BUFFALINO CAPITALIZES ON LATE-RACE CHAOS FOR SECOND MODIFIED VICTORY

Wagner Charges Late for MASS Win; Simmons Breaks Through in Sportsman Competition

SWEDESBORO, NJ — On Saturday night at Bridgeport Motorsports Park, Dominick Buffalino found himself in the right place at the right time when a dramatic late-race incident eliminated several of the front-runners, putting him in command of the 30-lap Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modified feature. From there, Buffalino took care of business, driving Bonita Hyneman 126 to his second Modified victory of the season.

It was a night filled with late-race drama and firsts throughout the program. Eddie Wagner made a late charge to capture the DCB Plumbing & Heating Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series feature, while Ryan Simmons broke through for his first Demers Heating & Cooling Sportsman victory of the season. Bryan Rhoads went flag-to-flag in the Sportsman second feature event, Nathan Smith collected his third Victory Fuel Wingless Sprint victory, and Scott Freed earned his second Straight Up Construction Street Stock win of the season.

Buffalino emerges from Modified thriller. Frank Cozze and Cale Ross brought the Modified field to Kevin Golden’s green flag, with Ross immediately taking command over Cozze and Billy Osmun III. The father-and-son combination of H.J. Bunting and Luke Bunting also quickly became factors at the front of the field.

Ross paced the opening six circuits before Osmun made his move, taking over the top spot on lap seven.

Behind the leader, the battle intensified. Luke Bunting moved past Cozze for third while Ryan Godown worked his way into the top five from his twelfth place starting spot. Godown later disposed of Cozze to take fourth as the race continued under a long stretch of green-flag conditions.

With ten laps remaining, Osmun continued to lead Ross, Godown and Luke Bunting, while Buffalino was battling H.J. Bunting for fifth.

Then everything changed. On lap 21, Ross closed in and prepared to make his move for the lead. “I set up to slide him,” Ross explained, “and just misjudged where he would enter.”

Contact between Ross and Osmun triggered a chain reaction. Godown already committed to the top was collected in the tangle as they drifted up  the track, while Luke Bunting was left with nowhere to go.

In a matter of seconds, the complexion of the race was completely transformed as the top four racers were collected leaving just enough room for the 126 of Buffalino to sqeak through.

Osmun and Godown were forced to retire from the event, while Ross and Luke Bunting rejoined the field from the rear.

Buffalino had passed H.J. Bunting just before the caution and suddenly found himself sitting atop the scoring pylon, something even Buffalino didn’t immediately realize.

When racing resumed, Buffalino lined up alongside H.J. Bunting. The green flag was quickly replaced by another caution when Neal Williams suffered a right-rear flat.

On the ensuing restart, Buffalino again fought of the hard challenges of HJ Bunting and took  control of the field, and this time there would be no stopping him.

Buffalino raced to the checkered flag for his second Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modified victory of the season, with H.J. Bunting turning in an impressive runner-up finish. Brian Papiez finished third after coming back through the entire field, Ryan Krachun fourth and Dillon Steuer completed a strong recovery from a first-lap flat tire to finish fifth.

Mike Franz, Coleby Frye, Sammy Martz Jr., Matt Ellery and Cale Ross rounded out the top ten.

Wagner strikes late to win mass thriller. Robbie Stillwaggon and Eddie Wagner led the DCB Plumbing & Heating Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series field to the green, with Stillwaggon quickly establishing himself as the early leader.

Wagner, Shelby Kelly, Rick Lafferty and D.J. Tanner Jr. filled out the early top five.

A lap-eight caution tightened the field and opened the door for Kelly, who briefly wrestled the lead away from Stillwaggon before Stillwaggon battled back to regain the top spot.

At halfway, Stillwaggon continued to lead Kelly, Lafferty, Wagner and Tanner.

The race took another turn when Lafferty slowed to bring out the caution on lap 17. One lap later, Andrew Turpin stopped in turn two, setting up what would become the final restart of the race and Wagner was ready.

On the restart, Wagner charged past both Kelly and Stillwaggon to take command. Kelly wasn’t finished either, sliding past Stillwaggon on the final lap to secure the runner-up position.

At the checkered flag, it was Eddie Wagner scoring the MASS victory over Kelly, Stillwaggon, Tanner and Cody West.

Troy Betts, Ryan Stillwaggon, Chris Dolan, Ryan Schultz and Tim Iulg completed the top ten.

Walter MacIntyre appeared poised for victory for much of the 25-lap Demers Heating & Cooling Sportsman feature, leading the opening 18 circuits. MacIntyre initially led Randy Rommell and later Brayden Morrison, but Ryan Simmons steadily worked his way toward the front.

Simmons climbed into second on lap seven, with Christopher Buffalino, Matt Ellery and Morrison giving chase. After stalking MacIntyre for the lead, Simmons finally completed the winning pass on lap 19. Two laps later, Christopher Buffalino moved past MacIntyre for second, but by then Simmons had established himself at the front.

Simmons raced home to his first Sportsman victory of the season, followed by Christopher Buffalino, P.J. Bozowski, MacIntyre and Ellery. Steve Kemery, Morrison, Charley Coosaboone, Jim Wyers and Matt Peck completed the top ten.

In the 15-lap Demers Heating & Cooling Sportsman second feature event, Bryan Rhoads dominated from start to finish, leading every lap on his way to victory. Scott Hulmes finished second, followed by Chris Bergstrom, Matt Blakeslee and Melissa Scarpati.

David Swanson led the opening circuit of the Victory Fuel Wingless Sprint feature, but Nathan Smith wasted little time making his move. Smith took over the lead on lap two and never looked back.

Once out front, Smith was never seriously challenged as he powered to his third Victory Fuel Wingless Sprint victory of the season. David Swanson held on for second, with his brother Jonathan Swanson finishing third. Thomas Radivoy and Shea Wills rounded out the top five.

Freed takes advantage late for second street stock win. Mike Baldwin looked to have the Straight Up Construction Street Stock feature well in hand, leading the opening 13 laps of the 15-lap main event.

But with five circuits remaining, Baldwins car began to show tire smoke as something in the rear of the car appeared to have broke. Baldwin continued to lead the field with the ailing race car, as Spider Ensinger Jr and Jeramy Doerr closed rapidly. Doerr made contact with the Ensinger machine on the front straight causing Ensinger to spin, brining out the caution with only two laps remaining.

During the caution, Baldwin would relinquish the lead and head to the pits with his ailing race car as both Ensinger and Doerr went to the rear of the field.

That opened the door for Scott Freed. Freed inherited the top spot but still had work to do, holding off the late-race challenges of three time winner, Richie Page over the final two laps.

Freed was up to the task, taking the checkered flag for his second Street Stock victory of the season. Page settled for second, followed by Nick Sandone III, Mike Walsh and Spider Ensinger Jr. Darren Cox, Jeramy Doerr, Gary Klimeczak, Shane Grosso and Geoff Handel completed the top ten.

This Saturday night August 29, the Modifieds return for the $3131 to win Jim Gallagher Sr. Memorial along with Flemington Speedway night with over 20 drivers scheduled to attend. There are only three points races left for the Modified’s as the season winds down in Thy Kingdom.

RESULTS: 

DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIED A-MAIN (30 LAPS)
1. Dominick Buffalino, 2. H.J. Bunting, 3. Brian Papiez, 4. Ryan Krachun, 5. Dillon Steuer, 6. Mike Franz, 7. Coleby Frye, 8. Sammy Martz, Jr., 9. Matt Ellery, 10. Cale Ross, 11. Davey Sammons, 12. Joe Brown, 13. Luke Bunting, 14. Johnny Bangs, 15. Will Dupree, 16. Neal Williams, 17. Frank Cozze, 18. Billy Osmun, III, 19. Ryan Godown, 20. Anthony Tramontana, 21. Blaine Bracelin, 22. Richie Pratt, Jr., 23. Stan Frankenfield, DNS – Kevin Hirthler

DCB PLUMBING & HEATING MID-ATLANTIC SPRINT SERIES A-MAIN (25 LAPS)

1. Eddie Wagner, 2. Shelby Kelly, 3. Robbie Stillwaggon, 4. D.J. Tanner, Jr., 5. Cody West, 6. Troy Betts, 7. Ryan Stillwaggon, 8. Chris Dolan, 9. Ryan Schultz, 10. Tim Iulg,
11. Jon Brennfleck, 12. Dan Leaper, 13. Bob Lilick, 14. Kenny Laureno, 15. Kurt Rainey, 16. Michael Shea, 17. Matt McAnally, 18. Andrew Turpin, 19. Rick Lafferty, 20. Tyler Grau, 21. Adam Carberry, DNS – Aiden Borden

DEMERS HEATING & COOLING SPORTSMAN A-MAIN (25 LAPS)
1. Ryan Simmons, 2. Christopher Buffalino, 3. P.J. Bozowski, 4. Walter MacIntyre, 5. Matt Ellery, 6. Steve Kemery, 7. Brayden Morrison, 8. Charley Cossaboone, 9. Jim Wyers, 10. Matt Peck, 11. Mike Hughes, Jr., 12. Jesse Hirthler, 13. Tyler Lilick, 14. Kris Lilick, 15. Billy Chester, 16. John Scarpati, 17. Pete Serra, 18. Tom Carpenter, 19. Aiden Spencer, 20. Randy Rommell, 21. Tommy Klimkowski, 22. Tim Borror, 23. Corey Andersen, 24. Duncan Molesworth

DEMERS HEATING & COOLING NON-QUALIFIERS (15 LAPS)

1. Bryan Rhodes, 2. Scott Hulmes, 3. Chris Bergstrom, 4. Matt Blakeslee, 5. Melissa Scarpati, 6. Drew Ziegler, DNS – Justin Lilick, John Norcia, Sarah Lynn, Dylan Morris, Wayne Weaver

STRAIGHT UP CONSTRUCTION STREET STOCK A-MAIN (15 LAPS)
1. Scott Freed, 2. Richie Page, 3. Nick Sandone, III, 4. Mike Walsh, 5. Spider Ensinger, Jr., 6. Darren Cox, 7. Jeramy Doerr, 8. Gary Klimeczak, 9. Shane Grosso, 10. Geoff Handel, 11. Mike Berkheiser, 12. Mike Baldwin, 13. Tracey Appleby, 14. Cayja Darling,
15. Gary Bozowski, DNS – Spider Ensinger, Sr.

VICTORY FUEL WINGLESS SPRINT A-MAIN (20 LAPS)
1. Nate Smith, 2. David Swanson, 3. Jonathan Swanson, 4. Thomas Radivoy, 5. Shea Wills, 6. Stan Ploski, III, 7. Alekander McIlroy, 8. Greg Shepsis, 9. Wayne Scott, DNS – Andrew Hunt