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Written by Chris Moore
KUTZTOWN, PA – Bullring Ace.
Mat Williamson led all 50 laps of the ‘Berks County Brawl’ at Foley Cat Action Track USA for his sixth career Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco victory.
Williamson, fresh off a podium finish at N.Y.’s Accord Speedway, came to the even tighter confines at Action Track USA and looked right at home, taking home the $5,000-plus paycheck.
“Jeff (Behrent, Williamson’s car owner) didn’t really want to come here,” Williamson smiled. “I said let’s go, I like those tight little bullrings, they bring out the driver in you.”
Williamson started from outside of the front row, and took a lead he would never relinquish, despite a hard charge from Frenchtown, N.J.’s Billy Pauch Jr. in traffic.
“I saw (Pauch Jr.) when I was stuck behind those two cars,” the St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada native explained. “I didn’t know where to go. I finally had to throw a slider to get by one and get going.”
The ‘Berks County Brawl’ served as Round No. 4 of the NJ Quality Drywall South Region and Round No. 5 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship. All drivers who attempted to qualify received 75 show up points for their efforts.
Williamson fired alongside pole sitter Cale Ross, of Lambertville, N.J., for the 50-lap A-Main and Williamson quickly raced out to the early advantage.
Early yellows plagued the beginning part of the race, including a lap-one caution for a slowing Matt Sheppard.
Williamson negotiated every early restart, while Pauch Jr. did the same, picking off positions with each passing lap, moving from his ninth starting spot into fourth on a lap-six restart.
The race’s next, and final, yellow flag flew on lap 10, giving Pauch Jr. another opportunity to continue his charge.
Driving the Breitenstein Motorsports No. 14, Pauch Jr. skirted the outside of the speedway to get around Perrego for third, and then switched to the bottom to race underneath Ross for the runner-up spot.
While Pauch Jr. chased Williamson up front, Covington Township, Pa.’s Alex Yankowski was recovering from an early mishap that dropped him from third to sixth.
The young gun got to fifth on a restart, before maneuvering by Perrego for fourth on lap 15, and then by Ross for third on lap 17.
From there the chase was on for Pauch Jr. and Yankowski, attempting to run down Williamson, who caught lap traffic right at the halfway mark.
On lap 32 it became apparent, with lap cars two-wide in front of Williamson, that both Pauch Jr. and Yankowski were quickly reeling in ‘Money Mat’ for the top spot.
Two laps later, Pauch Jr. was side-by-side with Williamson for the top spot, but the Canadian was up to call.
Suddenly Williamson drove around cars and opened a gap between himself and Pauch Jr., before catching two more side-by-side cars in front of him.
Williamson dispatched of the pair on lap 46, sealing the deal on his $5,000-plus triumph.
Pauch Jr. settled for the runner-up spot.
“That was awesome,” Pauch Jr. said with a smile. “I thought I baited him to the bottom there halfway through the race, but he just moved up enough I couldn’t get him.”
Yankowski rounded out the podium in the Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts No. 84y.
“I ran a lot of laps around this place in Slingshots and SpeedSTRs,” Yankowski proclaimed. “We’ve put together a good team and we’re bringing speed everywhere so hopefully we can keep it rolling.”
Walden, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego came home fourth in the Vinnie Salerno-owned No. 4* and Ringoes, N.J.’s Ryan Godown completed the top five.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Cale Ross in his family-owned No. 112; Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard who rebounded from the early yellow; Neshanic Station, N.J.’s Ryan Krachun piloting his family-owned No. 29; Oley, Pa.’s Louden Reimert in the Flurer No. 16; and Pipersville, Pa.’s Danny Bouc aboard the Craig and Leslie Pondish No. 6.
Thirty-nine STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds signed for competition at the ‘Berks County Brawl.’
Heat winners were Perrego, Sheppard, Ross, Yankowski, and Williamson. Consolations were won by Brandon Grosso, Krachun, and Bouc.
Galloway, N.J.’s Paulie Hartwig III won the fully paid B-Main, electing to take the 17th, and final, starting position in the A-Main.
The STSS goes for race No. 4 in May with the ‘Fast Cars and Freedom’ at Brookfield Speedway in Brookfield, N.Y., on Sunday, May 26. The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman go for 25 laps and a $1,500 top prize. It’s Round No. 2 of the Madsen Overhead Doors North Region. The Pro Stocks, Limited Sportsman, Four Cylinders, and Junior and All-Star Slingshots are also on the card under Brookfield Speedway rules and procedures.
The STSS Modifieds return on Thursday, May 30 with the ‘Adirondack Invasion’ at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Round No. 2 of the River Valley Builders North Region and Round No. 6 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship is a 70-lap affair paying $7,070 to the winner. The Sportsman, Renegades, and Mini Stocks are all on the card as well under Airborne Park Speedway rules and procedures.
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.
‘BERKS COUNTY BRAWL’ RESULTS SUMMARY – ACTION TRACK USA TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024
‘Berks County Brawl’ Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco NJ Quality Drywall South Region Round No. 4 Feature Finish (50 laps): 1. 3W-MAT WILLIAMSON[2]; 2. 14P-Billy Pauch Jr[9]; 3. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[3]; 4. 4P-Anthony Perrego[5]; 5. 26-Ryan Godown[8]; 6. 112-Cale Ross[1]; 7. 9S-Matt Sheppard[4]; 8. 29-Ryan Krachun[12]; 9. 16-Louden Reimert[14]; 10. 6B-Danny Bouc[13]; 11. 6D-Dillon Steuer[7]; 12. 73H-Paulie Hartwig III[17]; 13. 27-Tanner Van Doren[6]; 14. 2A-Mike Gular[16]; 15. 32-Brandon Grosso[11]; 16. 6S-Matt Stangle[15]; 17. 35M-Mike Mahaney[10]
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco B-Feature Finish (20 laps): 1. 73H-PAULIE HARTWIG III[4]; 2. 14W-Ryan Watt[3]; 3. 74W-John Willman[2]; 4. 77-Kyle Smith[6]; 5. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[5]; 6. 20C-Cole Stangle[7]; 7. 97T-Danny Tyler[12]; 8. 9L-Jimmy Leiby[8]; 9. 11-Danny Hieber[9]; 10. 24M-Sammy Martz Jr[11]; 11. 61-Justin Grim[10]; 12. 81-Eric Kormann[16]; 13. 2-BOBBY TRAPPER JR[13]; 14. 13T-Anthony Tramontana[15]; 15. 20L-Rick Laubach[1]; 16. 117-Kevin Hirthler[14]
Did Not Qualify: 14RR-Joe Funk; 38-Michael Stofflet; 1JR-Talan Carter; F1-Coleby Frye; 28T-Michael Trautschold; 4*-Brian Hirthler; 36-Colton Perry
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Cale Ross (sixth) & Tanner Van Doren (13th)
ATL Fuel Cell ‘Hot Lap Hero ($100): Matt Sheppard(11.132)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Anthony Perrego (fourth) & Louden Reimert (ninth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Anthony Perrego (Redrew fifth)
Bill Brown & Company Overall Heat Race Hard Charger ($50): Danny Tyler (eighth to fourth)
Chris Spotts Welding & Repair Fast Time Bonus ($200): Matt Sheppard (11.132)
Chris Spotts Welding & Repair Hard Charger Bonus ($100): Billy Pauch Jr. (ninth to second)
Design for Vision/Sunglass Central Bonus (Oakley Sunglasses): Mat Williamson (Winner)
Eibach Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Cale Ross (sixth)
Halfway Leader Bonus ($200): Mat Williamson
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Dillon Steuer (11th)
In Memory of Lisa Decker Bonus ($50): Cale Ross (sixth on lap 26)
PEM Engineering Third-Place Bonus (Quick Change Gears): Alex Yankowski
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Mat Williamson (first – $150 certificate); Billy Pauch, Jr. (second – $75 certificate); Alex Yankowski (third – $50 certificate); Anthony Perrego (fourth – $25 certificate)
Schultz Racing Fuel Cells Bonus ($100 Certificate): Danny Bouc (10th)
Wilwood Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($100 Certificate): Matt Sheppard (seventh)
