PORT ROYAL, Pa. – Two of New York State’s finest battled down the stretch of the 40-lap Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Modified main event Sunday afternoon at Port Royal Speedway.
When the the Sunoco checkered flags waved, it was Anthony Perrego taking a $5,000 victory in the Speed Showcase driving for a Delmarva-based team owned by Gary Simpson. Perrego edged Matt Sheppard in a back-and-forth battle before a large crowd.
Perrego is in his first year driving for the Simpson team on the series in search of the $10,000 STSS Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central title. His first win came in two of the season.
“We definitely have something to work with,” Perrego said of Simpson’s Pro Power/Teo-Pro car combination. “It’s a good piece.”
Perrego started 11th in the 27-car starting field at the ‘Speed Palace’ located on the Juniata County Fairgrounds. It veteran Jimmy Horton who launched off the pole at the start, but all-time leading STSS modified winner Stewart Friesen – Horton’s teammate – advanced from his third starting position to the lead on lap two.
Friesen’s run, however, was derailed when he brought out the race’s only yellow flag on lap five, the victim of a power steering line issue.
Danny Bouc, with a back-up 360 cubic inch small-block engine under the hood of the Pondish Racing No. 6, assumed the lead. Bouc paced the field through lap 10 when Sheppard swept past with the Hurlock Auto & Speed No. 9s.
Meanwhile, all eyes were on Perrego, who had marched from his sixth-row starting spot to the top-three.
On lap 13, Perrego slipped by Bouc for the runner-up position and the battle was on. Sheppard and Perrego negotiated lapped traffic and used every inch of the speedway’s red clay.
Perrego first cleared Sheppard for the lead on lap 22. Sheppard got it back on the 24th circuit.
Perrego shot the gap to the inside of Sheppard on the 26th tour, but, once again, his lead was short-lived. Sheppard was back on the point on the 27th lap.
The key moment of the race took place entering turn three with 10 laps remaining.
Perrego got a run to the inside down the backstretch. Sheppard attempted to block the low line entering turn three, but Perrego was there. The two slapped side rails, battled wheel-to-wheel before Perrego emerged with a lead he would not relinquish.
“I had to move him (Sheppard) a little bit,” Perrego said. “I hated to do it, but racing one of the best there is, I had to take that opportunity.”
Despite his runner-up finish, Sheppard was all smiles afterward with his $3,200 effort that included the $200 Precision Hydraulic & Oil Halfway Leader bonus.
“This is one of the raciest race tracks I’ve run on in a long time,” he said of his Port Royal debut.
Mat Williamson made the long haul south from Ontario, Canada, and sliced through the field from his 19th starting position. After just 12 laps, he was fifth. Ultimately, he ended his ascent at third, nearly catching Sheppard in the final laps.
The effort was a morale builder for Williamson, who drove his own No. 6 big-block.
“After Florida, I didn’t know if I could drive a race car anymore,” he said, noting his struggles in the Sunshine State.
Michael Norris won the companion United Late Model Series feature.
The finish:
Anthony Perrego, Matt Sheppard, Mat Williamson, Danny Bouc, Brett Hearn, David Van Horn Jr., Craig Von Dohren, Mike Mahaney, Rick Laubach, Danny Johnson, Jimmy Horton, Duane Howard, Jeff Strunk, Billy Pauch Jr., Mike Gular, Stewart Friesen, Brandon Grosso, Roger Henion Jr., Rex King Jr., Alex Yankowski, Andy Bachetti, Jordan Watson, Ryan Krachun, Richie Pratt Jr., Cale Ross, Ryan Watt, Matt Stangle.