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Finally: Michael Ballestero Collects STSS Crate 602 North Victory At Brookfield

Written by Chris Moore

BROOKFIELD, NY – Finally.

After years of trying, Michael Ballestero claimed his first career points-paying Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco triumph.

The Saratoga Springs, N.Y., native has two prior STSS victories to his name, both coming at All-Tech Raceway in Lake City, Fla., during the annual ‘Sunshine Swing.’

Despite several close calls from defending race winner Blaine Klinger, Ballestero withstood the advances to claim the $1,500 top prize in the ‘Fast Cars and Freedom’ event on Memorial Day Weekend.

The event was contested before a large crowd at historic Brookfield Speedway Sunday night.

“It was tough, I didn’t want to give up the bottom,” Ballestero explained. “I saw (Klinger) up there on the outside, but I just had to give it all I could and hope it stuck on the bottom.”

Ballestero and Klinger made up the front row following the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw for Round No. 2 of the Madsen Overhead Doors North Region.

The lead duo stayed side-by-side for the first two laps of the race before Ballestero finally emerged with the lead.

That would be the case on nearly every restart, with Klinger coming up just short of a run to slip by Ballestero.

At one point, Ballestero and Klinger crossed the line just .011 seconds apart, with Ballestero just in front before the yellow flag came out, keeping him in the top spot.

In the end, Ballestero prevailed with South New Berlin, N.Y.’s Payton Talbot slipping by Klinger for the runner-up spot with just seven laps remaining.

“I wish we could’ve had one more double-file restart,” Talbot reasoned, after the final restart was a single file one with less than five laps to go and Talbot in second. “I would’ve thrown everything at him.”

Walton, N.Y.’s Klinger rounded out the podium.

“The one time I got by him the yellow came out,” Klinger explained. “I used up my tires having to race so hard up on the outside.

“I appreciate Talbot and Ballestero though for racing me clean.”

Lake Ariel, Pa.’s Tyler Peet continued his recent hot streak with a fourth-place run and Middletown, N.Y.’s Jared LaBagh rounded out the top five.

Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Lysander, N.Y.’s David Hackett Jr.; Middleburgh, N.Y.’s Connor Prokop; Sauquoit, N.Y.’s Stephen Denton; Amsterdam, N.Y.’s Harry Shaffer; and Monitor Falls, N.Y.’s Dale Welty.

Twenty-five STSS Crate 602 Sportsman signed in for competition with 24 taking the green flag in the ‘Fast Cars and Freedom.’

Matthew Richardson, Dylan Madsen, and Klinger were the three heat race winners.

Waverly, N.Y.’s Gene Sharpsteen made a late-race pass to get by West Winfield, N.Y.’s Kenny Gates to claim the White’s Welding Pro/Street Stock 20-lap feature win.

Sharpsteen used a high to low maneuver off the fourth turn to get underneath Gates and take the top spot away for good.

Gates settled for second with Kurt Decker, Gus Gould, and Ken Griffin rounding out the top five.

Jeff Weeks held on for an exciting victory in the Anderson Towing & Recovery Four Cylinder division.

Weeks and Kamrin Krause traded the lead back-and-forth multiple times in the late stages with Weeks coming out on top.

Hayleigh Gates won the Single Cam portion of the event.

Jaden Pierce (Abrams Press All-Star Slingshots) and Addisyn Roger (Abrams Press Junior Slingshots) both went on dominant drives for their respective victories.

The STSS Modifieds return on Thursday, May 30 with the ‘Adirondack Invasion’ at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Round No. 2 of the River Valley Builders North Region and Round No. 6 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship is a 70-lap affair paying $7,070 to the winner. The Sportsman, Renegades, and Mini Stocks are all on the card as well under Airborne Park Speedway rules and procedures.

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, @ShortTrack_SS on Twitter or @ShortTrackSS on Instagram.

The Short Track Super Series is presented by Bob Hilbert Sportswear, FloRacing, American Racer, Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, BDR Speed, NJ Quality Drywall, River Valley Builders, Ollie’s, Penske Racing Shocks, Saint Lawrence Radiology, Capitol Custom Trailers & Coaches, Bicknell Racing Products, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Madsen Overhead Doors, Belmont’s Garage, Wegner Automotive, DIG Race Products, ATL, Dirt Draft, Swagger Factory Apparel, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Algonkin Motel LLC, Beyea Custom Headers, Design for Vision, Sunglass Central, Dirt Track Digest TV, DKM Fabrication, EIBACH, Fastline Performance, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Headers & Exhaust Systems, JK Signworks, JLR Technologies, Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Superior Remodeling, TV 12 Racing Products, VAHLCO Wheels & Wilwood Disc Brakes.

‘FAST CARS & FREED0M’ RESULTS SUMMARY – BROOKFIELD SPEEDWAY SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2024

‘Fast Cars & Freedom’ Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman Madsen Overhead Doors North Region Round No. 2 Feature Finish (25 laps): 1. 27-MICHAEL BALLESTERO[1]; 2. 14T-Payton Talbot[4]; 3. 9K-Blaine Klinger[2]; 4. 12T-Tyler Peet[6]; 5. 38L-Jared LaBagh[3]; 6. 82H-David Hackett[13]; 7. 12P-Connor Prokop[11]; 8. 44C-Stephen Denton[20]; 9. 1H-Harry Shaffer[22]; 10. 123-Dale Welty[16]; 11. 40D-Butchie Irwin[10]; 12. 21K-Josh Akshar[14]; 13. 66-Don Bellen[18]; 14. 03-Joshua Jock[8]; 15. 262-Matthew Richardson[9]; 16. 44-Gordon Smith[5]; 17. 26B-Maddy Broedel[17]; 18. 12-George Schweigart[23]; 19. 89-Dylan Madsen[7]; 20. 01-Dylan Nichols[21]; 21. 11-Nick Zielinski[15]; 22. 314-Clayton Dumond[12]; 23. 52-Ron Proctor[25]; 24. 55-Jonny Feagles[19]

Did Not Start: 71-Jason Shed

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonus (FREE Tire Certificate): David Hackett (sixth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($25): Matthew Richardson (Redrew ninth)
Dale Smith Bonuses ($100 each): Michael Ballestero (winner); Jared LaBagh (fifth); Dale Welty (10th)
Fastline Performance Bonuses ($100 Certificates): Payton Talbot (second) & Josh Akshar (12th)
Fastline Performance ‘Hot Lap Hero ($50): Payton Talbot (16.843)
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Butchie Irwin (11th)

White’s Welding Pro Stock/Street Stock Feature Finish (20 laps): 1. 7-GENE SHARPSTEEN[6]; 2. 35-Ken Gates[1]; 3. 893K-Kurt Decker[3]; 4. 28G-Gus Gould[7]; 5. 25Y-Ken Griffin[5]; 6. 13-George Cushman[2]; 7. 14K-Mike Keith[9]; 8. 14L-Mark Lester[11]; 9. 44R-Ray Richer[8]; 10. 11C-Chris White[10]; 11. 89-Damon Decker[4]

Did Not Start: 81-Bret Belden

Anderson Towing & Recovery Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 laps): 1. 8WD-JEFF WEEKS[7]; 2. 9D-Kamrin Krause[2]; 3. 13D-Kyle Simmons[1]; 4. 31D-Jeff Connolly[5]; 5. 42S-HAYLEIGH GATES[9]; 6. 18WD-Austin Weeks[4]; 7. 19TD-Kayla Gould[11]; 8. 35S-Hank Wedgren[6]; 9. 7D-Robert Burch[3]; 10. 666D-Rudy King Jr[12]; 11. 11AS-Hank Wedgren Jr[8]

Did Not Start: 12KD-Zack Cummings

Abrams Press All-Star Slingshot Feature Finish (15 laps): 1. 74-JADEN PIERCE[2]; 2. 20R-Julia Renwick[4]; 3. 54-Sullivan Dickey[6]; 4. 42-Kevin Loveless[5]; 5. 115-Paul Holic[3]; 6. 56-Ayden Goodier[1]; 7. 7J-Nicholas Jenkins[7]

Abrams Press Junior Slingshot Feature Finish (15 laps): 1. 28RS-ADDISYN ROGER[3]; 2. 27-Blake Banek[2]; 3. 22F-Parker Fowler[1]

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