0
0
DUNDEE, NY – One for the record books.
Michael Maresca rode the outside lane to Bicknell Racing Products Victory Lane on Thursday night at Outlaw Speedway, earning $7,078.78 for his efforts in the ‘Outlaw Showdown’ run in memory of Dave Machuga.
The triumph for Baldwinsville, N.Y.’s Maresca came in Round No. 2 of a rain-marred Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco HYTORC of New York North Region.
“I’ve won some big races, but I feel like the other big races something happened, or other peoples’ bad luck,” Maresca said. I feel like I passed a couple of the ‘baddest’ dudes a couple times.
“That was a crazy race!”
In five STSS Modified events run in 2026, there have been as many different winners.
After precipitation doused the Dundee oval just prior to hot laps, the Tyler Siri-led track crew rallied to get the surface prepared, and fans were rewarded for their patience during a 90-minute rain delay with an entertaining 50-lap event.
Four different drivers took turns leading the event before Maresca, who started eighth on the grid, swept past Mat Williamson to lead the final eight tours around the four-tenths-mile banked venue.
Veteran Bobby Varin, who started from the pole following the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw, led the opening two laps before a flat right-rear tire forced his No. 18V to slow.
The benefactor was fourth-starter Anthony Perrego, who assumed the top spot.
Perrego, in a tooth-and-nail battle with Matt Sheppard, held command for 12 laps before suffering his own misfortune. Perrego’s Bob Hentschel-owned No. 4 slowed on the backstretch on lap 14, done for the night.
After starting 12th, Mat Williamson – driving his No. 6 – was next to lead.
Williamson’s apparent winning effort was derailed by Maresca.
Ripping the extreme outside of the Outlaw oval, Maresca carved through the top five, picking up fourth on lap 26, third on lap 30, and second on lap 32 before taking command on the 42nd circuit.
“I fell back early,” Maresca said. “I told myself just to stay cool. I figured more opportunities would come if I let it play out. I found that topside and it was definitely the ragged edge.”
Maresca rolled to his third career STSS Modified victory and first since March 18, 2023 at Pa.’s Selinsgrove Speedway. He also won at All-Tech Raceway in Lake City, Fla., on Feb. 11, 2022.
The win came on the heels of a heartbreaking final-lap loss at Kutztown, Pa.’s Action Track USA in May to Cale Ross.
Williamson, of Saint Catharines, Ont., settled for a $3,000 runner-up finish, ahead of Covington Township, Pa.’s Alex Yankowski, up from sixth, Savannah, N.Y.’s Sheppard and Brady Fultz of Dundee, N.Y., in a steady performance.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were track owner Tyler Siri of Horseheads, N.Y., who started 17th; Alex Payne of Canandaigua, N.Y., after a chaotic event that included the loss of a right-side sail panel and flat tire; Pat Ward of Genoa, N.Y., up from 14th; Tommy Collins of Lansing, N.Y.; and Jeffery Daugherty of Elmira, N.Y., who started 19th.
Sheppard was the ATL Fuel Cells Hot Lap hero with a circuit of 14.921 seconds.
Heat winners were Fultz, Yankowski and Daniel Morgiewicz. Daughtery topped the B-Main.
The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco returns to action twice next week: N.J.’s Bridgeport Motorsports Park on Tuesday, July 14 with the ‘South Jersey Shootout’ and Thursday, July 16 at N.Y.’s Fonda Speedway in a rescheduled ‘Firecracker 50’ from July 1.
To learn more about the Bob Hilbert Sportswear 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 Feed, 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, Swift Springs, The Exotic Brand, Troyer Dirt Cars, TV 12 Racing Products, VAHLCO Wheels & Wilwood Disc Brakes.
‘DAVE MACHUGA MEMORIAL OUTLAW SHOWDOWN’ RESULTS SUMMARY – OUTLAW SPEEDWAY JULY 9, 2026
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco HYTORC of New York North Region Round No. 2 Feature Finish (50 laps): 1. 7MM-Michael Maresca[8]; 2. 6-Mat Williamson[12]; 3. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[6]; 4. 9S-Matt Sheppard[2]; 5. 70-Brady Fultz[7]; 6. 5*-Tyler Siri[17]; 7. 70A-Alex Payne[10]; 8. 42P-Pat Ward[14]; 9. 713-Tommy Collins[11]; 10. 22-Jeffery Daugherty[19]; 11. ONE-Felix Roy[20]; 12. 27-Tanner Van Doren[23]; 13. 10-Karl Comfort[13]; 14. 19W-Justin Wright[5]; 15. 18V-Bobby Varin[1]; 16. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[3]; 17. 21G-Aiden Grover[26]; 18. 4-Anthony Perrego[4]; 19. 27J-Danny Johnson[9]; 20. 6P-Tommy Paine[16]; 21. 82S-Will Shields[21]; 22. 88-Ron Cartwright Jr[24]; 23. 9K-Blaine Klinger[22]; 24. 72-Ajay Potrzebowski II[15]; 25. 47-Kreg Crooker[25]; 26. 06-Jackson Gill[18]
Did Not Start: Rich Talada
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Tommy Collins (ninth) & Tanner Van Doren (12th)
ATL Fuel Cell Hot Lap Hero ($100): Matt Sheppard (14.921 seconds)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Mat Williamson (Redrew 12th)
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Felix Roy (11th)
MD3 Most Laps Led ($100 Certificate): Mat Williamson(28 laps)
PEM Manufacturing Bonus: Alex Yankowski (third)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Michael Maresca (first – $150 certificate); Mat Williamson (second – $100 certificate); Alex Yankowski (third – $75 certificate)
Swift Springs Hard Luck Award (FREE Spring): Anthony Perrego
