Lot’s On The Line With Thursday Night’s Short Track Super Series Hard Clay Finale At OCFS

Story By: BRETT DEYO / SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES – MIDDLETOWN, NY – Title time. Thursday night, the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco decides its first of three Modified 2024 point champions at Orange County Fair Speedway.
The ‘Hard Clay Finale’ serves as the kickoff to Eastern States Weekend No. 62 at the Legendary House of Power.
A 50-lap, $10,000-to-win main event is on deck for the STSS Modified competitors, the first appearance of the season at OCFS, which operated on a limited schedule this season.
Matt Sheppard leads the standings by 71 points over Stewart Friesen with $15,000 on the line.
Tonight’s event operates on a 150-point schedule (championship points).
STORYLINES
The championship – and top-12 point positions with a combined point fund of $46,450 – are at stake tonight at OCFS.
Sheppard and Friesen have separated at the Head of the Class with their 71-point spread, while Mat Williamson, Anthony Perrego and Jack Lehner are just 37 points apart in third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.
Drivers can gain or lose as much as 90 points with the 150-point schedule.
STARS
Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard has accrued 12 STSS Modified victories this season, including five in a row in the North Region. Sheppard aims for a ‘Hard Clay Finale’ checkered flag tonight to wrap up his championship in style.
Anthony Perrego literally grew up around Orange County watching his father, Tom, race at the House of Power. Perrego has enjoyed his own successes there including a series win and will be a factor with Bob Hentschel’s No. 4 tonight.
The richest-ever winner’s share in dirt Modified history was won by Mat Williamson at Orange County driving the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse No. 3 in 2019. That combination returns tonight with victory on their mind.
SLEEPERS
Guilderland, N.Y.’s Marc Johnson enters OCFS with back-to-back top-five finishes on the STSS North Region, including a brilliant 32nd-to-third drive in the 200 at N.Y.’s Fonda Speedway. Johnson is back tonight looking for more in the S&S Asphalt No. 9.
Long Island’s Dillon Steuer has shown speed at OCFS this summer in the track’s ‘Big Series’ events and hopes to translate those performances into a series victory tonight.
First-year STSS regular Jack Lehner of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on the heels of a Fonda 200 runner-up finish, loves racing at OCFS. Last season, he was a top-five finisher in the Eastern States 200. Can the ‘Ginga Ninja’ pick up his first series win at the House of Power?
ALSO IN ACTION
Qualifying for the Eastern States Weekend Crate 602 Sportsman competitors will take place with time trials, heat races and consolations.
ON THE HORIZON
One more series race remains in 2024: Del.’s Georgetown Speedway hosts the STSS Modified NJ Quality Drywall South Region and STSS Belmont’s Garage Crate 602 Sportsman South Region finales Nov. 1-2 during Mid-Atlantic Championship Weekend. The Ollie’s Overall Championship for the Modifieds also concludes in the First State.
DIRT DRAFT
Don’t forget to set your Dirt Draft lineups before the night’s first heat race begins.
Visit www.dirtdraft.com or download the app to join Dirt Draft and compete against thousands of others for the entire 2024 STSS season. A subscription is just $5.99 a month with plenty of prizes up for grabs in the Dirt Draft Speed Shop.
Following along with the STSS on Dirt Draft throughout the ‘24 season will pay one lucky fan dividends at year-end.
The STSS Dirt Draft Champion receives two tickets to the STSS year-end banquet and will be honored with a custom trophy presented by Dirt Draft.
GATES AND PRICES
For tonight’s program, pit gates open at 2 p.m. Grandstand gates open at 3 p.m., with the series drivers’ meeting at 5:15 p.m. Hot laps take place at 6 p.m. and racing begins at 7:30 p.m.
General admission is $30. Children (ages 12 and under) pay $10. There is a $1 parking fee for the Drive-In.
Pit admission is $40.