LAUBACH, HITCHENS & WILLS, SR. ARE THREE NEWEST WINNERS AT BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK
Bridgeport, NJ – Week three of the 2020 racing season produced more great side by side racing as well as three new winners on a night of racing sponsored by the Delaware Auto Exchange!
Rick Laubach took the checkered flag in the Foley Cat Modifed feature that saw several drivers contend for the lead throughout the thirty lap feature event. Delaware’s Scott Hitchens achieved something that he has been trying to do for several seasons – win at the Bridgeport Speedway as he led the way to the finish line in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Sportsman feature event. Tom Wills, Sr. raced to his first win in the Sunbelt Rental Street Stocks – his first win since the 2015 season. The DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookies raced for the first time this season with Anthony Sisco capturing the win.
Two other divisions made special appearances in the Sunday evening show. The All Star Slingshots had their first afternoon matinee as they completed their qualifying events on the Spirit Speedway quarter mile before hot laps got underway for the new 4/10th mile track. Then they got to run their feature event in front of the Sunday evening crowd – many of whom have probably not ever seen a Slingshot event. Oley, PA driver, Brett Bieber took home the win in his first appearance on the revamped quarter mile. The 4 Cylinder competitors completed the race card with Justin Dunn taking the lead from his dad and then going on to pick up the win. Six feature events and the entire show was completed in just over three and a half hours!
Rick Laubach demonstrated that a Big Block Modified can win on the new 4/10th mile surface. Laubach picked up the win in the Hermann No. 7. Laubach raced the Small Block car just a week ago but found the Big Block much more to his liking. “I’m a big block guy. The small block just isn’t right for me,” Laubach explained.
It was Alex Yankowski who set the pace for much of the race in what was his first appearance at the new Bridgeport track. Yankowski drew the outside pole for his starting position and immediately grabbed the lead at the start of the race. Yankowski pulled away from the field as the feature went for twenty-two green flag laps before the caution waved for Jeff Strunk who slowed on the speedway. Yankowski restarted from inside the front row, electing to use the inside for the restart. Richie Pratt, Jr. grabbed the lead on the start but it was Laubach who charged ahead in turn three while Yankowski battled with Billy Pauch for third. With six laps to go, Ryan Watt was racing just outside of the top five but a few laps later, Watt was mounting a challenge for the lead.
At the end of thirty laps, it was Laubach who led the way to the checkered over Watt, Pauch, opening day winner, Ryan Godown and last week’s winner, Tim Buckwalter. Craig VonDohren finished sixth ahead of Ryan Krachun, Matt Stangle, Neal Williams and Louden Reimert. Yankowksi’s night ended just four laps from the finish.
2019 Track Champion, Matt Peck led the 602 Sportsman from the wave of the green. Peck led the way until through fourteen laps until Steve Kemery took over with five laps to go. Hitchens raced side by side with Kemery for the lead on lap fifteen and pulled ahead just one lap later.
Hitchens picked up the win over Kemery, Peck, Wayne Weaver and Ryan Godown, Jr. Joe Toth finished sixth followed by Brad Roberts, last week’s winner, Ryan Anderson, Eric Kormman and Tom Errico, Jr.
Tom Wills, Sr was behind the wheel of his old No. 57 – now owned by Joslin Motorsports. Wills, Sr. led every lap of the fifteen laps but he had a lot of pressure coming from a former Street Stock Champion, Ron Frees who was driving the No. 70 for Doug DeBray and Lee Allen who raced in second or third for much of the race.
Wills, Sr. took the popular win over Allen, Tom Wills, Jr., Jeff Dirkes and Rich Stinson, Jr. Frees dropped back to seventh after making contact with the wall on the final lap.
Anthony Sisco picked up the win in the first Rookie feature of the season over Harry Houdini, Tim Borror, George Piutz and Bill Schorr.
Brett Bieber made his first Bridgeport appearance of the season count as he picked up the win in the Slingshot matinee followed by CJ Fritz, Michael Beckett, Ryan Davey and Ryan Harris.
Justin Dunn was the 4 Cylinder winner over Neil Rutt, Scott Dunn, Mike Fox and Joe Garey, Sr.
Action returns to the Bridgeport Motorsports Park this Saturday with the Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks, Rookies, 8 Cylinders and the Mid Atlantic Sprint Series with racing getting underway at 7pm.
FOLEY CAT MODIFIEDS (30 laps) –
- Rick Laubach, 2. Ryan Watt, 3. Billy Pauch, Sr., 4. Ryan Godown, 5. Tim Buckwalter, 6. Craig VonDohren, 7. Ryan Krachun, 8. Matt Stangle, 9. Neal Williams, 10. Louden Reimert, 11. Briggs Danner, 12. Richie Pratt, Jr., 13. Dakota Kessler, 14. Stan Frankenfield, Jr., 15. Tommy Beamer, 16. Alex Yankowski, 17. Jordon Justice, 18. Jeff Strunk, 19. Jim Britt, 20. John Willman, 21. Ron Roberts, 22. Dillon Steuer, 23. Brandon Grosso, 24. Jack Swain, DNS – Jared Umbenhauer, DNQ – Jeramy Doerr, Andy Burkhart, Billy Lasko, Joseph Watson
SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOOR 602 SPORTSMAN (20 laps) –
- Scott Hitchens, 2. Steve Kemery, 3. Matt Peck, 4. Wayne Weaver, 5. Ryan Godown, Jr., 6. Joe Toth, 7. Brad Roberts, 8. Ryan Anderson, 9. Eric Kormann, 10. Tommy Errico, Jr., 11. Sammy Martz, Jr., 12. Jim Gallager, Jr., 13. Jonathan Swift, 14. David Crossman, 15. Nick VanWickle, 16. Steve Lyle, 17. Scott Hulmes, 18. Justin Grosso, 19. Erik McKinney, 20. Tim Borror, 21. Billy Chester, 22. Justin Easton, 23. John Stevenson, 24. Anthony Sisco, DNS – Erick Mattson, George Pultz, Harry Houdini,
D.A.’S AUTO BODY AND REPAIR ROOKIES (8 laps) –
- Anthony Sisco, 2. Harry Houdini, 3. Tim Borror, 4. George Pultz, 5. Bill Schorr
SUNBELT RENTALS STREET STOCKS (15 laps) –
- Tom Wills, Sr., 2. Lee Allen, 3. Tom Wills, Jr., 4. Jeff Dirkes, 5. Rich Stinson, Jr., 6. Brian Spencer, 7. Ron Frees, 8. John Parker, 9. Nick Sandone, III, 10. Paul Donahue, 11. Justin Nowlen, 12. Ken Moren, 13. Keith McKinley, DNS – Michael Creamer
FOUR CYLINDERS (20 laps) –
- Justin Dunn, 2. Neil Rutt, 3. Scott Dunn, 4. Mike Fox, 5. Joe Garey, Sr., 6. Sal Liguori, 7. Ryan Drews, 8. Joe Garey, Jr., 9. Everett Taylor, 10. Paul Hartwig, 11. Ashleigh Wroble
ALLSTAR SLINGSHOTS (20 laps) –
- Brett Bieber, 2. C.J. Fritz, 3. Michael Beckett, 4. Ryan Davey, 5. Ryan Harris, 6. Dave Morrell, 7. Shawn Mowery, 8. Joseph Hansen, 9. Tomas Mowery, 10. Amanda Angstadt, 11. Ashley Therien, 12. Dave McCullough