IT’S THREE IN A ROW FOR SAMMY MARTZ, JR.
Bridgeport, NJ – Just one week earlier, the Bridgeport Speedway was still looking for its first repeat winner with seven races completed for the Foley Cat Modifieds. Then Ryan Godown raced to his second win of the season in a mid-week show with to become the first repeat winner. On Saturday night, Dominick Buffalino had the Big Spring Car Wash sponsored No. 126 in peak form, racing thirty non-stop laps for his second win of the season.
Sammy Martz, Jr. raced from his twelfth place start to pass leader, Steve Kemery following a lap thirteen caution to win his fifth win of the season and third win in a row in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Sportsman. There was a new face in the Weaknecht Archery Victory Lane at the end of the DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookie feature as Bryce Higgs led every lap for his first win of the season. After weeks of being close, Jeff Dirkes was able to put together fifteen solid laps to pick up the win in the Sunbelt Rental Street Stocks in spite of getting a flat tire at the beginning of the race.
Buffalino and Ryan Watt were so busy racing each other during Tuesday night’s show, that they never saw the black No. 26 who was making up time on the outside until Godown completed the pass for the lead. Don’t think that that didn’t cross Buffalino’s mind while he was leading the race on Saturday night. “I was running hot,” Buffalino explained, “so I was trying to roll out of the throttle a little bit to let it cool down but then you’ve got to be afraid of someone sliding you.” But that didn’t happen this time.
Polesitter, Billy Lasko raced with Brett Ballard for the lead on the start with Ballard out in front as the field came around to score the first lap. Ballard led Neal Williams, Buffalino, Ryan Watt and Tommy Beamer through lap ten but Buffalino was out in front on the next circuit.
Buffalino raced away from the field while Williams and Watt battled for second and Ballard and Alex Yankowski raced for fourth. Watt took over second on lap twenty-six and he raced hard to the finish, cutting into Buffalino’s lead but running out of laps and time.
Buffalino raced to the win with Watt picking up his second runner-up finish of the week. Yankowski crossed the line in third followed by Williams and Ryan Godown who raced into the top five from his fifteenth place start. Joseph Watson, Ryan Krachun, Sam Martz, Ballard and Matt Stangle finished in sixth through tenth.
Sammy Martz, Jr. continues to dominate the 602 Sportsman, racing to his fifth win of the season and third consecutive victory.
After a four year absence, Ian Humphreys returned to racing action, qualifying through his heat race and then drawing the pole for the start of the feature. After a three wide battle for the lead, Steve Kemery emerged with the lead over Ryan Godown, Jr. and Humphreys.
Kemery led the way until half-way when Martz used the outside line to roll into the lead following a restart. Martz immediately pulled away from the competition as he raced to the finish. Kemery finished second followed by Tom Sherby who continues to work the bottom of the track to perfection. It was another top five finish for Matt Ellery who is competing in his first full season of competition. And then, there’s Ethan Bill. With three wins in a row in Rookie competition, Bill raced to a fifth place finish after qualifying by winning the consolation. Sean Metz, Ryan Conrad, Howie Finch, Travis Hill and Humphreys rounded out the top ten.
Bryce Higgs made his first start in Rookie competition and made it pay off. Higgs led every lap and put an end to Ethan Bill’s win streak. Bill finished second with Shane Kassekert finishing third. Mike Creamer finish fourth with Ethan Young completing the top five.
After getting a late start on the season, Jeff Dirkes has made his presence known every week in the Street Stock competition. This week, that consistent effort paid off.
Dirkes raced Nick Sandone to lead lap one but a flat tire had Dirkes headed to the pits for a replacement. Sandone led lap two before Rich Stinson took over on lap three. Stinson led the way over Tom Wills, Jr., Mike Hughes, Sandone and Jeramy Doerr through lap ten but a flat tire on his No. 27 had Stinson heading to the pits on the next lap.
A three car incident in turn one brought about another caution and restart with Wills leading the way. Dirkes took the lead on lap twelve and led to the checkered. Following Dirkes across the line was Stinson Jr., Wills, Doerr and Gary Klimeczak.
The Monster Trucks invade the Bridgeport Motorsports Park next weekend for shows on both Saturday and Sunday. Each ticket is a pit pass so come early and get a close look at the Monster Trucks before the start of the Monster Truck Throwdown. Go to https://bridgeportspeedway.thundertix.com/.
FOLEY CAT BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (30 laps)
1. Dominick Buffalino, 2. Ryan Watt, 3. Alex Yankowski, 4. Neal Williams, 5. Ryan Godown, 6. Joseph Watson, 7. Ryan Krachun, 8. Sam Martz, 9. Brett Ballard, 10. Matt Stangle, 11. Tommy Beamer, 12. Billy Osmun, III, 13. Clay Butler, 14. Jim Britt, 15. Joe Toth, 16. Billy Lasko, 17. Mike Franz, 18. Troy Ale, 19. Tim Buckwalter, 20. Tom Moore, Jr., 21. Ron Roberts, 22. Billy Pauch, Sr., 23. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 24. Brad Roberts, DNQ – Tom Maccherone, Carson Wright, Matt Peck, Tommy Errico, Jr., Frank Cozze, Nick Keefe
SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOORS 602 SPORTSMAN (25 laps)
1. Sammy Martz, Jr., 2. Steve Kemery, 3. Tom Sherby, 4. Matt Ellery, 5. Ethan Bill, 6. Sean Metz, 7. Ryan Conrad, 8. Howie Finch, 9. Travis Hill, 10. Ian Humphreys, 11. Brad Cicio, 12. Joe Brown, 13. Billy Chester, 14. Scott Hulmes, 15. Andy Walko, 16. Nick DeSantis, 17. Doug Snyder, 18. Ryan Godown, Jr., 19. Jim Dallett, 20. Ethan Young, 21. Ryan Stangle, 22. Zac Weller, 23. Matt Luzi, 24. Erik Mattson, DNS – Bryce Higgs, DNQ – Mike Creamer, Shane Kassekert, Zack Cox, Pete Serra, Greg Nailor
D.A.’S AUTO BODY AND REPAIR ROOKIES (7 laps)
1. Bryce Higgs, 2. Ethan Hill, 3. Shane Kassekert, 4. Mike Creamer, 5. Ethan Young, 6. Courtney Pickens, 7. Zach Cox
SUNBELT RENTALS STREET STOCKS (15 laps)
1. Jeff Dirkes, 2. Rich Stinson, Jr., 3. Tom Wills, Jr., 4. Jeramy Doerr, 5. Gary Klimeczak, 6. Ken Moren, 7. John Parker, 8. Nick Sandone, III, 9. Keith McKinley, 10. Mike Hughes, DNS – Terry Chaney