Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – MIDDLETOWN, NY – On of the biggest races for Modifieds, the 100K-to-win Centennial event at Orange County, is coming up this weekend and one of the biggest names in the sport, Stewart Friesen, well, he can’t wait.
Friesen is no slacker when it comes to big races on the big stage. Having won five Super DIRT Week Modified events, four of which came at the old Syracuse Mile (2010, 2011, 2014 & 2015).
He’s also captured two Eastern States 200 on the Hard Clay in 2016 & 2018). Friesen seems to shine when the spotlight is the brightest on our sport.
“I have to be looking forward to the centennial race at Orange County,” Friesen said. “It’s the biggest race on our calendar. It’s $100,000-to-win this race along with being my sponsors track. On top of the racing, they have a Tim Mcgraw concert there Wednesday to kick off the weekend. How cool is that?”
While Friesen will be competing in the NASCAR Truck Series event at Bristol on Thursday, the first race in the Truck Playoffs, he won’t be at OCFS to run the “Battle of the Midway” Super DIRTcar Series event that night. However, he’s more than excited to get back to his Modified team once that race is over for two nights of action.
“It’s three big nights of racing,” he said. “There will be a truck exhibition on top of everything. So many exciting things on the schedule that makes it so cool. Throw in the new surface they put down, it’s just crazy. I’ve never seen Orange County look like Utica-Rome before.”
Since Friesen’s win at Eldora a couple weeks ago, everyone in attendance will be chomping at the bit to see him and second place finisher in the Dirt Derby, Sheldon Creed, go at it again in their Trucks, but this time at Middletown in a special exhibition race.
This three-night event will only serve to show what we as racers, fans and officials, are capable of here in the Northeast. This is undoubtedly the largest cash payout in Dirt Modified racing at $100,000-to-win.
It’s going to bring the best of the best to the “House of Power,” including someone who seems to be one of the best when it comes to the spotlight at Orange County, Stewart Friesen.