PAUCH OPENS BRIDGEPORT POINTS WITH A VICTORY
Bridgeport, NJ – Mother Nature wasn’t very cooperative but the Bridgeport Motorsports Park ran their first points race of the 2022 season with Billy Pauch taking the win in the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifieds. Ryan Godown, Jr. won his second Precision Hydraulics & Oil 602 Sportsman feature in as many weeks and starts out the 2022 season on top of the points. Mike Hughes raced to an impressive win in the Premio Sausage Street Stocks while Joe Garey, Sr. picked up the win in the Liberty Kenworth four cylinder action.
It was Pauch vs Pauch in the first Modified race of the new season as Pauch Senior led the way to the checkered flag over Billy Pauch Jr. and Matt Stangle in the thirty lap feature event.
The start of the race was marred by a multicar incident that occurred on the backstretch on lap one.
When Richie Pratt was forced to go to a back-up car for the feature, his pole position start had to be forfeited, moving Tommy Beamer to lead the way to the green alongside of Jim Britt. The field headed down the backstretch behind Beamer and Britt when Beamer’s mount suddenly slowed. Jordan Watson was right behind Beamer and had nowhere to go as he spun to try and avoid the disabled car. Ryan Godown, Ryan Watt, Roger Manning and Brett Ballard followed as everyone tried to scramble to avoid the melee on the track. It was strictly a racing accident. “Something broke in the rear,” Beamer explained. “It was like the car was in neutral. I was a sitting duck.” It was like the perfect storm – a full field of cars, headed down the backstretch on the first lap – the worst possible time and place.
The cars of Watt, Godown, Beamer, Watson, Manning and Ballard were heavily damaged but there were no injuries. Several other cars had minor damage and were able to drive away and continue. The track crew did a great job attending to the drivers and the cars, clearing the track for the resumption of the feature event.
Britt took command and led the first nine laps as Pauch Senior and Junior raced in second and third. “I was just biding my time with Britt,” Pauch explained, “but when the No. 96 challenged I thought I’d better get going.” Pauch took the lead on a lap ten restart after a caution for Matt Smith who had slowed on the track.
Pauch Jr. moved by Britt to take second on lap twelve. The Pauches led the way through halfway followed by Joseph Watson, Matt Stangle and Britt.
Pauch Jr. and Stangle had battled for the win in the second heat race and now the battle was renewed in the feature event. As the leader caught the back of the field, Pauch Jr. and Stangle were able to close in on the leader. The cars to be lapped were tough customers. “They didn’t do anything wrong,” Pauch explained. “They were racing each other and I finally had to go between them.” The top three ran with less than a car length separating each position until they cleared the traffic.
For the start of his 48th year in racing, Billy Pauch Sr. led the way to the checkered flag followed by Pauch, Jr., Stangle, Joseph Watson and Ryan Krachun who won the first point race last season. Alex Yankowski raced to a sixth place finish followed by Britt, Dominick Buffalino, Richie Pratt, Jr. and Williams. Both Buffalino and Pratt raced into the top ten from starts deep in the field.
The Rent Equip & Party Central Modified heat races were won by Pauch, Sr., Pauch, Jr. and Ryan Krachun. Clay Butler won the consolation.
Ryan Godown, Jr. put himself on the top of the points with a win in the opener. The twenty-five lap 602 Sportsman feature was riddled with caution flags, putting a strain on the race leader.
Brian Papiez had Dave Adams No. 37 out in front in the early going until a flat tire on lap seven had him heading to the pits. Eric Kormann was the new race leader on the restart but Godown wasted no time in taking the lead. Travis Hill moved in to challenge Godown for the lead and actually led two laps after a big run to the outside on a restart. Godown, Jr. knew what he had to do on the next restart and got up on the wheel to retake the lead. Wayne Weaver made it a three way battle on several restarts.
Godown led the way to the win over Hill, Weaver, Howie Finch and Matt Ellery. Jim Dallett, completed the top ten.
Greg Humlhanz, Weaver and Hill won the three Hoffman’s Speed Supply heat races. Pete Serra was the winner of the consolation.
Mike Hughes raced to a convincing win the fifteen lap Street Stock feature with Kyle Saylor again racing to a second place finish. Defending champion, Tom Wills, Jr. made his first start of the season to finish third followed by Jeramy Doerr and Jeff Dirkes. Two time winner, Lee Allen finished sixth. Hughes thanked fellow competitor TJ Henry and his dad, Tim Henry for their help along with his sponsors, family and friends.
Saylor took the win in the Atmostemp heat race.
Joe Garey, Sr. was victorious in the Four Cylinder twelve lap feature while Pitcher picked up the win in the Izzy Rigging and Trucking qualifier.
Saturday action will see the Delaware Auto Exchange Mid Atlantic Sprint Series joining the Modifieds and Street Stocks this weekend while the 602 Sportsman share the limelight with the PA Posse in a double header on Tuesday, April 19th.
DANNY’S PIZZA PIZAZZ MODIFIED FEATURE (30 laps)
1. Billy Pauch, Sr., 2. Billy Pauch, Jr., 3. Matt Stangle, 4. Joseph Watson, 5. Ryan Kratchun, 6. Alex Yankowski, 7. Jim Britt, 8. Dominick Buffalino, 9. Richie Pratt, Jr., 10. Neal Williams, 11. Sammy Martz, Jr., 12. Sam Martz, Sr., 13. Davey Sammons, 14. W.B. James, 15. Ron Roberts, 16. Clay Butler, 17. Sean Metz, 18. Mike Barone, 19. Matt Peck, 20. Matt Smith, 21. Tommy Beamer, 22. Jordan Watson, 23. Ryan Watt, 24. Ryan Godown, 25. Brett Ballard, 26. Roger Manning, DNQ – Michael Trautshold, Mike Franz, Jim Gallagher, Jr.
PRECISION HYDRAULIC & OIL 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE (25 laps)
1. Ryan Godown, Jr., 2. Travis Hill, 3. Wayne Weaver, 4. Howie Finch, 5. Matt Ellery, 6. Jim Dallett, 7. Greg Humlhanz, 8. Stephen Yankowski, 9. Billy Chester, 10. Brandon Shipley, 11. Thomas Prychka, 12. Brian Rogers, 13. Isabella Van Orden, 14. David Jenkins, 15. Anthony Sisco, 16. Ethan Young, 17. Brian Papiez, 18. Scott Hulmes, 19. Bryan Brobst, 20. Nick DeSantis, 21. Pete Serra, 22. Erik Kormann, 23. Howard Huepful, 24. Ethan Bill, DNQ – John Scarpati, Sara Napora, Nolan Openshaw, Dan Hulmes, Erik Mattson, Chris Martinez, Jim Cheesman, Greg Nailor
PREMIO SAUSAGE STREET STOCK FEATURE (15 laps)
1. Mike Hughes, 2. Kyle Saylor, 3. Tom Wills, Jr., 4. Jeramy Doerr, 5. Jeff Dirkes, 6. Lee Allen, 7. Mike Creamer, 8. John Parker, 9. Nick Sandone, 10. Ken Moren, DNS – Drew Brocklebank
LIBERTY KENWORTH FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE (12 laps)
1. Joe Garey, Sr., 2. Ed Ford, 3. Chris Carroll, 4. Chris Gall, 5. Bobby Johnson, 6. Jonathan Pitcher, DNS – Joe Garey, Jr., Scott Dunn