, N.Y., would come from 11th
to third. Niskayuna, N.Y.’s, Tim Hartman Jr. came home fourth and Kevin Chaffee
of Bradford, Vt., would round out the top five.
In the second
feature, Tony Ballestero would again come from 11th, this time to
win a thrilling three-car battle with Grant Hilfiger and Tim Hartman Jr. At one
point the three were side-by-side for the lead, with Ballestero passing both on
the bottom.
Grant
Hilfiger would again come from twelfth and come up one spot short. Tim Hartman
Jr. finished third, while Robert Delormier, of Akwesasne, N.Y. finished fourth
and Bradford, Vt.’s Kevin Chaffee would again grab the fifth spot.
The “Sunshine
Swing� concludes Saturday night with the Modifieds running 50 laps for $10,000
to win and the Crate 602 Sportsman running 30-laps for $1,500 to win. The event
will again be carried live on Dirt Track Digest TV. Gates will open at 3 p.m.
with hot laps beginning at 6 p.m.
Complete race
weeklong race information can be found on the series website: https://shorttracksuperseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sunshine-Swing-Agenda.pdf
All-Tech
Raceway is located at 1024 SW Howell Road Lake City, FL 32024. To learn more
about the speedway, visit www.alltechraceway.com.
To learn more about
the 2020 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, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Halmar International,
Velocita-USA, Design for Vision/Sunglass Central, Evergreen Fuels Inc., ATL
Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers,
Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH Springs, Fast Axle, Henry’s
Exhaust, Hig Fab, HyperCo, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Land Hoe Maintenance,
K&N, MJK Home Maintenance, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, QA1, Racing
Optics, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, Velocita, WELD Racing &
Wilwood.
‘SUNSHINE
SWING’ RESULTS SUMMARY – ALL-TECH RACEWAY FEBRUARY 6, 2020
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco
Modified Feature Finish (30 laps): STEWART
FRIESEN, Mat Williamson, Matt Sheppard, Larry Wight, Billy Decker, Billy Dunn,
Anthony Perrego, Peter Britten, Brandon Grosso, Billy Pauch Jr., David
Schilling, Danny Hieber, Andy Bachetti, Rusty Smith, Alex Yankowski, Kyle
Weiss, J.R. Hurlburt, Dillon Groover, Jeremy Smith, Jordan Watson, Erick
Rudolph, Rick Laubach, Ryan Krachun, Demetrios Drellos, Danny Johnson, Scott
Hitchens.
Did Not Start: Mike Gular.
Did Not Qualify (Receive Mike’s Racing Heads $50 Tow Insurance): Justin Haers, Kyle Coffey, Matt
Stangle, Robert Dutton, Clay Tatman, Nick Mady, Todd Neiheiser, Tyler Siri, Darren
Smith, Billy Van Pelt, Marshall Hurd, Darwin Greene, Rick Regalski, Scott Van
Gorder, Russell Morseman III, Cory Riffe.
American
Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): Peter Britten (eighth)
& Rusty Smith (14th)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift
Cards): Larry Wight (fourth) & Brandon Grosso (ninth)
Beyea Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Kyle
Weiss
Design for Vision/Sunglass Central Bonus (Ray-Ban Sunglasses): Stewart Friesen(winner)
DIG Race Products Bonus ($100 Certificate): Anthony Perrego(seventh)
EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Peter Britten(eighth)
ERK Steering Bonus ($50 Certificate): Kyle Weiss(16th)
Henry’s Exhaust Bonus ($50 Certificate): David Schilling (11th)
Ocala Restaurant Supply Hard Charger
($100): David Schilling (27th
to 11th)
Sunoco Race Fuels/Insinger Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Mat
Williamson (second), Danny Hieber (12th) & Rick Laubach (22nd)
Wilwood Brakes Bonus ($75 Certificate):
Billy Dunn (sixth)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602
Sportsman Feature Finish (25 laps): MICHAEL
BALLESTERO, Grant Hilfiger, Antonio Ballestero, Tim Hartman Jr., Kevin Chaffee,
Scott Hitchens, Kevin Sockriter, Craig Whitmoyer, Daniel Morgiewicz, Payton
Talbot, Jim Harbison, Blaine Klinger, Todd Buckwold, Jeff Brown, Adam White,
Brendan Gibbons, Brian Sadler, Jim Gallagher Jr., Robert Delormier, Jim Introne
Jr., Garrett Given Sr., Michael White, Derek Webb, Bobby Flood, Matt Meade,
A-Jay Potrzebowski Sr., Carl Bittenbender.
Did Not
Qualify (Receive Mike’s Racing Heads $50 Tow Insurance): Mike Smith, Stephen Lary, Michael
Mondak, Shawn McPhee.
American
Racer/Lias Tire Bonus (FREE Tire): Craig Whitmoyer (eighth)
Beyea Headers Redraw Bonus ($25): Grant Hilfiger
Design for Vision/Sunglass Central Bonus (Ray-Ban Sunglasses): Michael Ballestero
DIG Race Products Bonus ($100 Certificate): Kevin
Sockriter (seventh)
Evergreen Fuels Inc. Winner’s Bonus ($63): Michael Ballestero
ERK Steering Bonus ($50 Certificate): Brendon Gibbons(16th)
‘SUNSHINE SWING’ RESULTS SUMMARY – ALL-TECH RACEWAY
FEBRUARY 7, 2020
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco
Modified Feature Finish (40 laps): STEWART
FRIESEN, Mat Williamson, Anthony Perrego, Matt Sheppard, Erick Rudolph, Billy
Pauch Jr., Billy Dunn, Billy Decker, Andy Bachetti, Peter Britten, Larry Wight,
Demetrios Drellos, David Schilling, Brandon Grosso, Mike Gular, Dillon Groover,
Kyle Weiss, Billy Van Pelt, J.R. Hurlburt, Rick Laubach, Kyle Coffey, Alex Yankowski,
Danny Johnson, Jordan Watson, Darren Smith, Danny Hieber, Rusty Smith.
Did Not Qualify (Receive Mike’s Racing Heads $50 Tow Insurance): Russell Morseman III, Rick Regalski,
Marshall Hurd, Todd Neiheiser, Scott Van Gorder, Justin Haers, Cory Riffe, Clay
Tatman, Matt Stangle, Robert Dutton, Jeremy Smith, Nick Mady, Darwin Greene,
Tyler Siri, Scott Hitchens, Ryan Krachun.
American
Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): Peter Britten (10th)
& Mike Gular (15th)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Matt Sheppard (fourth)
& Andy Bachetti (ninth)
Beyea Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Andy
Bachetti
Design for Vision/Sunglass Central Bonus (Ray-Ban Sunglasses): Stewart Friesen(winner)
DIG Race Products Bonus ($100 Certificate): Billy Dunn (seventh)
EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Billy Decker(eighth)
ERK Steering Bonus ($50): Dillon Groover(16th)
Henry’s Exhaust Bonus ($50 Certificate): Larry Wight (11th)
Ocala Restaurant Supply Hard Charger
($100): Erick Rudolph (22nd
to fifth)
Sunoco Race Fuels/Insinger Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Mat
Williamson (second), Demetrios Drellos (12th) & Alex Yankowski
(22nd)
Wilwood Brakes Bonus ($75 Certificate):
Billy Pauch Jr. (sixth)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602
Sportsman Feature Finish (25 laps): ANTONIO
BALLESTERO, Grant Hilfiger, Tim Hartman Jr., Robert Delormier, Kevin Chaffee,
A-Jay Potrzebowski, Jim Harbison, Blaine Klinger, Craig Whitmoyer, Kevin
Sockriter, Adam White, Brian Sadler, Todd Buckwold, Payton Talbot, Garrett
Given Sr., Brendan Gibbons, Scott Hitchens, Jeff Brown, Michael Mondak, Derek
Webb, Shawn McPhee, Bobby Flood, Daniel Morgiewicz.
Did Not Qualify (Receive Mike’s Racing Heads $50 Tow Insurance): Mike Smith, Carl Bittenbender, Jim
Gallagher Jr., Stephen Lary, Michael Ballestero, Matt Meade, Jim Introne Jr.,
Michael White.American Racer/Lias
Tire Bonus (FREE Tire): Blaine Klinger (eighth)
Beyea Headers Redraw Bonus ($25): Grant Hilfiger
Design for Vision/Sunglass Central Bonus (Ray-Ban Sunglasses): Antonio Ballestero
DIG Race Products Bonus ($100 Certificate): Jim Harbison (seventh)
ERK Steering Bonus ($50): Brendan
Gibbons(16th)
Evergreen Fuels Inc. Winner’s Bonus ($38): Antonio Ballestero