MILLS DEFENDS BRIDGEPORT TITLE WITH WIN
What a better way to defend your title than by winning the first race to start the new season?
That’s exactly what “Jammin’ Jamie” Mills did with his last lap pass for the lead in the twenty-five lap Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modified Feature at the Bridgeport Speedway on Saturday night! It was Mills second win in a week as he also picked up the win in the final pre-season race just six days earlier.
It was a family affair as the race approached the finish as Jordan Watson, a nephew to feature winner, Mills, led from the green through the white flag. It was on the final lap that Mills took his Blue Hen No. 30 to the bottom of the track and drove along side of Watson as they raced into turn one for the final time. Mills had the advantage between turns one and two. Watson made a final charge as the leaders raced into turn three but Mills had the No. 30 stuck to the inside as he rolled out of turn four and drove to the checkered flag.
2012 Bridgeport Champion, Rick Laubach moved by Jesse Hill to take second on lap two but his race was short lived as smoke billowed from the Blinderman & Son No. 7 one lap later and the caution waved as Laubach slowed.
2013 Bridgeport Champion, Ryan Watt took over second from Hill on lap eleven and set his sights on Watson. The leader caught the back of the field one lap later. At half way, Watson led Watt, Hill, Wade Hendrickson and Mills. Watt was closing in on the leader as they threaded their way through lapped traffic.
Watt’s progress was slowed when he got caught behind two cars racing side by side for position. Hill and Mills caught Watt with Mills taking over third on lap nineteen. Two laps later, Mills raced by Watt for second and set sail on Watson who was well out in front. Mills chased down Watson in the final laps and caught the young driver by surprise on the final circuit.
“I didn’t know he was there,” Watson stated after the race. “My signals from the pits weren’t working too well,”
It was Mills 18th Bridgeport Speedway Big Block Modified win, moving him up to fourteenth on the All Time Feature Winners list, ahead of Craig VonDohren.
Eric Kormann took the leader from Scott Hitchens on a lap thirteen restart and never looked back as he drove to the win in the 20 lap Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman Feature event. Kormann moved to the outside after Steve Davis used the outside to power by both Kormann and Hit
chens on a previous lap. Davis’ efforts were negated when the caution waved and the lap was not scored.
Korman became the fifth different winner in the Crate/Sportsman division so far this season. Davis finished second with Hitchens crossing the finish line in third. However, when Hitchens’ No. 65 failed a post race technical inspection, Bobby Lilick was moved up to third in his first outing of the season. Pete Visconti overcame some earlier mechanical issues to finish fourth with Jeff Bubori rounding out the top five.
Chuck Sayre picked up the win in the DA’s Auto Body Rookie feature after taking the lead from Bob Hartman on the first lap. Hartman finished second with Shannon Marshall crossing the line in third.
Kevin Nagy made his return to the Bridgeport Speedway a good one as he picked up the win in the Tri-State Race Savers twenty lap sprint car feature. Nagy, a former competitor in the Jasper Sprint Cars more than ten years ago, returned to Bridgeport and added to his earlier win total. Nagy raced his way into second with a pass by Steph Palmai on lap nine but the race leader, Christopher Allen had driven away from the field since taking the lead on lap two. When Allen experienced mechanical failure with just three laps to go, Nagy inherited the lead.
Defending TSTS Champion, Mike Haggenbottom finished second followed by Palmai, Eddie Wagner and Bryant Davis.
Racing action returns to both the Bridgeport and Spirit Auto Center Speedways next Saturday, May 7th for the first ever Pack the House night. Grandstand admission is FREE! Fans will get to see action on both the 5/8 mile and quarter mile tracks. The PennCo Tech Outlaw Stocks, Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman and DA’s Rookies will race on the 5/8th mile track. The 270 and 600 Micro Sprints and 4 & 8 Cylinder Enduro cars will race on the quarter mile. Racing gets underway at 6pm.
First Bike Night of the 2016 season is coming on Saturday, May 14th.
SPIRIT AUTO CENTER MODIFIEDS (25 laps) – 1. Jamie Mills, 2. Jordan Watson, 3. Ryan Watt, 4. Jesse Hill, 5. Wade Hendrickson, 6. Dominick Buffalino, 7. Richie Pratt, Jr., 8. Scott Ambruster, 9. Sam Martz, 10. Travis Hill, 11. Shawn Ward, 12. Jack Swain, 13. Ron Roberts, 14. Bucky Kell, 15. David Hunt, 16. Corey Andersen, 17. Mike Franz, 18. Rusty Smith, 19. Jim Britt, 20. Ricky DiEva, 21. Dave Shirk, 22. Bob Sarkisian, 23. C.J. Jones, 24. Rick Laubach
STEWART STAINLESS SUPPLY CRATE/SPORTSMAN (20 laps) – 1. Eric Kormann, 2. Steve Davis, 3. Bob Lilick, 4. Pete Visconti, 5. Jeff Bubori, 6. Kris Lilick, 7. Kevin Belmont, 8. Steve Kemery, 9. David Crossman, 10. John Micek, 11. Billy Briggs, 12. Brad Roberts, 13. Melissa Scarpati, 14. Justin Lilick, 15. Jeremy Harrington, 16. Pete Serra, 17. Chuck Sayres, 18. Dean Conk, Jr., 19. Ernie Miles, III, 20. Dave Damiano, 21. Jeramy Doerr, 22. Matt Stangle, 23. Jimmy Chester, DQ – Scott Hitchens, DNS – Shannon Marshall, Scott Hulmes.
D.A.’S AUTO BODY & REPAIR ROOKIES (8 laps) – 1. Chuck Sayres, 2. Bob Hartman, 3. Shannon Marshall, 4. Tom Terry
Tri State Race Saver 305 SPRINTS (20 laps) – 1. Kevin Nagy, 2. Mike Haggenbottom, 3. Steph Palmai, 4. Eddie Wagner, 5. Bryant Davis, 6. Bob DeVault, 7. Mark Bitner, 8. Dave Brown, 9. Kyle Purks, 10. Brendon Puff, 11. Scott Frack, 12. Chris Allen, 13. Joe Kay, 14. Logan Diehl, 15. Samantha Leiberman, 16. Karl Freyer, 17. Bobby Sandt, Jr., 18. Rick Steif, 19. Tim Tanner, Jr., 20. David Bonner, DNS – Jeff Geiges