Stewart Friesen has named his driver for two of Dirt Modified racing’s biggest crown jewels. Speaking with FloRacing over the weekend, Friesen announced that Alex Yankowski will take the wheel of the Halmar Friesen Racing Modified for both Super DIRT Week at Oswego Speedway and the Eastern States 200 at Orange County Fair Speedway.

“We’re going to do (Super) DIRT Week and Eastern States, Alex Yankowski is going to drive that,” Friesen stated. “We’re excited to have Alex in our stuff for those two big ones.” 

Friesen continues to recover from injuries suffered in a July 28 crash at Autodrome Drummond. He made his first return to the track during Fonda 200 weekend, where he was on hand to support his wife, Jessica, who was competing in the event. 

“Jess ran her Modified and ran very well until we had a motor failure, which was a bummer, in the 200,” Friesen said. “Getting back racing was nice, Fonda is 20 minutes from home. She wasn’t going to race and didn’t really want to, I was the one pushing.

“I’ve been trying to get to the dirt shop for an hour or two every day. I’ve got a little electric wheelchair, I can buzz down the driveway and down the road to the shop. It’s been nice to keep that going.”

𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝑨𝒕 𝑭𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂 🏠 Jessica Friesen and the Halmar Friesen Racing team are back at the race track for the Underdog 33 at @thefondaspdwy.

She tells us she'll be piloting @StewartFriesen's Modified with help from a pretty good driver coach.#Fonda200 | #STSS pic.twitter.com/eIB4aTfiKv

— FloRacing (@FloRacing) September 11, 2025

Being back at the track was a meaningful moment for Friesen, offering a chance to feel the support of friends and fans who have rallied around him during this challenging time.

“Being back at Fonda was just awesome. I love Fonda to death. To see everybody again—so many people had reached out by text or social media—but seeing everyone face to face was pretty special.”

Yankowski, the two-time defending Fonda Speedway track champion, is a rising star in Dirt Modified racing who will be a threat to win behind the wheel of the Halmar Friesen Racing ride. 

He recently scored his first Super DIRTcar Series win of the season at Can-Am Speedway on September 5. “Kid Rocket” has also scored 14 top-five finishes in 19 Super DIRTcar Series starts this season. 

Yankowski finished seventh in last year’s Super DIRT Week Big-Block Modified Championship race and fifth in last year’s Eastern States 200. 

Super DIRT Week will be held October 8-11 at Oswego Speedway. The Eastern States 200 is scheduled for October 23-26.