For the first time since Stewart Friesen’s frightening crash sidelined him earlier this summer, the Halmar Friesen Racing Modified team is back at the race track this weekend — with Jessica Friesen behind the wheel.

Friesen returned to familiar ground at Fonda Speedway, finishing third in the Underdog 33 on Thursday while driving her husband’s modified. She followed that up with a third-place finish in Friday night's Fonda 200 qualifying race, which sets her up to start in the front half of the field for Saturday night's 200-lap main event. 

“It’s been a while, so it feels good to be at the track,” Jessica said before the race. “I’ve got a pretty good driver coach tonight watching and giving me some tips. This is Stu’s car, and we’ve changed the body panels. It’s just good to be back home — a little sense of normalcy for us and the whole race team.”

For Jessica, Fonda Speedway is more than just a race track — it’s where her racing roots run deep.

“I grew up here at this race track and have been coming my whole life,” she said. “I don’t get to do it professionally anymore, but I get to come here and have a lot of fun on Saturday nights. To be close to home, with friends, family, our sponsors, and supporters, it means a lot.”

While Stewart continues to recover, Jessica’s presence at the track not only put Halmar Friesen Racing back in action, but also provided the team with a rallying point.

“With a little push from our boss, we’re back here,” she added with a smile. “We’re just trying to get everybody back in a routine and back to doing what we love to do.”