WEEDSPORT, N.Y. — If he’s not racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, you’ll typically find Stewart Friesen behind the wheel of a Big Block Modified in Upstate New York.
But while Weedsport Speedway hosted a $ 3,000-to-win feature for some of the best Big Block drivers in the area Sunday night, Friesen made a rare trip to the other side of the pits.
For the first time since 2016, the Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, native made a start in the famed World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, coming home fourth. It came nine years to the date of his lone Outlaw victory, which came at Ohsweken Speedway.
Overall, the 41-year-old deemed the evening a success. But it didn’t come without a learning curve.
“I had a lot of rust to knock off,” Friesen told SPEED SPORT after the race. “This thing is a little different animal with the kind of power in this thing. Thanks to the whole Glenn Styres Racing team for the opportunity. Got some of the rust knocked off and got kind of frustrated, honestly, I think we could have been a couple spots better there at the end.
“It’s tough just jumping into a deal.”
Friesen and his No. 0 car were second in line to qualify, a factor that he thought ultimately saved his night. He had the 15th fastest time among the 30-car field, slotting him into a fifth-place starting spot for Heat No. 3.
The five-time SUPER Dirt Week champion went from fifth to third in the heat, narrowly missing a spot in the Toyota Dash. But more importantly, he regained needed comfort behind the wheel.
“Hot laps were ugly. The time trial was really, really ugly,” Friesen said. “By the heat race, I kind of felt like I was back in control again, and then it was good in the feature. I just kind of committed to the bottom. Tried to top a couple times and it really wasn’t there. I’d get past guys, but I went to the bottom and wouldn’t mess it up.”
Starting ninth in the 30-lap feature, Friesen broke into the top five by lap 12 and began to contend with the leaders. He closed in on Sheldon Haudenschild for third but never got closer as Haudenschild eventually got past Carson Macedo for second. Macedo fended off Friesen for the final spot on the podium.
“We kept plugging on Sheldon,” Friesen said. “Then he blocked the bottom a couple of times right when I needed him to not.”
Though the Canadian turned New Yorker put on a show in front of his hometown crowd, he isn’t sure when he’ll be back in a 410 sprint car.
“I’m getting older,” he said. “I don’t see the Knoxville Nationals in my future. We did a little bit of Pennsylvania 410 stuff when I first started with Halmar 10 years ago. I’m a little bit more comfortable in our wheelhouse here up in the Northeast.
“Never say never. We’ll see what happens.”
Before Friesen tries to race his way into the Truck Series playoffs at Richmond Raceway, it’s a trip north of the border in the Short Track Super Series.