GODOWN, NAGY & DIRKES ARE EASTER EVE HIGH BANKS WINNERS
Bridgeport, NJ – The Bridgeport Motorsports Park beat the weather and 2021 Track Champion, Ryan Godown, defending Mid Atlantic Sprint Series champion, Kevin Nagy and Street Stock competitor, Jeff Dirkes beat the competition to capture their first wins of the 2022 season on F&L Door Night at the track.
Mike Franz and Jim Gallagher led the field to the wave of Kenny Golden’s green flag with Franz leading the way the first time around the High Banks in the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modified feature. Godown quickly moved in to challenge and had the R&M Motorsports No. 26 our in front on lap two. Ryan Watt raced into second on lap seven with Franz, Jim Gallagher and Clay Butler making up the top five.
Richie Pratt, Jr. raced into third with Danny Sommerling’s No. 51 on lap ten with Franz and Gallagher still battling in the top five.
Godown’s biggest challenge came from the lapped traffic that he encountered by lap ten as he set a blistering pace around the four tenths mile track.
The thirty lap feature event ran without a caution until five to go when Sammy Martz Jr. had his powerplant go up in smoke on the No. 24. The burning oil produced a significant flame so the red was thrown and the fire was quickly extinguished.
The restart brought Godown back to the field and erased his significant lead but the Ringoes Rocket was up to the challenge as he led Watt and Pratt back to the green. The restart found Franz holding on to fourth with Gallagher challenging. With three laps to go, Matt Stangle raced into fifth but Franz held on to a popular fourth place finish.
Godown took the checkered over Watt and Pratt. Both Godown and Watt were in cars rebuilt during the week after last Saturday’s backstretch crash. Pratt finished a strong third over Franz and Stangle. Billy Pauch, Jr. raced home in sixth after electrical issues took him out of a handicap spot in his heat race. Sam Martz finished seventh followed by Gallagher, Butler and Ryan Krachun.
“We were good last year,” the feature winner stated, “but we worked hard over the winter to be even better.”
Godown, Dominick Buffalino and Watt picked the wins in the F&L Doors sponsored heat races.
Kevin Nagy raced to the win in the Delaware Auto Exchange Mid Atlantic Sprint Series feature event that was shortened by one lap when the rain started to fall. Nagy dominated the MASS action at Bridgeport last season and returned to his winning ways Saturday night.
Nagy quickly raced into the lead while Josh Bricker, Aiden Borden and Tim Iulg battled for second. Borden took the spot but Iulg followed quickly to take over second.
Nagy pulled to a large lead but racing through lapped traffic enabled Iulg to cut into some of that distance. Borden was also able to close the gap on Iulg late in the race but Wind Gap, PA’s, Kevin Nagy drove to the win over Iulg in the Ale No. 19a, Borden, current point leader, Larry McVay and Buddy Schweibinz who charged into the top five in the final laps of the Pioneer Pole Building sponsored event.
Bricker, Mark Bitner, Rory Janney, Bryant Davis and Kristina Pratt completed the top ten at the finish.
Iulg, Borden and Schweibinz picked up the wins in the F&L Doors heat races.
The Triple R Truck Parks sponsored Street Stock feature was a thrill a minute as the winner was never determined untilt he field raced to the checkered flag.
Kyle Saylor looked like he was ready to redeem his three second place finished for a victory as he took the lead from Lee Allen on lap five after battling side by side. Last week’s winner, Mike Hughes took over third and then battled with Allen for second, taking the spot just before the five to go mark.
A couple of single file cautions kept the field tight in the final laps. With just two laps to go, Saylor got crossed up out of turn two with Allen regaining the lead while Hughes and Dirkes battled for second. With Hughes then challenging Allen for the lead, Dirkes drove past them both to take the lead and the win.
The finish was Dirkes for his first win of the season followed by Allen, Hughes, Nick Sandone and Saylor.
The Street Stock heat race was sponsored by On the High Side Apparell with the win going to Saylor who just nipped Allen at the line for the win.
Tom Errico, Sr. took the win in the Vintage exhibition.
Action returns to the Bridgeport Motorsports Park with the Invasion of the PA Posse on Wednesday night. 410 Winged Sprint cars and the Precision Hydraulic and Oil 602 Sportsman will appear in the first mid-week show of the season. Then Saturday night it’s back to the a four division show with the Danny’s Pizza Pizazz Modifieds, the Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman, the Bridgeport Motorsports Park Street Stocks and Four Cylinders.
DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIEDS FEATURE (30 laps): 1. Ryan Godown, 2. Ryan Watt, 3. Richie Pratt Jr., 4. Mike Franz, 5. Matt Stangle, 6. Billy Pauch Jr., 7. Sam Martz Sr., 8. Jim Gallagher Jr., 9. Clay Butler, 10. Ryan Krachun, 11. Joseph Watson, 12. Neal Williams, 13. Tommy Beamer, 14. W.B. James, 15. Jordan Watson, 16. Wayne Weaver, 17. Matt Peck, 18. Roger Manning, 19. Ron Roberts, 20. Sam Martz Jr., 21. Dominick Buffalino, 22. Alex Yankowski, 23. Davey Sammons
DELAWARE AUTO EXCHANGE MID-ATLANTIC SPRINT SERIES FEATURE (25 laps): 1. Kevin Nagy, 2. Tim Iulg, 3. Aiden Borden, 4. Larry McVay, 5. Buddy Schweibinz, 6. Josh Bricker, 7. Mark Bittner, 8. Rory Janney, 9. Bryant Davis, 10. Kristina Pratt, 11. Jeff Paulson, 12. Dave Brown, 13. Rick Stief, 14. Cory Hunsberger, 15. DJ Tanner, 16. Darren Cox, 17. Dale Eggert, 18. Samantha Lieberman, 19. Andy Mahan, 20. Bobby DeVault, 21. Justin Nowlen, 22. Shelby Kelly
BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK STREET STOCKS (15 laps): 1. Jeff Dirkes, 2. Lee Allen, 3. Mike Hughes, 4. Nick Sandone III, 5. Kyle Saylor, 6. Drew Brocklebank, 7. Jack Beaumont, 8. Jeramy Doerr, 9. Ken Moren, 10. Keith McKinley