After Packed Delaware Opener, Short Track Super Series Heads To Central PA This Weekend

Story By: CHRIS MOORE / SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES – SELINSGROVE, PA – Following a jam-packed Season Opener in Delaware, the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central ventures to the Keystone State for two days of racing.

Savannah, N.Y.’s ‘Super’ Matt Sheppard grabbed the opening victory at Georgetown Speedway in the Melvin L. Joseph Memorial. Sheppard and the rest of the STSS Modified contingent head to Selinsgrove Speedway on Saturday, March 20 and Port Royal Speedway on Sunday, March 21.

Both feature events for the STSS Modifieds will be 40 laps in distance paying $5,000 to win from $25,000-plus purses each day. Special awards, bonuses and contingency certificates will be awarded at both events in typical STSS fashion to make the events more lucrative for competitors.

The Selinsgrove trip will be the 24th different racetrack to host the STSS in the kickoff to its 75th anniversary season.

The ‘Speed Palace’ at Port Royal will host the STSS for the fourth consecutive year. In 2021, Port Royal will host the STSS on two occasions, as the tour heads back in in October for the second annual ‘Speed Showcase 200’ weekend headlined by a $50,000-to-win main event.

After a total of 54 Modifieds attempted to qualify for the season-opening event at Georgetown. A similar field is expected to be in attendance for the Central Pennsylvania invasion.

Sheppard, the 2019 Grand Champion and Melvin L. Joseph Memorial winner, will be on hand, looking to continue his winning ways. Sheppard won the ‘Speed Showcase 40’ at Port Royal last October.

Kings Ferry, N.Y., driver Mike Mahaney is coming off a pair podium finishes in the opening weekend at Georgetown, including a third-place finish in the STSS Modified event. Mahaney will be on hand with George Huttig’s No. 35 looking to continue his strong start to the 2021 STSS tour.

Tyler Dippel of Wallkill, N.Y., had two top-five finishes at the Georgetown opening weekend and plans to attend the Pennsylvania Swing this weekend. Dippel will be looking to improve his top-five efforts into podium finishes.

Ransomville, N.Y.’s Erick Rudolph was another driver who had a successful opening weekend at Georgetown. Rudolph came with a couple of top-10 results in his first appearance at the Sussex County Speedway since 2019. Now Rudolph and team will head to Pennsylvania for another set of STSS races.

Stewart Friesen will be in Atlanta, Ga., for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on Saturday but will trek back to Pennsylvania in time to compete at Port Royal on Sunday following a victory in the Melvin L. Joseph Memorial Small-Block headliner.

Other notable names entering the weekend in Pennsylvania:

• The last time the Modifieds ran at Selinsgrove in March of 2013, it was Oley, Pa., native Duane Howard who won the Small-Block Modified event. After a rough Georgetown visit, Howard and the Butch Getz Motorsports team will look to rebound in their home state.
• Ryan Godown was the runner-up in the 2013 running of the Small-Block Modified ‘Icebreaker’ at Selinsgrove Speedway. The ‘Ringoes Rocket’ comes off an eighth-place run in the season opener at Georgetown.
• Michael Maresca ran sixth in the season opener at Georgetown: his fourth consecutive top-10 in the Gary Simpson-owned No. 12k. The Potsdam, N.Y., wheelman heads to Pennsylvania in search of his first win for the Simpson Racing team.
• Anthony Perrego was the winner of the ‘Speed Showcase 40’ in 2019 at Port Royal Speedway. Now, coming off a fifth-place result at Georgetown, the Middletown, N.Y. native heads to Pennsylvania in his Brian Smith-owned No. 44 looking to grab another STSS checkered flag.

Both events will carry STSS South Region points for the Modifieds. Joining the Modifieds at Selinsgrove Speedway will be the STSS Belmont’s Garage South Region Crate 602 Sportsman points-paying event. The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman join the card going 25 laps for a $1,500 winner’s share and $100 to take the green.

The Sunday portion of the Central Pennsylvania invasion at Port Royal Speedway will feature the Zimmer’s Service Center ULMS Super Late Models joining the STSS Modifieds.