History Made: Alex Yankowski Tops Short Track Super Series Debut at Lebanon Valley
COLUMN BY: Brett Deyo / SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES – WEST LEBANON, NY – History made.
The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco debuted at Lebanon Valley Speedway on Thursday night, and Alex Yankowski etched his name in the history books as the inaugural winner.
Yankowski, of Covington Township, Pa., earned $7,500 for his efforts in the 40-lap ‘King of Spring’ event, Round No. 1 of the STSS Modified HYTORC of New York North Region.
‘Kid Rocket’ picked up $7,000 from the posted purse and $500 from the Mesothelioma Warrior Alliance as the event’s Hard Charger.
“We were pretty uneasy going into the feature,” Yankowski admitted, adding “but I guess we made the right decisions. What a wild couple of weeks.”
Yankowski won the event the hard way: tracking down and passing all-time series win leader Matt Sheppard in the race’s second half.
The win for Yankowski was his second career Sunoco Checkered Flag with the series, joining Bridgeport (N.J.) Motorsports Park in July 2024.
The event marked a milestone for the Short Track Super Series as the 40th different venue since its inception in 2014.
After picking the pole in the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw, Anthony Perrego led from the outset in the Bob Hentschel-owned No. 4. Perrego relinquished the lead to Sheppard on a seventh-lap restart.
Ninth-starter Yankowski methodically moved forward, cracking the top three on lap nine.
Following an extended side-by-side battle with Perrego, Yankowski secured second on lap 16 and began his pursuit of Sheppard.
“I was confident in our car over the second half of the race,” Yankowski said. “We tightened up quite a bit. I was worried about getting too tight in the beginning and falling back.”
Erasing a lead of nearly a straightaway, Yankowski reeled in Sheppard and completed the winning pass in turn two with eight laps remaining.
With Yankowski in front, Marc Johnson cleared Sheppard for second on lap 35.
Johnson, driving Kevin Starchak’s No. 9, chased Yankowski to the finish, a $3,500 runner-up effort for the Guilderland, N.Y., driver.
Perrego, of Walden, N.Y., settled for fourth at the finish and 11th-starter Alex Payne of Canandaigua, N.Y., completed the front five.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were speedway regular Kolby Schroeder of Staatsburg, N.Y.; 15th-starter Jackson Gill of Plessis, N.Y., in his debut at Lebanon Valley; Quebec’s Felix Roy driving the Team ONE car; defending track champion Andy Bachetti of Sheffield, Mass.; and Matt Pupello of East Schodack, N.Y.
Ronnie Johnson was the ATL Fuel Cells Hot Lap Hero, circling the half-mile oval in 21.077 seconds. Heat winners were Payne, Chris Raabe and Perrego.
Tim Hartman Jr. of Niskayuna, N.Y., defended his home turf with a victory in the ‘Refuse2Lose 24’ run in memory of late driver, media member and parts supplier Bobby Chalmers.
The event kicked off the STSS Sportsman Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. North Region.
Hartman drove from sixth to the victory, his ninth with the Short Track Super Series, placing him in a tie atop the all-time win list.
Hartman’s most recent victory with the series came in Oct. 2021 at N.Y.’s Afton Motorsports Park.
The win was worth $2,400 plus lap money and bonus awards after extensive fundraising by friends and family members of the Chalmers.
A.J. Albreada drove from eighth to finish second, chasing Hartman to the line. Johnstown, N.Y.’s Brian Calabrese, who started 14th, completed the podium over ninth-starter Joey Scarborough and Dave Constantino, who rolled off 14th.
Hartman was the JLR Technologies Hot Lap Hero at 22.788 seconds. Heat winners were Joe Toth, Tyler Peet and Albreada.
The series moves on to Brookfield (N.Y.) Speedway Sunday (May 24) with a Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. Sportsman North Region event and Tuesday (May 26) at Action Track USA in Kutztown, Pa., with a NJ Quality Drywall South Region Modified program.
