VERNON, N.Y. — The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco makes its second trip to Utica-Rome Speedway for the “Richie Evans Remembered 61” this Thursday night, July 21, for a $6,100-to-win feature.
The stars of the STSS invade the “Home of Heroes” for the first of two visits to the Route 5 oval this season, with tonight’s event paying homage to NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Richie Evans.
The next event will serve as round three of the Halmar International Elite Series that pays $25,000-to-win on September 4.
Evans once sported the No. 61 on the side of his prestigious orange asphalt modified. He is a 33-time winner at Utica-Rome Speedway and is known as one of the greatest pavement modified drivers of all-time.
Back in its asphalt days, Evans cut his teeth at Utica-Rome Speedway.
At the end of the 61-lap affair, the winner will take home a $6,100 payday and has a chance for an additional $610 if they take the green flag. A total purse of over $28,000 is up for grabs for the Thursday night special.
The event serves as the seventh round of the River Valley Builders North Region. Following tonight’s race, only three races will remain in the $15,000 championship chase for the North Region stars.
Matt Sheppard continues to set the pace in the North Region standings, leading Mat Williamson by a 45-point margin.
Sheppard — the defending champion at Utica-Rome Speedway — has continued his reign into this year’s campaign, claiming six wins thus far this season at Utica-Rome. He also leads the modified standings at the speedway.
Sheppard remains at the forefront of all STSS competitors with five wins on the tour thus far.
However, Stewart Friesen has been on a recent hot streak, having won in each of his last two attempts at Utica-Rome Speedway, including this past Friday night. The defending “Richie Evans Remembered 61” winner is coincidentally fresh off his 61st career Utica-Rome Speedway win — the most in speedway history.
Anthony Perrego has also been on a bit of hot streak at his home track, Orange County Fair Speedway.
Perrego claimed the annual “combination event” topping the North and South Region stars in the “Battle at Bloomsburg” at Bloomsburg (Pa.) Fair Raceway.
Brett Haas recently visited Utica-Rome Speedway for the first time, claiming two top-10s on “Twin 20’s.” Now with an extended notebook, Haas will look to outdo his best career STSS finish of fourth, which came earlier this season at N.Y.’s Outlaw Speedway.
Meanwhile, Alex Yankowski has made Utica-Rome Speedway his Friday night home this year. “Kid Rocket” has already claimed a win at the speedway, one that made him the youngest modified winner in the history of Utica-Rome Speedway.
Tim Fuller will join the stars of the STSS looking to get back in victory lane as a first time STSS winner.
He claimed his second win of his Utica-Rome Speedway career less than one month ago, despite not being a Friday night regular.Â
While the STSS modifieds will be the stars of the show, the STSS Crate 602 Sportsman will also join the program, running in round five of the Precision Hydraulic & Oil North Region.