RPW Exclusive: While Friesen Was Victorious Tuesday At Big Diamond, Anthony Perrego & Matt Sheppard Put On A Show
Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – MINERSVILLE, PA – When it comes to any Super DIRTcar Series event, the cream, more times than not, will rise to the top.
That was on full display Tuesday evening at Big Diamond Speedway with the top five finishers of the Anthracite Assault being a who’s who of Dirt Modified royalty.
Stewart Friesen, Anthony Perrego, Matt Sheppard, Mat Williamson and Ryan Godown had their numbers at the top of the podium when the 75-lap event was over. Each one of these drivers have been champions and captured countless crown jewel race wins.
Tuesday, during the first of back-to-back Series races in the Keystone State, Friesen came away victorious, walking out of the track with the big $10,000 top prize and more importantly, a guaranteed starting spot for the Big Block Championship event at Super DIRT Week 52.
However, it was the front row starters, Perrego and Sheppard, who waged their own war throughout the event but came up a few spots short at the end.
Perrego drew the pole for the event and led the first 33 laps before getting passed by Friesen. The defending champion of the event would have to settle for second at the finish but continued his streak of top five finishes to start the 2024 season on tour.
“Starting on the pole and moving backwards is never the right way to go,” Perrego said. “All-in-all, a great night for the Four Star team again, staying consistent with the top fives.”
The Walden, NY driver now has three-straight in points-paying races, including his victory in the ’24 Series opener at New Egypt Speedway. If you include the DIRTcar Nationals events at Volusia Speedway Park in February, the Vinny Salerno-owned 4* hasn’t finished outside the top five all season (six races).
However, Perrego conceded that their car was just a tick off on this night.
“We were just a little bit too tight,” he said. “It was kind of a handful for 75 laps but we raced what we had and we made it to the podium. That always makes it a good night.”
What had fans excited throughout the race was the battle between Perrego and his good friend Sheppard.
“Matt was there the whole time,” he said. “He rolled by me on the outside there at one point but I got a lucky break with the caution flag coming out. Then racing with him those last few laps was fun.”
With the second place finish, Perrego regains the Super DIRTcar Series point lead. He now has an eight-point margin over Peter Britten and is 13 markers ahead of Mat Williamson, who came home fourth on the night.
Defending Series champion Sheppard is fourth in points with Jimmy Phelps in fifth, 35 back.
For Sheppard, third place at Big Diamond Tuesday was his best finish in a points event this season (he did grab two victories during DIRTcar Nationals). However, could things have been different if his pass of Perrego on lap 21 wasn’t negated by the caution for Billy Pauch Jr. coming to rest in turn four?
“It definitely would have changed things,” Sheppard said. “I think Stewie was really good tonight. He probably would have gotten by us but I wore the back bumper off of Anthony’s car for about 50-60 laps. I just never could get by him.”
While he felt like he had the better car, Sheppard’s luck to get around Perrego just wasn’t there on Tuesday.
“I think we were definitely faster than he was,” he said. “For some reason, I just couldn’t get by and clear him. I could get next to him, on the outside of him, or under him but when we took the checkers, I was still on his bumper where I was most of the race.”
Sheppard, who was two victories in Super DIRTcar Series competition at Big Diamond, was happy how track conditions were through the course of the night Tuesday.
“It’s always a pleasure coming down here,” he said. “The track raced pretty good tonight. It doesn’t change a whole lot depending on the conditions but we’ll take a third place finish and move on to tomorrow night (at Selinsgrove Speedway).”
