FONDA, N.Y. — Stewart Friesen had never been beaten in the Firecracker 50 at Fonda Speedway, claiming the first three editions of the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled by Sunoco event.
Sunday night was was no different, as Friesen claimed a fourth consecutive win and the $10,000 payday that went with it.
Friesen’s win came at the expense of two other modified superstars, Matt Sheppard and Mat Williamson, with Danny Creeden and Rocky Warner rounding out the top five on a surface that was rubbered up after halfway, making passing on the high speed half-mile extremely difficult.
Williamson pulled the pole in the redraw and led front row companion Creeden early on, but by the time a backmarker spun on lap five to draw the first of a handful of cautions, the seventh starting Friesen was fifth and ready to get down to business.
When the green flew, he hit turn one on the extreme outside, then dove for the infield, passing Alex Yankowski and Creeden in one fell swoop. He then drew in on second running Demetrious Drellos and closed out lap seven by blowing around Drellos in turns three and four for second.
Getting the lead took a bit longer, as Williamson was good in the open. But he caught the tail of the field on lap 13 and Friesen pounced, getting alongside briefly before diving under Williamson as they hit turn one the next time around.
“I had a good car but I was too good too early,” tipped Williamson. “When I couldn’t get by lapped cars easily I knew I was in trouble. This place is like Stewart’s personal bank account, so I knew he’d be coming. And Matt is always good here too.”
By halfway, Friesen had a full straightaway lead over Williamson and the huge crowd was keyed on Sheppard, who had clawed his way from tenth to third but was a turn behind Williamson. Then Keith Flach stalled one lap later, bringing Friesen back to his pursuers and giving Sheppard a shot at second on the restart. The first try saw him blast by Williamson only to have a car go around and bring the yellow right back out. That time Williamson prevailed but by the time the lap counter hit 30, Sheppard had put him away and begun closing on the leader.
Three more restarts would give Sheppard a shot at Friesen but each time, Friesen would launch like a rocket and build a half-turn lead. Then Sheppard would steadily reel him in and just as he got close, another yellow would fly.
“I think I had a better car that Stewart did once we got going,” summed up Sheppard. “But he had a golden horseshoe up his butt and every time he needed one he got a caution. Then he’d get away from me again on the restart. I figured my only hope was getting him in a bunch of lapped cars but every time we got to them he got a yellow. That’s a leader’s dream!”
With the track taking rubber, single file was the order of the night in the late stages and after the final restart with nine to go, Friesen sailed home uncontested.
Chris Curtis led the second five, trailed by Tim Fuller, Bobby Varin, Nick Heywood and Anthony Perrego.
“Those yellows were everything tonight,” admitted Friesen. “It would have been dicey if Matt had caught me in lapped traffic. My car fired off really well but he was better on long runs. I went hard early and once we got the lead, luckily the track locked down and we were good.”
Yankowski, Creeden, Varin, Friesen and Fuller won heats and Frank Cozze and Roger Henion Jr shared Consi scores as the 45-car field was whittled to 28 plus five provisional starters.
Warner did double duty, jumping in a Sportsman car to win that division’s $2,000 feature over Troy Ziles and Payton Talbot.
The finish:
Stewart Friesen, Matt Shepard, Mat Williamson, Danny Creeden, Rocky Warner, Chris Curtis, Tim Fuller, Bobby Varin, Nick Heywood, Anthony Perrego, Max McLaughlin, Bobby Hackel IV, Rich Christman, Mike Mahaney, David Schilling, Roger Henion Jr., JR Hurlburt, Daniel Morgiewicz, Randy Green, Michael Trautschold, Neil Stratton, Demetrious Drellos, Kyle Coffey, Billy Decker, Marc Johnson, Keith Flach, Brian Gleason, Andy Bachetti, Alex Yankowski, Matt DeLorenzo, Frank Cozze