---

STSS Race Day at Utica-Rome: Richie Evans Remembered™ Storylines, Stars & Sleepers

Written by Chris Moore

VERNON, NY It™s Richie Evans Race Day!

Tonight, the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco makes its second trip to Utica-Rome Speedway for the Richie Evans Remembered 61.™

The stars of the STSS invade the Home of Heroes™ for the first of two visits to the Route 5 oval in 2022. The next event serves as Round No. 3 of the Halmar International Elite™ Series paying $25,000-to-win on September 4.

Tonight™s event pays homage to NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Richie Evans, who sported the No. 61 on the side of his prestigious orange asphalt Modifieds. Evans, a 33-time winner at Utica-Rome Speedway, is known as one of the greatest pavement Modified drivers of all-time and cut his teeth at Utica-Rome Speedway back in its asphalt days.

THE STORYLINES

Tonight™s Richie Evans Remembered 61™ pays the winner a cool $6,100-to-win at the end of the 61-lap affair and $610 to take the green flag. A total purse of more than $28,000 is up for grabs for the Thursday night special.

The event serves as Round No. 7 of the River Valley Builders North Region. Following tonight™s race, only three races will remain in the $15,000 championship chase for the North Region stars.

Savannah, N.Y.™s Matt Sheppard continues to set the pace in the North Region standings, leading St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada™s Mat Williamson by a 45-point margin.

THE STARS

Sheppard the defending champion at Utica-Rome Speedway has continued his reign into the 2022 campaign, claiming six wins thus far this season at Utica-Rome and leads the Modified standings at the speedway. Sheppard also leads all STSS competitors with five wins on the tour thus far in 2022.

Sprakers, N.Y.™s Stewart Friesen has been on a recent hot streak, having won in each of his last two attempts at Utica-Rome Speedway, including this past Friday night. The defending Richie Evans Remembered 61™ winner is coincidentally fresh off his 61st career Utica-Rome Speedway win, the most in speedway history.

Middletown, N.Y.™s Anthony Perrego has been on a hot streak at his home track Orange County Fair Speedway. Perrego also claimed the annual combination event™ topping the North and South Region stars in the Battle at Bloomsburg™ at Bloomsburg (Pa.) Fair Raceway.

THE SLEEPERS

Pittsfield, Mass., native Brett Haas recently visited Utica-Rome Speedway for the first time, claiming two top-10s on Twin 20™s™ night at the Home of Heroes.™ Haas, now with an extended notebook, will look to outdo his best career STSS finish of fourth, which came earlier this season at Dundee, N.Y.™s Outlaw Speedway.

Covington Township, Pa.™s Alex Yankowski has made Utica-Rome Speedway his Friday night home in 2022. Kid Rocket™ has already claimed a win at the speedway, one that made him the youngest Modified winner in the history of Utica-Rome Speedway.

Edwards, N.Y.™s Tim Fuller claimed his second win of his Utica-Rome Speedway career less than one month ago despite not being a Friday night regular. Fuller will join the stars of the STSS looking to get back in Victory Lane as first time STSS winner.

ALSO IN ACTION

The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman join the program, running in Round No. 5 of the Precision Hydraulic & Oil North Region.

Cream Ridge, N.J.™s Steve Davis leads the North Region standings by 37 markers over Wallkill, N.Y.™s Travis Green. Utica-Rome Speedway regular Payton Talbot rounds out the top three.

GATES AND PRICES

For the July 21 program, all gates open at 4 p.m. Hot laps are slated to begin at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow at 7:15 p.m.

Grandstand admission is $25 for Adults and $23 for Seniors (ages 65 and above). Kids 11 and under get in FREE.

Pit Admission is $35 for Utica-Rome Speedway members and $40 for non-members. Kids (ages 6-12) get in for $10 and Children (ages 5 and under) are admitted for $2.

HOW TO WATCH

The entire night of racing will air live and on-demand on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).

Utica-Rome Speedway is located at 5591 NY-5 (Seneca Turnpike) Vernon, NY 13476. The official website is www.uticaromespeedway.com and can be reached by phone at 315.953.4097.  Like Utica-Rome Speedway on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @UR_Speedway.

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, FloSports, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Halmar International, River Valley Builders, Hurlock Auto & Speed, Velocita-USA, St. Lawrence Radiology, Design for Vision & Sunglass Central, Belmont™s Garage, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Prime MAC Tools, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Behrent™s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH, Elite Welder Testing & Training, Flach Performance Products, Henry™s Exhaust, Hig Fab, Penske Racing Shocks, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Spyder Filters, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, Wegner Automotive & Wilwood.

STSS UTICA-ROME RACE HISTORY: PAST EVENT WINNERS

July 22, 2021  STEWART FRIESEN Matt Sheppard Rocky Warner Mat Williamson Alan Johnson

Back to News