CENTER LISLE, N.Y. – Matt Sheppard led all 50 laps Tuesday at Thunder by the Mountain Speedway for his fourth Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled by Sunoco victory of the year.
The $5,000-plus triumph also extended Sheppard’s point lead on the Hurlock Auto & Speed Supply North Region, where Sheppard has won three times this season.
“Our car was so good all night long, we never touched a thing on it. I just didn’t know if I should run high or low, but our car was so good it didn’t matter,” explained Sheppard of his race car in victory lane.After winning his heat race, Sheppard drew the pole in the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw, putting him in prime position to rebound from the crash he suffered just a week ago at Georgetown (Del.) Speedway for the ‘Blast at the Beach.’
Sheppard would start alongside his closest competitor on the Hurlock Auto & Speed North Region, Anthony Perrego.
From the start, Sheppard quickly flexed his muscle, showing he had the car to beat.
While Sheppard marched to the beat of his own drum out front of the field, Rusty Smith slid by Perrego for second. Mike Mahaney was in the picture for a podium spot, too, challenging Perrego before a lap-12 yellow.
Alan Barker was also on the move early, coming from his 17th-starting spot to climb to eighth when the caution flew on lap 12.
A short green-flag run followed, and Barker continued his assault, moving into the fifth spot before a lap-17 yellow fell.
The yellow’s continued to help Sheppard, always falling before the leader truly had to dice in lap traffic to give the runner-up cars an opportunity to reel in the No. 9s car.
At the halfway point, Sheppard picked up the $200 Superior Remodeling Halfway Bonus while Mahaney chased after him. Meanwhile, Andy Bachetti had climbed to fourth using the outside line.
A long stretch of racing under green forced Sheppard to work in lapped traffic.
With 15-laps remaining, a four-car challenge for second developed between Mahaney, Smith, Bachetti, and Barker.
Barker was the one to seize the opportunity, driving by all three of his competitors and stealing the runner-up position with 10 laps remaining.
Smith worked underneath Mahaney to take the final podium spot on the final restart of the night.
Despite all the challenges and numerous restarts, Sheppard never made a mistake.
Barker was the $300 TAMCO LLC Hard Charger, coming from 17th to second in his Klinger Motorsports No. 77. Smith rounded out the podium.
Andy Bachetti and Mahaney rounded out the top five.
Thirty-seven STSS Modifieds signed in to compete at the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ event.
Kreg Cooker won his first career STSS Crate 602 Sportsman feature in the accompanying event.
Cooker came from the seventh-starting spot to pass for the lead just shy of the halfway point. He led the remainder of the 25-lap feature to take the $1,500 paycheck.
The series returns Thursday, Sept. 16 at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway for the ‘Fonda 200’ weekend featuring the ninth event of the Hurlock Auto & Speed Supply North Region for the Modifieds.
The three-day weekend concludes with Saturday’s historic Fonda 200 (200 laps, $53,000 to win & $1,000 to start).
The Precision Hydraulic & Oil Crate 602 Sportsman North Region, meanwhile, will race for 25 laps and $2,000 to win on Saturday, Sept. 16.
The finish:
Matt Sheppard, Alan Barker, Rusty Smith, Andy Bachetti, Mike Mahaney, Anthony Perrego, J.R. Hurlburt, Darren Smith, Bobby Hackel, Billy Van Inwegen, Bill Van Pelt, Alex Tonkin, David Schilling, Ryan Susice, Danny Johnson, Brett Haas, Shaun Walker, Bailey Boyd, Landon Cummings, Nick Nye, Byron Worthing, Jeff Taylor, Brett Tonkin, Kailee DiMorier, Jimmy Zacharias, Billy Decker, Tyler Dippel.