It’s About Time: Alex Yankowski Breaks Through for STSS Bridgeport Triumph

Written by Chris Moore

BRIDGEPORT, NJ – It’s about time.

For the first time in 2024, a first-time winner visited Bicknell Racing Products Victory Lane with the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco.

Alex Yankowski claimed his first career series win at Bridgeport Motorsports Park, the same track where his first career Modified win occurred.

The ‘South Jersey Shootout’ triumph netted Yankowski a cool $5,000 payday, but for him, getting the monkey off the back was the best part.

“I’m sorry to everybody who’s had to hear me whine and complain that we haven’t won one of these,” Yankowski laughed. “It’s been a thorn in my side, but we finally got one.”

The 50-lap affair was Round No. 6 of the NJ Quality Drywall South Region, and Round No. 10 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship.

The Covington Township, Pa., native fired from the pole position following Beyea Custom Headers Redraw with Neshanic Station, N.J.’s Ryan Krachun alongside.

Yankowski withstood a few early yellows to maintain the top spot until the race got going. The final 38 laps clicked off caution free, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Yankowski.

Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard charged from the 12th starting position, getting as high as second and closing in on Yankowski who was mired in lap traffic ahead of him.

From the halfway mark, to lap 29, Sheppard was on the back bumper of Yankowski, but never was able to offer a serious enough challenge.

‘Kid Rocket’ found a lane he would use to put lapped cars between himself and Sheppard, before Sheppard was ultimately met with Yankowski’s next challenger, Danny Bouc.

Bouc – the winner of the last South Region race – moved by Sheppard on lap 32 and was on the march to reel in Yankowski.

Two laps later, Bouc showed a nose to the bottom of Yankowski, and the driver of the Millman’s NAPA No. 84y kicked his racecar into another gear.

The pair went four-wide as they split two lap cars with 15 laps to go. It proved to be a race winning move for Yankowski, as he cleared the two lappers, while Bouc struggled to get by them.

From there, Yankowski was able to pull away from Bouc and claim his first ever STSS victory.

“We had some luck for sure, drawing the pole is a big advantage when you can get clean air here,” Yankowski explained. “We’re going to enjoy this one for sure.”

Pipersville, Pa.’s Bouc settled for the runner-up spot in his Craig and Leslie Pondish owned No. 6 after starting 13th.

“I thought I had something for him there for a little while,” Bouc smiled. “I got jammed up by the same lap cars he did though, and he got away from me.”

Walden, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego extended his South Region point lead, finishing third in his Vinnie Salerno-owned No. 4* machine.

“We were too tight early, but we got going there on the bottom,” Perrego explained. “We got by Matt (Sheppard) and I thought that was for fifth so getting up here is all in all a good night.”

Savannah, N.Y.’s Sheppard finished fourth and Ringoes, N.J.’s Ryan Godown left with a fifth-place finish in his R&M Motorsports No. 26.

Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Frenchtown, N.J.’s Billy Pauch Jr. in his Kid Racing No. 1; Saint Catherines, Ontario, Canada’s Mat Williamson who charged from the 22nd starting position in the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse No. 3; Schnecksville, Pa.’s Tanner Van Doren in the Prime Design Landscaping No. 27; Ryan Krachun faded to ninth in his family-owned No. 29; and Elizabethtown, N.Y.’s Mike Mahaney in the George Huttig owned No. 35.

Twenty-nine STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds signed in for competition for the ‘South Jersey’ Shootout.’

Heat races were won by Mahaney, Sheppard, and Van Doren. The consolation was topped by Matt Stangle.

Boyertown, Pa.’s Logan Watt claimed his seventh career STSS victory with the Crate 602 Sportsman in Round No. 5 of the Belmont’s Garage South Region.

Watt got by Matt Ellery on lap seven and led the remaining 18 laps of the affair to pick up the $1,500 payday.

Payton Talbot, Ellery, Thomas Sherby, and James Hill completed the top five.

The STSS heads back North on Thursday, July 11 for the ‘Dave Machuga Memorial Outlaw Showdown’ at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, N.Y. The STSS Modifieds go for 50 laps and a $7,078.78 top prize in Round No. 5 of the River Valley Builders North Region and Round No. 11 of the Ollie’s Overall Championship.

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.

‘SOUTH JERSEY SHOOTOUT’ RESULTS SUMMARY – BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2024

‘South Jersey Shootout’ Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco NJ Quality Drywall South Region Round No. 6 Feature Finish (50 laps): 1. 84Y-ALEX YANKOWSKI[1]; 2. 6B-Danny Bouc[13]; 3. 4P-Anthony Perrego[7]; 4. 9S-Matt Sheppard[12]; 5. 26-Ryan Godown[4]; 6. 1P-Billy Pauch Jr[5]; 7. 3W-Mat Williamson[22]; 8. 27-Tanner Van Doren[6]; 9. 29-Ryan Krachun[2]; 10. 35M-Mike Mahaney[10]; 11. 44-Stewart Friesen[17]; 12. 6S-Matt Stangle[19]; 13. 0-Neal Williams[9]; 14. 2A-Mike Gular[23]; 15. 32-Brandon Grosso[18]; 16. 20C-Cole Stangle[16]; 17. 11-Danny Hieber[26]; 18. 81-Billy Osmun[21]; 19. 7-Rick Laubach[24]; 20. 30W-HJ Bunting[15]; 21. 1J-Jordan Watson[14]; 22. 21W-Joseph Watson[8]; 23. 24M-Sammy Martz Jr[20]; 24. 44F-Frank Cozze Sr[11]; 25. 2F-Mike Franz[27]; 26. 28-Michael Storms[3]; 27. 14W-Ryan Watt[25]

Did Not Qualify: 28F-Stan Frankenfield; 6D-Dillon Steuer

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Mike Mahaney (10th) & Mike Gular (14th)
ATL Fuel Cell ‘Hot Lap Hero ($100): Stewart Friesen (15.917)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Matt Sheppard (fourth) & Ryan Krachun (ninth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Matt Sheppard (Redrew 12th)
Bill Brown & Company Overall Heat Race Hard Charger ($50): Jordan Watson (10th to fifth)

Design for Vision/Sunglass Central Bonus (Oakley Sunglasses): Alex Yankowski (Winner)

EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Billy Pauch, Jr. (sixth)
Henry’s Exhaust Bonus ($50 Certificate): Stewart Friesen (11th)
PEM Engineering & Manufacturing Bonus (Quick Change Gears): Anthony Perrego (third)

Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Alex Yankowski (first – $150 certificate); Danny Bouc (second – $75 certificate); Anthony Perrego (third – $50 certificate); Matt Sheppard (fourth – $25 certificate)

Schultz Racing Fuel Cells Bonus ($100 Certificate): Mike Mahaney (10th)
Wilwood Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($100 Certificate): Mat Williamson (seventh)

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman Belmont’s Garage South Region Round No. 5 Feature Finish (25 laps): 1. 4M-LOGAN WATT[1]; 2. 14T-Payton Talbot[3]; 3. 29-Matt Ellery[2]; 4. 257-Thomas Sherby[8]; 5. 69-James Hill[4]; 6. 14B-Ethan Bill[9]; 7. 77-Kyle Smith[5]; 8. 37-Brian Papiez[11]; 9. 59-Colin Cox[6]; 10. 9J-Joe Toth[7]; 11. 89-Dylan Madsen[19]; 12. 17-Trent Willey[12]; 13. 10-Adam White[13]; 14. 74-Jax Yohn[18]; 15. 4F-Howie Finch[15]; 16. 15-Michael White[14]; 17. 20-Ryan Simmons[17]; 18. 4-Steve Davis[16]; 19. 41-Nick Van Wickle[10]; 20. 8-Ryan Higgs[20]; 21. 7J-Jarod Millman[23]; 22. 12-George Schweigart[26]; 23. 59K-Dakota Kohler[25]; 24. 11:11-Billy Chester[22]; 25. 28T-Thomas Prychka[27]; 26. 51-Matt Peck[24]; 27. 21P-Brandon Watkins[21]

Did Not Qualify: 91-Brian Lilick; 17T-Kris Thompson; 30T-Robert Tete; 37M-Chris Martinez; 22-Michael Beckett; 13-Gary Bozowski; 1D-Austin Dean; 44C-Ryan Conrad; 69K-Stephen Kemery; 142-Justin Zook; 11A-Jimmy Wyers; 191-Brian Rogers; 1*-Zac Weller; 57Z-John Cameron; 49-Troy Gibson; 97-Matt Smith

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonus (FREE Tire Certificate): Joe Toth (10th)
Belmont’s Garage Hard Charger Award ($100): Dylan Madsen (19th to 11th)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($25): Nick Van Wickle (Redrew 10th)
Fastline Performance Bonuses ($100 Certificates): Payton Talbot (second) & Trent Willey (12th)

Fastline Performance ‘Hot Lap Hero ($50): Adam White (17.377)

Henry’s Exhaust Bonus ($50 Certificate): Dylan Madsen (11th)