Persistence Was Key For Perrego Sunday At Thunder Mountain
Column By: RUSTY RHOADES / RPW – CENTER LISLE, NY – To say that Anthony Perrego enjoys the Short Track Super Series and Brett Deyo shows would be an understatement. Sunday night Perrego battled through the top 10, tough conditions and numerous physical restarts to hold off Stewart Friesen and come out on top of the “Lightning on the Mountain” Short Track Super Series event at Thunder Mountain Speedway.
His $5,000 takedown was the third series win in his career to go along with two more Deyo-promoted Gobbler victories at Accord. The Walden, NY resident visited victory lane for the second consecutive night after a victory at Five Mile Point Speedway Saturday.
Mother Nature spared the Southern Tier of New York with a windy yet dry afternoon and evening as another impressive Super Series car count of 45 modifieds made the tow to the very scenic Center Lisle, NY facility. Heat action was very entertaining, with several charges from the back occurring throughout. Jeremy Smith came all the way from his 7th starting spot to take the heat 1 victory, while heat 2 saw Stewart Friesen win from 4th and Nick Rochinski coming from dead last to put his 20R machine in a 3rd and qualifying position at the checkers. “The Wild Child” Andy Bachetti found his way past Perrego late in heat 3 and took the victory after starting way back in 7th position. Another solid run came from Billy Decker, a North Region regular this season, in heat 4. “The Franklin Flyer” started 7th and made it into a top 3 qualifying spot in the race won by Nick Nye. Track champion and multi-time STSS feature winner Danny Creeden took the final heat from his 4th starting spot, while Alan Barker put his B16 into the last qualifying position with a solid charge from 7th.
The feature redraw immediately put Perrego at a disadvantage. He would take the green back in 10th position, already behind the likes of previous series winners Brian Malcolm, Creeden, Bachetti and Friesen. Several big guns tried to negotiate the rough and tricky high line early, while Creeden quickly took advantage of his 2nd row draw and powered into the lead on a lap 3 restart. Andy Bachetti was one of those working the top of the track when he slowed on lap 4 with issues. He would return to tail the field.
After a few more one lap spans between cautions, which had Perrego already advancing into the top 6, a long green flag run ensued with “The DC Express” Creeden speeding off from the rest of the field and into lap traffic by the 12th circuit. Craig Hanson’s top 10 run ended unfortunately with his front end facing the wall coming out of turn four on lap 17. At this point, Perrego and Friesen had driven their 44 machines into the top 5 and at the halfway mark (lap 25), Perrego had taken the runner-up spot from an impressive Jeremy Smith and set his sights on Creeden. The 16x was very strong, however, and Creeeden drove away on another lap 30 restart.
Disaster struck for Creeden on lap 32 when a flat tire ended his dominant performance. He would return just as the field was restarting, however it would be a second consecutive disappointing outcome in this race after being at the front. Perrego took over the point, and on the ensuing restart Friesen moved into second place and a hard-charging Andy Bachetti brought his sharp #4 back into the top 5 all the way from last place.
One more caution at lap 36 bunched up the field and would have Perrego, Friesen, Smith and now 4th Bachetti leading them to the final green flag of the race. Perrego would again take off in his bright yellow and green 44 with the opposing Halmar-themed 44 of Friesen in tow. His comfortable lead would begin to dwindle with around seven laps to go, when Friesen really started getting through turns one and two better and pulling closer down the backstretch. However Perrego was just a bit better getting off turn four and pulling away a bit. This would go back and forth until the end, with Friesen trying different angles each time and eventually getting a nose on the inside of Perrego in three and four with a couple to go, but he couldn’t get completely aside and Perrego survived the challenge and went on to take the checkers. Friesen would finish second, with Bachetti completing an extraordinary charge back from causing an early caution to finish third. Jeremy Smith ran a solid race throughout and finished fourth, ahead of another strong effort from Ryan Jordan. Sixth through tenth were Billy Decker, Jerry Higbie, Adam Hilton, Nick Nye and Chris Stull.
The next event on Brett Deyo’s Short Track Super Series is a big one. The only combined show on the tour for both the North and South Regions takes place on Tuesday, June 6th when Big Diamond Speedway hosts The Anthracite Assault for another 50 lap, $5,000 to win showdown.
‘LIGHTNING ON THE MOUNTAIN’ RACE SUMMARY – THUNDER MOUNTAIN SPEEDWAY MAY 28, 2017
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Halmar International Round No. 2 Modified Feature Finish (50 laps): ANTHONY PERREGO, Stewart Friesen, Andy Bachetti, Jeremy Smith, Ryan Jordan, Billy Decker, Jerry Higbie, Adam Hilton, Nick Nye, Chris Stull, J.R. Hurlburt, Danny Creeden, Brian Malcolm, Tommy Meier, Matt DeLorenzo, Chad Cook, Colton Wilson, Byron Worthing, Rick Wilk, Cory Costa, Barry White, Craig Hanson, Nick Rochinski, Brian Krummel, Sam Allen, Brent Wilcox, Alan Barker, Gary Tomkins, Brad Szulewski.
Did Not Qualify: Charlie Hendrickson Jr., Steven Deinhardt, Randy Brokaw, Danny Tyler, Brett Barrett, Donnie Lawson, Tyler Siri, Mike Ward, Roy Shields, Kurt Hundeland, Brandon Martin, Dan Humes, Mike Nagel Jr., Danny Cronk, Billy Spoonhower, Stacy Jackson.
‘Lucky 7’ Lap Money Breakdown ($600): Stewart Friesen ($160); Jeremy Smith ($90); Anthony Perrego ($80); Danny Creeden ($70); Adam Hilton ($50); Ryan Jordan ($50); Andy Bachetti ($30); Brian Malcolm ($30); Billy Decker ($20); Craig Hanson ($20); Nick Nye ($10)
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): Chris Stull (10th) and J.R. Hurlburt (11th)
American Racer/Lias Tire Hard Charger ($100 Cash): J.R. Hurlburt (26th to 11th)
ATL Fuel Cells Bonus ($200 Certificate): Ryan Jordan (fifth)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Jeremy Smith (fourth) and Nick Nye (ninth)
Keizer Racing Wheels Bonus (FREE Wheel): Anthony Perrego (winner)
Fast Axle Bonus ($50 Certificate): Billy Decker (sixth)
QA1 Hard Charger Bonus ($50 Certificate): J.R. Hurlburt (26th to 11th)
VP Racing Fuels Makin’ Power Positions ($50 Certificates): Stewart Friesen (second), Danny Creeden (12th) and Craig Hanson (22nd)
Weld Wheels Bonus ($50 Certificate): Chad Cook (16th)
Wilwood Disc Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($50 Certificate): Jerry Higbie (seventh)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Sportsman Round No. 1 Feature Finish (25 laps): LARRY MEKIC, Tom Collins, Billy Spoonhower, Shayne Spoonhower, Cory Cormier, Nick Nye, Geordie Decker, Eric Leet, Cole Hentschel, Marty Bunker, Randy Allen, John Morse, Alissa Cody, Chris Stevens, Craig Pope, Harold Humphrey, Chance Spoonhower, Mike Nagel Jr., Travis Smith, Leo Fotopolous, Brian White, Eddie White, J.R. Fulper, Tighe Sherlock, Bobby DeLeon, Phil Vigneri III.
Did Not Qualify: Will Shields, Lee DeWitt, Bob Mills, A.J. Williams, Austin Smith, Kinser Hill, Tyler Keener, T.J. Frost, Dylan Smith, Richie Hillis, Kenny Hammond, Connor Spoonhower.
Chad Sindoni Memorial Street Stock Feature Finish (25 laps): DAMON DECKER, Lanson Albanese, Butch Green, Gene Sharpsteen, Doug Stack Jr., Dan Mazzarese, Donald Russell, Shane Wolf Jr., Bob Maynard, Nick Robinson, Doug Stack Sr., Buck Mills, Matt Spencer, Zack Mills, Jerred Dennis, Rich Sharpsteen, John Hoover, Shawn Boynton, Glenn VanCise, Earl Zimmer, Trevor Dudley, Mike Wilbur Sr., Kevin Garland, Laverne Knickerbocker, Cody Nielson, Dan Wood, William Manuel Jr.
