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Billy Pauch Jr. Fights Off Titans Friesen & Sheppard in BAPS STSS Thriller

Written by Chris Moore

NEWBERRYTOWN, PA – Some races are won with setup, some
races are won with motor. The fifth Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super
Series (STSS) 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 Jr. grabbed
the $5,050 payday and his second consecutive STSS Velocita-USA South Region
presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central victory. He also took home
a pair of Oakley Sunglasses from Design for Vision and Sunglass Central.

Pauch
Jr. 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
Jr. 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 Jr. had climbed into second from his 10th starting position.

The war was on from there. Pauch Jr. stalked Laubach for several laps, waiting for a mistake. While the lead pair duked it out, “Super Matt� Sheppard had climbed to third and caught the top two.

At
the Precision Hydraulic & Oil Halfway Point, Laubach, Pauch Jr. 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
Jr. 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 the
“Kid’s Kid,� but Billy Jr. was one step ahead of the other two, racing to his
fourth career STSS win.

Milford, N.J.’s Pauch Jr. 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 Jr. said. “I
don’t know what else to say, Rick Holsten’s the man.�

Friesen,
of Sprakers, N.Y., ended his surge from last in the runner-up position, dicing
with Sheppard in the final laps. Savannah, N.Y.’s Sheppard brought the Hurlock
Auto & Speed No. 9s home third.

Craig
Von Dohren of Oley, Pa., authored a stout drive in the B. Brueche Jr. and Sons
No. 30 to finish fourth and Phoenix, N.Y.’s Larry Wight, debuting a new
Bicknell for Delaware car owner Gary Simpson, finished fifth after starting 11th.

Boyertown,
Pa.’s Mike Gular was the Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. Hard Charger for the
night, coming from 22nd starting position to finish sixth in the
Terry Fasnacht-owned No. 2A. Andy Bachetti out of Sheffield, Mass., finished in
seventh. Laubach and Pratt both ultimately faded to eighth and ninth,
respectively. Sprakers, N.Y.’s Jessica Friesen, making a rare STSS start
outside of New York, rounded out the top-10.

Ad-Art
Sign Company heat winners were Pauch Jr., Wight and Stewart Friesen. Jessica
Friesen won the consolation.

The
next scheduled Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By
Sunoco Velocita-USA South Region Modified event is Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Del.’s
Georgetown Speedway with the annual ‘Blast at the Beach’ special. Keep posted
for pending make-up dates.

To learn
more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out ‘Short
Track Super Series’ on Facebook or @ShortTrackSS on Twitter or Instagram.

The Short Track Super Series is presented by American
Racer/Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, Insinger Performance, Bob Hilbert
Sportswear, Halmar International, Velocita-USA, Design for Vision/Sunglass
Central, Rob Sherlock Roofing, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance
Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest,
EIBACH Springs, Escape RV, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig
Fab, HyperCo, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Land Hoe Maintenance, K&N, MJK
Home Maintenance, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, QA1, Racing Optics, Superior
Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, Velocita, WELD Racing & Wilwood.

YORK COUNTY NATIONALS
RACE SUMMARY – BAPS MOTOR SPEEDWAY JULY 19, 2020

Bob Hilbert Sportswear
Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Modified Velocita-USA South Region Event
No. 4 Feature Finish (50 laps):
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.

Did Not Start: Corey Cormier

Ad-Art Sign Company Heat Winner Bonuses ($50 Each): Billy Pauch Jr., Larry Wight & Stewart Friesen American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Jessica Friesen (10th) & Brandon Grosso (15th) Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Stewart Friesen (12th) Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Craig Von Dohren (fourth) & Richie Pratt Jr. (ninth) Bill Brown & Company Heat-Race Hard Charger ($50): Richie Pratt Jr. Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Spec Heat Bonus ($500 - $250 - $100): Unclaimed (no registered Spec Cars) Design for Vision/Sunglass Central Bonus (Oakley Sunglasses): Billy Pauch Jr. EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100): Mike Gular (sixth) Henry’s Exhaust Systems Power Position ($50 Bonus): Danny Bouc (11th) Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. Hard Charger ($250): Mike Gular (22nd to sixth) Precision Hydraulic & Oil Halfway Leader ($200): Rick Laubach Racing Optics Bonus (Tearoff Sleeve): Matt Sheppard (third) Sunoco Race Fuels/Insinger Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Stewart Friesen (second), David Van Horn (12th) & Tyler Dippel (22nd) Wilwood Brakes Bonus ($75 Certificate): Andy Bachetti (seventh)

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