Mat Williamson Secures Ride For Short Track Super Series North Region In 2018
Story By: BRETT DEYO / SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES – FLORIDA, NY – The Behrent’s Performance Warehouse race team is growing for 2018.
Team owner Jeff Behrent has announced the operation will expand to a pair of cars for the upcoming Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco season, with rising young star Mat Williamson joining Tommy Meier in a two-car effort on the STSS Halmar International North Region.
The pairing will make its debut at Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, N.Y., with the fifth running of the ‘Hard Clay Open’ on Sunday, April 8.
Williamson, 27, of St. Catharines, Ont., enters the ’18 campaign on the heels of a standout ’17 campaign that ended with big late-season victories at Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, N.Y., and The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C.
The seat in Behrent’s No. 3 opens up an opportunity to chase the STSS North Region for the first time.
“I’ve been following the Short Track Super Series closely the last few years,” Williamson said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to chase, but haven’t had the right scenario.
“The offer from Jeff made it an easy decision. We know he has the best equipment and the right motor program to run up front.”
Behrent feels Williamson is a perfect candidate to grow his team.
“Mat is a good young talent and he’s winning pretty much wherever he races,” Behrent said. “We already have a relationship with Bicknell Racing Products and Randy (Williamson, Mat’s father). It just seemed like a good fit.”
The Behrent’s Performance Warehouse race team has been a mainstay on the STSS North Region since the series inception in 2014. Meier has earned top-10 point finishes during each of the last four seasons: ninth in ’14 and ’15, a best of second in ’16 and seventh in ’17.
Meier is one of 22 drivers with a series victory on his resume, coming on April 2, 2016 at Orange County Fair Speedway.
Meier will again start the STSS season at his longtime home track of Orange County Fair Speedway during the ‘Hard Clay Open’ North Region lid-lifter.
Both drivers will strap into No. 3 Bicknell race cars with Clements-built small-block power.
During the off-season a lucrative bonus program was announced by Sunoco Race Fuels and Insinger Performance to cross-promote the STSS and home-track American Racer Cup.
Williamson will call Freedom Motorsports Park in Delavan, N.Y., home on Friday nights this year with his No. 6. Freedom recently joined the American Racer Cup, meaning Williamson can vie for the $10,000 bonus available to a driver winning both the American Racer Cup and STSS North Region titles.
The STSS Halmar International North Region boasts 10 events in ’18 with $12,500 awaiting the champion. The series begins and ends at Orange County Fair Speedway with stops at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y., Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville, Pa., Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, N.Y., Accord (N.Y.) Speedway, Afton (N.Y.) Motorsports Park, Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., and Woodhull (N.Y.) Raceway.
