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STSS Race Day for Richie: Utica-Rome Storylines, Stars & Sleepers

Written by Chris Moore

VERNON, NY – Race Day for Richie!

The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco continues the busy month of July with the ‘Richie Evans Remembered’ tonight at Utica-Rome Speedway.

The ‘Home of Heroes’ hosts its sixth STSS event, and the fourth ‘Richie Evans Remembered’ under STSS sanctioning.

The ‘Richie Evans Remembered' serves as the third River Valley Builders North Region event in the month of July.

THE STORYLINES

The STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds prepare for a 61-lap, $6,100-to-win main event tonight, in honor of Richie Evans’ iconic No. 61.

Tonight’s event serves as Round No. 6 of the River Valley Builders North Region and Round No. 12 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship.

Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen and Saint Catherines, Ontario, Canada’s Mat Williamson sit tied atop the North Region title fight heading into the ‘Richie Evans Remembered.’

Williamson meanwhile leads the Overall Championship by 34 points over Walden, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego.

THE STARS

Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard sits third in the North Region standings and the Overall Championship. The all-time winningest Modified driver at Utica-Rome Speedway has won the last two ‘Richie Evans Remembered’ races and holds seven wins this season at the Route 5 oval.

Stewart Friesen is the only other driver with multiple wins at Utica-Rome this season and won the inaugural STSS ‘Richie Evans Remembered’ back in 2021. Friesen is also the most recent STSS winner after his triumph at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, N.Y. last Thursday.

Covington Township, Pa.’s Alex Yankowski lands himself on the ‘stars’ list for the first time. Yankowski sits second in the 3 Bastards Brewing Modified standings at Utica-Rome and fifth in the Ollie’s Overall Championship. He’s also fresh off his first career STSS triumph at Bridgeport Motorsports Park in Swedesboro, N.J. on July 7.

THE SLEEPERS

East Greenbush, N.Y.’s Bobby Hackel IV has been snake bitten by a string of bad luck thus far in ’24. Hackel has had plenty of good runs cut short by bad luck, including a top five run last Thursday at Outlaw going by the wayside due to a flat tire. Hackel will look to shake the bad luck and put himself in the thick of contention tonight.

Watertown, N.Y.’s Tim Fuller was disappointed with his efforts when the STSS visited his home track, Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Fuller was a runner-up last Friday night to Sheppard and finished third in the ’23 ‘Richie Evans Remembered.’

Genoa, N.Y.’s Pat Ward has had a resurgence in 2024, which includes a win at Utica-Rome Speedway back on May 17. The ‘Genoa Giant’ will look to add his name to the all-time STSS wins list in what would certainly be a crowd-pleasing triumph for the legendary driver.

ALSO IN ACTION

The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman do battle in Round No. 4 of the Madsen Overhead Doors North Region.

A 25-lap, $2,061-to-win affair is on tap for the Taylor’s Trailers LLC Crate 602 Sportsman.

South New Berlin, N.Y.’s Payton Talbot leads the standings by 48 points over Lake Ariel, Pa.’s Tyler Peet. Walton, N.Y.’s Blaine Klinger rounds out the top three, 53 markers behind Talbot.

The Fastline Performance Limited Sportsman are also on the docket for a non-points event paying $500 to win courtesy of Ted’s Body Shop. Drivers will draw for their starting positions in the heat races.

ON THE HORIZON

The STSS Modifieds head back to Quebec, Canada for the second annual ‘Lumberjack Swing’ at Autodrome Granby and Le RPM Speedway.

A pair of $10,000-to-win events play the parts of Rounds 7 & 8 for the River Valley Builders North Region and Rounds 13 & 14 for the Ollie’s Overall Championship.

The ‘Lumberjack Swing’ takes place on Tues.-Wed., July 30-31.

DIRT DRAFT

Don’t forget to set your Dirt Draft lineups before the night’s first heat race begins.

Visit www.dirtdraft.com or download the app to join Dirt Draft and compete against thousands of others for the entire 2024 STSS season. A subscription is just $5.99 a month with plenty of prizes up for grabs in the Dirt Draft Speed Shop.

Following along with the STSS on Dirt Draft throughout the ‘24 season will pay one lucky fan dividends at year-end.

The STSS Dirt Draft Champion receives two tickets to the STSS year-end banquet and will be honored with a custom trophy presented by Dirt Draft.

GATES AND PRICES

All gates open tonight at 4 p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7:15 p.m.

Grandstand admission is $28 (Adults), $26 (Seniors ages 65 and up) and Kids 11 and under are FREE.

Pit admission is $45 (Non-Members), $40 (Utica-Rome members), $10 Kids (ages 6-12) and $2 Children (ages 5 and under).

HOW TO WATCH

The entire night of racing will be broadcast live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv) via the annual subscription.

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.

PAST EVENT WINNERS: ‘RICHIE EVANS REMEMBERED 61’

July 20, 2023 – MATT SHEPPARD – Mat Williamson, Tim Fuller – Stewart Friesen – Erick Rudolph

July 21, 2022 – MATT SHEPPARD – Stewart Friesen – Rocky Warner – Mat Williamson – Jimmy Phelps

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

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