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History Made: Alex Yankowski Tops Short Track Super Series Debut at Lebanon Valley

WEST LEBANON, NY – History made.

The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco debuted at Lebanon Valley Speedway on Thursday night, and Alex Yankowski etched his name in the history books as the inaugural winner.

Yankowski, of Covington Township, Pa., earned $7,500 for his efforts in the 40-lap ‘King of Spring’ event, Round No. 1 of the STSS Modified HYTORC of New York North Region.

‘Kid Rocket’ picked up $7,000 from the posted purse and $500 from the Mesothelioma Warrior Alliance as the event’s Hard Charger.

“We were pretty uneasy going into the feature,” Yankowski admitted, adding “but I guess we made the right decisions. What a wild couple of weeks.”

Yankowski won the event the hard way: tracking down and passing all-time series win leader Matt Sheppard in the race’s second half.

The win for Yankowski was his second career Sunoco Checkered Flag with the series, joining Bridgeport (N.J.) Motorsports Park in July 2024.

The event marked a milestone for the Short Track Super Series as the 40th different venue since its inception in 2014.

After picking the pole in the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw, Anthony Perrego led from the outset in the Bob Hentschel-owned No. 4. Perrego relinquished the lead to Sheppard on a seventh-lap restart.

Ninth-starter Yankowski methodically moved forward, cracking the top three on lap nine.

Following an extended side-by-side battle with Perrego, Yankowski secured second on lap 16 and began his pursuit of Sheppard.

“I was confident in our car over the second half of the race,” Yankowski said. “We tightened up quite a bit. I was worried about getting too tight in the beginning and falling back.”

Erasing a lead of nearly a straightaway, Yankowski reeled in Sheppard and completed the winning pass in turn two with eight laps remaining.

With Yankowski in front, Marc Johnson cleared Sheppard for second on lap 35.

Johnson, driving Kevin Starchak’s No. 9, chased Yankowski to the finish, a $3,500 runner-up effort for the Guilderland, N.Y., driver.

Perrego, of Walden, N.Y., settled for fourth at the finish and 11th-starter Alex Payne of Canandaigua, N.Y., completed the front five.

Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were speedway regular Kolby Schroeder of Staatsburg, N.Y.; 15th-starter Jackson Gill of Plessis, N.Y., in his debut at Lebanon Valley; Quebec’s Felix Roy driving the Team ONE car; defending track champion Andy Bachetti of Sheffield, Mass.; and Matt Pupello of East Schodack, N.Y.

Ronnie Johnson was the ATL Fuel Cells Hot Lap Hero, circling the half-mile oval in 21.077 seconds. Heat winners were Payne, Chris Raabe and Perrego.

Tim Hartman Jr. of Niskayuna, N.Y., defended his home turf with a victory in the ‘Refuse2Lose 24’ run in memory of late driver, media member and parts supplier Bobby Chalmers.

The event kicked off the STSS Sportsman Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. North Region.

Hartman drove from sixth to the victory, his ninth with the Short Track Super Series, placing him in a tie atop the all-time win list.

Hartman’s most recent victory with the series came in Oct. 2021 at N.Y.’s Afton Motorsports Park.

The win was worth $2,400 plus lap money and bonus awards after extensive fundraising by friends and family members of the Chalmers.

A.J. Albreada drove from eighth to finish second, chasing Hartman to the line. Johnstown, N.Y.’s Brian Calabrese, who started 14th, completed the podium over ninth-starter Joey Scarborough and Dave Constantino, who rolled off 14th.

Hartman was the JLR Technologies Hot Lap Hero at 22.788 seconds. Heat winners were Joe Toth, Tyler Peet and Albreada.

The series moves on to Brookfield (N.Y.) Speedway Sunday (May 24) with a Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. Sportsman North Region event and Tuesday (May 26) at Action Track USA in Kutztown, Pa., with a NJ Quality Drywall South Region Modified program.

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 (X) or Instagram.

The Short Track Super Series is presented by Bob Hilbert Sportswear, FloRacing, American Racer, Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, BDR Feed, NJ Quality Drywall, HYTORC of New York, 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, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Headers & Exhaust Systems, JK Signworks, JLR Technologies, Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools, MD3, PEM Engineering, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, SRI Performance, Swift Springs, The Exotic Brand, Troyer Dirt Cars, TV 12 Racing Products, VAHLCO Wheels & Wilwood Disc Brakes.

‘KING OF SPRING’ RESULTS SUMMARY – LEBANON VALLEY SPEEDWAY MAY 21, 2026

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Modified Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. Region Round No. 1 Feature Finish (40 laps): 1. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[9]; 2. 9J-Marc Johnson[5]; 3. 9S-Matt Sheppard[2]; 4. 4AP-Anthony Perrego[1]; 5. 70A-Alex Payne[11]; 6. 99-Kolby Schroder[4]; 7. 60-Jackson Gill[15]; 8. ONE-Felix Roy[3]; 9. 4B-Andy Bachetti[10]; 10. 42-Matt Pupello[13]; 11. 35C-Chris Curtis[18]; 12. 01-Chris Raabe[7]; 13. 82S-Will Shields[19]; 14. 11A-Kyle Armstrong[21]; 15. 43-Keith Flach[8]; 16. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[20]; 17. 7CT-Donny Travaglin[17]; 18. 2RJ-Ronnie Johnson[12]; 19. 22M-Alex Bell[26]; 20. 6B-Robert Bublak[22]; 21. 6S-Matt Stangle[16]; 22. 03-Harold Robitaille[25]; 23. 55-Brett Haas[6]; 24. 1D-Tyler Dippel[14]; 25. 22E-Mike Engwer[23]; 26. 519-Joe Pravia[24]

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Jackson Gill (seventh) & Will Shields (13th)

ATL Fuel Cell Hot Lap Hero ($100): Ronnie Johnson (21.077 seconds)

Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Ronnie Johnson (Redrew 12th)

Hard Clay Observer Reverse Hard Charger ($100): Brett Haas

Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Chris Curtis (11th)

MD3 Most Laps Led ($100 Certificate): Matt Sheppard (25 laps)

Mesothelioma Warrior Alliance (MWA) Hard Charger Award ($500): Alex Yankowski (eighth to first)

PEM Manufacturing Bonus: Matt Sheppard (third)

Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Alex Yankowski (first - $150 certificate); Marc Johnson (second - $100 certificate); Matt Sheppard (third - $75 certificate)

Swift Springs Hard Luck Award (FREE Spring): Joe Pravia

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Sportsman ‘Refuse2Lose 24’ Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. North Region Round No. 1 Feature Finish (24 laps): 1. 22H-Tim Hartman Jr[6]; 2. 22A-AJ Albreada[8]; 3. 21C-Brian Calabrese[14]; 4. 11VT-Joey Scarborough[9]; 5. 7-Dave Constantino[13]; 6. 4AMY-Bobby Hackel IV[7]; 7. 349-Garrett Chillot[1]; 8. 82H-David Hackett[15]; 9. 9-Joe Toth[2]; 10. 9G-Tyler Peet[5]; 11. 9K-Blaine Klinger[11]; 12. 03-Joshua Jock[10]; 13. 12P-Connor Prokop[3]; 14. 18S-Ed Dachenhausen[18]; 15. 27-Michael Ballestero[21]; 16. 621-Seth Martin[16]; 17. 2K-Mike Kalkbrenner[22]; 18. 314-Clayton Dumond[27]; 19. 307-Karl Barnes[20]; 20. 13J-Jim Mallia[28]; 21. 618-Bobby Rhinehardt[23]; 22. 3J-Joe Judge[19]; 23. 43-Tavien Blowers[24]; 24. 19-Owen Lewis[12]; 25. 98-Camron Hotaling[26]; 26. 31J-John Dumond[4]; 27. 7S-Michael Sabia[17]; 28. 3T-Tommy Corellis[29]; 29. 19Z-Dylan Scribner[25]

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Bobby Hackel IV (sixth)

Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($25): Owen Lewis (Redrew 12th)

Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Blaine Klinger (11th)

JLR Technologies Hot Lap Hero ($50): Tim Hartman Jr. (22.788 seconds)

Swift Springs Hard Luck Award (FREE Spring): Blaine Klinger

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