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MIDDLETOWN, NY – In a tale of human emotion, the misfortune of one competitor led to victory for two others on Thursday night at Orange County Fair Speedway.
When Matt Sheppard’s No. 9s slowed with 19 laps remaining in the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco 50-lap ‘Hard Clay Finale’ the game changed for both Stewart Friesen and Alex Yankowski.
Friesen’s Halmar International No. 44 assumed the lead he would not relinquish en route to a $5,000 payday at the Legendary House of Power before jetting off to Talladega, Ala., for a Friday NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.
For the Sprakers, N.Y., driver, the victory was his 58th with the series, second only on the all-time win list to Sheppard.
Yankowski, meanwhile, entered the event 26 points behind Sheppard in the HYTORC of New York North Region title fight. Sheppard’s DNF propelled Yankowski to the $15,000 title, less than five days after the Covington Township, Pa., driver secured the STSS NJ Quality Drywall South Region championship in Hagerstown, Md.
Yankowski is now a three-time STSS champion, with his pair of titles this season joining a 2024 crown.
Sheppard appeared poised for a title run, picking third in the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw. On the pace laps, Sheppard moved to second when the outside pole car of Felix Roy slowed with driveline issues.
‘Super Matt’ beat Cody Higbie to turn one at the start of the 50-lap main.
Sheppard set the pace while Yankowski swept past Higbie on the second circuit to begin his pursuit.
Friesen was slated to start 10th. Roy’s misfortune put him ninth when Joe Kriss waved the green flag. Friesen reached the top five within 15 laps and took over fourth on lap 17. By lap 22, he had cracked the top three as Sheppard and Yankowski negotiated lapped traffic.
Following a lap-28 restart, Friesen cleared Yankowski for second and set his sights on Sheppard.
The race’s complexion changed on lap 31 when Sheppard’s car slowed amidst smoke at the entrance of turn three.
Friesen and Yankowski inherited first and second, respectively, and maintained the top two positions through the Sunoco Race Fuels checkered flag.
“We had a great car all night long,” Friesen said. “We made a couple adjustments to it for the feature and didn’t really get rolling right away, but started to pick them off as the laps ticked off.
“Wasn’t sure how those cautions were going to work out. We were able to sneak under Alex (Yankowski) out of (turn) two and really only got to race with Matt (Sheppard) for a lap.”
Anthony Perrego of Walden, N.Y., completed the podium in Bob Hentschel’s Advance Concrete No. 4AP. Mat Williamson of Saint Catharines, Ont., back in the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse No. 3, was fourth from seventh and Alex Payne of Canandaigua, N.Y., driving Tim Gibson’s No. 19G, completed the front five.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were 21st-starter Danny Creeden of Middletown, N.Y.; Tyler Dippel of Wallkill, N.Y., advancing from 16th; Billy Van Inwegen of Sparrowbush, N.Y., who started 13th; Dominic Roselli of Monticello, N.Y., up from 19th; and Danny Bouc of Pipersville, Pa., who picked the worst number in the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw (12th).
Heat winners were Williamson, Sheppard, Roy, Friesen, Bouc and Payne. The three consolations went to Roselli, Tom Collins and Creeden.
Sheppard was the ATL Hot Lap Hero with a circuit of 20.549 seconds.
A season-high 65 STSS Modifieds checked into the pit area.
Thursday night’s event at OCFS concluded the ’26 season for the Short Track Super Series. An anticipated schedule announcement is expected by mid-November for next season.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.
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.
‘HARD CLAY FINALE’ RESULTS SUMMARY – ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY OCT. 22, 2026
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Modified HYTORC of New York North Region Championship Round Feature Finish (50 laps): 1. 44F-Stewart Friesen[10]; 2. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[4]; 3. 4AP-Anthony Perrego[8]; 4. 3-Mat Williamson[7]; 5. 19G-Alex Payne[5]; 6. 16X-Dan Creeden[21]; 7. 1D-Tyler Dippel[16]; 8. 4V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[13]; 9. 80-Dominic Roselli[19]; 10. 6-Danny Bouc[12]; 11. 9-Marc Johnson[26]; 12. 21C-Brian Calabrese[18]; 13. 48-Danny Tyler[14]; 14. 24M-Sammy Martz Jr[23]; 15. 82S-Will Shields[25]; 16. 83-Chris Stevens[9]; 17. 19-Tommy Collins[20]; 18. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[24]; 19. 3J-Joe Judge[17]; 20. 9S-Matt Sheppard[3]; 21. 6D-Dillon Steuer[11]; 22. 26-Ryan Godown[6]; 23. 97-Cody Higbie[1]; 24. 93X-Craig Mitchell[15]; 25. 6B-Robert Bublak[22]; 26. (DNS) ONE-Felix Roy
Did Not Qualify: 16R-Richard Smith; 3B-Ryan Behrent; 1H-Travis Green; 97IV-Bobby Hackel IV; 44T-Brandon Daley; 79-Eric Winsor; 20W-Chris Weslowski; 7-Brady Cordova; 43DM-Clinton Mills; 11-Alissa Cody; 22E-Mike Engwer; 88T-Tyler Jashembowski; 1A-Tighe Sherlock; 7M-Paul Mancini; 6S-Matt Stangle; R2-Dave Constantino; 81-Heath Metzger; 24-Ken Ferrier; 44X-Shane Jablonka; 17-Tyler Johnston; 20-Rick Laubach; 399-Nick Giardini; 15S-Dylan Smith; 17A-Josh Allen; 27-Jason Reome; 72-Ray Hall Jr.; 27K-Brett Tonkin; 53-Geoff Quackenbush; 44-Frank Cozze Sr; 33-Eddie Strada; 716-Corey Lowitt; 3006-Kurt Hundeland; 21M-Bob McGannon; 45J-Aaron Doolittle; 4-Nicholas Root; 9T-Joe Toth; 24C-Chris Shultz; 71-Eric Mack; 24S-Sammy Martz Sr.
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Dominic Roselli (ninth) & Will Shields (15th)
ATL Fuel Cell Hot Lap Hero ($100): Matt Sheppard (20.549 seconds)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Danny Bouc (Redrew 12th)
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Marc Johnson (11th)
MD3 Most Laps Led ($100 Certificate): Matt Sheppard(31 laps)
PEM Manufacturing Bonus (Gear Set): Anthony Perrego(third)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Stewart Friesen (first – $150 certificate); Alex Yankowski (second – $100 certificate); Anthony Perrego (third – $75 certificate)
Swift Springs Hard Luck Award (FREE Spring): Felix Roy
