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Written by Chris Moore
DELMAR, DE – Chasing “Diamonds.”
The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco heads to Delaware International Speedway (DIS) on Tuesday, May 7.
The half-mile clay oval hosts the first of five events for the STSS in the month of May and represents Round No. 3 of the NJ Quality Drywall South Region and the Ollie’s Overall Championship.
The 50-lap event pays a $5,000 top prize to the winner of the 10th STSS event at Delaware International Speedway.
The original ‘Diamond State 50’ took place in 1999 as a Modified vs. Super Late Model event. Gary Stuhler won the inaugural affair with Kenny Brightbill and Jimmy Horton taking the events in ’00 and ’01.
In 2002, the divisions separated and raced until 2005 before the event was nixed.
The STSS brought the ‘Diamond State 50’ moniker back to life in 2015 during the first-ever South Region tour. New Jersey’s David Van Horn took home the first ever STSS ‘Diamond State 50.’
In 2016, Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen outlasted Duane Howard for the victory.
The following season, Friesen was passed by Boyertown, Pa.’s Ryan Watt in the late stages of the race, and it was Watt who was triumphant.
Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard joined the party in ’18 & ’19, going back-to-back for his first two career wins at DIS.
Friesen returned to the top of the heap in ’20 & ’21, topping runner-up Sheppard in a pair of battles between the two titans of the Modified world.
Friesen extended his streak to three consecutive ‘Diamond State 50’ wins in 2022, passing by fellow New Yorker Michael Maresca for the three-peat.
In the most recent ‘Diamond State 50,’ it was Frenchtown, N.J.’s Billy Pauch Jr. who stopped Friesen’s streak, holding off a hard charging Alex Yankowski in the late stages for his first career STSS win at Delaware International.
Now, for the 10th time in series history, the STSS heads back to Charlie Cathell’s perfectly manicured oval for another edition of the historic event.
The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman join the Tuesday night tussle for Round No. 3 of the Belmont’s Garage South Region. The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman race for 25 laps with a $1,500 winner’s share up for grabs.
A new chapter in the events history will occur on Tuesday, May 7, with a rain date of Wednesday, May 8.
A complete information sheet is available on STSS website at the following link: https://www.shorttracksuperseries.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=923414
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 ‘Diamond State 50’ Winners
2023: Billy Pauch Jr. (STSS Modified)
2022: Stewart Friesen (STSS Modified)
2021: Stewart Friesen (STSS Modified)
2020: Stewart Friesen (STSS Modified)
2019: Matt Sheppard (STSS Modified)
2018: Matt Sheppard (STSS Modified)
2017: Ryan Watt (STSS Modified)
2016: Stewart Friesen (STSS Modified)
2015: David Van Horn Jr. (STSS Modified)
2005: Danny Johnson (Modified) & David Hill (Late Model)
2004: Ricky Elliott (Modified) & Kenny Pettyjohn (Late Model)
2003: Weather
2002: Jimmy Horton (Modified) & David Hill (Late Model)
2001: Jimmy Horton (Modified vs. Late Model)
2000: Kenny Brightbill (Modified vs. Late Model)
1999: Gary Stuhler (Modified vs. Late Model)
