7/31/2024
Short Track Super Series
Oh Canada: David Hebert Wins Autodrome Granby ‘Lumberjack Swing’ Opener
Written by Chris Moore
GRANBY, QUEBEC – Oh Canada!
For the first time in Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco history, a French-Canadian was triumphant.
St. Damase, Quebec, Canada’s David Hebert raced from the 13th starting position to claim the $10,000 top prize in Round No. 7 of the River Valley Builders North Region and Round No. 13 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship.
“This is awesome, it means so much to win with all the support we have here,” Hebert smiled. “To win a Short Track Super Series race at Autodrome Granby is a dream come true.”
The ‘Great Canadian Champion’ was greeted in Bicknell Racing Products Victory Lane by a swarm of supporters, both crew and fans alike at his Friday night home track: Autodrome Granby.
The race took a dramatic turn when Saint Catherines, Ontario, Canada’s Mat Williamson broke a tie-rod going into turn one and crashed into the outside wall.
Williamson led all 26 laps of the race prior to his turn-one wreck.
Hebert raced his way to third position on the ensuing restart and joined an epic battle between Elizabethtown, N.Y.’s Mike Mahaney and Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard for the top spot.
As the top groove began to get further and further around the outside of the speedway, Hebert rolled the bottom groove, getting by Sheppard at the completion of lap No. 40 for the runner-up spot.
Two laps later, Hebert prevailed with the lead using the inside groove, much to the crowd’s delight.
Hebert led the final 18 laps of the 60-lap affair for his first career STSS victory.
“The track was much faster tonight than normal,” Hebert explained. “I knew it would get slick though and I could use the bottom, my favorite groove.”
Sheppard would get by Mahaney just one lap after Hebert but was never able to get back to Hebert’s signature ‘ONE’ car.
“Congrats to David,” Sheppard proclaimed. “He had the best car and he deserved to win this race.”
Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen came from the 16th starting position to round out the podium finishers.
“Yea we were definitely a third-place car at the end,” Friesen stated. “We used up a lot of our stuff coming through… I don’t know that missing the redraw mattered though, I think we were a couple adjustments from catching the guys ahead of us.”
Granby, Quebec’s Michael Parent faded from the pole starting position outside the top five, before climbing his way back to finish fourth. Covington Township, Pa.’s Alex Yankowski was as far back as 11th before charging forward in the latter part of the race for a top five.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Saratoga Springs, N.Y.’s Jack Lehner, who advanced from outside the top-10 during the first half of the race; Walden, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego who charged from the 24th starting position; Yamaska, Quebec’s Mathieu Desjardins, after drawing the worst number (12) in the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw; St. Majorique, Quebec’s Sebastian Gougeon, who ended a back-and-forth feature event right where he started; and Mahaney who faded late after contending for the win for much of the opening 40 laps.
Thirty-six STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds competed the opening, and now only round of the ‘Lumberjack Swing.’
Heat winners were Mario Clair, Gougeon, Yankowski, and Williamson.
The second and final round of the ‘Lumberjack Swing’ at Le RPM Speedway has been canceled due to an unfavorable forecast for most of the day.
The STSS now returns to action on Tues.-Wed., August 6-7 for the first ever trips to Mohawk International Raceway (Akwesasne, N.Y.) and Cornwall Motor Speedway (Cornwall, Ontario). Another pair of $10,000-to-win races are up for grabs in Rounds 8 & 9 of the North Region and Rounds 14 & 15 of the Overall Championship.
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.
‘LUMBERJACK SWING’ ROUND NO. 1 RESULTS SUMMARY – AUTODROME GRANBY TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2024
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco River Valley Builders North Region Round No. 7 Feature Finish (60 laps): 1. ONE-DAVID HEBERT[13]; 2. 9S-Matt Sheppard[6]; 3. 44-Stewart Friesen[16]; 4. 25P-Michael Parent[1]; 5. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[7]; 6. 02-Jack Lehner[8]; 7. 4P-Anthony Perrego[24]; 8. 1M-Mathieu Desjardins[12]; 9. 44G-Sebastien Gougeon[9]; 10. 35M-Mike Mahaney[4]; 11. 124-Mario Clair[5]; 12. 28-Samuel Charland[21]; 13. 92P-Martin Pelletier[18]; 14. 13-Kevin Hamel[17]; 15. 25*-Steve Bernier[26]; 16. 28T-Michael Trautschold[15]; 17. 124J-Luke Whitteker[22]; 18. 35R-William Racine[27]; 19. 95-Christopher Cormier[28]; 20. 61F-Francois Bernier[14]; 21. 61-Felix Roy[11]; 22. 54B-Steve Bernard[3]; 23. 35B-Francois Bellemare[19]; 24. 66X-Carey Terrance[20]; 25. 3W-Mat Williamson[2]; 26. 47-Simon Perreault[10]; 27. 54R-Even Racine[23]; 28. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[25]
Did Not Qualify: 46-Kayle Robidoux; 22-Gorden Clair; 4K-Jasmin Leveillee; 22C-Cedric Gauvreau; 29-Steve Turcotte; 66W-Dexter Stacey; 88-Jeffrey Lapalme; 879-Darryl Mitchell
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Sebastien Gougeon (ninth) & Mario Clair (11th)
ATL Fuel Cell ‘Hot Lap Hero’ ($100): Stewart Friesen (18.224)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Michael Parent (fourth) & Sebastien Gougeon (ninth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Mathieu Desjardins (Redrew 12th)
Eibach Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Jack Lehner (sixth)
Elite Welder Training & Testing Halfway Leader Bonus ($150): Mike Mahaney
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Mario Clair (11th)
PEM Engineering Bonus (Quick Change Gears): Stewart Friesen (third)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: David Herbert (first - $150 certificate); Matt Sheppard (second - $75 certificate); Stewart Friesen (third - $50 certificate); Michael Parent (fourth - $25 certificate)
Schultz Racing Fuel Cells Bonus ($100 Certificate): Mike Mahaney (10th)
Wilwood Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($100 Certificate): Anthony Perrego (seventh)