It’s Title Time For The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Velocita South Region; Georgetown ‘Blast at the Beach’ August 30 Will Determine STSS Champ With $25,000-Plus Point Fund On The Line

GEORGETOWN, DE – Some 279 feature laps have been completed in 2016 during the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By VP Velocita South Region.

But it will be 35 laps – run next Tuesdayat Delaware’s historic Georgetown Speedway – that will decide it all.

The STSS South Region, which got underway in March, will reach its conclusion on Tuesday, August 30 with the third annual ‘Blast at the Beach’ presented by Hurlock Auto & Speed and L&J Sheet Metal. The 35-lap main paying $5,000 to win, $1,000 for 10^th and $400 to start is the final – and seventh – round of the South Region.

As the series finale, increased “championship points” will be awarded: 150 points to the winner and 60 for last, the only time this season the “points-and-a-half” scenario will come into play.

The series began in March at Georgetown with the Melvin L. Joseph Memorial won by New York driver Anthony Perrego. In April, the wide-and-fast Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey was the host and Wade Hendrickson defended his home turf with a popular win. 

May had two events on the schedule. Ryan Watt was the Big Diamond Speedway (Minersville, Pa.) winner and Stewart Friesen made his long haul to Delaware worthwhile with a Delaware International Speedway score.

Billy Pauch Jr. reached a $10,000 June milestone when he won the ‘Dirty Jersey’ at N.J.’s New Egypt Speedway. Most recently, Ryan Godown prevailed in the return of the Modifieds to the renovated Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown, Pa., on August 7. 

There have been six winners in as many events entering Tuesday at Georgetown and the championship battle is just as tight.

Friesen, in the Halmar International No. 44, leads the standings by a margin of 49 points over Watt (510-461). Friesen is the series’ defending North Region champion. Watt won the South Region title battle last year. 

Friesen, in addition to the win at Delaware International, has a second at Big Diamond, third at Bridgeport, fourth at Susquehanna, seventh at New Egypt and eighth at Georgetown to his credit.

Watt started slow with an 11^th and 13^th, respectively, at Georgetown and Bridgeport, but has since been solid with the win at Big Diamond, fourth at Delaware International, ninth at New Egypt and a hard-fought second from 20^th at Susquehanna. 

Under the 150-point structure for Georgetown, Friesen will need to finish 11^th or better to secure the title if Watt were to win. 

Duane Howard sits third, 77 points behind, with Ryan Godown (-81) and Craig Von Dohren (-116) fourth and fifth, respectively. Perrego (-121), Billy Pauch Jr. (-123), Jordan Watson (-129), Billy Pauch Sr. (-138) and Jeff Strunk (-152) complete the top-10.

Perched just outside the top-10 are Brett Kressley, David Van Horn and Rick Laubach, all within 25 points of cracking the first-10.

The series has averaged a solid 40.3 cars through this point of the season. 

A massive $25,250 point fund is reserved for the top-10 drivers in the STSS South Region: 1. $8,500; 2. $4,500; 3. $3,000; 4. $2,000; 5. $1,500; 6. $1,250; 7. $1,200; 8. $1,150; 9. $1,100; 10. $1,050. Drivers outside the top-10 with perfect attendance will receive $250.  

For the ‘Blast at the Beach’ pit gates open at 4 p.m. Grandstand gates are unlocked at 5 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6:20 p.m.Racing begins at 7:15 p.m. There is a rain date of Wednesday, August 31 if needed. 

Adult grandstand admission is $20. Seniors (ages 65 and up) and Students (ages 13-17) pay $16. Kids 9-12 are $10. Children under eight are FREE. Pit admission is $35, with no license required.

Crate 602 Sportsman, Delmarva Chargers and Delaware Super Trucks complete the program. 

Previous ‘Blast at the Beach’ winners were Jordan Watson (2015) and Tyler Dippel (2014).

To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP or BD Motorsports Media LLC, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com or www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, call 845.728.2781 during business hours, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, “like” Short Track Super Series on Facebook or follow @ShortTrackSS on Twitter.

The 2016 Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, VP Racing Fuel, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Halmar International, Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Bicknell Racing Products, COMP Performance Group, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Hig Fab, Henry’s Exhaust, Hurlock Auto & Speed Supply, HyperCo, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, K&N, Race Pro Weekly, Racing Optics, Teo-Pro Car, Vahlco Wheels & Velocita

STSS Velocita South Region Point Standings (Top-15 entering Georgetown)

1. Stewart Friesen     510
2. Ryan Watt             461
3. Duane Howard      433
4. Ryan Godown        429
5. Craig Von Dohren  394
6. Anthony Perrego   389
7. Billy Pauch Jr.        387
8. Jordan Watson      381
9. Billy Pauch            372
10.  Jeff Strunk           358
11.  Brett Kressley       346
12.  David Van Horn    343
13.  Rick Laubach        335
14.  Andy Bachetti       280
15.  Jimmy Horton       274