Race Pro Weekly

STEWART FRIESEN: Once is good, twice is controversial

By MATT NOLES

In a manner of speaking, addiction can be quickly defined as a physical or psychological dependence on a substance. More often than not, this word is generally considered to be a bad and sometimes awful way to describe something. To be addicted to something does not always have to equate to an object of a chemical sense. However, sometimes the resulting outcome is the same.

For one man, it is neither liquid nor mineral that he chases after. It is instead glory and immortality, a chance to achieve greatness and rewrite history. Winning seems to be what this one driver has done more of in the past two seasons than even he can fathom. This driver who has become hooked on winning would be none other than the newly, and controversially crowned two time champion of the mile, Stewart Friesen.

To win one race at Syracuse is quite an accomplishment to say the least; to win twice in a row is almost improbable. With Billy Decker pitching a perfect game heading into Sunday’s SEF 200 on the mile, it almost seemed that the “Franklin Flyer” was unstoppable. Fate stepped in during the last out in what can truly be considered the ninth inning and due to Friesen’s unwillingness to lose; Decker came just short of perfection.

Friesen captures second consecutive SEF 200

Young Canadian Star Turns Back Decker’s Bid For Unprecedented Sweep Of Super DIRT Week XL

SYRACUSE, NY - Oct. 9, 2011 – Stewart Friesen of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., cemented his place in Super DIRT Week history on Sunday at the one-mile New York State Fairgrounds, winning the SEF Small Engine Fuel 200 presented by Ferris & Snapper for the second consecutive season.

One year after earning acclaim as the first Canadian to capture DIRTcar Big-Block Modified racing’s most prestigious event, the 28-year-old star authored an even more convincing performance in the event’s milestone 40th annual edition to become just the sixth driver to win back-to-back SEF 200s.

Warner Gets Thrilling Pro Stock Win

SYRACUSE, NY - Oct. 9, 2011 – By Kevin Kovac/DIRTcar Racing P.R. - If Sunday afternoon’s BACC-OFF Pro Stock Championship 25 was Rocky Warner’s last Super DIRT Week appearance as a full-fender division regular, he certainly made it memorable.

With a move to the DIRTcar Sportsman class in his plans for 2011, Gloversville, N.Y.’s Warner capped his Pro Stock career with a flourish, winning the division’s 25-mile Super DIRT Week XL headline event at the one-mile New York State Fairgrounds for the second consecutive year.

The 30-year-old standout put on a show as he came on strong late in the distance to outduel Rob Yetman of Castleton, N.Y., and Pete Stefanski of Wheatfield, N.Y., for the $2,000 top prize. He started 11th, grabbed the lead from Stefanski on lap 20 and held off Yetman over the final circuits.