Orange County To Kick Off Short Track Super Series North For Fifth Consecutive Year
Story By: BRETT DEYO / SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES – MIDDLETOWN, NY – For the fifth time, Orange County Fair Speedway will serve as the starting point of the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco North tour.
The ‘Hard Clay Open’ on Sunday, April 8 waves the green flag on the STSS Halmar International North Region: a 50-lap tussle around the ‘Legendary House of Power’ offering $5,000-plus to the winner, $1,000 for 10th and $500 just to start the main event.
The ‘Hard Clay Open’ is the first of 10 North Region races on the road to a $12,500 championship.
Drama and excitement have been at the forefront of the ‘Hard Clay Open’ as big- and small-block combinations fight for supremacy on the five-eighths-mile track.
Last April, following a flat tire in heat-race competition, Andy Bachetti soared from 20th starting position to earn the ‘Hard Clay Open’ triumph. Bachetti caught – and passed – both Stewart Friesen and Brett Hearn in the final laps as the crowd rose to its feet.
Bachetti, a three-time STSS Halmar International North Region champion, is the only repeat ‘Hard Clay Open’ winner.
The 2016 edition offered a stunning turn of events after the checkered flag flew. Apparent winner Hearn refused post-race technical inspection and Tommy Meier took home the $5,000 winner’s share for his Jeff Behrent-owned team.
Stewart Friesen utilized small-block power to score the ’15 triumph after battling Pennsylvania star Rick Laubach for the lead in the early laps.
The inaugural ‘Hard Clay Open’ took place on April 6, 2014. Bachetti recorded his first win in the event over a hard-charging Tim Hindley on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Joining the STSS Modifieds on the ‘Hard Clay Open’ doubleheader are the Orange County Fair Speedway Crate 602 Sportsman racing for $1,000 to win and $100 to take the green under weekly track rules and procedures.
Complete race rules and information have been posted at the following link: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/hard-clay-open-rules-prices-general-info/
Registration is now open for both the STSS Modified and Crate 602 Sportsman divisions.
STSS Modified entry form: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018HardClayOpenSTSSModifiedEntry.pdf
Crate 602 Sportsman entry form: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018HardClayOpenCrate602Entry.pdf
A practice session is on the docket at OCFS on Saturday, April 7 from 4-8 p.m. Haulers may be left in the pit area overnight.
To learn more about the 2018 Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out ‘Short Track Super Series’ on Facebook or @ShortTrackSS on Twitter or Instagram.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, Insinger Performance, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Halmar International, Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Hig Fab, Henry’s Exhaust, HyperCo, Keizer Wheels, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, K&N, QA1, Race Pro Weekly, Racing Optics, Teo-Pro Car, Velocita, Weld & Wilwood.
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco 2018 Schedule
Halmar International North Region
Sunday, April 8 – Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown, N.Y. – Hard Clay Open
Sunday, May 27 – Thunder Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, N.Y. – Lightning on the Mountain
Tuesday, June 5 – Big Diamond Speedway/Minersville, Pa. – Anthracite Assault – COMBO
Wednesday, June 20 – Outlaw Speedway/Dundee, N.Y. – Outlaw Showdown
Tuesday, July 3 – Accord Speedway/Accord, N.Y. – Battle of the Bullring 6
Wednesday, July 25 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. – Afton Action 50
Wednesday, August 8 – Woodhull Raceway/Woodhull, N.Y. – Hustlin’ the High Banks 54
Tuesday, August 14 – Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, N.Y. – Stampede at ‘toga
Friday-Saturday, October 5-6 – Afton Motorsports Park/Afton, N.Y. – American Racer Cup Short Track SuperNationals 11
Thursday, October 18 – Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown, N.Y. – Hard Clay Finale
