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Stewart Friesen Caps STSS ‘Carolina Swing’ with Cherokee Speedway Victory

Written By
Bobby Sweeney

GAFFNEY,
SC - Stewart Friesen
has had a great week in the Carolinas, capping off the weekend with a Short
Track Super Series win at Cherokee Speedway after a tough battle with Larry
Wight. 

It was Friesen's second win in three days and gave him three podium finishes and a nice $4,000 check.

The event at
the Gaffney, S.C., facility was broadcast live on Dirt Track Digest TV and run
before large crowd spread around the facility.

A rough start
to the 40-lap feature meant polesitter Larry Wight had to fend off front row
partner Erick Rudolph multiple times in the first laps, with multiple restarts
in the early stages.

Alan Johnson
slipped by Rudolph to grab the runner up spot early, with Friesen following
suit into third. While Wight cruised out front, Friesen stalked Johnson and
snagged second on lap eight.

Unfortunately,
Johnson slowed to a stop on lap 10, ending his strong run a quarter of the way
into the event. Wight’s unchallenged experience out front was over, as Friesen
latched onto Wight’s rear bumper on the restart.

With Wight
down low, Friesen tried lower, then switched to the top near halfway. After a
couple close bids on the cushion, Friesen dropped low once more, trying to pry
Wight off the lightning fast bottom lane.

On lap 28,
Friesen did so, getting under Wight and getting the lead. With the leaders in
traffic, Wight didn’t drop off of the pace nor give Friesen an ounce of
breathing room.

“Larry was
doing a good job out there,� Friesen said of the battle. “I don’t know whether
it was rubber or just the abrasion of the surface, but the bottom was super
gripped up. I tried to roll him up top, I was pretty good up there in three and
four, but he slipped up and I got him on the bottom.�

However,
Friesen held the point as the laps wound down, working lapped cars
methodically. With five laps left, Anthony Perrego slowed with a flat tire,
drawing the yellow and removing the traffic the leaders had been dealing with.

Friesen snuck
away on the late-race restart, leaving Wight to fend off Rudolph. Wight
surrendered second to Rudolph in the final circuits, allowing Friesen to cruise
to his 22nd career Short Track Super Series victory at Cherokee.

Rudolph had
the rebound of the week. On Thursday, Rudolph had a car on top of him, and
Friday saw a mediocre run. Rudolph ends the week with a strong second place,
moving forward.

“The first
night didn’t go good, and last night wasn’t much better,� stated Rudolph. “At
least we finished last night, but we finished really good tonight on the
podium. The bottom was the place to be, and Larry slipped up at the end and we
were able to capitalize. Overall it was a good race and maybe someday we’ll be
back.�

While Wight
led over half the race and finished podium, he noted the result didn’t come
easily.

“I couldn’t
rotate the bottom good enough to stay tight to the wall,� Wight said. “Three
and four I could stay right on the berm, but I knew he would be right there
hounding me. The way the water was down there, as soon as I touched it I’d lose
the nose, I couldn’t run through it like these guys were. With the 360 motor
and everyone the same weight, we were down probably 100 horsepower, but we’re
swapping our big motor into this car and try again next week.�

Peter Britten
had his best run of the week finishing in fourth and earned $1,556 for the
Marcia Wetmore Perseverance Award raised by the racing community in her memory,
while Danny Creeden finished in fifth.

In the 602
Sportsman feature, Tim Hartman Jr., outraced Brian Calabrese for the victory in
the 35-lap affair.  Hartman worked forward from seventh.  He first
took second from Eric Kormann before making a mid-race charge to get by
Calabrese for the $1,500 win.

Calabrese
settled for second with Joe Toth finishing third.  Kormann claimed fourth
with young Tanner Van Doren finishing in fifth.

Cherokee
Speedway concluded the three-race Carolinas Swing for the STSS. Keep posted for
upcoming schedule announcements.

The Short
Track Super Series “Return to Racing� was presented by Hurlock Auto & Speed
Supply, Mike’s Racing Heads, Competition Carburetion, St. Lawrence Radiology,
Swagger Factory Apparel/Harry Shar Evergreen Fuels Inc., K&B Auto, The
Scumgang, Midstate Recycling, Manmiller Electric and a host of special award, bonus
and purse booster contributors.

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, 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.

HURLOCK AUTO & SPEED RACE SUMMARY
– CHEROKEE SPEEDWAY SATURDAY, MAY 23

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track
Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (40 laps): STEWART
FRIESEN, Erick Rudolph, Larry Wight, Peter Britten, Danny Creeden, Billy
Decker, Tyler Dippel, Matt Sheppard, Danny Bouc, Danny Johnson, Brett Tonkin,
Allison Ricci, Mike Maresca, David Schilling, Jessica Friesen, Kyle Weiss,
Anthony Perrego, Alex Yankowski, Richie Pratt Jr., J.R. Hurlburt, Tyler Siri,
Mike Franz, Alan Johnson, Danny Tyler, Andy Bachetti, Barry White, Jeff Strunk,
H.J. Bunting.

Did Not Qualify: Josh Delea,
Billy Pauch Jr.

Behrent’s Performance Warehouse
Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Peter Britten (fourth) & Danny Bouc (ninth)
Bill
Brown & Company Heat-Race Hard Charger ($50): Stewart
Friesen (fifth to first)
Diversified Machine Inc. Heat Winners ($100 Certificates): Danny
Creeden, Andy Bachetti & Stewart Friesen
Driven Design & Embroidery Heat-Race Winners ($100): Danny
Creeden, Andy Bachetti & Stewart Friesen
Dufel
Basement Systems, Piping Solutions & Moisture Management ($100): Allison
Ricci
KB’s Racing Photos Halfway Leader ($50): Larry Wight
Marcia Wetmore Perseverance Award ($1,556): Peter Britten (fourth)
On-Track Automotive Ironman Award ($150): J.R. Hurlburt
Rock Fantasy Danny Serrano Memorial Sixth-Place Finisher: Billy Decker
(sixth)
Rock
Fantasy Lap-29 Leader In Memory of Tommy Laner ($100): Stewart
Friesen
Scumgang “Biggest Sender� Award ($200): Danny Johnson (25th
to 10th)

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track
Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (35 laps): TIM HARTMAN
JR., Brian Calabrese, Joe Toth, Eric Kormann, Tanner Van Doren, Ryan Conrad,
A.J. Custodi, Kyle Belmont, Vinny Troia, Maverick Eldridge, Nick Van Winkle,
Bobby Flood, Tom Moore Jr., Scott Hulmes, Derrick McGrew Jr., Scott Hitchens,
Tom Princiotta.

Did Not Start: Greg Nailor

Ad-Art Sign Company Bonuses ($50
Each): Ryan Conrad (sixth), A.J. Custodi (seventh), Kyle Belmont (eighth), Vinny
Troia (ninth) & Maverick Eldridge (10th)
Competition Carburetor Fastest Feature Lap ($50): Tim Hartman
(17.390 seconds)
Design for Vision/Sunglass Central (Oakley Holbrook Sunglasses): Tim Hartman
Jr., Brian Calabrese & Joe Toth
Tailored
Home Care Inc. Hard Charger ($200): Kyle Belmont (17th to eighth)
Training Tails Heat Winners ($75): Scott Hitchens & Joe Toth

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