The Super DIRTcar Series is set to race its second half-mile track in the last week with a stop at Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, NY, on Sunday, July 8.

“The Doctor” Danny Johnson scored a win Thursday night in the series’ return to the half-mile track at Land of Legends Raceway in Canandaigua, NY.

Sunday’s upcoming Freedom Fighter 100 event marks the fourth straight year the tour has stopped at Utica-Rome, with three different winners in the last three races, and sets up as a clash of titans in the series’ 13th event at Utica-Rome.

Watch the 2018 SDS Ultimate Outlaw 100 LIVE on FloRacing!
Tuesday, July 10 | Outlaw Speedway | Dundee, NY

Stewart Friesen vs. Matt Sheppard

While there are likely to be more than 40 cars in attendance, the Freedom Fighter 100 looks a lot like a showdown between multi-time Utica-Rome champions Stewart Friesen and Matt Sheppard. Last season, it was Friesen who drove to Victory Lane and celebrated with his son Parker. 

Friesen took the lead from Pat Ward on lap 55 last year and then held off Ward and Tim Fuller for the remainder of the race to score what was his 24th career series victory and 54th at Utica-Rome, adding to his lead at the top of the track’s all-time wins list. Friesen knows Utica-Rome as well as anybody, as the Sprakers, NY, native is a seven-time track champion, including five straight from 2010 to 2014. With one win already to his credit on tour this year, look for Friesen to be a threat to double his win total on Sunday night.

#DirtMods - @StewartFriesen celebrates w/his son Parker in #SDSBigBlock v-lane @UR_Speedway in NY. (51/MoJo Photos) https://t.co/b0gYOmcAIg pic.twitter.com/icAiDo9yCP

— Speed51.com - PFC Brakes News Feed (@speed51dotcom) July 3, 2017

Two seasons ago, it was Sheppard who went to Victory Lane at his former home track. The Waterloo, NY, native called Utica-Rome home on Sundays for the past three seasons before the track switched to DIRTcar 358 Modifieds as the headline class in 2018. The current Super DIRTcar Series point leader has 15 wins at Utica-Rome over the last three years, including one earlier this year in DIRTcar 358 Modified action. That win was his 41st at the track, placing him third on the all-time wins list. 

On the series circuit, Sheppard has a pair of wins and four top fives in five series races this season as he enters Sunday’s race at Utica-Rome with the Series point lead. Sheppard has also won the last three championships at the track from 2015 to 2017 to give him a total of four titles in total.  

Billy Decker

Franklin, NY’s Billy Decker was also a Series winner at Utica-Rome in 2015. Decker, who also collected the checkered flag in the Series 2001 stop, is coming off a four-win season in 2017. 

Through five races, Decker has had a roller-coaster start to the 2018 campaign. He has only managed one top-five finish, which was a strong showing in the Showdown at Sundown at Brewerton Speedway on June 15 when he finished second. 

Now Decker is set to return to a track where he has had plenty of recent success, including two top fives and three top 10s in the series' last three races at Utica-Rome. Look for the driver of the Page Trucking No. 91 to be a definitive contender and turn around his season on Sunday night.

Heat number 1 goes to Erick Rudolph! pic.twitter.com/ozemfBR12R

— Super DIRTcar Series (@SuperDIRTcar) July 1, 2018

Erick Rudolph

Erick Rudolph continues to make noise in his return to full-time Super DIRTcar Series action. 

So far this season, Rudolph has vaulted himself into the top 10 in series points on the strength of two top-five finishes and three top 10s, including a season-best fourth-place result in the season-opener at Weedsport.

Rudolph has also already made two starts this season at Utica-Rome with a top five and pair of top 10s to his credit. Rudolph has one career win at Utica-Rome, which came in 358 Modified action on July 8, 2017. Rudolph should be a threat to win on Sunday as he looks for his third career series victory.