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STEWART FRIESEN WINS 40TH
SOUTHERN TIER 100.. |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RE: Southern
Tier 100 - SUNDAY
EMAIL: FIVEMILEPOINT1@AOL.COM
PHONE:
607-775-5555
STEWART FRIESEN WINS SECOND SOUTHERN
TIER 100 ON SUNDAY AT FIVEMILE POINT SPEEDWAY.
By BRETT
DEYO
Friesen, the energetic 26-year-old from Old Forge, N.Y., felt Hearn's confident
smile at the halfway fuel stop was a harbinger for a late charge at the
"Brett was walking around with a smile on his face (during the fuel
stop)," Friesen said.
"I didn't know if he was just hanging out, waiting to make his move
late."
Unknown to Friesen, Hearn faded late in the 100-lap Race of Champions Dart Dirt
Tour Modified finale, leaving Friesen to march away for his second Southern
Tier 100 triumph in the event's 40th running. His first came in 2007.
Friesen earned $6,555 for the victory - $5,555 from the posted purse, a $500
small-block bonus and another $500 cash award from Dart Machinery for having
attended the Short Track SuperNationals at Five Mile
Point on Oct. 10.
It was a huge payday for Friesen, whose operation for the event included his
own Teo-Pro car, a borrowed small-block powerplant from Tad Parks and a
borrowed hauler from Marty Burdick.
"This is awesome for this team," gushed Friesen, who celebrated the
victory wildly - he spun his car in a series of donuts and later climbed the frontstretch fence.
"It's so cool."
Trailing Friesen at the finish of the century grind was
National star Tim McCreadie of
Joey Grammes of Lehighton,
Pat Ward of
Placing sixth through 10th were 28th-starter Mike Ricci of Rosendale, N.Y., who
started the race via a RoC provisional with Jeff Mastrocola's
No. 76R; Waterloo, N.Y.'s Matt Sheppard, who pitted
to replace a right-rear tire at halfway; Hearn, who fought a used-up right-rear
in the final laps; 2009 Five Mile Point champ Brian Weaver of Windsor, N.Y.;
and teenager Larry White of Phoenix, N.Y., a lap-88 flat tire victim.
Friesen started the 100-lap event from the pole via a redraw of the top-14
qualifiers.
However, Danny Johnson utilized a restart on lap two as a springboard to the
lead. Hearn followed on the next circuit, dropping Friesen to third.
Hearn's advance continued when he put the Madsen Motorsports No. 20 into the
top spot on lap six.
Friesen, an off and on racer at the Point over the past few seasons, fellt to fourth on the ninth circuit when a high-running
Bobby Puckett of Old Forge, Pa., swept into third.
"I let Danny get the jump on me there," Friesen said of the lap-two
restart. "Then Brett got us and Puckett got by. I said to myself, 'We're better than this."
Racing with tire conservation in mind, Friesen regrouped and began to move
forward. He drove his Enders-powered No. 1 Teo-Pro car into second on lap 22.
A restart on lap 24 allowed Friesen to regain command over Hearn, who
momentarily relinquished second to Puckett on lap 25, but recovered the spot
two circuits later.
Friesen held the top spot through the halfway break on lap 50 to accomodate the methanol-burning cars in the field.
"The track is abrasive here at the end of the year. Everyone knows
that," Friesen said. "We went with a 50 (compound American Racer) on
the right-rear and tried to save it.
"I tried to run straight and not burn it off."
With Friesen out front, Johnson glided past Hearn on lap 70.
On a lap-77 restart, Johnson presented his most formidable challenge. He worked
the inside lane entering turn one, nearly pulling even.
However, it wasn't Johnson that had Friesen thinking.
"When I passed Danny (early in the race), I saw he was pretty loose, so I
didn't think he would have a lot left," Friesen said.
"I kept thinking Brett was saving something for the end."
Following the race's final caution on lap 88, Friesen put some distance on
Johnson.
Friesen's final scare came in turn three five laps from the finish, when he
encountered the slowing car of Justin Holland entering turn three.
"I had to check up pretty hard there," Friesen said. "I was just
waiting for somebody to go sailing by me."
Friesen acknowledged his right-rear tire made all the difference.
After a symbolic kiss in
Johnson saw his chances slip away after the lap-88 caution.
"We lost the tires at the end," Johnson said. "It was over for
me after that last caution."
Johnson complimented the equipment provided by the Kunkletown, Pa.-based Grammes team.
"The car was really good," he said. "It was a great cap for the
year."
McCreadie, 35, secured a podium effort in his debut
at the Point.
"We were a little off," he said. "We went with a real hard right
rear (D3B American Racer) and we were a free early."
The Southern Tier 100 was postponed from Saturday to Sunday by rain.
Fifty-four Modifieds took part in the program. Heat winners were Mike Gular, Brad Alger, Justin Holland, Puckett, Sheppard, Kevin
Bates and Weaver.
Billy Van Pelt and Eric Palmer split the consolations.
Fifteen yellow flags slowed the event, all for minor jingles and flat tires.
Kevan Cook of
COUNTER POINTS: The 40th running of
the Southern Tier 100 concluded the 59th season of operation at Five Mile
Point. Plans are in place for the 60th consecutive year, which will kick off
with the Southern Tier Open in April....
The backstretch pit area was reserved for the support divisions, with the
Modifieds utilizing the area outside turns three and four....
All of the top-10 drivers in RoC points were in attendance for the event....
40th Southern Tier 100 RoC Dart Dirt
Modified Tour Feature Finish: STEWART FRIESEN, Danny Johnson, Tim McCreadie, Joey Grammes, Pat
Ward, Mike Ricci, Matt Sheppard, Brett Hearn, Brian Weaver, Larry Wight, Jerry Higbie Jr., Jeff Strunk, Joey
Colsten, Mitch Gibbs, Eric Palmer, Mike Colsten, Bobby Trapper, Mike Gular, Brian Malcolm, Kevin Bates, Justin Holland, Nick Rochinski, Wade Decker, Shaun Walker, Tim Hindley, Brad Alger, Bobby Puckett, Jim Gabriel Jr., Billy
Van Pelt.
Final RoC Dart Dirt Modified Tour
Points (Top Five):
1. Pat Ward 432; 2. Brett Hearn 399; 3. Stewart Friesen 390; 4. Danny Johnson
389; 5. Matt Sheppard 309.
Modified
did not qualify: Cass Bennett, Bob Hamm Jr., Ron Seltman, Roy
Shields, Vinny DeCicco, Rob
Rowe, Scott Brady, Pat Votra, Kirk Horton, Kenny Titus, Clinton Mills, Bryan Terwilliger, Bob Henry Jr., Howard Jarvis, Ricky Yetter, Kevin Hirthler, Joe Eisenhauer, Ryan Grim, Ray Swinehart,
Russ Zimmerman, Brian Decker, J.R. Hurlburt, Brent Wilcox, Glenn Knapp, Jamie
Batzel.
IMCA
MODIFIED EMPIRE STATE SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP 25 LAPS: KEVAN COOK, Scott Bennett, Chris Fleming, Mike Wilmot, Gary Dence, Mike Wilbur, Brad
Weaver, Joe Cole, Tyler Stoddard, Jerry Lobdell Jr.,
Brandon Carvey, Josh Sawyer, Mike Stoddard, Brian
Holder, Gary Roberts, Michael Owen, Larry Colton.
FINAL TOP 5 ROC DART DIRT MODIFIED POINT STANDINGS AFTER
SUNDAY
1. Pat Ward 432
2. Brett Hearn 399
3. Stewart Friesen 390
4. Danny Johnson 389
5. Matt Sheppard 309
FINAL TOP 5 ROC DART DIRT SPORTSMAN POINT STANDINGS
AFTER FRIDAY
1. Jeff Leslie 354
2. Brian Decker 311
3. John Scarborough 303
4. Nick Petrilak 299
5. Justin Holland 296
TOP 5 TRACKSIDE PRODUCTS DART DIRT PURE STOCK POINT
STANDINGS – FINALE PENN CAN
1. Rich Talada 470
2. Charlie Gilbert 377
3. Gene Sharpsteen 369
4. Rich Green 334
5. Jonathon Carpenter 315