Shootout In South Jersey Leave Stewart Friesen On Top

Column By: NICK FILLMAN / RPW – SWEDESBORO, NJ – Sunday marked the first of two appearances of the Short Track Super Series South region at the fast 5/8ths mile Bridgeport Speedway.

A stellar field of 41 modifieds filled the pit area on Sunday evening, representing many states including a handful of super stars from the Empire State of New York.

The day started out with a bad pill draw for Stewart Friesen and his Halmar / Friesen Racing team as he would draw #73. One of the highest of the night putting him in the final starting position for his eight-lap heat race.

Abundant sunshine and winds led to a dry, slick track with passes coming few and far between in the heat races on the evening. Friesen, however, would motor his way from his tenth starting position to finish second in his heat, finishing behind winner Sammy Martz and earning a redraw spot.

The five-time Super DIRT Week Champion from Sprakers, NY would draw the number two and start the 40-lap feature event from the outside of the front row. Friesen dipped back to about the third place for the first ten to fifteen laps of the feature event before moving back into second behind race leader Mike Barone.

With 10 laps to go, Friesen used the middle lane on the track to catch and pass Barone for the lead and went on to collect the feature win.

The win on Sunday was the second for Friesen and his DKM / Cyclone-chassis entry at Bridgeport this season after winning the Doug Hoffman Memorial in late March. It was a nice rebound for the team after suffering a tire failure while leading the feature at Fonda the night before.

Finishing second in the feature event was Danny Bouc. The New Egypt Speedway regular was aboard his Team 88 ride that is used for special events on Sunday evenings.

Bouc was the only driver in the field to have a spec head 358 engine that is used for Big Diamond, Grandview, and New Egypt. He had a great draw for the heat races and collected a second place finish after being passed late by Billy Pauch Sr.

It was an impressive run with his smaller engine which was helped along by the dry slick feature track conditions.

Third place on the night was Michael Barone. Barone took the 2016 racing season off to regroup his efforts for the 2017 season. He won his heat race and have a great run going in the feature, leading a majority of the event before Friesen and Bouc got by late in the going.

The driver of the #267 finished 11th for the regular season opener last Saturday at Bridgeport and 3rd on April 9th. Look for Michael to be a contender every week for the victory at the Speedway and add to his win to his win total, which currently stands at one after winning back in 2012.

Neal Williams is running his first full time season back with the New Jersey Overhead Door team after a stint running the Valshing 323 at New Egypt.

“Neal The Wheel” has been fast all year and Sunday was no different. He grabbed the final the 5th and final transfer spot in his heat, but that left him starting 18th in the feature.

Williams quickly worked his way through the field, getting as high as third and pressuring Friesen for second before settling back in fourth once the feature had concluded.

After finishing second at New Egypt last week in their regular season opener at the New Egypt Speedway, Ryan Godown and the Petruska Racing team would be looking to have another solid effort. Godown would finish second in his heat race to Matt Jester and start the feature at the front of the field. Godown would run the entire feature event in the top five never putting on a hard charge toward the front of the field. Godown would end up in the 5th place when the checkers flew resulting in a solid team effort.

Richie Pratt Jr had to run the consolation event on Sunday evening, finishing second to Dom Buffalino. He started the feature from 24th aboard his Bicknell chassis entry and methodically worked his way through the field, utilizing the extreme bottom of the speedway.

Pratt worked his way into the top ten, winding up eighth at the conclusion of the feature event. After an 18th and 19th in his last two starts at Bridgeport, which are not indicative of the speed the team has, this was a great momentum booster.

Two legendary drivers from the Empire State in attendance were Brett Hearn and Danny Johnson. Both were unable to qualify for the feature event joining other notables like Wade Hendrickson, Ryan Watt, Jamie Mills, and HJ Bunting. Watt and Mills were awarded provisional spots in the feature and Hendrickson used the track buy-in.

Unfortunately for Billy Pauch Jr., his feature event was over before it started. He qualified though his heat aboard the Danny’s Pizza, Bayshore Ford #51 entry, but suffered mechanical issues during the four wide parade lap and never took the green flag.

Duane Howard and Billy Pauch Sr. were involved in an accident on the feature’s innitial lap as the field went down the back straightway. Both cars were stuck together with Pauch’s right front lodged in front of Howard’s left rear.

After a lengthy red flag and hard work by the track crew, the two cars were separated and towed to the pit area. Both Howard and Pauch were able to rejoin the field after tire changes and slight cosmetic body repair.

Pauch would finish the event in 20th while Howard worked his way up to 12th.