RPW Exclusive: Mat Williamson Came Close Thursday, Yet Again, To Grabbing A Short Track Super Series Win

Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – MIDDLETOWN, NY – With a solid run up at Oswego for Super DIRT Week and a second place finish in Thursday night’s Hard Clay Finale at Orange County, it seems as if Mat Williamson is ready for to take on Eastern States Weekend 2018.

“(Mike) Gular was really good tonight,” Williamson said “We were okay and fortunate to start up front and that’s key here. We just seem to run second a lot and it’s getting old but I have no idea what I could of done to beat that 2 car. I mean, all three of us on the podium tires are gone.”

With the strong finish, team co-owner Jeff Behrent and Mat will go back to the drawing board and try for a good Eastern States 200.

“I’m so happy to get Jeff this finish,” he said. “It’s a good momentum boost going into this weekend. There’s going to be a lot good cars here. I just need to finish one position better and just can’t seem to do that. It’s my curse this year. Getting off to the start we have this weekend is huge and I’ve had fun running the Short Track Super Series this year.”

While Williamson did race both the Big Block and Small Block at Oswego a few weeks back, he’ll only be in a Big Block this weekend.

“No Small Block for us,” he said. “We’re running Jeff’s Big Block and that’s it. He gives us such a good ride and I just can’t wait to get out there on Sunday.”

When Sunday rolls around on this weekend every October, you can be assured to hear the ground-pounding Big Block Modifieds taking the green for 200 more laps of racing around the Hard Clay. Each driver trying to etch their name into the record books as a champion of Eastern States Weekend and the bragging rights that go along with it.

In 2018, will it be rising star Mat Williamson, or maybe NASCAR Truck Series regular Stewart Friesen. Could young gun Mike Mahaney steel the show or maybe a veteran like Brett Hearn could take another victory. You’ll find out when the green flag drops Sunday at Orange County Fair Speedway.