BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY PREPARES FOR MOTORSPORTS
WATT CLOSES OUT BRIDGEPORT SEASON WITH BIG WIN
Billy Pauch charged to the feature win in the 358 Small Block Modified feature event in the Bridgeport Speedway’s Wild Card Weekend. It was Pauch’s sixteenth career win in Bridgeport Speedway small block modified competition – a track where he sits third on the Big Block Modified All Time Feature Winners List with fifty-eight victories. “I thought Wade (Hendrickson) had it won,” Pauch commented. “I don’t know what happened to him. With a couple of laps to go , I thought the hell with it – we came here to win!”
TJ Henry earned his second win of the season in the John Blewett III PennCo Poker Series Outlaw Stock Feature event while 2015 Champion, Mike Haggenbottom put an exclamation point on his championship season with the win in the twenty lap Tri State Race Savers Sprint Car feature.
At the wave of the green flag, it was polesitter, Wade Hendrickson who jumped into the lead in the thirty lap small block modified feature event. Hendrickson dominated the first nineteen laps of the race before Craig VonDohren used lapped traffic to make the pass for the lead on lap twenty. With VonDohren out in front, Hendrickson ran second for four laps before mechanical woes sidelined his C&S Equipment No. 6.
VonDohren led Pauch, Rick Laubach, Ryan Krachun and Ryan Watt with five laps to go. Pauch made a run on the leader on a lap twenty-six restart but VonDohren prevailed. The field was realigned for a single file restart with just two laps to go when Watt drew the caution in turn four. On the restart, Pauch made another run to the inside, pulling even with VonDohren. As the leaders raced through turns one and two, Pauch used a slide job to propel his K&A Excavating No. 1 into the lead and then pulled away as they raced out of turn two. The caution waved again with just one lap to go but Pauch prevailed to take the $3,000 payday followed by VonDohren, Laubach, Krachun and Richie Pratt, Jr.
2014 Outlaw Champion, Ron Frees looked to be on his way to his second win in the John Blewett II Poker Series for Outlaw Stock feature event when his plans went up in smoke on lap thirteen. TJ Henry took over the lead and went on to claim the victory over second place finisher, Rick Broschard. 2015 Champion, Tom Wills, Sr. finished third with Mike Creamer and Tom Wills, Jr. completing the top five at the finish line.
Mike Haggenbottom closed the 2015 Tri State Race Saver Sprint Car season with a flag to flag win in the 20 lap TSRS feature event. Adam Carberry and rookie, Eddie Strada, kept the pressure on the leader all the way to the checkered flag to finish second and third. Rick Stief and Karl Freyer rounded out the top five at the checkered flag.
WILDCARD WEEKEND – 358 MODIFIED FEATURE (30 LAPS)
1. Billy Pauch, 2. Craig VonDohren, 3. Rick Laubach, 4. Ryan Krachun, 5. Richie Pratt, Jr., 6. Brett Kressley, 7. Lou Ciconi, 8. Frank Cozze, 9. Ryan Grim, 10. Ron Roberts, 11. Craig Whitmoyer, 12. Bob Sarkisian, 13. Ryan Watt, 14. Mike White, 15. Pete Visconti, 16. Shawn Wood, 17. Neal Williams, 18. Wade Hendrickson, 19. Jerry Higbie, 20. Scott Ambruster, 21. Rusty Smith, 22. Dominick Buffalino, 23. Brad Roberts, 24. Jim Britt
JOHN BLEWETT III POKER SERIES FOR OUTLAW STOCKS (20 LAPS)
1. TJ Henry, 2. Rick Broschard, 3. Tom Wills, Sr., 4. Mike Creamer, 5. Tom Wills, Jr., 6. Jimmy Avery, 7. Ed Bischoff, 8. Jillian Long, 9. Todd Ahner, 10. Spider Ensinger, 11. George Ramos, III, 12. Jeramy Doerr, 13. Nate Hill, 14. Ron Frees, 15. Kenny Watson, 16. Jack Beaumont, 17. Jeff Dirkes, 18. Joe Meron, 19. Pete Ellis, Jr. DNS – Vern McLaughlin, Darren Cox
HILBORN TRI STATE RACE SAVER SPRINT CAR FEATURE – (20 LAPS)
1. Mike Haggenbottom, 2. Adam Carberry, 3. Eddie Strada, 4. Rick Stief, 5. Karl Freyer, 6. Sam Lieberman, 7. David Bonner, 8. Ryan Stillwagon, 9. Keith Anderson, 10. Randy Wilbert, 11. Pat U’Selis
Rick Laubach, CJ Jones and Ron Frees capitalized on an opportunity when they picked up Aces as the result of their feature wins in the Bridgeport Speedway’s Bonus Hand for the 2015 Poker Series.
For 2012 Bridgeport Champion, Rick Laubach the win in the thirty lap Spirit Auto Centers Big Block Modified event was his sixth win of the 2015 season on the 5/8 mile track but this win came behind the wheel of Glenn Hyneman’s No. 126. It was Laubach’s first outing in Hyneman’s Big Block Modified. “This was a driver’s track tonight,” Laubach stated after his win. “I just want to thank Glenn and Bonita Hyneman for this opportunity to run their car.”
By virtue of the luck of the draw, Rocco Infante and Laubach led the field to the green flag. Laubach quickly jumped into the lead but Infante wasn’t giving up as he gave chase, keeping his JR1 in the tracks of Laubach and the No. 126. Mike Iles put the Active Environmental No. 711 into second following a lap seven restart for the disabled car of Ryan Krachun.
Laubach began to pull away from the field but the caution waved again with twelve complete when a chain reaction incident sent Richie Pratt, Jr. to the pits with the Overhead Door No. 0. Laubach chose the inside on the restart and Iles raced side by side with the leader when the race went back to green flag racing. As the field exited turn four on lap thirteen, Iles was the new race leader.
With ten to go, Iles led Laubach, Infante, Jordan Watson and Neal Williams but Laubach was closing fast. Laubach powered by Iles on lap twenty-one to regain the lead as Williams moved up to third. With just five laps to go, Ryan Watt drove into the top five with a pass by Watson. Watt had driven from 24th to fifth, powering his small block into the top five after engine problems sidelined his big block entry.
Laubach drove to the checkered without further challenge as Iles led Williams across the line for second and third. 2015 Modified Champion, Jamie Mills finished fourth with Watt rounding out the top five.
Steve Searock led the first two laps of the Steward Stainless Crate/Sportsman main event before young Brandon Grosso took the lead on lap three. Gross led the way for three circuits before CJ Jones took the lead on lap six. It was all Jones to the checkered flag as Jones drove to his Ace at the checkered flag. Grosso had another strong outing to finish second followed by 2015 Champion, Pat Wall, Dave Damiano and Frank Dorry.
Ron Frees returned to competition on dirt after competing on the asphalt for much of the 2015 season and quickly found his way into Bridgeport’s Victory Lane in the PennCo Tech Outlaw Stock feature event. Jeramy Doerr finished second with pressure from TJ Henry at the finish. Jeff Dirkes finished fourth with Tom Wills, Jr. rounding out the top five.
Kristina Pratt (Modified), Courtney Picken (Crate/Sportsman) and Shanan Lea (Outlaw Stocks) picked up wins in the Powder Puff feature events on the quarter mile track.
Spirit Auto Centers Big Block Modified Feature (30 laps)
Steward Stainless Crate/Sportsman Feature (20 laps)
PennCo Tech Outlaw Stock Feature (15 laps)
Powder Puff – Outlaw Stocks
Powder Puff – Crate/Sportsman
Powder Puff – Modifieds
Upcoming Events
Friday, November 13, 2015 – WILD CARD WEEKEND, 358 Small Block Modifieds, TSRS 305 Sprints, Outlaw Stocks plus Practice for Saturday, Racing at 7pm
Saturday, November 14, 2015 – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman, Outlaw Stocks & Garden State Vintage Cars. Racing at 4pm
On Friday night, the Poker Series Bonus Hand takes the green flag with the Spirit Auto Centers Big Block Modifieds, Steward Stainless Crate/Sportsman and PennCo Tech Outlaw Stocks taking the first green flag at7:30pm. Competitors will have the opportunity to pick up a bonus card that can only help their hands for the Poker Series competition.
While winless so far in the Poker Series competition this season, Duane Howard has a pair of Kings to show for his efforts. Ryan Godown, Rick Laubach, Ryan Watt and Stewart Friesen each hold an Ace in their hand for their Poker Series wins. Brett Kressley is undefeated in Crate/Sportsman competition with four Poker Series wins. Jeramy Doerr, 2015 Champion, Tom Wills, Sr. and Scott Dugan have Poker Series wins in the Outlaw Stock division.
Action moves to the quarter mile track for Saturday night’s events as the $10,000 to win, Romp in the Swamp takes to the track, sponsored by Colonial Pipeline Call Before You Dig. The Xcel 600 Modifieds will join the Open Modifieds on the quarter mile for Saturday night’s competition.
Bobby Drayton, Mike Iles and Bob Sarkisian each captured a single victory in Friday night Open Modified competition on the quarter mile in preparation for the Romp in the Swamp. The Bridgeport Speedway’s All Time Feature Winner, Jimmy Horton captured two wins in the Friday night action – his first ever on the quarter mile track. Horton also claimed the track title in the Friday night events and earned a guaranteed starting spot in the Romp on the Swamp.
Racing action gets underway on Saturday at 5pm. The Open Modifieds will race against the clock in time trials and then move onto qualifying events.
While the end of the 2015 season nears, there is still plenty of racing action at the Bridgeport Speedway!
On Saturday, October 31st, the long awaited $10,000 to win Romp in the Swamp comes to the Bridgeport quarter mile. The Romp in the Swamp is sponsored by Colonial Pipeline Call Before You Dig.
The Romp in the Swamp is a forty lap main event for Open Mods. Time trials and qualifying events will be used to determine the starting line-up in the feature event. The 600 Xcel Mods will also be in action on the quarter mile, competing in qualifying events before their twenty-five lap feature.
Racing gets underway at 5pm.
Upcoming Events
Friday, November 13th – Wild Card Weekend – 358 Small Block Modifieds, Hilborn TSRS Sprint Cars, Outlaw Stocks in Friends of Mike event and practice for all Saturday divisions, racing starts at 7pm
Saturday, November 14th – Gone But Not Forgotten Poker Series #5 – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman, Outlaw Stocks and Garden State Vintage Cars, racing at 7pm
Upcoming Events
Friday, October 30 – Poker Series Bonus Hand – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman & Outlaw Stocks – racing at 7:30pm
Saturday, October 31 – Romp in the Swamp – $10,000 to win Open Mods on Quarter Mile & Xcel Modifieds – racing at 5pm
Friday, November 13 – Wild Card Weekend – 358 Small Block Modifieds, TSRS Sprints & Outlaw Stocks – racing at 7pm
Saturday, November 14 – Gone But Not Forgotten – Poker Series #5 – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman, Outlaw Stocks & Garden State Vingtage – racing at 7pm