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STSS Race Day: Outlaw Showdown Storylines, Stars & Sleepers

Written by Chris Moore

DUNDEE, NY – Outlaw Showdown.

Tonight, the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco stops by a familiar venue for another big payday in the month of July.

Tyler Siri’s Outlaw Speedway hosts the ‘Dave Machuga Memorial Outlaw Showdown’ at the four-tenths mile oval in the Finger Lakes of New York.

The STSS will visit Outlaw Speedway for the eighth time in series history tonight, which was the site of one of the most dramatic races of 2023.

THE STORYLINES

Tonight is the second of five River Valley Builders North Region races in the month of July, after the first was held on Wednesday, July 3 at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway.

The $7,078-to-win main event serves as Round No. 5 of the North Region, and Round No. 11 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship.

Saint Catherines, Ontario, Canada’s Mat Williamson leads both title fights into
Outlaw Speedway, holding a miniscule 13-point advantage over Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard in the North Region standings.

Walden, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego – the NJ Quality Drywall South Region point leader – is looking up at Williamson in the Overall Championship, trailing ‘Money Mat’ by 38 markers.

THE STARS

Sheppard was a longtime regular at Outlaw Speedway, collecting several wins and track championships at the speedway along the way. Given his experience around the four-tenths-mile oval, Sheppard belongs on the top of the list of favorites.

After starting the STSS Northeast season on fire, Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen has hit a dry spell since winning the North Region opener at Accord (N.Y.) Speedway. Friesen will look to end the small dry spell at a place where two of his 45 career STSS wins have come at.

Canandaigua, N.Y.’s Alex Payne makes his first ever appearance on the ‘stars’ list. The young gun nearly pulled off the victory a year ago before a last lap mistake cost him his first taste of STSS glory. This year, Payne and the team have fought gremlins in their first season on the full STSS tour. A little home cooking might be just what the doctor ordered for Payne to get back on track.

THE SLEEPERS

Alexandria, Ontario, Canada’s Chris Raabe is another driver making his maiden voyage on the STSS North Region tour. Raabe has begun to turn heads after a slow start, coming off a 22nd to seventh run in the ‘Firecracker 50’ at Fonda Speedway.

Sharon Springs, N.Y.’s Bobby Varin holds two wins to his credit this season at Outlaw Speedway. Varin is no stranger to winning big races and will look to claim his first career STSS win at a place he’s excelled at in 2024.

Waterloo, N.Y.’s Steve Paine has struggled in 2024 at Outlaw Speedway, sitting 11th in the standings. The ’21 ‘Outlaw Showdown’ winner will look to add another bullet to his Hall of Fame career with his second STSS victory.

ALSO IN ACTION

The Sportsman, Street Stocks, and Four Cylinders are all on the card under Outlaw Speedway rules and procedures.

ON THE HORIZON

In exactly one week (Thursday, July 18), the STSS heads to Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, N.Y. for Round No. 6 of the River Valley Builders North Region and Round No. 12 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship.

Utica-Rome Speedway honors one of its greatest drivers with the fourth running of the ‘Richie Evans Remembered 61’ – a 61-lap, $6,100-to-win main event for the STSS Modifieds.

The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman also join the program for Round No. 4 of the Madsen Overhead Doors North Region, a 25-lap, $2,061-to-win feature event.

DIRT DRAFT

Don’t forget to set your Dirt Draft lineups before the night’s first heat race begins.

Visit www.dirtdraft.com or download the app to join Dirt Draft and compete against thousands of others for the entire 2024 STSS season. A subscription is just $5.99 a month with plenty of prizes up for grabs in the Dirt Draft Speed Shop.

Following along with the STSS on Dirt Draft throughout the ‘24 season will pay one lucky fan dividends at year-end.

The STSS Dirt Draft Champion receives two tickets to the STSS year-end banquet and will be honored with a custom trophy presented by Dirt Draft.

GATES AND PRICES

For tonight’s event, the pit gates open at 4:30 p.m. with grandstand gates unlocking at 5:30 p.m. Hot laps are slated for 6:45 p.m., with racing to following at 7:30 p.m.

Grandstand admission is $30 for Adults, $28 for Seniors, and Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.

Pit admission is $45 (no license required).

HOW TO WATCH

The entire night of racing will be broadcast live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv) via the annual subscription.

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, @ShortTrack_SS on Twitter or @ShortTrackSS on 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, River Valley Builders, 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, Fastline Performance, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Headers & Exhaust Systems, JK Signworks, JLR Technologies, Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Superior Remodeling, TV 12 Racing Products, VAHLCO Wheels & Wilwood Disc Brakes.

PAST EVENT WINNERS: OUTLAW SPEEDWAY

June 6, 2023 – CORY COSTA – Alex Payne – Alan Johnson – Mat Williamson – Danny Johnson

May 17, 2022 – MATT SHEPPARD – Stewart Friesen – Billy Decker – Brett Haas – Alex Payne

May 18, 2021 – STEVE PAINE – Mike Mahaney – Anthony Perrego – Stewart Friesen – Matt Sheppard

June 19, 2019 – STEWART FRIESEN – Erick Rudolph – Mat Williamson – Jeremy Smith – Danny Johnson

June 20, 2018 – STEWART FRIESEN – Alan Johnson – Mat Williamson – Mike Mahaney – Ryan Godown

June 8, 2016 – MATT SHEPPARD – Erick Rudolph – Andy Bachetti – Danny Creeden – Billy Van Pelt

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