Shuryan Bests Trucks at Kalamazoo
(Kalamazoo, MI; July 17, 2004)

Former Kalamazoo Klash competitor and current ShortTrackTrucks.com Challenge Series points leader, Joey Shuryan, returned to his winning ways at Kalamazoo Speedway. Shuryan outlasted a hard charging Larry Barylski for his third feature victory. In spite of occasional rain showers, the packed Kalamazoo Speedway grandstands saw Jim Froling finish third followed closely by Paul Schaffer and John Culp.

The packed Kalamazoo Speedway stands saw Shuryan wheel his way to another Turbo Blue Pole Award establishing a new track record in process of setting the fast qualifying time for the night. The first heat race of the night saw Jesse Worcester nip Paul Schaffer at the line for the victory. Heat race two action saw Rod Morrison out duel Bob Fruit to take the heat race win.

Paul Schaffer shot off to the early lead at the main event green flag followed closely by John Culp. Culp and Schaffer traded the lead several times in side-by-side battles early on earning them a portion of the LizardSkin Lap Leader Award. Several laps in saw contact between Jeff Walcott and Rod Morrison send Morrison spinning in turn two. Before the race could be restarted, however, the skies opened up once again delaying the race.

After drying the track, the green flag dropped to see Schaffer lead the field to the middway point. However, Schaffer's lead was not to last as he was falling back into the clutches of the field with engine woes. Joey Shuryan was the man on the move as he worked his way steadily through the field using the outside groove en route to claiming the Valco Cincinnati Hard Charger Award for passing the most vehicles. Shuryan moved past Jim Froling and Larry Barylski early then picked off Culp and finally the struggling Schaffer to take the lead. Barylski followed closely in his wheel tracks to assume second, passing Froling and Schaffer on the outside of turn four, to earn the Kodiak Pit Vehicles Move of the Race.

The remaining laps saw Barylski close the gap on Shuryan but there were not enough laps to challenge for the lead. Bill Niedziewicki earned the ARP Stock Car Bodies Hard Luck Award after crashing his primary truck in qualifying and resorting to a back-up truck for the main event. The race win helped Joey Shuryan maintain his point lead over Jim Froling in second. Larry Barylski, with his strongest performance to date, has moved himself into third in points over Bob Fruit and Keith Wioncek. Catch the trucks in action next on August 1st at Calhoun County Speedway. For more information the newest and fastest growing truck series in the Midwest check out www.ShortTrackTrucks.com.