FIRST RACE, FIRST PLACE: STEWART FRIESEN WINS STSS INAUGURAL AT WOODHULL RACEWAY IN DEBUT AT THE TRACK (8-11-15)‏

First Race, First Place: Stewart Friesen Earns $5,365 Victory In Woodhull Raceway Debut, Tops ‘Hustlin the High Banks 51’ After Extended Side-By-Side Battle With Local Dylan Dewert; 43 Cars, Large Crowd Make Inaugural Short Track Super Series Woodhull Visit A Success

WOODHULL, NY – Stewart Friesen brought new meaning to the phrase “first race, first place” on Tuesday night at Woodhull Raceway.

Friesen, who first laid eyes on the unique paperclip-shaped, high-banked track just hours before race time, scored a down-to-the-wire victory in the ‘Hustlin’ the High Banks 51’ inaugural running. The Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Hi-Tek big-block/small-block Modifieds invaded Woodhull for the highest-paying event in the speedway’s 51-year history.

Friesen, the Sprakers, N.Y., phenom, pocketed $5,365 for his efforts including the $5,100 winner’s share, lap money and other bonuses and extended his lead in the STSS Bob Hilbert Sportswear North Region title fight with six of eight events completed.

“This place is intense,” Friesen exclaimed after climbing to the roof of his Jeff Daley-backed No. 44 in Victory Lane. “You’ve got to be up on the wheel all the time. I started fifth, but, man, you couldn’t rest for even a second. You were always racing side-by-side with somebody. Things happen quick.

“It’s pretty awesome to come here for the first time with this field and be able to win.”

More than $25,700 in purse money was on the line, plus thousands in lap money, bonuses and product awards for the ‘Hustlin’ the High Banks 51’ STSS Modified main presented by NAPA Auto Parts, Two Rivers Timber, Maple City Dodge and Outman Equipment.  Despite weather issues across the Northeast, the program was spun off before a large crowd.

Ted White of Woodhull Raceway and Brett Deyo of the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek collaborated on the first-time happening.

At the start of the 51-lap main, pole starter Dylan Dewert shot into the lead via his pole starting position. Dewert, of Corning, N.Y., paced the race’s opening 15 laps before Josh Nobriga, who had rolled off the grid second, took command at the 16^th circuit following a restart. Nobriga, a Woodhull Saturday regular hailing from Lindley, N.Y., spent the next 10 laps around the one-third-file oval out front.

Friesen, who ran inside the top half-dozen for the entire distance, hovered in fourth position at the race’s halfway mark.

Dewert was back out front on the 27^th lap after a double-file restart. Friesen moved into third at lap 28. In three laps’ time, he worked past Nobriga for second and engaged in a fan-pleasing side-by-side battle for the lead.

Friesen utilized the track’s inner hub, while Dewert maintained his momentum using the banked outside lane. Lap after lap the pair ran wheel-to-wheel. Friesen was credited with leading laps 36-38 at the line, while Dewert was ahead by a nose prior to a caution on lap 39 slowing the action.

When the green was unfurled, Dewert and Friesen resumed their tussle, again occupying every inch of the speedway in their contrasting lines.

Friesen led at lap 46, but Dewert paced the 47^th circuit. The race’s complexion changed on lap 48 when Mike Mahaney and Jeff Heotzler, two top-10 cars, became entangled in turn one. Friesen had been credited with leading at the stripe and was placed in front of Dewert for the three-lap dash to the checkered.

He drove off to his third STSS victory of the season, having previously won at Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway in April and more recently at I-88 (N.Y.) Speedway in July.

“The 28 car (Dewert) had the outside working,” Friesen said. “I was giving it everything I had on the bottom, but he was persistent out there. We were swapping back-and-forth every lap and it was hard to tell who was leading at the line. I was fortunate the caution came out at the right time for me. Earlier in the race (lap 39), it went the other way.”

Dewert, who races only infrequently at Woodhull, was thrilled with a $3,210 runner-up finish against stiff competition.

“I am honored to finish second to this guy,” he said after introducing himself to Friesen in Victory Lane, “and to finish ahead of this guy (pointing to Danny Johnson).  I can’t remember the last time I had a car that could run through the middle and outside like that.

“It was a lot of fun to be up there racing with Stewart, knowing he was giving it all he had to get by me.”

Danny Johnson of Rochester, N.Y., drove Chris Gennarelli’s No. 27J to third-place after starting 12^th on the grid. Johnson made a late ascent to snag a podium position. Fourteenth-starter Tyler Siri of Horseheads, N.Y., advanced to finish a solid fourth, his best-career STSS finish, and Nobriga completed the front five.

Placing sixth through 10^th, respectively, were 26^th-starter Andy Bachetti of Sheffield, Mass., who raced from a provisional position to contend for a top-five finish in his Woodhull debut; Kenny Peoples Jr. of Addison, N.Y., who started 21^st; Cameron, N.Y., driver Bobby Davis, like Peoples, a Woodhull mainstay; Canadian invader Boyd MacTavish of St. Catharines, Ont., who ran as high as third in the race’s mid-portions; and Alan Johnson of Middlesex, N.Y., who started 22^nd driving for Herrington Motorsports.

All of the top-10 finishers pocketed well over $1,000 in cash in addition to other awards.

Five heat races were run for the 43-car field. Heat winners, pocketing $100 each from Maple City Dodge, were Mike Bills, Alan Rudalavage, Grant Hilfiger, Nobriga and Friesen. Consolation wins went to Eric Fisher, Billy Van Pelt and Cory Costa.

Josh Keesey won the accompanying 25-lap GRIT American Series Crate 602 Sportsman feature, taking the lead from Chris Daugherty on lap eight and leading the remainder of the distance. Brandon Martin made a late charge for second, followed by Josh Sawyer, Daugherty and Dayton Brewer.

Nate Freeland picked up his first win of the season in the 20-lap Quad C Challenge event.

The STSS Bob Hilbert Sportswear North Region continues Sunday, Sept. 13 at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y., with the MjH Oilfield Wade Decker Memorial paying $5,000 to win minimum for 50 laps plus numerous incentives. This will be the seventh of eight North Region events to be run in 2015.

To learn more about the Short Track Super Series or BD Motorsports Media LLC, visit www.shortttracksuperseries.com or www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, call 845.728.2781 or e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com.  “Like” Short Track Super Series on Facebook or follow @ShortTrackSS on Twitter.

WOODHULL WANDERINGS: The 43-car STSS Modified field drew competitors from New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Ontario as threatening skies broke up for a beautiful night at the Steuben County facility owned by Ted White. A healthy crowd also took in the track’s first midweek Modified event since June 5, 2012….

The STSS Modified feature was completed in full by 10 p.m. Most of the crowd remained on hand for the GRIT Series Sportsman and Quad C main events….

Stewart Friesen credited Jeff Daley for allowing him to run well in the STSS events. “This is a perfect short-track car,” he bottom-lined. “We have this car just for big-paying races like this one. When everybody’s equipment gets tired this time of year, ours is still fresh. We don’t run this at all in weekly shows.”….

Tough luck for Anthony Perrego, who pulled off leading his heat race with carburetor issues and again dropped off the pace late in the feature after driving from 25^th to run inside the top-10 with Gary Mann’s No. 55….

Track conditions were ideal for the event, with multiple racing grooves in place for qualifying and the main event….

Spectacular fireworks wowed the crowd several times during the evening including a lengthy show during the STSS Modified pace laps….

Danny Creeden had a top-five finish in the making before dropping off the pace and pulling to the infield=2��.

A total of 94 race cars packed the hillside Woodhull pit area for the three-division program….

The Short Track Super Series is presented by Hi-Tek Race Fuel, American Racer/Lias Tire, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., Scotty’s Speed & Diesel, East Coast Speed/ECS Auto, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Allstar Performance, ATL Fuel Cells, Bicknell Racing Products, COMP Performance Group (COMP Cams, Driven Racing Oil & Quarter Master), Crane Ignition, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Henry’s Stainless Steel Exhaust, Hig Fab Chassis, Hyperco, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Lineman Racing, Pilat Graphic Design, Race Pro Weekly, Racers Guide, S&D Bodyline, S&W Awards, Shiley Fabrication, Simplicity Design, Teo-Pro Car, Vahlco Wheels & VP Racing Fuel.

‘HUSTLIN THE HIGH BANKS 51’ RACE SUMMARY – AUGUST 11, 2015

Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek Modified Bob Hilbert Sportswear North Region Event No. 6 (51 Laps): STEWART FRIESEN ($5,365), Dylan Dewert, Danny Johnson, Tyler Siri, Josh Nobriga, Andy Bachetti, Kenny Peoples Jr., Bobby Davis, Boyd MacTavish, Alan Johnson, Billy Van Pelt, Donnie Lawson, Alan Rudalavage, Grant Hilfiger, Byron Worthing, Mike Bills, Jeff Heotzler, Joe Dgien, Eric Fisher, Mike Mahaney, Dillon Groover, Anthony Perrego, Jackie Brown Jr., Cory Costa, Dale Welty, Ray Bliss Jr., Art Goodier, Danny Creeden.

Did Not Qualify: Erick Rudolph, J.R. McGinley, Kevin Chilson, Randy Chrysler, Dave DuBois, Brady Fultz, Colton Wilson, Frank Dunning, Nick Nye, Russell Morseman Jr., Lee Bills, Steve Hartman, Steve Hartman Jr., Ron Cartwright Jr., Dan Vauter.

‘Lucky 7�=0� Lap Money Breakdown ($1,857 Total): Grant Hilfiger ($241), Boyd MacTavish ($230), Alan Rudalavage ($216), Dylan Dewert ($210), Josh Nobriga ($205), Stewart Friesen ($165), Mike Mahaney ($160), Danny Johnson ($140), Mike Bills ($60), Billy Van Pelt ($45), Andy Bachetti ($40), Tyler Siri ($40), Bobby Davis ($25), Kenny Peoples Jr. ($20), Jeff Heotzler ($20), Danny Creeden ($20) & Alan Johnson ($20).  

Allstar Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Danny Johnson (third) & Bobby Davis (eighth)
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): Alan Johnson (10^th) & Donnie Lawson (12^th)
American Racer/Lias Tire Hard Charger Award ($100): Andy Bachetti (26^th to sixth)
ATL Fuel Cell Bonus ($100 Certificate): Josh Nobriga (fifth)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Tyler Siri (fourth) & Boyd MacTavish (ninth)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Bonuses ($100 Certificates): Tyler Siri (fourth), Grant Hilfiger (14^th) & Cory Costa (24^th)
Fast Axle Bonus ($50 Certificate): Kenny Peoples Jr. (seventh)
Maple City Dodge Heat Race Winner Bonuses ($100 each): Mike Bills, Alan Rudalavage, Grant Hilfiger, Josh Nobriga & Stewart Friesen
Maple City Dodge Heat-Race Hard Charger Bonuses ($50 each): Joe Dgien, Billy Van Pelt, Art Goodier, Tyler Siri& Donnie Lawson
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award (Bumpers and Rubrails): Erick Rudolph (DNQ)
S&W Awards & Photos Winner’s Hardware (Custom Trophy): Stewart Friesen (first)
Vahlco Wheels Bonus (FREE Wheel): Josh Nobriga (fifth)

GRIT American Series Crate 602 Sportsman Feature (25 Laps): JOSH KEESEY, Brandon Martin, Josh Sawyer, Dayton Brewer, Chris Daugherty, Brandon Butler, Casey Pavlick, Dale Welty, AJ Costley, Tim Guild, Zach Sutton, Stacey Jackson, Steve Andrulonis, Bryan Belanger, Ryan Olsommer, Kyle Inman, Ron White, Bobby Peoples, Collin Brown, Mickey Wilbur, Rich Powell, Zach Cary, Brett Buono, Jake Dgien, Ray Bliss Sr., Ray Bliss Jr.

Quad C Challenge Feature (20 Laps): NATE FREELAND, Matt Prescott, Shawn Gleason, Billy Joe Birdsall, Ron Daily Jr., Joe Birdsall, Dave Whetham, Dave Richmond, Karl Born, John Hand, Chris Hand, Carl Lebarron, Trevor Tompkins, Ashlee Sutryk, Jared Brown, Codie Baker, Brett Marlatt, Adam DelGrosso, Wes Houghtalin.

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Brett Deyo
BD Motorsports Media LLC
Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek
Phone: 845.728.2781www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com
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