Andy Bachetti (4) fends off Ryan Godown during Saturday's Short Track Super Series Speed Showcase 200 at Port Royal Speedway. (Dan Demarco photo)
Purse money and bonuses are adding up for the Short Track Super Series Sunshine Swing. (Dan Demarco photo)
Dirt Modifieds

Purse Money, Bonuses Adding Up For Sunshine Swing

January 3, 2021

OCALA, Fla. – When the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco ventures to Bubba Raceway Park for the first time in its history Jan. 26-30, teams in the Modified and Crate 602 Sportsman divisions will be competing for $123,285 in posted purse money.

Additional bonuses continue to be posted making the trek to Florida even more lucrative for STSS competitors.

Following an open practice session on Tuesday (Jan. 26), four nights of racing (Jan. 27-30) are planned for the Sunshine Swing first appearance for the Northeast Modifieds and Crate 602 Sportsman at the Ocala facility.

Modifieds race for a total of $97,825 over four nights.The opener is a 30-lap main offering $4,000 to win on Wednesday with progressively increasing payouts and race distances: 35 laps with $5,000 to win on Thursday, a $6,000-to-win, 40-lap main Friday and culminating with a 50-lap feature paying $8,000 to win on Saturday.

STSS management has worked to balance the payout through the field, with $750 going to the 10th-place finishers on Wednesday and Thursday and $1,000 for 10th on both Friday and Saturday.

Crate 602 Sportsman payouts have increased in recent weeks through the support of sponsors.

Fonda Speedway fan James Osterhout, known as the “Man with the Red Chair” has increased the Wednesday and Thursday 25-lap events to $1,450 to win.

Bruno’s Towing based in Rutland, Vt., boosted the Friday and Saturday night 30-lap Crate 602 Sportsman races to $2,000 to win.

Crate 602 Sportsman drivers will be competing for $25,460 in posted purses over the four nights.

Numerous bonuses have already been posted for the Sunshine Swing including the following:

  • Drivers attending all four Short Track Super Series Sunshine Swing events at Bubba Raceway Park will be entered into a drawing for a pair of custom firesuits courtesy of Velocita-USA. The firesuits have a minimum value of $999 each. One suit will be awarded to a Modified driver and the other to a Crate 602 Sportsman driver via a random draw on the final night of the swing. The drawing will take place at the drivers’ meeting.
  • For the second consecutive year, the Short Track Super Series Sunshine Swing will award cash prizes to its Modified and Crate 602 Sportsman four-night champions. Thanks to Precision Hydraulic & Oil proprietor Joe Infante, both the Sunshine Swing Modified and Crate 602 Sportsman champions receive $500 cash for their efforts at Bubba Raceway Park.
  • Drivers in both the Modified & Crate 602 Sportsman divisions will share in tire giveaways courtesy of American Racer Tires and regional distributor Lias Tire of Indiana, Pa.
  • During the Sunshine State, all STSS Modified winners at Bubba Raceway Park and the overall Sunshine Swing champion will receive Oakley Holbrook sunglasses ($186 retail price).
  • Extra cash will be up for grabs courtesy of Competition Carburetion in Sun Valley, Nev., for both the Thursday (Jan. 28) and Saturday (Jan. 30) events. The drivers turning the fastest lap time in both the Modified and Crate 602 Sportsman main events will receive $50 cash courtesy of Competition Carburetion’s Bob Oliver.
  • Beyea Headers will again offer redraw bucks to the driver picking the worst number in every Short Track Super Series Modified ($50) and Crate 602 Sportsman ($25) redraw during the 2021 season. The program begins at Bubba Raceway Park Jan. 26-30 for the Sunshine Swing Florida visit.
  • TKS Painting Service, based in Ellenville, N.Y., has signed on to reward Short Track Super Series Modified racers with Front Row Cash during the Sunshine Swing at Bubba Raceway Park. Drivers picking the pole ($50) and outside pole ($25) during the redraw will share in the cash.
  • Evergreen Fuels Inc. of Montgomery, N.Y., will present the High Temperature Bonus during the entire Crate 602 Sportsman Sunshine Swing at Bubba Raceway Park. Starting with the Wednesday opener, each night’s winner will take home a dollar amount to match the day’s recorded high temperature. Evergreen Fuels Inc. proprietor Bob Flood has committed $100 to Saturday’s (Jan. 30) winner regardless of temperature.
  • Smith Site Development, with locations in Tavares, Fla., and Binghamton, N.Y., has signed on to sponsor the Hard Charger Award, worth $350, during the Sunshine Swing Saturday Short Track Super Series Modified finale at Bubba Raceway Park Jan. 30. This award goes to the driver advancing the most positions from their scheduled starting position to the finish of the 50-lap main event.
  • Medicare Senior Services has come on board to present the Crate 602 Sportsman $150 Hard Charger Awards for the Thursday and Friday night (Jan. 27 and 28) portions of the Sunshine Swing at Bubba Raceway Park.
  • Mancini Custom Homes has signed on to present the Crate 602 Sportsman Hard Charger on Friday and Saturday nights of the Sunshine Swing at Bubba Raceway Park. On both Friday (Jan. 29) and Saturday (Jan. 30), the driver advancing the most positions from their scheduled starting position to the finish will receive $150 cash.
  • The drivers finishing fourth and ninth, respectively, in the Sunshine Swing Modified feature events will each receive $50 gift cards courtesy of Behrent’s Performance Warehouse in Florida, N.Y.
  • The eighth-place finishers in both the Sunshine Swing Modified and Crate 602 Sportsman events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights will receive $100 gift certificates courtesy of DIG Race Products.