Bachetti Wins STSS Modified Icebreaker at Selinsgrove Speedway and Pit Notes

The Short Track Super Series returned to Selinsgrove Speedway for the “Icebreaker” for the first time since 2013 for the first leg of the “Central PA Takeover”.  The first afternoon race in recent memory started under clear sunny conditions with crisp temperatures and no wind.  50 modifieds and 57 Crate Sportsman were on hand and ready to tackle the always tricky afternoon track conditions and try to out run the competition for the win at point race # 2 of the STSS South Region.

Andy Bachetti returned to the STSS victory lane for the first time since his July 2019 win at Accord Speedway.   JR Heffner took the lead at the green and held Bachetti off in second place until lap 23 when Bachetti took the lead.  Bachetti held off a late charge from 5^th to 2^nd by Anthony Perrego but in the end Bachetti took the win by .5 a second and returned to victory lane for his first win of the 2021 season.  Matt Sheppard made a strong push forward to a 3^rd from his 12^th place starting position on a one groove dominate race track.

The top ten were Andy Bachetti, Anthony Perrego, Matt Sheppard, Mat Williamson, Kyle Coffey, Larry Wight, Billy Pauch Jr., Tyler Dipple, Mike Mahaney and Ryan Watt.

The heat winners were Larry Wight, Tyler Dipple, JR Heffner, Billy Pauch Jr., and Mike Gular.  Consolation winners were Frank Cozze and Max McLaughlin.

Short Track Super Series South Region Round No. 2 Icebreaker Feature Finish (40 laps) – Selinsgrove Speedway – 3/20/21:

1.) ANDY BACHETTI, 2. Anthony Perrego, 3. Matt Sheppard, 4. Mat Williamson, 5. Kyle Coffey, 6. Larry Wight, 7. Billy Pauch Jr., 8. Tyler Dippel, 9. Mike Mahaney, 10 Ryan Watt, 11 Ryan Godown, 12. Erick Rudolph, 13. Mike Gular, 14. Max McLaughlin, 15. J.R. Heffner, 16. Duane Howard, 17. Peter Britten, 18. Matt Stangle, 19. Jessica Friesen, 20. Craig Von Dohren, 21 Jimmy Horton, 22. Brandon Grosso, 23. Michael Maresca, 24. Danny Bouc, 25. Tim Buckwalter, 26. Frank Cozze, 27. Danny Creeden, 28. H.J. Bunting, 29. Brandon Hightower, 30. Billy Van Pelt, 31. Chad Brachmann.

Did Not Qualify:

Danny Johnson, Joseph Watson, Dominick Buffalino, David Van Horn, Jr., Cale Ross, James Sweeting, John Willman, Jackie Brown Jr., Jim LaRock, Jacob Dgien, Jeff Taylor, Marshall Hurd, Kailee DiMorier, Steve Slater, Danny Hieber, Adam Pierson, Stanley Wilkins, Joseph Judge, Ryan Riddle.

Selinsgrove Modified Pit Notes

Andy Bachetti got off to a slow start to 2021 with a 21^st place finish at the Georgetown season opener.  Nothing that getting in the redraw and redrawing the pole position can’t fix.  Bachetti got the last available redraw position in his heat with a second place finish and managed to redraw the pole position.  The early race lead went to outside pole sitter JR Heffner but on lap 23 Bachetti moved into the lead and Heffner began to fade.  Bachetti held off Kyle Coffey for 14 laps and then Anthony Perrego for the remaining 5 laps to take the checkered flag for his first STSS win since July of 2019.

Anthony Perrego came from 5th to 2nd in the last 14 laps and was closing on Bachetti every lap when the checkered flag waived. Perrego’s 2nd place finish was his second top 5 of the season and he currently sits 2nd in STSS points behind Matt Sheppard.

Matt Sheppard had the run of the night in the feature moving forward 9 positions to a 3^rd place finish from a 12^th place starting position on the grid despite a one groove dominate track all night. Sheppard currently leads the STSS points after 2 events.

Tyler Dipple continues a string of strong top 10 finishes in the STSS which dates back to last year were he finished 4th in both the North and South 2020 point standings. Dipple has picked up right were he left off last year with a 4th place finish last week at Georgetown and an 8th place finish this week at Selinsgrove.

Stewart Friesen could not attend due to NASCAR truck race commitment.  Halmar was still well represented with Friesen’s wife Jessica Friesen, Jimmy Horton and Dan Morgiewicz who were in attendance.

With all the ride swapping in the South region there are lots of high expectations for several drivers with new teams.  For the first two events Max McLaughlin’s 14^th and 11^th place finish has highest of all the drivers with new rides.  Duane Howard, Dominic Buffalino and Tim Buckwalter are all off to a slow start with their new teams.  Expectations are that each of these drivers and teams will soon back at the top of the competition.  Dominic Buffalino looked to be on his way to his best finish of the year with a strong 3^rd place finish in his heat race only to come up light at the scales and get disqualified and end up as a DNQ for the event.

Duane Howard continues to qualify in the Butch Getz 15g entry but not be able to move forward in the feature race with a best finish to date of 16^th.

Brandon Hightower qualified in his heat race by holding off Mike Maresca for the 4^th and final heat race transfer position.  Hightower was happy to qualify for his first STSS South region race but it was short lived as he only made it through 15 laps of the feature and was a DNF with a 28^th place finish.    

Adam Pierson in the 215 entry from Vermont came out in his heat race and quickly moved into a qualified position from his 9^th starting spot only to have an engine failure end his chances of qualifying and his weekend early.