CLICK FOR PICTURES FROM THURSDAY’S QUALIFYING DAY<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
As one of the last drivers to hit the track during time trials, Friesen, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, blazed around the mile in 30.237 seconds to put a resounding exclamation point on his qualifying effort. His clocking was over seventh-tenths of a second quicker than defending Syracuse 200 winner Brett Hearn of Sussex, N.J., who will start Sunday\u2019s $50,000-to-win event from the outside pole after turning a lap of 30.963 seconds.<\/p>\n
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Did Friesen, 30, think he could lay down a lap that was so much better than his rivals? <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cNot really,\u201d said Friesen, who won the Syracuse 200 in 2010 and \u201911 but dropped out of last year\u2019s event in his bid for a threepeat. \u201cAfter we hot-lapped and had a good lap it definitely felt like a car that was capable of it, but you never know. You try to do as well as you can and see what shakes out.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nFriesen steered a brand-new Jeff Dailey & Sons-backed Teo-Pro car to his fast-time honor, worth $1,000 from Pole Position Raceway. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWe made a couple adjustments after practice and (motor builder) Chuck Cici did some tuning on the engine and it worked great,\u201d Friesen said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a good combination and we made good adjustments. Matt (Hearn) and myself work really good together, and with Loren and the Rochinski boys … we got a good group of close friends who just are working for the same goals. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s real cool to be on the pole. We\u2019ll make a big deal of it all the way from now until Sunday. The boys work hard, so it\u2019s something to celebrate about.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nHearn, 55, had his Madsen Motorsports Teo-Pro car\u2019s No. 20 at the top of the scoreboard until being knocked off by Friesen. He fell short of his first Syracuse 200 fast-time since 2002, but beginning his bid for a record seventh victory in the event from the front row left him extremely satisfied. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe car feels very stable, it\u2019s rolling the corner real good and it\u2019s getting down the straightaway real good,\u201d said Hearn, who receives $1,000 for his outside-pole performance from Page Trucking. \u201cI think we\u2019re gonna have a way different track on Sunday than we have right now though … so we\u2019re gonna have to keep an eye on the conditions and adjust to them.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nHearn was a bit awestruck by Friesen\u2019s sizzling circuit, however. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThat\u2019s pretty amazing,\u201d said Hearn, shaking his head. \u201cI could see (the pole winner being) a couple tenths faster, but seven-tenths \u2013 that\u2019s pretty big. That\u2019s traction.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nJimmy Phelps of Baldwinsville, N.Y., earned the third starting spot for the Syracuse 200 with a lap of 31.055 seconds in the HBR Racing Troyer car. <\/span><\/p>\nThe surprise of qualifying was Jeff Rockefeller of Scotia, N.Y., whose lap of 31.101 seconds early in time trials with his Bicknell car held up to place him fourth-fastest in the final rundown. He became the rare driver to make a career-first start in the Syracuse 200 from a position in the top six. <\/span><\/p>\nFormer Syracuse 200 winner Matt Sheppard of Waterloo, N.Y., guided Jeff Brownell Sr.\u2019s Bicknell machine to the fifth starting spot with a lap of 31.164 seconds while Carey Terrance of Hogansburg, N.Y., locked into the headliner in sixth place with a circuit of 31.187 seconds. Terrance was the lone driver to qualify in the top six for both the Syracuse 200 and DIRTcar 358-Modified Salute to the Troops 150. <\/span><\/p>\nIn DIRTcar 358-Modified time trials, second-generation racer Ronnie Johnson of Duanesburg, N.Y., led the way with a lap of 31.754 seconds to earn the pole position in Saturday afternoon\u2019s headliner. <\/span><\/p>\nThe son of two-time Syracuse 200 winner Jack Johnson, Ronnie steered Alton and Carole Palmer\u2019s Teo-Pro No. 76a to his first fast-time honor in the DIRTcar 358-Modified ranks at NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week. He will make his sixth career start in the 150 hoping to better his personal-best finish of fourth, which he achieved in 2010 and \u201912. <\/span><\/p>\nJohnson, who will celebrate his 40th birthday on Nov. 2, has a string of three consecutive top-five finishes in the 358-Modified 150 \u2013 all earned behind the wheel of equipment owned by the Palmers. He was proud to put the personable husband-and-wife team on the point for Saturday\u2019s headliner. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019ve been with the Palmers probably since 2005,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWe got to know each other from racing at Fonda (Speedway) and we just kind of hit it off. We became good friends and our relationship has grown ever since. I\u2019m very fortunate to be able to race for them. <\/span><\/p>\nJohnson knows that Alton \u2013 a successful veteran Modified racer in his own right \u2013 and Carole Palmer always provide him a competitive car to run at the Mile. Nevertheless, besting the small-block field in today\u2019s time trials still surprised him. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cCarol and Alton put this car away to save it just for coming here,\u201d said Johnson, whose pair of fourth-place finishes in the DIRTcar 358-Modified 150 sandwiched a fifth-place run in 2011. \u201cWe just run it here and we usually unload a top-10 car, but I never dreamed we\u2019d be on the pole with it. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI didn\u2019t know how good we were because you\u2019re out there by yourself. I\u2019ve run a lot of time-trial laps and felt like that was the fastest one and I come in and I\u2019m 10th or 12th, so you never know. But when I took the white flag lap I saw the (number) 76 up on the board so I knew we must have been pretty good.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nRising young star Chris Raabe of Napanee, Ont., timed a career-best second at 32.236 seconds, earning the outside pole starting spot for Saturday\u2019s 150. The two-time overall DIRTcar Sportsman champion will make his second career start in the event; he finished 29th in 2010. <\/span><\/p>\nTerrance was third-fastest at 32.289 seconds to earn his seventh career start in the 150 (top finish: ninth in 2012). Marc Johnson of Guilderland, N.Y., was fourth-fastest at 32.328 seconds for his fourth career start in the event (top finish: sixth in \u201910); Larry Wight of Phoenix, N.Y., was fifth-fastest at 32.349 seconds (sixth career start with a top finish of fourth in \u201909); and Willy Decker was the final driver to lock in to the 150 with a sixth-fastest lap of 32.464 seconds (sixth career start with a best finish of eighth in \u201906). <\/span><\/p>\nSuper DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Syracuse 200 Qualifying Time Trials; NY State Fairgrounds; Oct. 10, 2013<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Pos.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n Car<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n Name<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n Time<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n Diff<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 44F<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Stewart Friesen<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 30.237<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n –<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 20<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Brett Hearn<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 30.963<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 0.726<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 98h<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Jimmy Phelps<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.055<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 0.818<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 816<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Jeff Rockefeller<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.101<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 0.864<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 9s<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Matt Sheppard<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.164<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 0.927<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 6<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 66x<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Carey Terrance<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.187<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 0.95<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 91<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Billy Decker<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.247<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.01<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 39<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Tim McCreadie<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.255<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.018<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 99L<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Larry Wight<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.301<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.064<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 10<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 74M<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Matt Billings<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.321<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.084<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 11<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 74<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n J.R Heffner<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.349<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.112<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 12<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1H<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Tim Hindley<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.351<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.114<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 13<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 48T<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Dave Rauscher<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.363<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.126<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 14<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 3h<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Justin Haers<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.457<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.22<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 15<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 43<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Keith Flach<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.519<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.282<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 16<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 21a<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Peter Britten<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.577<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.34<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 17<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 66J<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Danny Johnson<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.586<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.349<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 18<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 34<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Andy Bachetti<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.614<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.377<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 19<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 8r<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Rob Bellinger<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.66<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.423<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 20<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 84<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Gary Tomkins<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.725<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.488<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 21<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 710<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Bobby Varin<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.753<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.516<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 22<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 62s<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Tom Sears Jr.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.764<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.527<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 23<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 28p<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Eldon Payne<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.79<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.553<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 24<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 49<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Billy Dunn<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.804<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.567<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 25<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 3ax<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Duane Howard<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.848<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.611<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 26<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 35<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Mike Perrotte<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.855<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.618<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 27<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32c<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Vic Coffey<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.89<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.653<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 28<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 74F<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Tim Fuller<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.902<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.665<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 29<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 10v<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Billy VanInwegen<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.931<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.694<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 30<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 115<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Kenny Tremont Jr.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.944<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.707<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 31<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 56<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Vince Vitale<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 31.956<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.719<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 32<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 747<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Ryan Godown<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.021<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.784<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 33<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Jimmy Horton<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.088<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.851<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 34<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 42P<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Pat Ward<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.088<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.851<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 35<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 21k<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Chad Brachmann<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.09<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.853<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 36<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 57<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Donnie Corellis<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.137<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 37<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 51m<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Dominic Buffalino<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.168<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.931<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 38<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 6m<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Mat Williamson<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.178<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.941<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 39<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1HH<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n David Hebert<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.955<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 40<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 21m<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Bob McGannon<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.195<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.958<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 41<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 76a<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Ronnie Johnson<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.198<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.961<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 42<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Darwin Greene<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.228<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 1.991<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n 43<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 10c<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n Tim Currier<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 32.306<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 2.069<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |