IT’S A NEW TRACK RECORD AS GODOWN WINS SIXTH IN A ROW
Bridgeport, NJ – Records were broken on Saturday night as Ryan Godown raced to his sixth win in a row on the high banks of the Bridgeport Motorsports Park in the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modified feature event. EZ Work Trucks sponsored the night of racing as history was being made.
Matt Ellery raced to the first win of his career in the Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman feature after being so close on several occasions. Jeff Dirkes raced to his third win of the season in the Triple R Truck Parts Street Stocks. Kevin Nagy raced to second win of the season in the Delaware Auto Exchange Mid Atlantic Sprint Series.
The previous Bridgeport record was for five consecutive wins shared by both Kenny Brightbill and Wade Hendrickson. Of course, those records were set on the old 5/8th mile track while Godown’s mark was made on the new track configuration. Six wins in a row will not only be the new mark in Bridgeport history but the mark to beat in the current Bridgeport record book for the 4/10 mile track.
The Modified feature saw Mike Franz jump into the lead on the start. The caution waved with one lap on the books and Roger Manning raced by Franz to take the lead on the restart. Manning led the way through lap ten but Neal Williams raced into the lead on a lap eleven restart.
Williams led the way through halfway with Godown, Billy Pauch, Jr., Manning and Billy Osmun III trailing the leader.
Williams was closing in on the back of the field. As he raced his way through the lapped traffic, Godown raced by to take the lead on lap twenty-two. “I got a little free on me,” Williams explained. “I could feel the right rear getting out from under me when I got to the lapped traffic,” Williams added.
Pauch raced into second one lap later. Williams, Ryan Watt and Manning made up the top five as the field headed into the final five laps.
Godown raced to the checkered for his tenth Bridgeport win of the season over Pauch, Williams, Watt and Manning. Osmun finished sixth followed by Ryan Krachun, Richie Pratt, Jr., Cale Ross and Sammy Martz, Jr.
“I race one race at a time,” Godown commented. “This crew works hard every week. We keep making small changes to get better.”
It was a successful night for the R&M Team with Godown and Ellery taking feature wins and Ryan Godown, Jr. finishing second.
F&L Door heat races were won by Osmun, Watt and Williams with Sammy Martz, Jr. picking up the win in the consolation.
After many close finishes, Matt Ellery raced to his first Precision Hydraulic &Oil 602 Sportsman feature of his career. A former micro sprint competitor, Ellery is in just his second full season in the 602 Sportsman. He picked up a win in a non-winner’s race at the end of last season.
“I was waiting for the caution to come out,” Ellery stated following his win. “That’s what usually happens when I am leading a race.” But on this night, there weren’t any late race cautions and Ellery raced to the checkered first.
Brian Papiez and Ethan Bill were racing for second as they dealt with heavy lapped traffic. Ryan Godown, Jr. took advantage of the situation and dove to the bottom of the track to take second late in the race. Papiez finished third with Bill taking fourth. Howie Finch rounded out the top five.
Brandon Shipley finished sixth followed by Travis Hill, Trent Willey, Wayne Weaver and Brian Rogers to complete the top ten in the running order.
Hoffman Discount Parts heat races were won by Ryan McKinney, Ellery and Hill.
Jeff Dirkes raced to his second win in a row and third win of the season in the Triple R Truck Parts Street Stocks. Dirkes led all fifteen laps to take the win over point leader and five time feature winner, Lee Allen. Jeramy Doerr finished third followed by Mike Hughes and TJ Henry.
Mike Hughes picked up the win in the TW Metals heat race.
A full field of 305 sprint cars were on hand for the Delaware Auto Exchange Mid Atlantic Sprint Series (MASS). Their feature event saw Kevin Nagy return to the Weaknecht Archery Victory Lane for his second win of the season.
Nagy was a big winner in MASS events at Bridgeport last season and captured the 2021 MASS Championship but the 2022 season has been a challenge for the defending champion. “This is the best I’ve felt so far this season,” Nagy explained. “I have speed early in the night but something happens later in the night.”
Nagy led from the green to the checkered as he raced ahead of Jon Brennfleck for the win sponsored by EZ Work Trucks. Aidan Borden and Brennfleck had traded the runner-up spot during the feature. Current MASS point leader, Buddy Schweibinz seemed to get better as the race progressed, challenging Borden for third. Schweibinz won the spot in the end with Borden and Mike Melair finishing fourth and fifth.
Dave Grube, Eddie Wagner, Tim Iulg, Rick Stief and Mark Bitner rounded out the top ten.
EZ Finance Trucks/Cornell H&E heat races were won by Borden, Jason Dunn, Wagner and Rich Janney. Joe Kay was the winner of the consolation.
Racing returns to the Kingdom of Speed on Saturday with Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks and 4 Cylinders. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Thursday, August 25th when the All Star Circuit of Champions makes their first ever appearance at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park.
DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIED FEATURE – 30 LAPS
1. Ryan Godown, 2. Billy Pauch, Jr., 3. Neal Williams, 4. Ryan Watt, 5. Roger Manning, 6. Billy Osmun, III, 7. Ryan Krachun, 8. Richie Pratt, Jr., 9. Cale Ross, 10. Sammy Martz, Jr., 11. Mike Frantz, 12. Davey Sammons, 13. Joseph Watson, 14. Sam Martz, Sr., 15. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 16. Dominick Buffalino, 17. Ron Roberts, 18. Ryan Forte, 19. Howard O’Neal, 20. Tom Maccherone, 21. Brad Roberts, 22. Matt Peck, 23. Tommy Beamer, 24. Matt Stangle, DNQ – Jim Britt, Don Barone, Mark VanVorst
PRECISION HYDRAULIC & OIL 602 SPORTSMAN – 25 LAPS
1. Matt Ellery, 2. Ryan Godown, 3. Brian Papiez, 4. Ethan Bill, 5. Howie Finch, 6. Brandon Shipley, 7. Travis Hill. 8. Trent Willey, 9. Wayne Weaver, 10. Brian Rogers, 11. Bryan Brobst, 12. Stephen Yankowski, 13. Thomas Prychka, 14. Pete Serra, 15. Ethan Young, 16. David Jenkins, 17. Ryan McKinney, 18. Matt Luzi, 19. Billy Chester, 20. David Miloszar, 21. Danny Hulmes, 22. Aaron Weaver, 23. John Scarpati, DNS – Daylton Strohl
BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK STREET STOCKS – 15 LAPS
1. Jeff Dirkes, 2. Lee Allen, 3. Jeramy Doerr, 4. Mike Hughes, 5. T.J. Henry, 6. Nick Sandone, III, 7. Mike Creamer, 8. Chris Lane, 9. Ken Moren, DNS – Bobby Johnson,
Jeff Belh
DELAWARE AUTO EXCHANGE MID-ATLANTIC SPRINT SERIES FEATURE – 25 LAPS
1. Kevin Nagy, 2. Jon Brennfleck, 3. Buddy Schweibinz, 4. Aidan Borden, 5. Mike Melair, 6. Dave Grube, 7. Eddie Wagner, 8. Rick Stief, 9. Tim Iulg, 10. Mark Bitner, 11. Dave Brown, 12. Larry McVay, 13. Rich Janney, 14. Cory Hunsberger, 15. Jeff Paulson, 16. Dale Eggert, 17. D.J. Tanner, Jr., 18. Cory Cornell, 19. Keith Anderson, 20. Bobby DeVault, 21. Dan Leaper, 22. Kristina Pratt, 23. Jason Dunn, 24. Joe Kay, DNQ – Kenny Laureno, Josh Bricker, Ryan Neil, Darren Cox, Justin Nowlen, Andy Mahan, Rory Janney, Shelby Kelly, Justin Mills, Dirk Rimrott