LAUBACH RACES TO FIRST WIN ON BRIDGEPORT HIGH BANKS

Bridgeport, NJ – Rick Laubach raced to his first feature win of the 2023 season in the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifieds at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park. Travis Hill put the Cogdill No. 98 in Champion Brands LLC Victory Lane for his second win of the season in the Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman. Mike Hughes raced to his fourth win of the season in the Roveda Speed & Custom Street Stocks. Eric Degler became the first repeat winner in the Tipico Sportsbook 4 Cylinders. Bridgeport fans were treated to twin 20 lap feature events by the Xcel 600 Modfieds with Tyler Bartik and Geoffrey Sutton splitting the victories in two very exciting feature events.

Laubach has had a lot of success at Bridgeport throughout his career. Many of his wins and his last track title came with the Hermann No. 7. With the No. 7 sidelined with motor issues, Laubach turned to his own No. 20 for racing on the High Banks. After running the No. 20 in the last Bridgeport event, Laubach and crew made some changes to the car in preparation for Saturday night and the Beacon Building Supplies No. 20 went to Victory Lane

Laubach led every lap of the thirty lap main event after grabbing the lead from JR Fulper on the start. “It helped starting up front,” Laubach explained, “but with the restarts they were all right there anyway. Former feature winner, HJ Bunting quickly raced into second as Fulper, Joseph Watson and Sammy Martz, Jr. raced in the top five through the early laps. Martz, Jr. moved up to fourth as Jordan Watson challenged Joseph for fifth with ten laps on the books.

Bunting challenged Laubach on a lap fourteen restart but Laubach pulled ahead after a side-by-side battle that circled the track.

Matt Stangle slowed with a flat tire on lap fifteen. As Stangle tried to get off of the track on the homestretch, the field bore down on the disabled car. Joseph Watson went for a wild ride, ending up under the strater’s stand facing track with the roof against the wall. It took some maneuvering but Watson exited under his own power with the help of the track crew. Also involved were the cars of Neal Williams, Fulper, Frank Cozze, Cale Ross, Billy Osmun and Anthony Tramontana. Only Stangle and Ross were able to continue.

Laubach raced ahead in the second half of the race with Bunting holding on to second until the final laps. Jordan Watson made his way through the top five and then went to the top to overtake Bunting on lap twenty-nine.

It was Laubach for the win over Jordan Watson, Bunting, Duane Howard and Martz, Jr. Howard picked his way through the field and into the top five in the final ten laps. Stangle rebounded to finish sixth. Dominick Buffalino finished seventh in his first Bridgeport appearance of the season followed by Stan Frankenfield, WB James and Ryan Krachun.

Laubach became the seventh different winner in the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifieds this season with only Cale Ross being able to repeat in the Winner’s Circle.

F&L Door heat races were won by Neal Williams, Laubach and Sammy Martz, Jr.

Brandon Shipley took the lead of the Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman feature and raced out in front of the field for the first seven times around the High Banks. Travis Hill raced from his eighth place starting spot and into the top five in the first few laps.

With Shipley out in front, Hill raced with Matt Peck for second, taking the position on lap eight. Shipley was on Hill’s radar.

Shipley was able to hold Hill off until lap fifteen when Hill slid up in front of Shipley in turn two.

The top five positions were still up for grabs as the field raced to the checkered flag. Hill took the win over Brian Papiez who passed Shipley for the position on lap twenty-four. Shipley finished third followed by Stephen Yankowski and Wayne Weaver who was making his first Bridgeport start of the season. Ethan Bill finished sixth followed by Jaxon Yohn, Jim Dallett who raced from his provisional start to finish eighth, Tom Moore and Scott Hulmes.

The Hoffman Discount Parts heat races were won by David Jenkins, Shipley and Travis Hill.

The competition in the Roveda Speed & Custom Street Stocks is heating up along with the temperatures. After Tom Wills, Jr. won the first four events of the season, Mike Hughes started his winning ways. Hughes has won four out of the last five events with TJ Henry picking up one win in that period of time.

Nick Sandone III was able to hold of the challenge of Mike Hughes to lead the first lap but it was all Hughes for the rest of the way. Hughes led lap two and all the way to the checkered as Wills, Jr. chased him to the finish.

Hughes took the win over Wills, Jr. with Sandone finishing third for his best run of the season. Terry Chaney finished fourth with Bailey Tolson rounding out the top five.

The Victory Fuel heat race was won by Nick Sandone III.

Eric Degler became the first repeat winner in the Tipico 4 Cylinders. Lee Allen and Tim Jones battled all the way to the checkered with Allen second over Jones. Defending champion, Ed Ford finished fourth over Garrett Moll.

Degler also picked up the win in the ProTek Roofing heat race for the 4 Cylinders.

A pair of 15 lap Xcel 600 Modified features saw Tyler Bartik take the win in the first race over Korey Inglin and Richie Hitzler.

The second feature event was a thriller as Geoffrey Sutton, Richie Hitzler and Bryce Smith made a three car race for the win on the final lap. Hitzler dove to the inside but Sutton was able to defend his lead and take the win over Hitzler and Smith.

Coming this Saturday to the Bridgeport Motorsports Park for the very first time the American Flat Track Series presented by Drag Specialities. Racing resumes on Saturday, July 29th with the second Saturday Night Rumble for the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifieds. Duane Howard was the winner of the first Rumble. The Mid Atlantic Sprint Series will also be on hand along with the 602 Sportsman and Street Stocks.

DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIEDS (30 LAPS)

  1. Rick Laubach, 2. Jordan Watson, 3. H.J. Bunting, 4. Duane Howard, 5. Sammy Martz, Jr., 6. Matt Stangle, 7. Dominick Buffalino, 8. Stan Frankenfield, Jr., 9. W.B. James, 10. Ryan Krachun, 11. David Hunt, 12. Cale Ross, 13. Jack Swain, 14. John Aumick, 15. J.R. Fulper, 16. Neal Williams, 17. Joseph Watson, 18. Frank Cozze, 19. Anthony Tramontana, 20. Billy Osmun, III, 21. Blaine Bracelin, 22. Dalyton Strohl, DNS – Mike Franz

PRECISION HYDRAULIC & OIL 602 SPORTSMAN (30 LAPS)

  1. Travis Hill, 2. Brian Papiez, 3. Brandon Shipley, 4. Stephen Yankowski, 5. Wayne Weaver, 6. Ethan Bill, 7. Jax Yohn, 8. Jim Dallett, 9. Tom Moore, Jr., 10. Scott Hulmes, 11. David Jenkins, 12. Brandon Watkins, 13. Matt Peck, 14. Pete Serra, 15. Thomas Prychka, 16. Brian Rogers, 17. Justin Newhard, 18. Dave Hartman, 19. Shane Kassekert, 20. Bryan Olsen, 21. Nick DeSantis, 22. Ethan Young, 23. Robert Tete, 24. Dan Hulmes, 25. Billy Chester, 26. Greg Nailor, DNS – Erik Mattson, DNQ – Theresa Aumick, Briana Olsen, Ed Owens

ROVEDA SPEED & CUSTOM STREET STOCKS (15 LAPS)

  1. Mike Hughes, 2. Tom Wills, Jr., 3. Nick Sandone, III, 4. Terry Chaney, 5. Bailey Tolson, 6. Cory Fleming, 7. Jeff Dirkes, DNS – Jeramy Doerr

TIPICO FOUR CYLINDERS (15 LAPS)

  1. Eric Degler, 2. Lee Allen, 3. Tim Jones, 4. Ed Ford, 5. Garrett Moll, 6. John Parker, 7. Dan Stein, Jr.

XCEL MODIFIEDS FIRST FEATURE (15 LAPS)

  1. Tyler Bartik, 2. Korey Inglin, 3. Richie Hitzler, 4. Kenny Harris, 5. Shjon Dove, 6. Geoffrey Sutton, 7. Tifffany Mays, 8. Doug Newbiggining, 9. Ray Gradwell, 10. Eric Whitby, 11. Tom Martocci, 12. Bryce Smith, 13. Justin Maylath, 14. Chad Kreiser, 15. Tyler Fronino, 16. Keith McInytre, 17. Chris Frable, 18. Nick Faust, 19. Robbie Swavely, 20. Christian Smith, 21. Randy Getz, Jr., DNS – James Dove

XCEL MODIFIEDS SECOND FEATURE (15 LAPS)

  1. Geoffrey Sutton, 2. Richie Hitzler, 3. Bryce Smith, 4. Kenny Harris, 5. Tyler Bartik, 6. Tom Martocci, 7. Korey Inglin, 8. Chad Kreiser, 9. Eric Whitby, 10. Tiffany Mays, 11. Doug Newbigginng, 12. Christian Smith, 13. Tyler Fronino, 14. Ray Gradwell, 15. Randy Getz, Jr., 16. Shjon Dove, 17. Justin Mayllath, 18. Keith McIntyre, DNS – James Dove, Robbie Swavely, Chris Fraible, Nick Faust