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Written by Chris Moore
Photo: Tom Morris Racing Photography
WEST HAVEN, VT – Slate Valley Raceday!
Today, Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt., hosts the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco for the ‘Slate Valley 50.’
Mike Bruno’s pristine facility hosts the STSS for the second consecutive season at the tough-to-tame half-mile oval.
Today’s 50-lap race offers the winner a rich $10,000 payday to the winner of Round No. 4 of the River Valley Builders North Region.
THE STORYLINES
The STSS heads into Vermont for the second time, with Devil’s Bowl Speedway hosting both races in the Green Mountain State.
The race kicks off a busy two month stretch for the STSS North Region, with four more races over the next month, including the first-ever trip into Canada on July 25 and 26.
St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada’s Mat Williamson heads the North Region class into Vermont following his fourth-place finish at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, N.Y.
Next up for the STSS will be a trip to a “home base” when Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway holds the annual ‘Firecracker 50,’ another $10,000-to-win showdown.
THE STARS
Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard charged from 12th to third at Outlaw Speedway before a late race flat tire sent him to the pits. Sheppard will look to regain momentum at the site of his dominant performance in last years ‘Slate Valley 50.’
Anthony Perrego was a part of an entertaining battle for the runner-up spot in last year’s ‘Slate Valley 50’ before coming home fourth. The Walden, N.Y., native aims to return to the form he had at Accord (N.Y.) Speedway with a top-three finish from the 21st starting position.
Queensbury, N.Y.’s Demetrios Drellos makes a rare STSS appearance at his former home track. Drellos, a past Devil’s Bowl champion, will look to capture the $10,000 payday.
THE SLEEPERS
Otego, N.Y.’s J.R. Hurlburt heads to Devil’s Bowl fresh off a last-lap pass for the win at Afton (N.Y.) Motorsports Park. Hurlburt used a setup to help test for Devil’s Bowl, giving him confidence to continue his top-10 run in North Region points.
Guilderland, N.Y.’s Marc Johnson has continued to build momentum on the STSS North Region in his first full season on the tour. The ‘Dark Knight’ will look to parlay that building into a strong in Vermont.
Quebec’s Francois & Steve Bernier both joined the STSS North Region as rookies on the tour in ’23. With Steve fresh off a seventh-place run at Outlaw Speedway, the brothers continue to build their notebook, gaining speed with the stars of the STSS.
ALSO IN ACTION
Joining the STSS-sanctioned Modifieds at Devil’s Bowl Speedway are the Sportsman, Limiteds, and Mini-Stocks, all under Devil’s Bowl Speedway rules and procedures.
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 2023 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 ‘23 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
Pit parking begins at 2 p.m. with pit gates opening at 3 p.m. Grandstand gates unlock at 4 p.m. Hot laps are slated to start at 5 p.m. and racing begins at 6 p.m.
Adult admission is $30. Infield parking is $35. Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.
Pit admission is $45 for all ages.
HOW TO WATCH
The entire night of racing, along with every STSS race in 2023, will be broadcast LIVE on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).
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 Twitter or Instagram.
