7/11/2025
Short Track Super Series
Tied On Top: Matt Sheppard Earns 53rd STSS Victory Thursday at Outlaw Speedway
DUNDEE, NY – Tied on top.
Matching his rival Stewart Friesen, Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard powered to his 53rd career Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco feature victory on Thursday night at Outlaw Speedway.
Sheppard collected $7,078.78 for his efforts in the ‘Dave Machuga Memorial Outlaw Showdown’ 50-lap event, Round No. 3 of the HYTORC of New York North Region for the STSS Modifieds.
Sheppard, ironically, held off Friesen in the final laps at the four-tenths-mile oval for the win using a lane he doesn’t typically frequent at Outlaw.
“I don’t normally run the middle here, but my car was really shining there,” Sheppard said from Bicknell Racing Products Victory Lane. “I didn’t feel like I had great speed on the top; I moved into the middle and said, ‘Man, this thing’s pretty good here.’”
Sheppard was methodical in his move forward from fifth starting position in a caution-marred main event.
Pole starter Alex Yankowski led the opening 21 laps of the main event following the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw.
Sheppard pushed his Hurlock Auto & Speed No. 9s into a lead he would not relinquish with 29 laps remaining.
Friesen, meanwhile, had to surge forward from 10th on the grid. He took over the runner-up spot with 26 circuits left on the board and chased Sheppard to the finish, drawing within a car-length in the race’s final five laps.
“I was getting nervous late in the race,” Sheppard said. “The track was definitely changing. I didn’t know if I should have made a move. That’s the tough part about leading sometimes.
“Everything worked out for us.”
The win for Sheppard was his third in eight STSS appearances at Outlaw.
Friesen picked up $3,000 for his runner-up finish.
“We passed a lot of cars there,” Friesen said. “It was a great race – we’ll add to the notebook a little bit. We just couldn’t keep it squared up at the end like he (Matt) could and get that drive off (the corner).”
Yankowski, of Covington Township, Pa., guided the Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts No. 84y to third, followed by track regular Bobby Varin of Johnstown, N.Y., driving a Tyler Siri-owned No. 18V and Quebec’s David Hebert, making his debut at Outlaw Speedway.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Anthony Perrego of Walden, N.Y., in the Vinnie Salerno-owned No. 4*; Michael Maresca of Potsdam, N.Y., after suffering an early race flat tire; Jeff Daugherty of Elmira, N.Y.; Mat Williamson of Saint Catherines, Ont., driving the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse No. 3; and Tommy Collins of Lansing, N.Y.
A field of 36 STSS Modifieds signed in for competition.
Heat winners were Sheppard, Friesen, Jack Lehner and Bobby Hackel. Daugherty won the B-Main.
Maresca was the ATL Hot Lap Hero with a lap of 14.905 seconds.
Next up for the Short Track Super Series: a return to Afton (N.Y.) Motorsports Park on Wednesday, July 16 for the ‘Interstate 88 Special’ featuring the STSS HYTORC of New York North Region Modifieds (50 laps, $5,088 to win, $1,000 for 10th, $500 to start), STSS Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. North Region Sportsman (28 laps, $1,588 to win, $100 to start) plus the 600 Modifieds and Four Cylinders.
To learn more about the 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 (X) or Instagram.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by Bob Hilbert Sportswear, FloRacing, American Racer, Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, BDR Speed, NJ Quality Drywall, HYTORC of New York, Ollie’s, Penske Racing Shocks, Saint Lawrence Radiology, Capitol Custom Trailers & Coaches, Bicknell Racing Products, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Madsen Overhead Doors, Belmont’s Garage, Wegner Automotive, DIG Race Products, ATL, Dirt Draft, Swagger Factory Apparel, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Algonkin Motel LLC, Beyea Custom Headers, Design for Vision, Sunglass Central, Dirt Track Digest TV, DKM Fabrication, EIBACH, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Headers & Exhaust Systems, JK Signworks, JLR Technologies, Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools, MD3, PEM Engineering, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, SRI Performance, Superior Remodeling, Swift Springs, The Exotic Brand, TV 12 Racing Products, VAHLCO Wheels & Wilwood Disc Brakes.
‘DAVE MACHUGA MEMORIAL OUTLAW SHOWDOWN’ RESULTS SUMMARY – OUTLAW SPEEDWAY JULY 10, 2025
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Modified HYTORC of New York North Region Round No. 3 Feature Finish (50 laps): 1. 9S-Matt Sheppard[5]; 2. 44-Stewart Friesen[10]; 3. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[1]; 4. 18V-Bobby Varin[2]; 5. ONE-David Hebert[11]; 6. 4P-Anthony Perrego[8]; 7. 7MM-Michael Maresca[6]; 8. 22JZ-Jeffery Daugherty[21]; 9. 3-Mat Williamson[7]; 10. 713-Tommy Collins[24]; 11. 02-Jack Lehner[3]; 12. 5*-Tyler Siri[19]; 13. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[12]; 14. 42P-Pat Ward[23]; 15. 47-Kreg Crooker[9]; 16. 70A-Alex Payne[15]; 17. 72-Ajay Potrzebowski II[22]; 18. 2B-Ron Cartwright Jr[18]; 19. 27-Tanner Van Doren[16]; 20. 01-Chris Raabe[4]; 21. 27J-Danny Johnson[13]; 22. 70-Brady Fultz[20]; 23. 21-Derrick Podsiadlo[14]; 24. 82S-Will Shields[25]; 25. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[17]
Did Not Qualify: 58L-Jim LaRock; 14-Brian Swarthout; 84JR-Adam Coots; 5-Matt Yoder; 23JR-John Michael Phillps; 21G-Aiden Grover; 07-Wally Wade; 88-Alan Johnson; 6-Tommy Paine; 1B-Billy Paine; 7X-Steve Paine
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Anthony Perrego (sixth) & Bobby Hackel (13th)
ATL Fuel Cell Hot Lap Hero ($100): Michael Maresca (14.905 seconds)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Bobby Hackel IV (Redrew 12th)
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Jack Lehner (11th)
MD3 Most Laps Led ($100 Certificate): Matt Sheppard (29 laps)
PEM Engineering Bonus (FREE Gear Set): Alex Yankowski (third)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Matt Sheppard ($150 certificate – first); Stewart Friesen ($100 certificate - second); Alex Yankowski ($75 certificate - third)
Swift Springs Hard Luck Award (FREE Spring Certificate): Daniel Morgiewicz
Wilwood Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($100 Certificate): Michael Maresca (seventh)