{"id":14223,"date":"2023-09-27T13:57:58","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T17:57:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/superdirtweek.com\/?p=14223"},"modified":"2023-09-27T14:18:15","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T18:18:15","slug":"taking-shape-stewart-friesen-halmar-team-find-stride-in-time-for-super-dirt-week-51","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/superdirtweek.com\/news\/taking-shape-stewart-friesen-halmar-team-find-stride-in-time-for-super-dirt-week-51\/","title":{"rendered":"TAKING SHAPE: Stewart Friesen, Halmar Team Find Stride in Time For Super DIRT Week 51"},"content":{"rendered":"
Stewart Friesen had to be patient.<\/p>\n
His summer results weren\u2019t where he\u2019d like them with his dirt program, but he was rebuilding. Rebuilding his motor program and refining his setups.<\/p>\n
In the last couple of weeks, his patience was rewarded. He won the Fonda 200 and the Malta Massive Weekend at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, finding his stride in time for the crown jewel Big Block Modified race of the year \u2013 Super DIRT Week 51 at Oswego Speedway (Oct. 2-8).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just kind of hitting our stride,\u201d Friesen said. \u201cIt\u2019s a product of hard work. We\u2019ve changed stuff up a little with our motor program. We\u2019re starting to see the benefits of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve used some races as test sessions. Just trying to get the team better. I think we\u2019ve been kind of gearing toward this fall season and the big money stuff\u2026 It\u2019s pretty cool to see the plan come into action and start to pay off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friesen, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, is a five-time Super DIRTcar Series Billy Whittaker Cars 200 champion and the 2021 DIRTcar 358 Modified Salute to the Troops 150 champ. If his winning streak continues and he picks up his sixth \u2018200\u2019 title, he\u2019ll tie Hall of Famer Brett Hearn for the most all-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it happens, it happens,\u201d he said. \u201cEither way, it\u2019s Super DIRT Week and it\u2019s [$51,000] to win. It\u2019s a highlight of the schedule. You want to win these big money ones every year. It\u2019s cool to be part of that conversation with the most (Super) DIRT Week wins with Hearn and the legends of the sport. It\u2019s very cool to be part of that conversation but it is another big race that we want to go win.\u201d<\/p>\n
And while he\u2019s on a hot streak, Friesen wasn\u2019t ready to hit the accelerator on considering himself a favorite to win. After winning the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 at Oswego Speedway in 2016, Friesen said he feels like he\u2019s struggled at the 5\/8-mile track with his #44 Big Block ever since.<\/p>\n
His last five finishes included a fourth-place run in 2017, a second in 2018, a sixth in 2019, a fourth in 2021 and an eighth-place finish last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely a tough race,\u201d Friesen said. \u201cAnything can happen. We won in the Small Block two years ago but haven\u2019t been super-fast since the first year at Oswego. I think our Big Block program is better than it has ever been. Like I said, it just took some time to get the program back to where we wanted it. I think we\u2019re pretty close now. I\u2019m confident. I know our cars are good. I know our motors are good. There\u2019s a lot of depth in the program again. I\u2019m going in there, I know, with capable stuff and open mindset. Hopefully things turn out.\u201d<\/p>\n