Friesen Wins Two In a Row ?

    Super Dirt Week XL ended with some controversy and a smashed Trophy.The weather was absolutely perfect for the 40th anniversary running of the richest dirt track race in the world. Fans from all over the Northeast and Canada filled the Huge N.Y. State Fairgrounds for what turned out to be a very exciting finish.
    Saturday brought another Sunny day that was filled with great racing for all of the DIRTcar fans, with the Nationwide 150 and the Sportsman championship race Saturday afternoon.the day started with the non qualifiers race for the small blocks, with the points leader Carey Terrance taking the win putting him in the field for the 358 main event. Terrance ran into engine problems in his twin twenty race on Friday night making him have to race his way in through the last chance race.
    The field was now set for the Nationwide 150 that was going to be run early in the afternoon. All of the cars were lined up on pit road and the fans had an opportunity to see the crews preparing their modifies for battle on the "Moody Mile". Tires might play a part in the out come of the days race, with the track being really hard from all of the laps that had been run on it all week. Billy Decker was looking to make it four wins in a row at Syracuse winning the last three Nationwide 150 races. Andy Berchetti joined Decker on the front row for the start of the 358 feature. T-Mac Tim McCreadie were in the field along with Pat Ward, Danny (The Doctor) Johnson and all of the fast 358 drivers from the northeast. They all would like to put this win in their resume at the end of the day.

Billy Decker sideways in turn 3

    Decker pulled out into the lead when the green flag dropped setting up what would be the best place to be though out the race. Decker was the fastest car at The Mile all week in both the 358 and Big Block classes. Billy had set fast time in both classes and won both of his 20 lap qualifiers Friday night. Team Gypsum was looking to sweep the weeks events with just two more wins for the week. Decker led from lap 1-34 ,then made his mandatory pit stop on a lap 35 caution flag. Billy restarted the race in second place after all the teams made their pit stops. He worked on leader Martin Roy until lap 54 when Decker passed for the lead and never looked back. Friesen tried to make a move on the 91 of Decker on lap 148, but he couldn't make it stick. T-MAC had a fast bullet all day as well. Tim got behind the eight ball when he hit the inside wall in turn three puncturing his left front. At the end of the 150 laps It was Billy Decker winning the $20,000 and his sixth 358 race all time. Stewart Friesen was in the runner up position and Tim McCreadie coming back for a strong third place finish.

    Saturday night race fans migrated their way over to Rolling Wheels Raceway for the once a year appearance of the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars. Last years WOO Sprint car Champion Jason Myers came to Elbride, N.Y. with a extra $50,000 in his pocket after winning the Open at Williams Grove Speedway the night before. Myers was looking to win four in a row at the "Fast Track". The temperatures were dipping low, but that didn't keep the fans away as the place was standing room only for the nights winged event. Craig Dollansky set fast time with an average speed of 140 mph on the 5/8th mile dirt track. Myers won the dash putting him on the pole for the nights 25 lap a main. On the start #6 Ian Madsen jumped out into the lead until the red flag flew for a wreck between Tony Stewart Teammates Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz. Kinser's team tried to get his Bass Pro Shops car back into the field but the damage was to much to repair in the infield. On the restart Myers took off into the lead pulling away from the rest of the field to win his fourth straight race in the last week. The win helped Jason increase his points lead on 20 time Outlaws Champion Steve Kinser.

T-MAC

    Early Sunday morning the dew was laying on all the campers and the fans were coming out of their make shift homes for the Grand Finally of the week. The pits were starting to get busy with the non qualifiers making last minute adjustments in their cars hoping to get into the $50,000 to win SEF 200. The Pro Stock cars were being called to the track for their weeks main event. Gater Racing News tent was full of racers and fans for the weeks church services. You could feel the energy in the air with the anticipation of the days main event.

    People were buying their last minute tee- shirts and souvenirs from SDW XL. As the pre race ceremonies were going on the teams were going over their pit stops for the race as well as making final adjustments before the drop of the green flag.

    Each of the drivers maneuvered their cars into the four abreast line up getting ready for the wave lap to the fans in the grandstands.

 
    After the wave lap the drivers settled back into their starting positions. The crew chiefs were on the radios giving last minute plans for the long race ahead. The fans were on their feet as the DIRTcar Modifieds came out of turn four for the start of the SEF 200. The engines came to life down the long Syracuse mile straight away into turn one. Decker jumped out to the early lead with the rest of the field close behind. The 91 of Decker was the class of the field all week. Billy was hoping to tie Brett Hearn with five wins in the SEF 200 this year. The Decker crew has always been Strong at Syracuse and this year was no different. Stewert Friesen came to SDW as the defending champion and the first from Canada to win this sought after race.

Laubach out side of Hearn into turn three

    The race started with a few cautions as the drivers were trying to get into a grove and make some laps.  After the first set of pit stops Fiesen passed Decker for the lead, letting everyone know that he would be strong all day . The track held up pretty good with only a few holes in the corners. Local Favorite Matt Shepperd lead from lap 42-71, retired after loosing a left rear wheel. Sheppaerd finished 29th. Hearn's bad luck continued when his power plant went bad on lap 104. On lap 150 Rick Laubach went into the pits for his mandatory stop that would put him out front for the last fifty laps. Laubach looked like he had out smarted Decker and Friesen, but he was caught speeding down pit road. That played into #44 Friesens favor giving him the lead with less than fifty to go. Decker tried to get by Stewert by going inside and then working the outer groove. Friesen would have none of that holding off Decker to take the checkers and his second SEF 200 in as many years. Friesen was fined $25,000 dollars after post race inspection showed that he had an enlarged fuel cell. He was not happy about the findings and smashed the trophey showing his dissapointment. His crew chief Matt Hearn was the youngest Crew Chief to win at Syracuse at the young age of 22. Decker took over the points lead going into Brockville the following week.