DANNER CLOSES USAC EAST COAST SEASON WITH BRIDGEPORT WIN

Bridgeport, NJ – For Allentown, PA driver, Briggs Danner, the 2021 season with the Rapid Tire USAC East Coast Nonwing Sprints Cars, ended the way it started – with a win on the high banks of the Bridgeport Speedway. Danner closed his first full season of sprint car competition with nine wins, Rookie of the Year honors and second place in points to champion Alex Bright.

Brian Papiez put his new ride into victory lane in the twenty lap Underdog 20 for the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Crate Sportsman. Any driver who had not won during the 2021 season was eligible to compete in Friday night’s event. Lee Allen earned his second win of the season in the Bridgeport Motorsports Park Street Stocks.

Danner’s ninth win of the season was somewhat of an anniversary celebration for the nineteen year old hot shoe who just a year ago, climbed behind the wheel of the Gallagher No. 5G for his first ever race in a sprint car. Danner passed Bright for the win in the final laps that night to capture the victory in his sprint car debut.

Davie Franek and Bright led the field to the start of the twenty-five lap feature event with Franek leading the way on lap one. Bright raced to the outside to grab the lead on the second time around the high banks. Danner quickly raced from his row three start and into second, chasing Bright and then challenging for the lead. Bright led the way through lap five. Two laps later, Danner was the race leader.
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The caution waved just before halfway, putting Bright on Danner’s tail tank for the restart. Now it was Bright who was the challenger, pressuring Danner for the lead. Bright tried to slide Danner on several occasions but Danner prevailed to lead Bright, Franek, Damon Paul and Nash Ely through halfway.

With seventeen laps on the books, the caution waved for the second time as Joey Amantea got turned around between turns three and four. This time, Danner was able to pull away on the restart.

Danner raced through lapped traffic on his way to the checkered flag. Bright finished second followed by Franek. Kenny Miller III won the battle for fourth with Damon Paul. Nash Ely finished sixth followed by Christian Bruno. Brenden Bright finished eighth in his first race in a wingless sprint car. , Bruce Buckwalter , Jr. followed in ninth with Eric Jennings completing the ten.

Lee Allen raced to win his second win of the season on the high banks in the Bridgeport Motorsports Park Street Stocks. Allen led from the start, ahead of a four wide battle for second. Mike Creamer and Kyle Saylor battled for second for several laps.

Saylor took over second and then closed in on Allen to challenge for the lead. Allen took the crossed flags
at halfway. On lap eleven, the leaders raced into lapped traffic. Saylor took the lead when Allen got behind a lapped car. Saylor led the way for five laps but his race ended on lap sixteen after hard contact with the wall in turn one.

Allen reclaimed the lead and went on to take the win over Rich Stinson, Jeramy Doerr, Mike Creamer and Vern McLaughlin. Tom Wills, Sr. took the wheel of the No. 856 for the final race of the season and finished sixth followed by Jeff Dirkes, Spider Ensinger, Steve Kemery, in the Joslin No, 343, and Johnny Bush.

Brian Papiez put the Dave Adams owned No. 90 into Victory Lane in the Underdog 20.

Polesitter, Howie Finch led the race for the first seven laps before Papiez raced into the lead on lap eight. Papiez led Finch, Bryan Brobst, Ethan Bill and Ryan Stangle at halfway.

With Papiez out front, the positions in the top five were up for grabs right up to the checkered flag with Finch taking second over Joseph Brown, Bill and Johnny Micek. Stangle finished sixth followed by Bobby Bracall, Trent Willy, Eric McKinney and Doug Snyder.

With day one on the books, it was onto Day 2 of the High Banks Classic.

Rapid Tire USAC East Coast Wingless Sprints (25 Laps) 1. Briggs Danner, 2. Alex Bright, 3. Davie Franek, 4. Kenny Miller, III, 5. Damon Paul, 6. Nash Ely, 7. Christian Bruno, 8. Brenden Bright, 9. Bruce Buckwalter, Jr., 10. Eric Jennings, 11. Colin White, 12. Kyle Smith, 13. Ed Aiken, 14. Brian Spencer, 15. Thomas Radavoy, 16. Jermain Godshall, 17. Al Cheyney, 18. Carmen Perigo, 19. Joey Amantea, 20. Troy Betts

Bridgeport Motorsports Park Street Stocks (20 laps) 1. Lee Allen, 2. Rich Stinson, Jr., 3. Jeramy Doerr, 4. Mike Creamer, 5. Vern McLaughlin 6. Tom Wills, Sr., 7. Jeff Dirkes, 8. Spider Ensinger, Sr., 9. Steve Kemery, 10. Johnny Bush, 11. John Parker, 12. Kyle Saylor, 13. Jack Beaumont, 14. Mike Baldwin. 15. Daniel Harrison, 16. Nick Sandone, III, 17. Spider Ensinger, Jr., 18. Jeremy Zufall, 19. Mike Hughes

South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Crate Sportsman Underdog 20 (20 laps) 1. Brian Papiez, 2. Howie Finch, 3. Joseph Brown, 4. Ethan Bill, 5. John Micek, 6. Ryan Stangle, 7. Bobby Bracall, 8. Trent Willey, 9. Erik McKinney, 10. Ryan Conrac, 11. Shane Kassekert, 12. Bryan Brobst, 13. Billy Chester, 14. George Gareis, 15. Tommy Klimkowski, 16. Lee Nardelli, 17. Will Protinick, 18. Scott Maher, 19. Ryan Krushinski, 20. Anthony Sisco, 21. Pete Serra, 22. Scott Hulmes, 23. Ricky Wegner, 24. Sara Napora, 25. Erik Marrson, 26. Greg Reed, 27. Wayne Weaver, 28. Howard Huepful