JOJO WATSON RACES TO SECOND OF SEASON ON HIGH BANKS
Bridgeport, NJ – Jojo Watson raced to his second win of the season in the Auto Gallery No. 21w on Saturday night on Hessert Chevrolet night at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park. Watson won the first race of the season for the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifieds and has weathered and some and down results before returning to Champion Brands Victory Lane.
Travis Hill raced to his third win of the 2023 season in the Cogdill No. 98 in the Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman while Mike Hughes picked up his fifth win in the Prime Design Lansdscaping Street Stock feature.
Watson became just the second repeat winner in the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifieds. Watson joins Cale Ross with a pair of victories.
The combined efforts of Mother Nature and the Bridgeport track crew produced a great racing surface that was to Watson’s liking.
Billy Osmun III raced Mike Franz for the lead on the opening lap, racing ahead off of turn two. Watson raced up to second on lap two with Sam Martz, Sr. taking over third one lap later.
W.B. James ran into difficulties with four complete, bringing out the caution for the first time. The restart put Osmun and Watson side-by-side for the restart and that’s the way they stayed until Watson pulled ahead off of turn two. It was Watson, Osmun, HJ Bunting, Sammy Martz, Jr. and Martz, Sr through lap five.
JR Fulper raced into the top five on lap six until current point leader, Jordan Watson took the spot on lap nine.
Jojo Watson pulled away from the field as he set a blistering pace. Osmun, Bunting and Martz, Jr. raced nose-to-tail while Martz, Sr. held down fifth with Jordan Watson and Ryan Krachun battling just behind the top five.
The Watson-Krachun battle continued until the final laps. Krachun took over sixth on lap twenty-two but Watson reclaimed the position in the final laps.
Jojo Watson raced to the win over a very persistent and consistent third generation Osmun. Osmun has led many laps and raced among the top three in many races this season but is still looking for that first win. Bunting finished third followed by the Sammy, Jr. and Sam Martz, Sr. to complete the top five. Jordan Watson finished sixth followed by Krachun, Neal Williams, Rick Laubach and Jim Britt.
F & L Doors heats were won by Osmun and Bunting.
David Hartman had the No. 53 on the pole for the start of the Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 feature event. Hartman led the first three laps while there was three and four wide racing behind the leader. Hill, Jax Yohn, Matt Peck and Sammy Martz, Jr. made it four wide while racing in the top five. Hill took over second on lap four before multiple cars tangled in turn one.
The lap four restart saw Hill use the outside line to take the lead. Hartman raced in second until mid-race when Brian Papiez, Ethan Bill and Peck raced ahead. Doing double duty on Saturday night, Martz, Jr. raced into the top five late in the race.
Hill had plenty of lapped traffic ahead as the laps counted down, allowing Papiez to close in on the leader with about three laps to go. Hill got up on the wheel when Papiez caught the leader and put a few car lengths between first and second as they raced to the checkered. It was Hill for the win over Papiez, Bill, Martz, Jr. and Peck. Stephen Yankowski finished sixth followed by Yohn, Luke Bunting, Hartman and Brian Rogers.
The Hoffman Discount Part heat races were won by Hill, Papiez and Bill.
Tom Wills, Jr. won his fifth Street Stock feature of the season one week ago and Mike Hughes equaled that mark with his win on Saturday night.
Jeramy Doerr led the way on the start but Lee Allen raced three wide with Doerr and Hughes to lead the first lap. Allen led the way for five laps before Hughes raced out in front. Hughes found the track to his liking as he first used the inside to advance his position and then went to the outside later in the race.
Doerr had his hands full with Wills, Jr. pressuring for the runner-up spot.
Hughes took the win over Doerr, Wills, Jr., Drew Brocklebank and Allen. Spider Ensinger, Jr. finished sixth followed by Spider, Sr., Nick Sandone, Chris Allen, Sr. and Terry Chaney.
The DTM Powersports heat races were won by Doerr and Wills.
The Modifieds, 602 Sportsman and Street Stocks are joined by the North East Wingless Sprints and Vintage Cars for next Saturday’s event.
DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIEDS FEATURE (30 LAPS)
- Joseph Watson, 2. Billy Osmun, III, 3. H.J. Bunting, 4. Samm Martz, Jr., 5. Sam Martz, Sr., 6. Jordan Watson, 7. Ryan Krachun, 8. Neal Williams, 9. Rick Laubach, 10. Jim Britt, 11. Blaine Bracelin, 12. Brett Kelly, 13. J.R. Fulper, 14. Stan Frankenfield, Jr., 15. Mike Franz, 16. W.B. James, DNS – Duane Howard
PRECISION HYDRAULIC & OIL 602 SPORTSMAN (25 LAPS)
- Travis Hill, 2. Brian Papiez, 3. Ethan Bill, 4. Brian Papiez, 5. Sammy Martz, Jr., 6. Stephen Yankowski, 7. Jax Yohn, 8. Luke Bunting, 9. David Hartman, 10. Brian Rogers, 11. Thomas Prychka, 12. Billy Chester, 13. Scott Hulmes, 14. Mike Loney, 15. Mike Baldwin, 16. Robert Tete, 17. Shane Kassekert, 18. Justin Newhard, 19. Wayne Weaver, 20. Anthony Sisco, 21. David Jenkins, 22. Bryan Brobst, 23. James Hill, 24. Erik Mattson, 25. Pete Serra, 26. Ethan Young
PRIME DESIGN LANDSCAPING STREET STOCKS (15 LAPS)
- Mike Hughes, 2. Jeramy Doerr, 3. Tom Wills, Jr., 4. Drew Brocklebank, 5. Lee Allen, 6. Spider Ensinger, Jr., 7. Spider Ensinger, Sr., 8. Nick Sandone, III, 9. Chris Allen, Sr. 10. Terry Chaney, 11. Wes Camp, 12. Jeff Dirkes