FATHER AND SON VICTORIES HIGHLIGHT BRIDGEPORT ACTION
Bridgeport, NJ – Ryan Godown – Senior and Junior – dominated the action in their respective divisions at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park, sending the historians to the record books to see if it had ever been done before. It was the second Bridgeport win of the 2020 season for both. Ryan Senior won the opening day event while Ryan Jr. put two wins back-to-back, winning in consecutive weeks.
Rich Stinson, Jr. picked up his fourth win of the season in the Sunbelt Rentals Outlaw Stocks. Nolan Upenshaw was the winner of the DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookie feature while Dave Caraghan raced to victory in the All Star Slingshots Matinee in his first ever Bridgeport appearnace.
Godown Sr. raced a big block motor in the Searock No. 26 for his second win. Not really by choice after the team lost a motor in competition the night before. They came to the track with what they had and on this Saturday night, the combination put the team in Victory Lane. “We’ve been struggling,” the race winner stated. “We’ve been working our butts off but we just can’t get ahead.” Godown’s opening day win came with small block power under the hood of the No. 26.
Mike Franz grabbed the lead at the wave of the green and led the way through the first five laps over Matt Stangle, Jojo Watson and Richie Pratt, Jr. while Godown battled with Tommy Beamer for fifth. At the end of lap six, the leaders had caught the back of the field. Pratt chose the fast lane and raced into the lead on lap seven.
Godown was up to fourth by lap ten and then moved into second on a lap eleven restart. Pratt took the crossed flags over Godown, Beamer, Alex Yankowski and Billy Pauch.
After a side by side battle, Godown took the lead on lap eighteen. The top five remained the same through five laps to go.
In the closing laps, Pauch was able to pass Yankowski and then Beamer to put the No. 1 in third. As the leaders raced to the white flag, Pratt closed the gap on Godown and executed a slide job entering turn four. Godown was able to drive off to the inside of Pratt and maintain his lead but the move had everyone on their feet as they raced to the checkered flag. Godown took the win in the Foley Cat Modifieds over Pratt, Pauch, Beamer and Yankowski. Stangle finished sixth followed by Neal Willliams, Jimmy Horton, Danny Bouc who raced back from an earlier caution and Briggs Danner.
Ryan Godown, Jr. benefited from the advice his dad passed along after his win. Godown, Jr. took the lead on the first lap and never looked back in the twenty lap South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Sportsman feature. As the leader, Godown raced in front of a heated battle for second but none of the challengers were able to get to the leader.
Wayne Weaver raced in second before the half way mark as Steve Kemery and Eric Kormann traded the third spot back and forth.
Kemery passed Weaver for second at halfway while James Hill battled with Kormann for position. Brad Roberts raced into the the top five on lap twelve after a three wide contest between Tom Moore, Matt Peck and Roberts.
Weaver regained second from Kemery on lap eighteen with Roberts making it a three car race for second. Godown raced to the win over Weaver, Roberts, Kemery and Jim Gallagher, Jr. Kormann finished sixth with Hill, Joe Toth, Brian Lilick and Moore completing the top ten in the running order.
The Sunbelt Rentals Street Stock feature event saw the lead change hands several times before eventual winner, Rich Stinson, Jr. took over. Jeff Dirkes led the first three laps before a flat tire sent him pitside. Paul Donahue inheritied the lead on lap four but it was Tom Wills, Sr. who put the N. 57 out in front for lap five. The former track champion held Stinson at bey for two laps. Stinson took the lead on lap eight and Lee Allen followed him through.
Allen’s efforts fell just short as Stinson took the checkered flag over Allen. Dirkes raced from the back of the field after his visit to the pits to finish third. Nick Sandone III drove to a fourth place finish for his best performance to date. Ken Moren also had a best finish of fifth at the end of fifteen laps. Paul Donahue, Mike Hughes, Jr., Keith McKinley, Tom Wills, Sr. and Gary Klimeczak rounded out the top ten.
Nolan Openshaw won what was one of the most unusual races in recent memory. When the top three cars tangled in turns three and four on the first lap, Openshaw took the lead. Openshaw’s choice to run the bottom of the track was a race winning decision. He becomes the fourth different winner in 2020 Rookie action. Anthony Sisco finished second followed by Tim Borror and Harry Houdini.
Ryan Drews was a first time winner in the 4 Cylinder competition.
David Carraghan picked up the win in the twenty lap All Star Slingshot matinee. After struggling during his qualifying race, Carraghan got it all turned around for the feature and came away with the win in his first appearance on the Bridgeport quarter mile. Rookie Michael Beckett continues to put in a strong effort and finished second to Carraghan. Point leader, Ryan Davey finished third with Amanda Angstadt taking fourth after racing back from an earlier race incident. Ryan Harris finished fifth after racing in the top five for the entire race. Dave Morrell, followed in sixth with 600 Micro Sprint competitor, Gary Bozowski, in seventh as he tried out the Slingshots. Ashley Therien, Tomas Mowery and Tim Franks completed the top ten at the finish.
Racing action resumes at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park on Saturday with Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks and Rookies with action starting at 7pm.
BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK
Saturday, August 22, 2020
FOLEY-CAT MODIFIEDS FEATURE (30 laps) –
- Ryan Godown, 2. Richie Pratt, Jr., 3. Billy Pauch, Sr., 4. Tommy Beamer, 5. Alex Yankowski, 6. Matt Stangle, 7. Neal Williams, 8. Jimmy Horton, 9. Danny Bouc, 10. Briggs Danner, 11. Ryan Watt, 12. Cale Ross, 13. Clay Butler, 14. Ron Roberts, 15. Mike Franz, 16. Rich Rutski, 17. Rocco Infante, 18. Billy Lasko, 19. John Parkenham, 20. Jim Bobbitt, 21. Joseph Watson, 22. Willie Osmun, 23. Bobby Firth, 24. Brandon Hightower, DNS – Stan Frankenfield, Jr.
SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOOR 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20 laps) –
- Ryan Godown, Jr., 2. Wayne Weaver, 3. Brad Roberts, 4. Steve Kemery, 5. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 6. Eric Kormann, 7. James Hill, 8. Joe Toth, 9. Brian Lilick, 10. Tom Moore, Jr., 11. Matt Peck, 12. Nolan Openshaw, 13. Jonathan Swift, 14. Scott Hulmes, 15. Pete Serra, 16. Tom Errico, Jr., 17. Erick Mattson, 18. Anthony Sisco, 19. Billy Chester, 20. Matt Luzi, 21. Ryan Anderson, 22. Chris Jenkins, DNS – Tim Borror, Harry Houdini.
D.A. AUTO BODY & REPAIR ROOKIE FEATURE (8 laps) –
- Nolan Openshaw, 2. Anthony Sisco, 3. Tim Borror, 4. Harry Houdini
SUNBELT RENTALS STREET STOCKS FEATURE (15 laps) –
- Rich Stinson, Jr., 2. Lee Allen, 3. Jeff Dirkes, 4. Nick Sandone III, 5. Ken Moren, 6. Paul Donahue, 7. Mike Hughes, Jr., 8. Keith McKinley, 9. Tom Wills, Sr., 10. Gary Klimeczak, 11. Johnny Bush, 12. Steven Land, 13. John Parker, 14. Everett Taylor, 15. Tom Wills, Jr., DNS – T.J. Henry
ALL STAR SLINGSHOTS (20 laps on quarter mile)
- Dave Carraghan, 2. Michael Beckett, 3. Ryan Davey, 4. Amanda Angstadt, 5. Ryan Harris, 6. Dave Morrell, 7. Gary Bozowski, 8. Ashley Therien, 9. Tomas Mowery, 10. Tim Franks, 11. Ryan Cummings
FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE (10 laps) –
- Ryan Drews