8/12/2020
Short Track Super Series
Titans Battle at Delaware International, Stewart Friesen Wins His Second ‘Diamond State 50’
DELMAR, DE – It was a crowd-pleasing,
back-and-forth battle between the sport’s titans.
At the end of
50 laps around Delaware International Speedway, Stewart Friesen emerged
victorious from Tuesday night’s Hurlock Auto & Speed Supply ‘Diamond State
50’ after a rim-riding performance.
Friesen took
home $5,000 from the posted purse, $200 as the Precision Hydraulic & Oil
Halfway leader and a pair of Oakley sunglasses from Design for Vision and
Sunglass Central.
“I’ll be
spending a lot of time here in Delaware this month,� Friesen, 37, said after
climbing to the roof of his Halmar International No. 44 big-block. “We run the
(NASCAR) Truck at Dover (Del., Aug. 21) and in two weeks we are back at
Georgetown (Del., for the Aug. 25 STSS event).�
The rescheduled
‘Diamond State 50’ from August drew an event record 38 STSS Modifieds to the
Cathell family’s facility for the fifth Velocita-USA South Region event of 2020
for the Modifieds and fourth ’20 Crate 602 Sportsman South point race.
Friesen and
rival Sheppard started the 50-lap grind from the fourth row, with Friesen
seventh and Sheppard eighth.
Ryan Watt
fired off the pole following the Beyea Custom Headers redraw and led the
opening seven laps before Billy Pauch Jr., off the strength of two consecutive
STSS South Region triumphs, powered to the top spot on lap eight.
Working the
extreme inside lane, Sheppard made it to the front before Friesen, taking the
lead on the 13th tour of the half-mile track.
On lap 14,
Friesen arrived in second and began stalking Sheppard trying different lanes on
the tacky Delaware clay. Friesen found the very topside of the speedway to his
liking, and after an extended wheel-to-wheel battle, forged ahead on the 23rd
circuit.
The race was
far from over, however.
Negotiating
lapped traffic after lap 30 allowed Sheppard to reel Friesen back in; and at
one point put the nose of the Hurlock Auto & Speed Supply No. 9s back into
the top spot.
Friesen’s
high-side momentum carried him back to a lead he would never relinquish despite
a final restart with nine laps remaining.
The win for
the Sprakers, N.Y., driver was his second in the ‘Diamond State 50’ having
previously won the event in 2016 and series-leading 24th career
victory.
Friesen now
becomes eligible for the Stockley Tavern ‘Delaware Double-Down’ $2,000 cash
bonus if he can come back and win the Georgetown STSS event on Aug. 25.
Sheppard, of
Savannah, N.Y., saw his streak of back-to-back ‘Diamond State 50’ triumphs end
with a runner-up finish worth $3,050. Jimmy Horton of Neshanic Station, N.J.,
rode the topside of the track from 15th to complete the podium with
the Halmar International No. 43.
Andy Bachetti
of Sheffield, Mass., advanced from 20th to fourth, earning the Danny’s
Pizza Pizzazz $200 Hard Charger Award. Danny Bouc of Pipersville, Pa., climbed
from 12th to finish fifth in the Craig and Leslie Pondish-owned No.
6.
Placing sixth
through 10th, respectively, were David Van Horn of Ringoes, N.J., in
the Fred Vahlsing No. 323ov; reigning track champion Jordan Watson of Milford,
Del., after a roller-coaster outing back and forth through the field; pole
starter Watt of Boyertown, Pa.; Jeff Strunk, also of Boyertown, Pa., in the
Glenn Hyneman No. 126; and Tyler Dippel of Wallkill, N.Y., after pitting with a
right-front suspension issue.
Pauch Jr.,
who had run inside the top-three with Rick Holsten’s No. 96, saw his run end on
lap 40 with a power steering line issue causing a plume of smoke.
Ad-Art Sign
Company $50 heat winners were Dippel, Sheppard, Watson and Pauch Jr. Matt
Stangle topped the consolation.
The STSS
Crate 602 Sportsman 25-lap main event saw a youth movement. Tanner Van Doren of
Walnutport, Pa., drove a flawless race to put his name on the STSS win list.
Van Doren picked up $1,500 for his efforts.
Van Doren led
from start-to-finish to take the Sunoco checkered flag, but it was far from an
easy triumph. First State standout Scott Hitchens moved into second on the
opening lap and pressured Van Doren persistently.
Van Doren
adjusted his line over the final 10 circuits, moving higher on the track and
held Hitchens at bay for a crowd-pleasing victory.
Hitchens, of
Dagsboro, Del., finished second, followed by Laurel, Del.’s Adam White, 10th-starter
Tim Hartman Jr. of Niskayuna, N.Y., and Joe Toth of Newtown, Pa.
A robust
field of 31 Crate 602 Sportsman took part in the program.
The Delaware
Super Trucks and Delmarva Chargers took part in the program. Jerry Hill topped
a 23-truck field to earn the Delaware Super Truck triumph and Joe Waters
dominated the 12-lap Delmarva Charger event which ran caution-free.
Next up for
the STSS is the Melon 1 ‘Blast at the Beach’ presented by Earth Movers LLC
Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Georgetown (Del.) Speedway. STSS Modifieds (35 laps, $6,000
to win), STSS Crate 602 Sportsman (25 laps, $1,500 to win), Delaware Super
Trucks and Delmarva Chargers complete the program. A rain date of Aug. 26 is in
place for this event.
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, Rob Sherlock Roofing, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance
Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest,
EIBACH Springs, Escape RV, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, 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 SUPPLY
‘DIAMOND STATE 50’ RESULTS SUMMARY – DELAWARE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY TUESDAY,
AUGUST 11
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track
Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Velocita-USA South Region Event No. 5 Modified
Feature Finish (50 laps): STEWART
FRIESEN, Matt Sheppard, Jimmy Horton, Andy Bachetti, Danny Bouc, David Van Horn
Jr., Jordan Watson, Ryan Watt, Jeff Strunk, Tyler Dippel, Richie Pratt Jr.,
Carson Wright, H.J. Bunting, Ryan Riddle, Danny Hieber, John Willman, Joseph
Watson, Brandon Watkins, Robert Dutton, Ray Swinehart, Mike Gular, Billy Pauch
Jr., Matt Stangle, Ryan Godown, Rick Laubach, Norman Short.
Did Not Qualify: Scott
Ambruster, Kevin Gardner, John Bailey, Austin Hubbard, Ricky Johnson III, Jordn
Justice, Kevin Sockriter, Matt Smith, Matt Hawkins, Larry Wight, Neal Williams,
Brandon Grosso.
Ad-Art Sign Company Heat Winner Bonus
($50 Each): Tyler Dippel, Matt Sheppard, Jordan Watson &
Billy Pauch Jr.
American
Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Jordan
Watson (seventh) & Danny Hieber (17th)
Beyea
Custom Headers Redraw Bucks ($50): Danny Bouc
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Andy Bachetti (fourth) & Jeff
Strunk (ninth)
Bill Brown & Company Overall
Heat-Race Hard Charger ($50): Danny
Bouc (ninth to second)
Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Hard
Charger Award ($200): Andy Bachetti
(20th to fourth)
Design for Vision/Sunglass Central
Winner’s Shades (Oakley Fuel Cell Sunglasses): Stewart Friesen
EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate):
David Van Horn (sixth)
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate):
Richie Pratt Jr. (11th)
Precision Hydraulic & Oil Halfway
Leader Bonus ($200): Stewart
Friesen
Racing Optics Bonus (Tearoff Sleeve):
Jimmy Horton (third)
Sunoco Race Fuels/Insinger Performance
Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Matt Sheppard (second), Carson Wright (12th)
& Billy Pauch Jr. (22nd)
Wilwood Brakes Bonus ($75 Certificate):
Jordan Watson (seventh)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track
Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman South Region Event No. 4
Feature Finish (25 laps): TANNER VAN DOREN, Scott Hitchens, Adam White, Tim
Hartman Jr., Joe Toth, Michael White, Tom Moore Jr., Trent Willey, Jim
Housworth, James Hill, Matt Peck, Kevin Borden, Brad Roberts, Anthony
Tramontana, Ryan Simmons, Samantha Muller, Tom Princiotta, George Richardson,
John Stevenson, Greg Nailor Jr., Freddy Massey, Erik McKinney, Sean Metz, David
Jenkins, William Adams.
Did Not Qualify: Justin Eason,
Justin Riley, Robert Messick, Brett Kern, Sean Weiss, Matt Smith.
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonus (FREE
Tire Certificate): Tom Moore Jr. (seventh)
Beyea
Custom Headers Redraw Bucks ($25): Trent Willey
Delaware
Super Truck Feature Finish (12 laps): JERRY HILL, Matthew Smith, David Smith, Ryan Efford,
Mark Townsend, Dale Elliott, Kirk Miles Sr., Kyle Brasure, J.R. Bergman, Danny
DiGrazio, Michelle Jackson, Dick Beauchamp, Thomas Jackson, Ronnie Holloway, Bill
Dean, Trent Marine, Nate Benson, Dan Goehner, T.J. Williams, Shane Clogg, T.J.
Hazlewood, Adam Smart, Mike Hovatter.
Delmarva
Charger Feature Finish (12 laps): JOEY WATERS, Chris ‘Tippy’ Martinez, Chris Carroll,
Ashley Merritt, Chris Myers, Randy Merritt, Paul Gary, Mike Harmon, Jay Lowman,
John Bailey.