Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – ACCORD, NY – It had the makings of a 50-lap all-out slugfest at the Ulster County Bullring Tuesday evening.
Sheppard. Bachetti. Williamson. Mahaney. Friesen, and full field of star-studded talent that all wanted to take home the title of champion in the 11th annual Short Track Super Series Battle of the Bullring at Accord Speedway.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature nixed any chance of seeing the feature make its way to a full conclusion,
However, the fans were treated to a wicked battle at the top as eventual winner Stewart Friesen had everything he could handle trying to get around arguably one of the best to ever turn a lap at Accord, Rich Ricci Jr.
“Battling with a Ricci at Accord,” Friesen said. “What could be more fitting?”
The exchange for the top spot in the feature between the two was amazing to watch as there were several times the #55 and #44 were neck and neck with neither giving an inch.
“Rich did a great job,” he said. “He was hitting a nice line on the bottom groove and I just couldn’t get a really good run off the top of (turn) two. Then it started misting a little bit and I looked over under yellow and saw he didn’t have any tearoffs on and thought boy, he might be in trouble here.”
Early on in the race it was a lot of close-quarters racing up at the front with several drivers trying to get their way to the front.
“It was pretty wild there with AJ (Potrzebowski) and (Danny) Creeden and Rich,” he said. “It was just wild racing. Andy (Bachetti) was up there for a while and I felt like being the leader was almost the worst spot to be in. You were really susceptible to dive bombs and everything else that was going on.”
It seemed like every time Friesen made a run at the leader Ricci, there’d be several side-by-side laps between them. Then, a yellow would slow the pace and re-rack the field.
For Ricci, who started 11th, making his way to the top spot early just showed that his team put a good car under him, but the veteran also showed why he’s one of the best at Accord.
“These are last week’s tires on the car,” Ricci said. “We didn’t even bolt new ones on it but this car just crazy fast. When we went out for the dash tonight, we stayed right with everyone and I told Allison (Ricci’s daughter) we’ve got a good piece. We’re going to win this thing tonight.”
Ricci very nearly did that, if not for a late restart where Friesen got a better jump on him, the Allison Ricci Racing #55 team may have been hoisting the Barry Davis tribute trophy in victory lane.
“Barry is a great guy,” he said. “Back in the 80’s, all we did was travel all over the place. Him, me, Robbie Green and a bunch of us raced so much. Barry’s a good guy and it was always fun racing with him here at Accord.”
Third on the night was the 2022 champion of the event, Mat Williamson. Since the year 2021, Williamson has finished no worse than third in this event and that came on Tuesday night.
The St. Catherines, ONT driver really seems to enjoy racing at the tight confines of Accord.
“I told Gary (Palmer, promoter of Accord Speedway) that I really like this place,” Williamson said. “I like coming down here. We get to do about 50 laps a year around this place for a feature and I always enjoy it.”
Starting 27 cars on the tight Accord, NY oval proved to be a challenge early on in the feature as the yellow flag flew on multiple occasions. However, when things got going, several drivers, including Williamson, were able to make passes and work their way towards the front of the field.
“This place races really good,” he said. “I got stuck to the bottom. I was a little snug in the center (of the corners) and I was scared to go up on the cushion in turns three and four so I think that’s why we couldn’t make the ground that we needed.”
Williamson was one of the drivers who probably needed the race to go the entire distance if he wanted a shot at the top spot. After starting in ninth, the Behrent’s Performance #3 battled with Friesen on one restart for the number two position but never had a chance to get up there and mix it up with the leaders due to the rain.
“I hate to cut these things short,” he said. “I don’t come down here to run third. We want to win and certainly needed the end of the race to be there but it’s better to be safe than sorry sometimes.”
As Mother Nature began to rear her ugly head, visibility started to become a factor.
“At the end, when the rain was coming down harder, we were all running out of tearoffs,” he said. “I pulled up next to Stew and he said he couldn’t see and it just gets dangerous like when Daniel (Morgiewicz) was sitting there in (turn) one. You can’t see anything heading into the corner and it’s tough.”
All-in-all, Williamson’s yearly trip to Accord was another successful one. With a win, two seconds and a third in the last four visits, you can see why “Money Mat” likes the Ulster County facility.
“Bullrings like this are fun,” he said. “It takes a good driver. It takes a good race car. It takes a lot of things instead of just a good motor. I have a lot of fun coming to these places and hopefully the fans enjoyed the show tonight.”
Alex Yankowski and Matt Sheppard completed the top five. The Sportsman feature was rained out. David Hackett and Joey Bruning were scheduled to start on the pole for that one. Officials have yet to determine how this race will be made up. The Pure Stock feature was also rained out.
Battle of the Bullring 11 Feature (50 Laps): 1. 44-Stewart Friesen[5]; 2. 55-Rich Ricci Jr[11]; 3. 3W-Mat Williamson[9]; 4. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[15]; 5. 9S-Matt Sheppard[2]; 6. 35M-Mike Mahaney[8]; 7. 9D-Danny Tyler[13]; 8. 5-Tyler Johnston[6]; 9. 7MM-Michael Maresca[19]; 10. 9J-Marc Johnson[25]; 11. 28-Michael Storms[21]; 12. 02-Jack Lehner[18]; 13. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[10]; 14. 60-Hunter Lapp[27]; 15. 69-Randy Green[14]; 16. 17-Jimmy Wells[16]; 17. 6H-JR Hurlburt[26]; 18. 20F-Scott Ferrier[23]; 19. 16X-Danny Creeden[4]; 20. 6D-Dillon Steuer[12]; 21. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[17]; 22. 93M-Craig Mitchell[24]; 23. 82S-Will Shields[22]; 24. 72-Ajay Potrzebowski II[1]; 25. 4B-Andy Bachetti[3]; 26. 3J-Joe Judge[20]; 27. 69B-Tyler Boniface[7]
Lap Money Breakdown: ($3,187.90 Total): 55-Rich Ricci Jr. ($1,639.90); 44-Stewart Friesen ($534); 9S-Matt Sheppard ($350); 72-Ajay Potrzebowski ($345); 7MM-Michael Maresca ($129); 82S-Will Shields ($100); 20F-Scott Ferrier ($90) – Laps 34-50 returned to Mike Senecal
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Rich Ricci Jr. (second) & Mat Williamson (third)
ATL Fuel Cell ‘Hot Lap Hero’ ($100): Danny Tyler (12.937 seconds)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Alex Yankowski (fourth) & Michael Maresca (ninth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Dillon Steuer (Redrew 12th)
Dave & Jackie Collier Heat Race Winner Bonuses ($90 each): Stewart Friesen, Mat Williamson, Rich Ricci Jr., Tyler Boniface, Bobby Hackel & Andy Bachetti
Winchell Stone & Masonry/H. Jarvis General Contractor/EPO Paving/Loose
Screw Racing Dash for Cash Payout: Stewart Friesen (first – $290); Mat Williamson (second – $190); Rich Ricci Jr. (third – $90); Tyler Boniface (fourth – $90); Bobby Hackel (fifth – $90); Andy Bachetti (sixth – $90)
Eibach Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Mike Mahaney (sixth)
Graham Racing Redraw Bonus ($90): Mat Williamson (Redrew ninth)
H. Jarvis General Contractor First Non-Qualifier Bonuses ($100): Jackie Brown Jr., Brett Tonkin & Tanner Van Doren
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Michael Storms (11th)
Lisa Decker Hard Charger Award Bonus ($626): Marc Johnson (25th to 10th)
Netzley Heating & Cooling Bonus ($100): Michael Maresca (ninth)
PEM Engineering Bonus (Quick Change Gears): Mat Williamson (third)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Stewart Friesen (first – $150 certificate); Rich Ricci Jr. (second – $75 certificate); Mat Williamson (third – $50 certificate); Alex Yankowski (fourth – $25 certificate)
Plum Sweet Creations Last-Place Bonus ($50): Tyler Boniface (27th)
R. Smith Site Development Halfway Leader Bonus ($250): Stewart Friesen
Schultz Racing Fuel Cells Bonus ($100 Certificate): Marc Johnson (10th)
Wilwood Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($100 Certificate): Danny Tyler (seventh)
Consolation #1 (8 Laps): 1. 7MM-Michael Maresca[1]; 2. 82S-Will Shields[3]; 3. 60-Hunter Lapp[5]; 4. 28B-Jackie Brown Jr[2]; 5. 6H-JR Hurlburt[8]; 6. 7-Travis Green[4]; 7. 97H-Cody Higbie[11]; 8. 44X-Shane Jablonka[7]; 9. 11-Danny Hieber[9]; 10. 21M-Bob Mcgannon[13]; 11. 22-Billy Fiske[6]; 12. 35C-Chris Curtis[12]; 13. (DNS) 70A-Alex Payne
Consolation #2 (8 Laps): 1. 3J-Joe Judge[2]; 2. 20F-Scott Ferrier[1]; 3. 27K-Brett Tonkin[3]; 4. 9J-Marc Johnson[5]; 5. 28T-Michael Trautschold[8]; 6. 29-Ryan Krachun[4]; 7. 280-Justin Holland[6]; 8. 19R-Mike Ricci[7]; 9. 27M-Jared Miller[13]; 10. 24-Ken Ferrier[10]; 11. 35-Francois Bellemare[11]; 12. 8R-Richard Smith[12]; 13. 01-Chris Raabe[9]
Consolation #3 (8 Laps): 1. 28-Michael Storms[2]; 2. 93M-Craig Mitchell[1]; 3. 27V-Tanner Van Doren[6]; 4. 83-Chris Stevens[5]; 5. 27J-Danny Johnson[8]; 6. 4P-Anthony Perrego[3]; 7. 91-Felix Roy[4]; 8. 26R-Corey Cormier[7]; 9. 15S-Dylan Smith[11]; 10. 879-Darryl Mitchell[12]; 11. 1JR-Talan Carter[9]; 12. 27-Jason Reome[10]
Dash for Cash (5 Laps): 1. 44-Stewart Friesen[1]; 2. 3W-Mat Williamson[2]; 3. 55-Rich Ricci Jr[3]; 4. 69B-Tyler Boniface[4]; 5. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[5]; 6. 4B-Andy Bachetti[6]
Heat #1 (8 Laps): 1. 44-Stewart Friesen[1]; 2. 16X-Danny Creeden[4]; 3. 9D-Danny Tyler[2]; 4. 7MM-Michael Maresca[3]; 5. 82S-Will Shields[5]; 6. 60-Hunter Lapp[7]; 7. 44X-Shane Jablonka[6]; 8. 11-Danny Hieber[8]; 9. 97H-Cody Higbie[9]; 10. 21M-Bob Mcgannon[10]
Heat #2 (8 Laps): 1. 3W-Mat Williamson[2]; 2. 72-Ajay Potrzebowski II[1]; 3. 69-Randy Green[3]; 4. 20F-Scott Ferrier[5]; 5. 27K-Brett Tonkin[7]; 6. 9J-Marc Johnson[4]; 7. 19R-Mike Ricci[6]; 8. 01-Chris Raabe[8]; 9. 35-Francois Bellemare[9]; 10. 27M-Jared Miller[10]
Heat #3 (8 Laps): 1. 55-Rich Ricci Jr[1]; 2. 6D-Dillon Steuer[2]; 3. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[3]; 4. 93M-Craig Mitchell[4]; 5. 4P-Anthony Perrego[6]; 6. 83-Chris Stevens[5]; 7. 26R-Corey Cormier[7]; 8. 1JR-Talan Carter[9]; 9. 15S-Dylan Smith[8]
Heat #4 (8 Laps): 1. 69B-Tyler Boniface[2]; 2. 5-Tyler Johnston[3]; 3. 17-Jimmy Wells[5]; 4. 28B-Jackie Brown Jr[8]; 5. 7-Travis Green[4]; 6. 22-Billy Fiske[9]; 7. 6H-JR Hurlburt[7]; 8. 70A-Alex Payne[1]; 9. 35C-Chris Curtis[6]
Heat #5 (8 Laps): 1. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[1]; 2. 9S-Matt Sheppard[2]; 3. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[4]; 4. 3J-Joe Judge[3]; 5. 29-Ryan Krachun[6]; 6. 280-Justin Holland[8]; 7. 28T-Michael Trautschold[5]; 8. 24-Ken Ferrier[9]; 9. 8R-Richard Smith[7]
Heat #6 (8 Laps): 1. 4B-Andy Bachetti[2]; 2. 35M-Mike Mahaney[1]; 3. 02-Jack Lehner[6]; 4. 28-Michael Storms[5]; 5. 91-Felix Roy[7]; 6. 27V-Tanner Van Doren[4]; 7. 27J-Danny Johnson[3]; 8. 27-Jason Reome[8]; 9. 879-Darryl Mitchell[9]
Short Track Super Series Crate 602 Sportsman
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman Madsen Overhead Doors North Region Round No. 1 Feature Lineup (Rained Out): 1. 82-David Hackett; 2. 24B-Joey Bruning; 3. T69-Travis Green; 4. 123-Dale Welty; 5. 9G-Mike Nagel Jr; 6. 44-Gordon Smith; 7. 9K-Blaine Klinger; 8. 89-Dylan Madsen; 9. 27-Michael Ballestero; 10. 35-Justin Comes; 11. 38L-Jared LaBagh; 12. 38-Kevin Stevens; 13. 60-Hunter Lapp; 14. 3J-Joe Judge; 15. 4RJ-Kyle Rohner; 16. 26-Derrick McGrew Jr; 17. 12T-Tyler Peet; 18. 77J-Jeff Higham; 19. 12-George Schweigart; 20. 12P-Connor Prokop; 21. 3B-Ryan Behrent; 22. 96-Tyler Treacey; 23. 52-Ron Proctor; 24. 14T-Payton Talbot; 25. 314-Clayton DuMond; 26. M28-Michael Travis
All scheduled feature starters will receive $225, splitting the purse evenly; All participants receive 50 points toward the Madsen Overhead Doors North Region
Did Not Qualify: 40D-Butchie Irwin; 621-Seth Martin; 22P-Nick Plumstead; 03-Joshua Jock; M-KYLE SMITH; 6M-Pat Mann; 225-Derrick Shaffer; 20A-Ashton DeWitt; 17C-Donnie Campbell; 814-Lenny Helmich
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($25): Kevin Stevens (Redrew 12th)
Fastline Performance ‘Hot Lap Hero ($50): Dylan Madsen (13.589 seconds)
Consolation #1 (8 Laps): 1. 3B-Ryan Behrent[1]; 2. 52-Ron Proctor[3]; 3. 40D-Butchie Irwin[5]; 4. 621-Seth Martin[6]; 5. M28-Michael Travis[7]; 6. 22P-Nick Plumstead[4]; 7. 03-Joshua Jock[2]; 8. (DNS) M-KYLE SMITH
Consolation #2 (8 Laps): 1. 96-Tyler Treacey[8]; 2. 14T-Payton Talbot[1]; 3. 6M-Pat Mann[3]; 4. 225-Derrick Shaffer[4]; 5. 20A-Ashton DeWitt[6]; 6. 17C-Donnie Campbell[2]; 7. 314-Clayton Dumond[5]; 8. 814-Lenny Helmich[7]
Heat #1 (8 Laps): 1. 24B-Joey Bruning[3]; 2. T69-Travis Green[4]; 3. 38-Kevin Stevens[5]; 4. 60X-Hunter Lapp[6]; 5. 12T-Tyler Peet[2]; 6. 3B-Ryan Behrent[7]; 7. 52-Ron Proctor[8]; 8. 40D-Butchie Irwin[1]
Heat #2 (8 Laps): 1. 27-Michael Ballestero[1]; 2. 9K-Blaine Klinger[8]; 3. 82-David Hackett[7]; 4. 3J-Joe Judge[5]; 5. 77J-Jeff Higham[3]; 6. 14T-Payton Talbot[4]; 7. 6M-Pat Mann[10]; 8. 314-Clayton Dumond[2]; 9. M28-Michael Travis[6]; 10. M-KYLE SMITH[9]
Heat #3 (8 Laps): 1. 9G-Mike Nagel Jr[1]; 2. 35-Justin Comes[2]; 3. 44-Gordon Smith[5]; 4. 4RJ-Kyle Rohner[7]; 5. 12-George Schweigart[6]; 6. 03-Joshua Jock[4]; 7. 22P-Nick Plumstead[8]; 8. 621-Seth Martin[3]
Heat #4 (8 Laps): 1. 38L-Jared LaBagh[2]; 2. 89-Dylan Madsen[3]; 3. 123-Dale Welty[4]; 4. 26-Derrick Mcgrew Jr[7]; 5. 12P-Connor Prokop[1]; 6. 17C-Donnie Campbell[8]; 7. 225-Derrick Shaffer[6]; 8. 20A-Ashton DeWitt[9]; 9. 814-Lenny Helmich[10]; 10. (DQ) 96-Tyler Treacey[5]