BLEWETT RACES TO STREET STOCK NATIONALS WIN AT BRIDGEPORT

Bridgeport, NJ – The Bridgeport Motorsports Park presented the first Street Stock Nationals sponsored by Giels Automotive and the positive outcome will assure the future of this event on Doug Rose’s 2022 schedule.

“I’m pleased with the whole weekend,” Rose said of this new event, highlighting the Street Stock division. “I’m very happy!” The weekend saw great, close racing and gave the Street Stock division their turn in the limelight.

The starting line-up staged behind the grandstand for the command to “Start your engines!” Then Rose walked through the field and wished each driver well before the start.

Jimmy Blewett raced to the win in the $10,000 to win event and said that it was one of the hardest races that he’s ever won. After Rod Ormsbee suffered a non-racing injury during the week prior to the race, Blewett was asked to race Ormsbee’s No. 19 when it became clear that the driver would not be able to compete this weekend. “My years of racing experience were irrelevant in this race,” Blewett explained. “I have never, ever raced a Street Stock before. I grew up around the Street Stock racers. When I was a kid, I loved the Street Stocks – not the Modifieds. These cars are a handful. You have to drive the car every lap. These guys are real racers!”

And Jason Geesaman didn’t make it easy for Blewett. “It took me thirty laps just to find where I needed to run the car,” Blewett continued. “I didn’t know at that point if I was even going to be able to run with the leaders.”

Jeramy Doerr was the early race leader until mechanical issues sidelined him on lap thirty-two. Mike Walls had just taken the lead but he was forced to the pits with a mechanical issue. That put Jason Geesaman out in front when the green flag waved again. Geesaman lost the lead to Blewett on lap forty-four – just before the mandatory stop.

Geesaman never gave Blewett a minute to breathe during the second half of the race as he stayed on Blewett’s bumper, lap after lap. “I just couldn’t shake that guy,” Blewett said of Geesaman. Geesaman lost his brakes with about five laps to go. “This place is scary without brakes,” Geesaman remarked.

Blewett took the win over Geesaman, Ryan Smith, TJ Henry and Rich Stinson – two Bridgeport regulars finishing fourth and fifth. Chris Murray, Josh Bassino, Jeff Dirks, David Hunt and Spider Ensinger, Jr. round out the top ten.

Blewett was impressed with the competition. He marveled at the technology in some of the cars as well as the respect that was shown on the track. “That one car had more win stickers on it than I’ve seen in a long time,” Blewett related.

Ormsbee’s No. 19 is about twenty years old, complete with leaf springs. The beautifully prepared red, white and blue body had many thinking otherwise but diligent technical inspections negated any supposition. Ormsbee collected eleven feature wins at this home track this season.

WB James was the winner of the Underdog 20 for the Foley Cat Modifieds. James, a first year Modified competitor, took the lead from Roger Manning before the halfway mark and raced to the win over Rich Rutski, David Hunt, Brad Arnold, who was making his first Bridgeport start, and Frank Cozze. The race was sponsored by Training Tails and Prime Design Landscaping. Any Modified driver who had not won a feature this season was eligible to compete.

Steve Kemery had a very productive weekend, finishing second in Friday night’s South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Crate Sportsman feature and then picking up the win on Saturday. Kemery also jumped into the Joslin No. 343 for the Street Stock Nationals and after running closer to the front throughout the race, a late race incident saw Kemery finish eleventh in the 100 lap event.

On Friday night, Tom Princiotta was expecting something to happen on the final lap and it did. Kemery threw a slider at Princiotta in the final corner but the leader held on to take the win. Kemery finished second followed by Brian Papiez, Matt Ellery and Ryan Simmons.

On Saturday, Kemery improved his finish by one to take his sixth Bridgeport victory of the season. Travis Hill led the race for the first eighteen laps. Papiez challenged from the start but was able to put the Humphreys No. 90 out in front with just more than five laps to go. Papiez and Hill battled so intensely that Kemery was able to take advantage of the heated battle and drive into the lead with two to go. Papiez finished second followed by Bryan Brobst, Rookie Champion, Ethan Bill and Hill.

The Four Cylinders also competed on both Friday and Saturday night. Jonathan Pitcher picked up the win on Friday night over Scott Dunn and Joe Garey, Sr. who was followed by Bobby Johnson and Ricky Gergasko. On Saturday night, it was Joe Garey, Jr. who took the win over Pitcher who finished second. Bobby Johnson finished third followed by Shane Flaherty and Joe Garey, Sr.

Vintage stock car exhibitions were also a part of the racing program on both nights.
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BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK

Friday, October 8, 2021

SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOORS 602 SPORTSMAN (25 laps)

  1. Tom Princiotta, 2. Steve Kemery, 3. Brian Papiez, 4. Matt Ellery, 5. Ryan Simmons, 6. Howie Finch, 7. Will Protinick, 8. Ethan Young, 9. Brian Rogers, 10. Wayne Weaver, 11. Scott Hulmes, 12. Erik Mattson, 13. Shane Kassekert, DNS – Sara Napora, Mark Berzowski.

FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE (15 laps)

  1. Jonathan Pitcher, 2. Scott Dunn, 3. Joe Garey, Sr., 4. Bobby Johnson, 5. Shane Flaherty, 6. Ricky Gergasko, 7. Ed Ford, 8. Joe Garey, Jr., 9. Jim Tinnes, 10. Kyle Hurley, DNS – Brendon Hires

Saturday, October 9, 2021

STREET STOCK NATIONALS SPONSORED BY GIELS AUTOMOTIVE (100 laps)

  1. Jimmy Blewett, 2. Jason Geesaman, 3. Ryan Smith, 4. T.J. Henry, 5. Rich Stinson, Jr., 6. Chris Murray, 7. Josh Bassino, 8. Jeff Dirkes, 9. David Hunt, 10. Spider Ensinger, Jr., 11. Steve Kemery, 12. John Parker, 13. Mike Creamer, 14. Nick Sandone, III, 15. Ken Moren, 16. Sheldon Oberle, 17. Tom Wills, Jr., 18. Jeremy Doerr, 19. Andrew Fitzgerald, 20. Scott Hulmes, 21. Drew Brocklebank, 22. Kyle Saylor, 23. Kyle Deneen, 24. Brian Ludwig, 25. Walt Henry, 26. Vern McLaughlin, 27. Jeremy Zufall, DQ – Mike Walls, DNS – Spider Ensinger, Sr., DNQ – Joe Reed, Tom Princiotta, Tom Landwher, Mike Mann

SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOORS 602 SPORTSMAN (25 laps)

  1. Steve Kemery, 2. Brian Papiez, 3. Bryan Brobst, 4. Ethan Bill, 5. Travis Hill, 6. Sammy Martz, Jr., 7. Matt Ellery, 8. Ryan Simmons, 9. Cole Stangle, 10. Kevin Borden, 11. Ryan Stangle, 12. Kyle Kania, 13. Will Protinick, 14. David Jenkins,15. Bryan Higgs, 16. Shane Kassekert, 17. Sara Napora, 18. Greg Nailor, 19. Brian Rogers, 20. Tommy Klimkowski, 21. Mark Berzowski, 22. Andy Walko, DNS – Howard Huepful

MODIFIED UNDERDOG 20 SPONSORED BY TRAINING TAILS (20 laps)

  1. W.B. James, 2. Rich Rutski, 3. David Hunt, 4. Brad Arnold, 5. Frank Cozze, 6. Brett Kelly, 7. Blaine Bracelin, 8. Chris Jenkins, 9. Roger Manning, 10. Mike Franz, 11. David Crossman, 12. Troy Ale, 13. Brian Kuhl, DNS – Briggs Danner

FOUR CYLINDERS FEATURES (15 laps)

  1. Joe Garey, Jr., 2. Jonathan Pritcher, 3. Bobby Johnson, 4. Shane Flaherty, 5. Joe Garey, Sr., 6. Ed Ford, 7. Mike Fox, 8. Kyle Hurley, 9. Scott Dunn, 10. Jared Hale, 11. Chris Gall