RPW Exclusive: Finally, The Monkey Is Gone; Sheppard Wins At OCFS; Takes Hard Clay Open

Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – MIDDLETOWN, NY – When you think of Matt Sheppard in the Big Block world, you think of excellence and winning. Well, he’s never won at the Orange County Fair Speedway and it seemed as though the place was “Super Matt’s Kryptonite”…until Sunday.

With his win in the Short Track Super Series’ Hard Clay Open, a huge monkey is now off his back for all those Eastern States, Hard Clay Open’s, Super Dirt Series events and many, many more races held on the hallowed Middletown oval that Sheppard never won.

It was a warm spring day for the start of the Short Track Super Series North Region. Nearly 60 Modifieds graced the pit area. The race only started 30 cars so names like Tremont, Van Pelt, Heotzler and Eurich were among the countless drivers who did not make the field.

Sometimes it’s the luck of the draw. For Sheppard who won his heat, it was the worst it could be. He drew unlucky #12. He had his work cut out for him with 2018 OCFS track champion Anthony Perrego and Brett Hearn, who knows the track like the back of his hand and young star Mat Williamson. All three started ahead of the Waterloo, NY driver.

However, he was undeterred.

By lap 16, Sheppard wrestled the lead away from Danny Varin and he never looked back…that was, until a late race restart with just two circuits remaining. This put Stewart Friesen right on his back bumper. With Friesen breathing down his neck, Sheppard pulled away for his first ever win at Orange County.

“What a monkey off my back,” Sheppard said. “We’ve won at so many tracks and to not have won here was weighing on me. I talked to (OCFS Promoter Chris) Larsen this morning and he said maybe you will get the monkey off your back. We have brought some fast race cars here in the past, and just had stuff happen…tire loses air or just bad luck.”

At Orange County, if you can get out front and set a good pace you will more than likely have a successful night. Sheppard had an eight and a half second lead when the caution flew on lap 31, which goes to show how good of a car he had on Sunday.

“We had a very fast car tonight,” he said. “We got out front and the car worked really good. The clean air is key here at Orange County. A few years ago for this race it was similar conditions. I was driving Vic’s (Coffey) car and we drove to second and cut a tire. It feels amazing to finally get a win here.”

For second place finisher Stewart Friesen, he drew bad coming in the gate, spun while running second in his heat, and had to make the feature through his consolation race. After starting 20th, second place isn’t so bad.

“These Halmar guys gave me a fast car tonight,” Friesen said. “Thanks to them, DKM and everyone. I let my guys down in my heat and when I got behind Sheppard with two to go I lost my tires. I don’t know if I hadn’t made the mistake in the heat race if I would have had anything for Matt. He was checked out.”

The driver we all call ‘Super Matt’ has finally got the monkey off his back at Orange County. When a driver is good and doesn’t win year after year at a certain track or event, it all makes us wonder…Will they ever? Dale Earnhardt and the Daytona 500 comes to mind right away.

On a warm Spring afternoon in Middletown, ‘Super Matt’ conquered his Kryptonite.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Halmar International North Region Event No. 1 Modified Feature Finish (50 laps): MATT SHEPPARD, Stewart Friesen, Anthony Perrego, Brett Hearn, Mike Gular, Mike Mahaney, Brian Krummel, Danny Johnson, Andy Bachetti, Billy Decker, Jimmy Horton, Danny Creeden, Chris Whitehead, Mat Williamson, Allison Ricci, Ryan Watt, Tommy Meier, Brian Gleason, Craig Hanson, Brett Tonkin, Danny Varin, Tyler Dippel, Brandon Grosso, Jeremy Smith, Willy Decker, Rick Laubach, Tyler Boniface, Jerry Higbie, Billy Pauch Jr., Matt Janiak.