NEWBERRYTOWN, Pa. – Some races are won with setup, some races are won with motor. The fifth Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled by Sunoco York County Nationals was won behind the wheel by Billy Pauch Jr.
After a phenomenal battle with Matt Sheppard and Stewart Friesen, Pauch grabbed the $5,050 payday at BAPS Motor Speedway and his second consecutive STSS Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central victory.
Pauch and the Rick Holsten team maintained their point lead in the STSS South Region battle with the hard-fought conquest.
The 50-lap main began with David Van Horn and Richie Pratt Jr. on the front row following the Beyea Custom Headers redraw. Van Horn’s night took an unfortunate turn just two laps in, as he brought out a yellow for a right-rear flat tire.
Pratt inherited the lead over Rick Laubach’s Ryan Kerr-owned No. 1K.
A major shake-up came on lap seven when Stewart Friesen spun between turns three and four racing for fifth and had to restart at the rear of the field.
When racing resumed from the Friesen spin, Laubach drove around Pratt Jr. for the lead. The man on the move would fully plant himself in the thick of things, as Pauch had climbed into second from his 10th starting position.
The war was on from there. Pauch stalked Laubach for several laps, waiting for a mistake. While the lead pair duked it out, Sheppard had climbed to third and caught the top two.
At the Precision Hydraulic & Oil Halfway Point, Laubach, Pauch and Sheppard were nose-to-tail working in lap traffic while fighting for the lead. Multiple three-wide battles and slide jobs highlighted an incredible battle between three of Modified racing’s best.
Pauch ultimately made the move on lap 33, slipping underneath the “Quaker Shaker” with Sheppard following him through for second.
Meanwhile, Friesen was on the charge. He had driven into the top five, and got by Laubach on lap 36 and began reeling in the leaders.
Yellows on lap 40 and 44 gave Friesen and Sheppard perfect opportunities to get by Pauch, but Pauch was one step ahead of the other them, racing to his fourth career STSS win.
Pauch credited team owner Holsten for his success on the STSS this season.
“Rick Holsten’s given me a great ride, and we’re fast everywhere,” Pauch said. “I don’t know what else to say, Rick Holsten’s the man.”
Friesen ended his surge from last in the runner-up position, dicing with Sheppard in the final laps. Sheppard brought the Hurlock Auto & Speed No. 9s home third.
Craig Von Dohren authored a stout drive in the B. Brueche Jr. and Sons No. 30 to finish fourth and Larry Wight, debuting a new Bicknell for Delaware car owner Gary Simpson, finished fifth after starting 11th.
The finish:
Billy Pauch Jr., Stewart Friesen, Matt Sheppard, Craig Von Dohren, Larry Wight, Mike Gular, Andy Bachetti, Rick Laubach, Richie Pratt Jr., Jessica Friesen, Danny Bouc, David Van Horn, Mike Mahaney, Ricky Davis, Brandon Grosso, Danny Hieber, Rick Regalski, Eric Williams, Kyle Coffey, Doug Manmiller, Brett Tonkin, Tyler Dippel, Jared Umbenhauer, Jordan Watson, Josh Delea, Skylar Sherriff, Jeff Strunk, Ryan Watt.