OCALA, Fla. – A back-and-forth battle Thursday night at Bubba Raceway Park went the way of Erick Rudolph, who topped Matt Sheppard and Stewart Friesen to win the season opener for the Short Track Super Series.

After a lap-one red flag, Rudolph battled Friesen throughout the 35-lap main event, with Rudolph eventually making the winning pass on lap 26 after three prior lead changes.

A mistake on the cushion allowed Friesen to briefly retake command with seven laps left, but Rudolph got back past moments later and held the position to the finish.

Rudolph eventually took the checkered flag in front by .641 seconds, with Sheppard dispatching a fading Friesen for the runner-up honors with six laps to go.

Friesen completed the podium, followed by Max McLaughlin and Michael Maresca.

Tyler Dippel, Billy Pauch Jr., Anthony Perrego, Jimmy Horton and Danny Bouc filled out the top 10.

Thursday night’s Sunshine Swing opener was broadcast live on SPEED SPORT TV affiliate Dirt Track Digest TV.

The results:

Feature (35 laps): Erick Rudolph, Matt Sheppard, Stewart Friesen, Max McLaughlin, Michael Maresca, Tyler Dippel, Billy Pauch Jr., Anthony Perrego, Jimmy Horton, Danny Bouc, Mike Mahaney, Billy Decker, Kyle Coffey, Joseph Watson, Mike Gular, Brett Haas, David Schilling, Danny Hieber, Danny Creeden, Danny Johnson, J.R. Heffner, Marshall Hurd, Matt Stangle, H.J.Bunting, Rusty Smith, Peter Britten, Rob Pitcher, Tyler Siri.

DNQ: Andy Bachetti, J.R. Hurlburt, Jordan Siri, Tim Buckwalter, Jacob Dgien, Cale Ross, James Hill, Kenny Hammond, Kyle Weiss, Eric Williams, Scott Kurtzner, Nick Petrilak, Scott Ferrier, Ron Cartwright Jr., Brandon Hightower, Jeremy Smith, Bob Hentschel, Chris Ostrowsky