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Not Your Mama™s Heat Races: Penske Racing Shocks Qualifying Night Completed at Cherokee Speedway

Written by Chris Moore

GAFFNEY, SC Not œyour mama™s? heat races.

Qualifying Night presented by Penske Racing Shocks is in the books, setting the stage for the Rebel 50.™ The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco is set for the debut of the Halmar International Elite™ Series.

Fifty-seven STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds participated in four 20-lap qualifying events paying $1,000 to win each (a total purse of more than $20,000). Twenty cars are locked into tomorrow™s Rebel 50,™ with 10 more set to lock in through B-Mains tomorrow.

Phoenix, N.Y.™s Larry Wight claimed the first qualifier presented by Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools from his 14th starting spot. Wight raced forward through early yellows, and then outdueled Saratoga Springs, N.Y.™s Jack Lehner and East Greenbush, N.Y.™s Bobby Hackel IV to claim the first event.

Sprakers, N.Y.™s Stewart Friesen dominated Qualifier No. 2 presented by Wegner Automotive, leading all 20 laps to claim the $1,000 paycheck. Queensbury, N.Y.™s Demetrios Drellos and Potsdam, N.Y.™s Michael Maresca rounded out the top-three.

Matt Sheppard joined Friesen, dominating his third Qualifier presented by Mike™s Racing Heads. The Savannah, N.Y. native easily rolled to victory over Milford, Del.™s H.J. Bunting and Ringoes, N.J.™s Ryan Godown.

Danny Creeden started slow in qualifier No. 4 presented by DKM Fabrication; however, the Wurtsboro, N.Y., native found his rhythm, rolling around Darren Smith and driving away with the win. Smith, of Binghamton, N.Y., claimed second and Port Jervis, N.Y.™s Billy Van Inwegen rounded out the top-three.

The top-five finishers in each of the four qualifiers are locked into the Halmar International Elite™ Series debut, while the others will look to qualify through Saturday™s B-Mains.

Thirty-one STSS Crate 602 Sportsman took part in three 15-lap qualifiers, all presented by Five 55 Enterprises LLC, paying $500-to-win each.

Jackson, Pa.™s Mike Nagel Jr., Sheffield, Mass., driver Jeff Watson, and Ellenville, N.Y.™s Brock Pinkerous won each of the Crate 602 Sportsman qualifiers.

All 31 cars are scheduled to start the 30-lap main event tomorrow night. The top four finishers in each qualifier are locked into the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw.

Damon Crump, of Charlotte, N.C., timed quickest in qualifying and dominated all 15-laps of the Mid-East Street Stock feature, claiming the $1,000 top prize.

Crump topped Mooresboro, N.C.™s Dalton Peavy and Lancaster, N.C.™s Hank Taylor for the win.

Rock Hill, S.C.™s Hunter Funderburke claimed his third consecutive Thunder Bomber feature after a dramatic battle with Lancaster, S.C.™s Seth Outlaw for the win.

Tomorrow night, B-Mains take place for the STSS Modifieds to set the 30-car field for the Rebel 50.™

The STSS Modifieds race for 50-laps in pursuit of the $25,000 grand prize and the first-ever Halmar International Elite™ Series victory. The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman will run 30-laps for a $2,000 winners™ share.

The Mid-East Street Stocks join the program again along with the SHARP Mini Late Models to round out the program.

All gates open at 2 p.m. for the Saturday program.

John Schneider, the actor who played Bo Duke in the hit TV show Dukes of Hazzard,™ will be on hand for Saturday™s program, with a meet and greet at his merchandise trailer from 3-4 p.m.

Hot laps are set to begin at 5 p.m. with racing to follow at 6 p.m.

Grandstand admission is $30 for Adults (13 & over) while Kids (12 & Under) get in FREE.

Pit admission is $40 for Adults (13 & over) and Kids (12 & Under) get in FREE.

The entire night of racing, along with every STSS race in 2022, will be broadcast LIVE on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).  

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, FloSports, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Halmar International, River Valley Builders, Hurlock Auto & Speed, Velocita-USA, St. Lawrence Radiology, Design for Vision & Sunglass Central, Belmont™s Garage, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Prime MAC Tools, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Behrent™s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH, Elite Welder Testing & Training, Flach Performance Products, Henry™s Exhaust, Hig Fab, Penske Racing Shocks, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Spyder Filters, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, Wegner Automotive & Wilwood. 

PENSKE RACING SHOCKS QUALIFYING NIGHT RESULTS SUMMARY CHEROKEE SPEEDWAY FEBRUARY 25, 2022

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Halmar International Elite™ Series Modified Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools Qualifying Race No. 1 Finish (20 laps): LARRY WIGHT, Ryan Watt, Bobby Hackel, Jack Lehner, Andy Bachetti, Anthony Perrego, Brett Haas, Billy Decker, Adam Pierson, Doug Snyder, Derrick McGrew Jr., Bob McGannon, Sean Metz, Francois Bellemare, Erick Rudolph.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Halmar International Elite™ Series Modified Wegner Automotive Qualifying Race No. 2 Finish (20 laps): STEWART FRIESEN, Demetrios Drellos, Michael Maresca, Mat Williamson, J.R. Heffner, Jimmy Horton, L.J. Lombardo, Jeff Taylor, Ryan Krachun, W.B. James, Allison Ricci, Daniel Morgiewicz, Matt Stangle, Corbin Millar.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Halmar International Elite™ Series Modified Mike™s Racing Heads Qualifying Race No. 3 Finish (20 laps): MATT SHEPPARD, H.J. Bunting, Ryan Godown, Dominick Buffalino, Billy Pauch Jr., Jeremy Pitts, Jimmy Phelps, Mike Gular, Marshall Hurd, Ronnie Johnson, Neil Stratton, Jacob Dgien, Steve Davis, Mike Trautschold.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Halmar International Elite™ Series Modified DKM Fabrication Qualifying Race No. 4 Finish (20 laps): DANNY CREEDEN, Darren Smith, Billy Van Inwegen, Rocky Warner, Max McLaughlin, Marc Johnson, Alex Yankowski, Alan Johnson, Matt Smith, David Schilling, Peter Britten, Mike Mahaney, Jared Umbenhauer, Sean Beardsley.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman Five 55 Enterprise LLC Qualifying Race No. 1 (15 laps):  MIKE NAGEL JR., Doug Kline, Logan Watt, Blaine Klinger, Payton Talbot, Walt Hammond Jr., Bobby Watkins, Tom Princiotta, Jeff Gallup, Matthew Ellery, Adam White. 

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman Five 55 Enterprise LLC Qualifying Race No. 2 (15 laps):  JEFF WATSON, Brandon Watkins, Craig Whitmoyer, Tyler Peet, Scott Hitchens, Addison Bowman, Kris Lilick, Brian Calabrese, Michael White, Dylan Madsen.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman Five 55 Enterprise LLC Qualifying Race No. 3 (15 laps):  BROCK PINKEROUS, Steven Schrader, Jimmy Zacharias, Alex Layn, Bobby Bracall, Steve Davis, Mike Bruno, Walter J. Hammond, Randy Chrysler, Eric Williams.

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