OCALA, FL – The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series fueled by Sunoco kicked off the Sunshine Swing at Bubba Raceway Park Tuesday night with an open practice session.

A total of 46 STSS Modifieds and 36 Crate 602 Sportsman filed into the pit area at the unique three-eighths-mile Ocala facility. Both division’s car counts topped last year’s edition of the Sunshine State invasion.

Thousands tuned in on SPEED SPORT TV affiliate Dirt Track Digest TV to watch a free broadcast presented by Precision Hydraulic & Oil of Wrightstown, N.J.

Matt Sheppard of Savannah, N.Y., (Modified) and fellow Empire State driver Brian Fish (Crate 602 Sportsman) won the Jake Marine Memorial ‘Mr. Consistency’ Awards, going to the driver posting the fastest average lap time in the three timed practice sessions in each division.

Sheppard and Fish are locked into the feature redraws for Wednesday night’s feature events. Sheppard averaged 15.178 seconds and Fish’s three sessions averaged 16.432 seconds.

Bobby Flood of Montgomery, N.Y., joined Sheppard as the Hazer’s World-sponsored $250 bonus winner for the fastest single-lap time of the night in each division.

Sheppard set the quick time for the night in his first session at 14.566 seconds for the Modifieds. Flood’s quick time for the Crate 602 Sportsman went in session No. 2 with a time of 16.005 seconds.

Attention turns to the first night of racing on Wednesday, Jan. 27 with the STSS Modifieds racing 30 laps for a $4,000 top prize and Crate 602 Sportsman battling 25 laps with $1,700 up for grabs.

The event is scheduled to be the 100th Modified race in Short Track Super Series history.

Florida residents with ID will receive free grandstand admission on Wednesday during ‘Locals Night’ at the track!