RPW Exclusive: Matt Sheppard on Pole for Eastern States 100

Column By: JOHN DOUGLAS / RPW – MIDDLETOWN, NY – Time Trials have concluded at Orange County Fair Speedway for the Small Block Modifieds. Matt Sheppard’s time of 21.167 secs. late in the session, was good enough to land him on the pole position for the 100 lap Small Block race later today. The top six time trialers lock themselves into the first three rows of the Saturday main event.

“This car was fast in practice, it’s been fast since we unloaded it.” Sheppard said after taking the pole. “We’ve been having a pretty miserable weekend down here so far. I think we took some of that misery from yesterday and threw it at this thing and definitely made some big improvements. It’s a long race and tires always come in to play down here but we’d much rather be starting from the pole than 10th so we’ll take it.”

Anthony Perrego clocked in second fastest overall with a 21.200 sec. lap to take the outside of row number one.

Stewart Friesen’s third place time trial wasn’t attained without some serious issues for the driver from Sprakers, Ny. As he was forced to use C.G. Morey’s No. 14 for his time trial after issues with his primary No. 44S. With all those issues, Friesen managed a 21.270 for the inside of row number two.

L.J. Lombardo will start to Friesen’s outside with a 21.363 sec. Lap. Good enough for fourth the position in today’s 100 lap main event.

Frank Venezia’s 21.383 sec. Lap will lock him into the fifth starting spot for the main event, with Patrick Rieser along side in the third row. Rieser’s time of 21.388 was just enough to bump Brett Hearn out of the top six and into the day’s first heat event.

The Eastern States 100 at Orange County Fairgrounds Speedway is scheduled to begin later this afternoon.