Short Track Super Series Modifieds & ULMS Super LMs Combine For Speed Showcase At Port Royal Speedway

Story By: BRETT DEYO / SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES – PORT ROYAL, PA – Only once a year do the big-block/small-block Modifieds hit the track at the pristine Port Royal Speedway.

Located on the Juniata County Fairgrounds, Port Royal Speedway is now regarded as a national leader for dirt-track facilities. Promoter Steve O’Neal and his staff welcome only one dirt Modified sanctioning body to their showplace every year and it’s the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco!

For the third consecutive season, the STSS Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central invades the ‘Speed Palace’ for the ‘Speed Showcase’ featuring a $5,000-to-win, 40-lap event offering $1,000 for 10th-place and $400 just to take the green flag.

As an added bonus, the ‘Speed Showcase’ offers two headline divisions. The ULMS Super Late Models join the Modifieds on this fan-pleasing doubleheader.

The event serves as Race No. 2 of eight STSS South Region Modified events. The series opened on March 7 with an impressive 44-car STSS Modified field. Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen took a $10,049-plus victory over Pennsylvania legend Craig Von Dohren, Tyler Dippel, Billy Pauch Jr. and Danny Bouc.

Friesen bursts into the early point lead in search of a $10,000 championship. Current point standings entering Port Royal can be found at the following link: https://stss.racestatcentral.com/?IDseries=2&IDseason=2020

In the two previous STSS Modified visits to Port Royal, fans have left the huge grandstands buzzing about what they had witnessed.

Last March, Middletown, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego emerged from a back-and-forth battle with Matt Sheppard through lapped traffic to pick up the victory. Sheppard finished second, followed by Mat Williamson (up from 19th), Danny Bouc and Brett Hearn.

The inaugural ‘Speed Showcase’ run in October 2018 saw Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa., fend off a rim-riding Brandon Grosso to put his name in the record books. David Van Horn, Duane Howard, Grosso and Craig Von Dohren filled out the front five.

Pit and grandstand gates will unlock at 11 a.m. on the 22nd. The drivers’ meeting is set for 12:45 p.m., with hot laps at 1:15 p.m. and racing at 2 p.m.

Adults pay $25 grandstand admission. Students pay $15 (ages 12-18). Children 11 and under are FREE. Pit admission is $35 with no license required.