RPW Column: McLaughlin & Sheppard Quick In Open Practice At OCFS; Over 100 Cars Take Laps

Column By: MIKE TRAVERSE / RPW – MIDDLETOWN, NY – It was a busy Friday night at the Orange County Fair Speedway as over 100 cars filled the pits for an open practice.

With the Short Track Super Series scheduled for Saturday, many of the top runners in the series took advantage of the practice to dial their cars in for the Elite Series event, The Hard Clay Open.

Teams were also offered the opportunity to get their required car inspections done.

Max McLaughlin paced the first session and had the fastest time of the night for the Modifieds. Matt Sheppard turned the second fast time and he paced the other three sessions. Bobby Hackel was 3rd quick followed by Tyler Dippel and Jack Lehner.

Quite a few OCFS 358 regulars joined in for practice including Anthony Perrego, Charles Loiodice, Ryan Walther, Tyler Jashembowski, Brandon Daley, Patrick Reiser, Jimmy Devitt and Tommy Vigh.

Over 40 Sportsman cars hit the track with Dominic Roselli Jr. setting the quick time for the sessions. Gary Edwards Jr. was 2nd followed by Bob Jashembowski, Tyler Johnston and John Bockhorn.

In the Street Stocks, Ryan Modiano turned the fastest lap of the sessions followed by Tom Cilurso Jr., Mike Vigiletti, Jim Pepin and Roger Guest Jr.

Joey Bruning turned his first laps since his crash last season and looked fast in the Interstate batteries #24. Joey led the final session.

Grant Hilfiger was an early retiree after having power steering issues in the first session in his sharp looking #78 Hig Fab.

Mike Vigiletti is back with the car he won the Street Stock championship in 2021. The car looks great and Mike is hoping to get it running as well as it did in two seasons ago.

The Hard Clay Open is shaping up to be a great event.