WURTSBORO, N.Y. – One race can make a season; just ask Danny Creeden.
A supporter of the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series fueled by Sunoco since the series’ inception in 2014, Creeden was admittedly off his typical mark last season.
Then, came the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ in September.
When the STSS climbed Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y., Creeden had both luck and speed.
Despite a right-rear American Racer tire that was completely flat in victory lane, Creeden picked up the $5,000-plus payday at the three-eighths-mile oval, his first with the series in two full years, to the day.
“We needed that,” Creeden said of his triumph on the Mountain. “You start to get discouraged when things aren’t going well. That win got everybody pumped up again.”
He ultimately ended last season seventh in the final STSS Halmar International North Region standings. In fact, he’s never finished the North Region worse than seventh.
In the inaugural ’14 campaign, Creeden ended fourth in the point battle. Following a sixth-place result in ’15, there was a third-place effort in ’16 and a fifth-place result in ’17, making the 36-year-old driver among the most consistent in the history of the STSS.
He owns five career wins on the series: two at Thunder Mountain (’18 & ’16), two at Afton (N.Y.) Motorsports Park (’15 & ’14) and one at New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway (’15).
Like he has in each of the five prior STSS seasons, Creeden has his eyes on strong runs in the nine-race North Region. He will tackle the $12,500 championship battle aboard a pair of No. 16x Teo-Pro cars, with small-block power from Bedell Racing Engines.
He’ll pilot the Chad Loiodice No. 5L – his weekly ride – when the series visits Accord (N.Y.) Speedway on July 9.
Sponsorship for Creeden’s efforts come from 5L Enterprises, WESTAR Mechanical, RGH Construction, FOX Shocks, PAC Springs, Bedell Racing Engines, Smith Logging and Affordable Home Improvements.
In addition to his full North Region schedule, Creeden will make select starts in the STSS Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central.