Friesen Wins STSS Small Block Feature with Last Lap Pass on Mahaney and Laubach – Friday Pit Notes

The Short Track Super Series season opener at Georgetown Speedway was greeted with 70 degree temperatures on the Delmarva Peninsula providing the best weather in recent memory for the opening of the northeast modified season at day one of the Melvin Joseph Memorial.  STSS small block modified and the crate late models were the events of the day with practice & timed hot laps for the Open Modified and Crate Late Models in preparation for Saturday’s full program of qualifying and racing.

It was Stewart Friesen uncorking a final turn pass of Mike Mahaney to take the win on the final lap of the 30 lap small block modified lap feature event.  Mahaney had just taken the lead back from Rick Laubach on the back stretch only to have Friesen charge from 3^rd place using the high line and a bit of an assist from a lapped car to take lead and the win on the final turn of the feature.

Mike Mahaney jumped to a big lead from the pole position but cautions evaporated his lead and on lap 15 Laubach got underneath of Mahaney to take the lead.  Laubach then proceeded to open up a decent lead; but lapped traffic became a factor in the final laps and Laubach had to move to the middle and Mahaney went underneath and retook the lead on the final lap only to have Friesen take the lead by using the high side to go from 3^rd to 1^st in the final 2 turns to take the win.

Friesen commented in victory lane “The car just got good with about 5 to go and the track just got better and better in the middle.  The lap car jammed up Mike and Rick and there was just enough grip in the middle.  This place has weird apexes and there was just enough on the top for us to get this one.”

2^nd place Mike Mahaney noted “That was heartbreaker of a race.  Rick was real fast and had a better car in the middle of the race but then the lapped car held him up and I got under him but little did I know Stu was coming too since these cars don’t have real view mirrors but I’m just happy to be here and racing this early in the season.

Small-Block Modified Feature Finish (30 laps): 1. STEWART FRIESEN, 2. Mike Mahaney, 3. Rick Laubach, 4. Max McLaughlin, 5. Tyler Dippel, 6. Rocky Warner, 7. Erick Rudolph, 8. Larry Wight, 9. Mike Gular, 10. Jimmy Horton, 11. Anthony Perrego, 12. Danny Bouc, 13. Ryan Krachun, 14. Craig Von Dohren, 15. Danny Creeden, 16. Joseph Watson, 17. Matt Stangle, 18. David Schilling, 19. David Van Horn, 20. Richie Pratt Jr., 21. Kyle Weiss, 22. Dominick Buffalino, 23. James Hill, 24. Ryan Watt, 25. Brad Trice, 26. Andy Bachetti, 27. H.J. Bunting, 28. Matt Sheppard, 29. Tim Buckwalter, 30. Duane Howard.

Did Not Qualify: Eric Biehn, John Willman, Derrick McGrew Jr., Jack Butler, Jim Britt, Carson Wright, Nick Mady, Jeff Brown, Ryan Riddle, Danny Tyler, Daniel Morgiewicz, Billy Pauch, Jr., Michael Maresca.

Small Block Modified Pit Notes – Georgetown Speedway March 12, 2021

Stewart Friesen only lead one lap but it was the one that counts as he passed by Mahaney and Laubach on the back stretch and final turn to move from 3^rd to 1^st on the final turn to win the first Northeast modified feature event of the season.

Rich Laubach took the lead at lap 15 and had a commanding lead until lap traffic clogged up the inside grove and Laubach dropped from 1^st to 3^rd on the final lap continuing a string of bad luck finishes dating back to the end of 2020 when a flat tire took him out of first and Laubach miraculously drove to a 2^nd place finish with a flat left front tire for 25 plus laps.

Matt Sheppard retired to the pits on lap 2 with ignition problems and was done for the night.

Larry Wight had a strong run back to front run in the feature with his 99L finishing 8^th from a 19^th starting position.

Tyler Dipple continued his string of consistent top 5 finishes from 2020 and finished 5^th in his first 2021 race of the season.  If the consistency continues like it did last year Dipple will be in the hunt for a 2021 STSS championship.

Brett Deyo after consulting with drivers came up with a new bonus for the 3 specs who finish the highest in the feature.  In addition to the feature money the highest finishing crate will receive an additional $500 while the 2^nd and 3^rd highest will receive $300 and $200 respectively.  The track conditions slicked off and were favorable for the spec 358’s and many drivers opted to go with their spec.  Mike Mahaney was the highest finishing crate earning the $500 bonus while Erik Rudolph and Danny Bouc rounded out the 3 highest finishing spec 358’s.

Qualifying on the sunny side of the cut line were several drivers with some impressive runs through the field of the heat race.  Max McLaughlin qualified 3^rd and made the redraw from his 11^th starting position which was shotgun on the field.   Stewart Friesen also qualified for the redraw with a second place finish from a 7^th place starting position. 

Matt Stangle was a DNF in the heat race due to a flat tire but rebounded with a strong run in the consolation race to a 3^rd place finish from a 10^th place starting position to qualify for the feature were he finished 17^th from a 26^th starting position.

The DNQ blues in the heat races had attrition strike down several cars in the middle of a good run when breakage took them to the DNQ list.  Mike Maresca, Billy Pauch Jr, & Danny Tyler were all in qualifying positions when mechanical issues retired them from their heat races and ended their night by prevented them from making the call for the last chance consolation.

It wasn’t looking good for Danny Bouc in the heat race as he jumped the berm early and got towed off the track.  Bouc started 12^th in his consolation only to run up to 5^th but still was a DNQ which was trumped with a track provisional 29th starting position in the field.  Bouc was able to make the most of it and move forward 17 positions to a 12^th place finish with his spec 358.

The Short Track Super Series modifieds and Crates will visit Selinsgrove Speedway on Saturday March 20^th for “Icebreaker” Selinsgrove’s season opener with racing starting at 2:00 PM.