The Bridgeport Speedway has invested in the future of racing on the 5/8th mile speedway by presenting a racing opportunity for new drivers through their DA’s Auto Body Rookie Class.
The Rookies race in Crate/Sportsman cars but have the opportunity to compete against drivers who are also new to the sport. They are given the opportunity to learn without being intimidated or overwhelmed by the more seasoned competitors.
On race nights from April to June, the Rookies have a warm-up session and then compete in a eight lap feature event which is the first event on the schedule of events. After their Rookie feature, the Rookies are able to compete in the Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman qualifiers and feature where they start at the rear of the field. This opportunity affords the Rookies much needed seat time. After Rookie graduation, the Rookies are then handicapped along with the other drivers in the Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman.
Several very talented drivers have graduated from this program and the 2016 participants should prove to be no exception.
Chuck Sayres, Jr. of Carney’s Point, NJ was crowned as the 2016 DA’s Auto Body Rookie Champion on Saturday night after Sayres won his fifth Rookie feature event of the season. Sayres amassed an enviable record with five wins and three second place finishes in the eight Rookie events this season.
Chad Kohler picked up the win in the season opener with Sayres finishing second. Sayres returned to pick up the wins in the next four DA’s Auto Body Rookie features. Tom Sherby was a late season entry to the Rookie Division, winning twice in weeks six and seven with Sayres chasing him to the finish line in both events. Sayres came back to win the Rookie season finale and clinch the 2016 DA’s Auto Body Rookie title on Graduation Night.
Sayres was a Rookie to the driving side of the competition but not the Rookie division in general. In 2014, Sayres spearheaded the pit side operation for Matt Peck’s Rookie season . In a hard fought battle that went right down to the final laps of the final feature event, Peck came away with the Rookie Championship.
Now it was Sayre’s turn.
Sayres’ move into Rookie competition started as somewhat of a joke. With Peck moving into Modified competition with a small block power plant, the
re was an “extra” car sitting in the garage. “We were sitting around the garage one night and I just mentioned that maybe I would take that other car out and give it a try,” Sayres related. “It started out as fun,” Sayres added. “I never expected to be the Rookie Champion.”
These days, Peck races around his work schedule and that will continue to be Sayre’s primary focus but he’s not planning to hang up the helmet just yet. Sayres will continue to race in the Stewart/Stainless Crate/Sportsman at Bridgeport as his schedule allows, deferring to Peck on the week’s that he is available to race. He also has plans for some of the late season special shows. “I’ve always liked Georgetown and racing in Delaware so I would like to give that a try later in the season,” Sayres related.
A landscaper by day, Sayres and Peck work opposite schedules. With Peck working third shift, he puts his time in during the day, leaving notes on a white erase board for Sayres who spends his evenings in the garage.
First, Peck with the No. 39 and now Sayres with the No. 38. Both have left their mark on the Da’s Auto Body Rookie Division and on the Bridgeport Speedway.
