BRIDGEPORT PROVIDES EXCITING FINISHES TO URC & NEWS SPRINTS
Bridgeport, NJ – With the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifieds and Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman taking the night off to prepare for Tuesday’s Short Track Super Series South Jersey Shootout, the Capitol Renegade United Racing Club (URC) and North East Wingless Sprints (NEWS) stepped in to headline the Saturday night action that also included Four Cylinder Enduros and Vintage Racers.
Both sprint car feature events were decided on the final lap at the checkered flag for another exciting evening of racing on the high banks of the Bridgeport Motorsports Park.
Defending URC Champion, Jason Shultz won the race to the checkered over Tyler Ross for his third URC win of the 2022 season. Rich Mellor had to hot foot it to the checkered to beat Eric Jennings who pressured Mellor in the final laps.
Shultz and Todd Gracey led the field to the start of the twenty-five lap URC feature event. Shultz grabbed the lead on the start and immediately began to pull away from the field. Cameron Merriman out of College Park, MD was making his first Bridgeport start and quickly moved into second. It was Shultz, Merriman and Tyler Ross throughout the race.
Shultz raced into lapped traffic in the final ten laps. The lapped traffic allowed Merriman and Ross to close in on the leader as the laps counted down. With five to go Shultz still held the lead over Merriman, Ross, Kyle Smith and Troy Betts.
On lap twenty-two, Ross took over second and set his sights on the leader. Coming to the white flag, with lapped cars all around, Ross went low to take the lead. Shultz came back and the two drivers raced side by side. When they headed to the checkered, it was again Shultz out in front.
The twenty-five lap feature event ran non-stop from green to checkered with Shultz taking the win over Ross, Merriman, Betts and Smith. Smith picked up the Hard Charger Award made in the memory of former URC competitor, Scott Pursell. Josh Weller finished sixth followed by Dallas Schott, Gracey, Mike Thompson and Joe Kata.
The NEWS competitors were making their first appearance on the high banks of the Bridgeport 4/10mile track. Fair to say that the drivers found the track very much to their liking!
Brian Spencer and Rich Mellor made up the first row for the start of the twenty lap feature event. The two drivers raced side by side until Mellor put the 02 out in front as they exited turn two on the first lap.
With Mellor out in front, Eric Jennings raced by Spencer on lap seven to take over the runner-up spot. Mellor led Jennings, Spencer, Mark Bitner and Brendan Hires through the crossed flags.
Two laps later, the leaders raced into lapped traffic and Jennings really began to pressure Mellor for the lead. A two car tangle in turn one brought out the caution and again gave the leaders a clear track ahead.
Jennings was all over Mellor as he kept the pressure on right to the checkered with Mellor taking the win. Jennings, Bitner, Spencer and Stan Ploski made up the top five. Heidi Hedin finished sixth followed by Duane Nixon, Charles Weslowski, Rick Rutt and Ken Nealis.
Bitner was behind the wheel of Brad Schaale’s No. 13, making his first start in NEWS competition. Ryan Godown, Jr. made his sprint car debut and qualified in his heat race but was then sidelined from the feature with mechanical issues.
Joseph Waters was the winner of the Four Cylinder Enduro feature over Jay Lowman and Justin Dunn. Lowman grabbed the lead at the start but Waters took over on the second lap and led all the way to the checkered.
Tim Jones and Scott Dunn completed the top five at the finish.
Action returns to the high banks with the South Jersey Shootout on Tuesday and then a regular show on Saturday night with the Modifeds, 602 Sportsman and Street Stocks returning to action
UNITED RACING CLUB 360 SPRINT FEATURE (25 LAPS):
1. Jason Shultz, 2. Tyler Ross, 3. Cameron Merriman, 4. Troy Betts, 5. Kyle Smith, 6. Josh Weller, 7. Dallas Schott, 8. Todd Gracey, 9. Mike Thompson, 10. Joe Kata, 11. Jake Karklin, 12. Ryan Stillwaggon, 13. Brandon McGough, 14. Brian Krummel, 15. Larry McVay, DNS – Andy Best, Adam Carberry
NORTH EAST WINGLESS SPRINT FEATURE (20 LAPS):
1. Rich Mellor, 2. Eric Jennings, 3. Mark Bitner, 4. Brian Spencer, 5. Stan Ploski, 6. Heidi Hedin, 7. Duane Nixon, 8. Charles Weslowski, 9. Ricky Rutt, 10. Ken Nealis, 11. Eric Miller, 12. Shea Wills, 13. Walt Fletcher, 14. Brendan Hires, 15. Zach Brown, 16. Larry Drake, 17. Frank Lorenzi, 18. Al Cheney, DNS – Ryan Godown, Jr., Curtis Sodano
FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE (20 LAPS):
1. Joseph Waters, 2. Jay Lowman, 3. Justin Dunn, 4. Tim Jones, 5. Scott Dunn, 6. Ed Ford, 7. Joe Garey, Jr., 8. Joe Garey, Sr., DNS – Bobby Johnson