Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – GEORGETOWN, DE – Another Dirt Modified feature in the northeast and another check in the win column for Matt Sheppard.
This time, it was an event he’s never won, the Short Track Super Series’ “Blast at the Beach” at Georgetown Speedway on Wednesday night.
Sheppard collected $6,000 for his victory in the 35-lap affair, conserving his equipment, especially his right rear American Racer tire, to lead from lap 9 until the conclusion of the event.
“I was thinking man they give those cool surfboards away and I didn’t have one yet,” Sheppard said. “Now it’s nice to finally have one.”
Stewart Friesen drew the pole position and quickly scooted off to the lead at the drop of the green. However, it only took until lap two for outside front row starter Mike Gular to assert some early race dominance, powering to the outside of Friesen’s 44 off the fourth corner to take the top spot.
Sheppard worked his way to second on the next lap, also getting around Friesen on the inside lane with his sights set on the leader.
As the race started to play out, it was noticeable that the top line which was good early began to go away and Sheppard used that to his advantage.
With Gular running the high side, he slipped just enough through turns three and four, with the 9s digging on the bottom, and that was all he needed. Sheppard powered to the top spot, a place he would not relinquish the rest of the feature.
“I can’t say enough about this race car and this race team,” he said. “Anywhere we’ve been, this thing’s just been so good.”
Friesen was able to get around the 2a of Gular on the next circuit around the Georgetown oval with his eyes set squarely on the lead. Even though Matt had made his way to the front, the Friesen was still within striking distance for most of the feature.
“At first, it was a race to the top,” he said. “They put some moisture down up there and then it started to burn off. Then, the middle started to rubber up and I was trying to play both grooves. I think I found the bottom first and was able to sneak by Mike. From that point on, this thing drove like a Cadillac.”
As the race went on, lap traffic became a factor. Sheppard had a comfortable lead but with the lap cars coming into play, especially in the lane that he was running, Friesen were able to close in to make things interesting.
“That was definitely a bit of a concern,” he said. “Jimmy Horton moved over for us. He’s a professional and let me by. We hit a pretty good stretch of open race track and I felt pretty good going the last five laps and then we got some yellow fever.”
The caution flag started to become a factor with six laps remaining. After Jordan Watson slowed on track, the restart proved costly for the likes of Friesen, Ryan Godown and John Willman, all of which fell victim to right rear flat tires.
Friesen dropped like a stone, falling from second to fifth on the restart and then slowing with the tire issue. Godown, who was also in the top five, had the same fate just as the caution flew for the 44 as did Willman.
All three drivers went to the pits for new right rear sneakers and were able to continue, but at that time, Danny Bouc entered the pit area with a flat as well.
Once the race went back to green, another three laps clicked off before tire problems plagued third-place runner Billy Pauch Jr. sixth-place man Alex Yankowski and 14th Austin Hubbard, all of whom were done for the night.
However, there were no such tire problems for Matt Sheppard who was able to hold off Gular and Mike Mahaney to capture his first Blast at the Beach.
“From the moment I got out front, I could roll around here and keep the car straight,” he said. “I didn’t think I was abusing my right rear too hard and I was getting a little nervous with all those cautions at the end because cautions breed cautions. I felt a little more comfortable once we got rolling but all in all, another awesome night at Georgetown.”
For second place finisher Mike Gular, even though he had the lead early on and fell back to third at one point, coming home with a podium finish was a great way to end the night at Georgetown.
“This was good run for us,” Gular said. “We were pretty good early on. The first ten laps we were rippin’ but we probably should have planned on the track being a little more abrasive than we did.”
With all of the tire issues that ended up befalling many of the top runners, Gular saw the way the track was and changed his driving style.
“I realized right away that we weren’t going to make it if kept running as hard as I was,” he said. “I let those guys go and it paid off with a second and we didn’t get a flat.”
Mahaney was another who’s right rear tire held on for all 35 laps and he was rewarded with a third place finish.
“It was pretty wild,” Mahaney said. “We had a lucky draw there to start the race (third) and then kind of backed up to sixth.”
Being in the wrong line, especially on restarts early in the event, hurt Mahaney but he was able to rebound.
“I was on the outside of those restarts where the bottom was the preferred groove,” he said. “I just couldn’t get to the bottom quick enough. Luckily, we hung on there, saved the right rear and we were there at the end. It just feels good to get it done.”
Ryan Watt drove from 15th starting spot to finish in the fourth position while Stewart Friesen rebounded in a big way after his right rear flat. Friesen powered to the outside, lap after lap, over the final six circuits to work from the rear of the field to cross the finish line in fifth.
Finish (35 laps): MATT SHEPPARD, Mike Gular, Mike Mahaney, Ryan Watt, Stewart Friesen, Matt Stangle, Jeff Strunk, Ryan Godown, Joseph Watson, Jordan Watson, Mike Trautschold, Jimmy Horton, Brandon Grosso, Ryan Riddle, Danny Bouc, John Willman, Alex Yankowski, Billy Pauch Jr., Austin Hubbard, Norman Short Jr., Tom Solderich, H.J. Bunting, Carson Wright, Kevin Sockriter, Ryan Krachun.
Ad-Art Sign Company PA/NJ Spec-358 Bonus ($250): John Willman (16th)
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificates): Jeff Strunk (seventh) & Ryan Riddle (14th)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Ryan Watt (fourth) & Joseph Watson (ninth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Joseph Watson (Redrew 12th)
Bill Brown & Company Heat-Race Hard Charger ($50): Billy Pauch Jr. (gain of five positions)
Bintelli of Delmarva Street Legal Golf Carts/Mullens Auto Brokers Hard Charger ($500): Ryan Watt (15th to fourth)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear ‘Do it in the Dirt’ Move of the Race ($250): Stewart Friesen
Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Halfway Leader ($200): Matt Sheppard
Design for Vision/Sunglass Central Winner’s Bonus (FREE Sunglasses): Matt Sheppard
EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Matt Stangle (sixth)
First State Hauling ‘Longest Haul Bonus’ ($500): Mike Mahaney
FloRacing Heat Winner Bonuses ($50 each): Ryan Godown, Mike Gular & Matt Sheppard
Henry’s Exhaust System Power Position ($50 Certificate): Mike Trautschold (11th)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Matt Sheppard (winner – $150 certificate); Mike Gular (second – $75 certificate); Mike Mahaney (third – $50 certificate)
Schultz Racing Fuel Cells Bonus ($100 Certificate): Jordan Watson (10th)
Spyder Performance Filters Bonuses: Stewart Friesen (fifth – FREE Filter); Danny Bouc (15th – 50-percent off certificate)
Sunoco Race Fuels/Insinger Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Mike Gular (second), Jimmy Horton (12th) & H.J. Bunting (22nd)
Wilwood Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Award ($75 Certificate): Jeff Strunk (seventh)