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Down to the Wire: Friesen Pulls of Last-Corner Georgetown Pass, Yankowski (South) & Sheppard (Overall) Champions

GEORGETOWN, DE – Down to the wire.

After starting 19th, Stewart Friesen drove to the front in Saturday night’s Mid-Atlantic Championship Weekend Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco Modified headliner at Georgetown Speedway.

The Sprakers, N.Y., resident won in dramatic fashion, nipping Anthony Perrego at the line off the outside of turn four.

Friesen missed Friday night’s qualifying due to his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series commitments in Martinsville, Va., but made it to Delaware Saturday in time to drive from last to first in the consolation.

Friesen then completed the 19th-to-first drive in the 40-lap main event.

“We had a great race car from hot laps, the consi, right on through tonight,” Friesen said following the $7,000 payday.

Via his third-place finish, Alex Yankowski of Covington Township, Pa., secured the $15,000 NJ Quality Drywall STSS Modified South Region title, while Matt Sheppard of Savannah, N.Y., clinched the Ollie’s Overall Championship for the STSS Modifieds by finishing fourth.

Perrego, driving the Vinnie Salerno No. 4*, cleared Ryan Watt for the lead on the eighth lap of the event. Watt had been at the front of the field since he swept by Billy Pauch Jr. on lap one.

As Perrego took command, Friesen had already climbed from 19th to third in just nine trips around the Sussex County oval.

“When I got to third, Anthony was really fast, probably as even as we were,” Friesen said.

Friesen took second at the halfway mark and set his sights on Perrego, who had built more than a straightaway lead.

In the final five laps, the race for the top spot intensified.

Friesen closed to within five car-lengths at lap 37, rolling the extreme outside lane.

The key move occurred at the exit of turn two with the white flag in the air. Friesen built momentum on the topside of turns one and two, pulling even with Perrego entering turn three.

The pair raced side-by-side through the final pair of corners, with Friesen besting Perrego by a nose at the line.

“I didn’t know if we had enough to get him (Perrego), he was getting good runs off the bottom of (turns) two and four,” Friesen said. “Luckily, the lapped cars there dirtied up the air and we were able to get a run.”

Walden, N.Y.’s Perrego settled for second, with Covington Township, Pa.’s Yankowski placing third.

Yankowski started the event 16th, pitted for a flat tire on the opening lap, and roared through the field to fill out the podium. The third-place finish allowed Yankowski to clinch the South Region championship, his first with the series.

Sheppard drove from 12th to finish fourth as the Ollie’s Overall champion and early leader Watt, of Boyertown, Pa., completed the front five.

Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Ryan Godown of Ringoes, N.J., who clinched the Georgetown Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts Modified championship after starting 20th and pitting twice; Jordan Watson of Milford, Del., up from 13th; Ryan Riddle of Millsboro, Del., after a steady performance; Billy Pauch Jr. of Frenchtown, N.J., who made two trips to the pits; and Carson Wright of Georgetown, Del., recovering from a broken shock early in the race.

Pauch, Watt and Paul Mancini were Friday night heat-race winners for the 27 assembled Modifieds. Sheppard took the ATL Hot Lap Hero Award with a lap of 18.557 seconds. Friesen was the Saturday consolation winner.

Jesse Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa., drove a flawless race to win his first career STSS Crate 602 Sportsman event in the accompanying 25-lap, $2,000-to-win feature.

Hirthler – the final driver to pick in the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw – started from the pole and led every lap, fending off the advances of both Logan Watt and Dylan Madsen.

Watt, also of Boyertown, Pa., finished second and clinched the Belmont’s Garage STSS Crate 602 Sportsman title.

Spencertown, N.Y.’s Madsen, despite a flat left-front tire, placed third, ahead of Michael White of Laurel, Del., and Colin Cox of Perkasie, Pa.

A field of 36 STSS Crate 602 Sportsman signed in for competition.

Saturday’s event concluded the ’24 STSS season. Next up is the ‘Sunshine Swing’ at All-Tech Raceway in Lake City, Fla., Feb. 4-8 for both the STSS Modifieds and STSS Crate 602 Sportsman.

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, Hurlock Auto & Speed, Velocita-USA, Design for Vision/Sunglass Central, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH Springs, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, HyperCo, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, K&N, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Belmont’s Garage, QA1, Racing Optics, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, WELD Racing & Wilwood.

MID-ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT No. 2 RESULTS SUMMARY – GEORGETOWN SPEEDWAY NOVEMBER 2, 2024

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco NJ Quality Drywall South Region/Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Overall Championship Round (40 laps): 1. 44-Stewart Friesen[19]; 2. 4P-Anthony Perrego[5]; 3. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[16]; 4. 9S-Matt Sheppard[12]; 5. 14W-Ryan Watt[2]; 6. 26-Ryan Godown[20]; 7. 1J-Jordan Watson[13]; 8. 31-Ryan Riddle[11]; 9. 1P-Billy Pauch Jr[1]; 10. 91-Carson Wright[15]; 11. 32-Brandon Grosso[3]; 12. 51-Ryan Krachun[18]; 13. 4M-Logan Watt[21]; 14. 7M-Paul Mancini[8]; 15. 35M-Mike Mahaney[4]; 16. 20C-Cole Stangle[14]; 17. 28-Tom Solderich[25]; 18. 51P-Matt Peck[9]; 19. 30W-HJ Bunting[6]; 20. 24W-Sean Weiss[17]; 21. 8MOD-Norman Short Jr[24]; 22. 4W-Brandon Watkins[22]; 23. 117-Kevin Hirthler[23]; 24. 6B-Danny Bouc[7]; 25. 74W-John Willman[10]

Did Not Qualify: 187-Steve Young; 4-Bobby Watkins; 117x-Jesse Hirthler

STSS Modified NJ Quality Drywall South Region Champion: Alex Yankowski ($15,000)
STSS Modified Ollie’s Overall Champion: Matt Sheppard ($10,000)
Georgetown Speedway Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts Modified Champion: Ryan Godown ($2,500)

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificates): Jordan Watson (seventh) & Brandon Grosso (11th)
ATL Fuel Cells Hot Lap Hero ($100): Matt Sheppard (18.557 seconds)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Matt Sheppard (fourth) & Billy Pauch Jr. (ninth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Matt Sheppard (Redrew 12th)
Eibach Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Ryan Godown sixth)
Henry’s Exhaust System Power Position ($50 Certificate): Brandon Grosso (11th)
PEM Engineering & Manufacturing Bonus (Quick Change Gears): Alex Yankowski (third)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Stewart Friesen (winner - $150 certificate); Anthony Perrego (second - $75 certificate); Alex Yankowski (third - $50 certificate); Matt Sheppard (fourth - $25 certificate)
Schultz Racing Fuel Cells Bonus ($100 Certificate): Carson Wright (10th)
Wilwood Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Award ($75 Certificate): Jordan Watson (seventh)

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman Belmont’s Garage South Region Championship Round Feature Finish (25 laps): 1. 117-Jesse Hirthler[1]; 2. 4M-Logan Watt[5]; 3. 89-Dylan Madsen[3]; 4. 43-Michael White[2]; 5. 59X-Colin Cox[7]; 6. 20-Ryan Simmons[10]; 7. 10-Adam White[6]; 8. 94-Jacob King[4]; 9. 74-Jax Yohn[14]; 10. 21P-Brandon Watkins[11]; 11. 5B-Bryce Bashore[13]; 12. 91-Luke Bunting[15]; 13. 1*-Zac Weller[21]; 14. 257-Thomas Sherby[20]; 15. 59K-Dakota Kohler[18]; 16. 02-Greg Humlhanz[23]; 17. 9J-Joe Toth[9]; 18. 29-Matt Ellery[19]; 19. 14B-Ethan Bill[12]; 20. 12-George Schweigart[26]; 21. 37-Chris Martinez[27]; 22. 09-David Jenkins[16]; 23. 15-Scott Hitchens[17]; 24. 7J-Jarod Millman[25]; 25. 05-Sean Metz[24]; 26. 23-Devin Dodson[8]; 27. 59-Tom Moore Jr[22]

Did Not Qualify: 17T-Kris Thompson; 142-Nathan Austin 8. 97-Matt Smith; 30T-Robert Tete; 13D-Evan Dennis; 18-Jeff Marker; 44A-Nicholas Arment; 39-Richie Walls Jr; 1C-Eddie Collins

Belmont’s Garage South Region Champion: Logan Watt ($1,500)
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonus (FREE Tire Certificate): Adam White (seventh)
Belmont’s Garage Hard Charger Award ($100): Zac Weller (21st to 13th)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($25): Ethan Bill (Redrew 12th)
Fastline Performance Bonuses ($100 Certificates): Logan Watt (second) & Luke Bunting (12th)
Fastline Performance ‘Hot Lap Hero ($50): Dylan Madsen (19.901 seconds) Henry’s Exhaust Bonus ($50 Certificate): Bryce Bashore (11th)

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