NEAL WILLIAMS RACES TO BRIDGEPORT VICTORY
Bridgeport, NJ – Neal Williams raced to the win in the thirty lap Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modified feature at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park on Saturday to a large crowd on Amwell Auto Body Night. Andy Best became the fifth different winner in the DCP Mid Atlantic Sprint Series action sponsored by Hessert Chevrolet on the High Banks as he raced to the win over Jeff Paulson. Ethan Bill joined Travis Hill and Brian Papiez as a multiple feature winners as he collected his second Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman feature win. Tom Wills, Jr. was back on top as he raced to his fifth feature win of the season in the Prime Design Landscaping Street Stocks.
The win was Williams’ first in Saturday night competition on the 4/10th track and it didn’t come easy. “My dad and Jim King spent the last two weeks rebuilding this car after the wreck,” Williams stated. Don Thornton joined the Sal DeBruno owned team this season after Thornton’s driver, Tommy Beamer, announced his retirement from racing at the end of last season. On Saturday night, Thornton celebrated the win with Williams and the No. 0 team. “This is Don’s motor that Morgantini did the rebuilt for us,” Williams continued. “This is only the second race on this motor. Without all of them (everybody on the crew), we’re dead in the water.”
The race saw JR Fulper take the lead on the opening lap as Billy Osmun III took over second. Fulper led Osmun, Mike Franz, Sam Martz and Williams through the first five laps.
Fulper started to pull away from the field as his laps as the race leader grew. Osmun made contact with the wall just before halfway and losing several positions.
Fulper led the field through the halfway mark followed by Franz, Martz, Williams and Osmun.
A caution with seventeen laps completed, erased Fulper’s advantage and regrouped the field for a double file restart. Franz challenged for the lead and became the race leader as the field left turn two on lap eighteen as Williams moved up to second.
Franz led for ten laps as Williams closed the gap. With just three laps to go, Williams slid by Franz to take the lead. It was Williams who took the checkered over Franz, Osmun, Martz and Matt Stangle who made his way from deep in the pack to a top five finish. Ryan Krachun finished sixth followed by Fulper, Jojo Watson, Frank Cozze and Cale Ross.
F&L Door Modified heats were won by Sam Martz, Williams and Mike Franz.
Jeff Paulson drew the pole but it was Andy Best who led every lap of the twenty-five-lap feature event for the DCB’s Plumbing Mid Atlantic Sprint Series presented by Hessert Chevrolet. Best led every lap to capture his first win of the season.
Paulson raced in second with Larry McVay, Kevin Nagy and Buddy Schweibinz completing the top five for the first eight laps. Schweibinz got a little wide between turns one and two on lap eight and Bob DeVault took over fifth.
Best took the win followed by Paulson, McVay, Nagy and DeVault. Nagy and DeVault are both previous winners. Schweibinz finished sixth followed by Tim Iulg who was the race’s Bruce’s Auto Body Hard Charger, going from sixteenth to seventh. DJ Tanner, Mark Bitner and Dale Eggert completed the top ten rundown.
The Izzy Trucking and Rigging heat races were won by Phil Meisner, Best and DJ Tanner with Rick Stief picking up the win in the B Main.
Ethan Bill raced to his second feature win of the season after taking the lead from Matt Peck on lap eighteen.
Polesitter, Robert Tete led the way through the first six laps as Matt Peck raced into second. On a lap seven restart, Peck went to the outside and Bill to the inside of Tete with Peck taking the lead.
Bill began to close in on Peck as the race neared the halfway point. With ten laps to go, Peck had the back of the field ahead of him and Bill behind him as he navigated his way around the High Banks. After battling for the lead for several laps, Bill took the lead on lap eighteen with Peck keeping the pressure on the leader.
Bill raced to the checkered over Peck, Wayne Weaver, Travis Hill and Jax Yohn. Stephen Yankowski finished sixth followed by Tete, Scott Hulmes, Bob Lineman, Jr. and David Jenkins.
Hoffman Discount Parts heat races were won by Robert Tete, Scott Hulmes and Ethan Bill with Brian Rogers winning the consolation.
The 602 Sportsman Division had warm wishes for two of its own. Chuck Sayres, of the No. 39 driven by Matt Peck, is recovering from surgery this past week. Peck did all he could to win Saturday night’s race for him. Saturday night’s race was last race of the season for Dan Hulmes who heads off to serve his country this week.
All the best to them both!
After sweeping the first four feature events of the 2023 season, Tom Wills, Jr. has collected top five finishes in the next five races. On Saturday night, Wills returned to his winning ways.
Polesitter, Nick Sandone led the first three laps with Wills taking the lead on lap four. Wills started to pull away from the field as Sandone and Drew Brocklebank raced for second. Brocklebank moved into second on lap eight.
The final five laps were riddled with yellow flags, keeping the field close.
Wills drove to his fifth win of the season over Brocklebank, Spider Ensinger, Jr., Jeramy Doerr and Mike Hughes. After several setbacks throughout the night, Hughes battled back for a top five finish.
Wills was also the winner of the DTM Powersports heat race.
DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIEDS FEATURE (30 LAPS)
- Neal Williams, 2. Mike Franz, 3. Billy Osmun, III, 4. Sam Martz, Sr., 5. Matt Stangle, 6. Ryan Krachun, 7. J.R. Fulper, 8. Joseph Watson, 9. Frank Cozze, 10. Cale Ross, 11. Jordan Watson, 12. Rick Laubach, 13. Stan Frankenfield, Jr., 14. H.J. Bunting, 15. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 16. W.B. James, 17. David Hunt, 18. Blaine Bracelin, 19. D.J. Hunt, 20. Sammy Martz, Jr., 21. Duane Howard, 22. Sean Metz
DCB’S PLUMBING MID-ATLANTIC SPRINT SERIES FEATURE (25 LAPS) presented by Hessert Chevrolet
- Andy Best, 2. Jeff Paulson, 3. Larry McVay, 4. Kevin Nagy, 5. Bobby DeVault, 6. Buddy Schweibinz, 7. Tim Iulg, 8. D.J. Tanner, Jr., 9. Mark Bitner, 10. Dale Eggert, 11. Eddie Wagner, 12. Phil Meisner. 13. Rick Stief, 14. Christian Rumsey, 15. Kenny Laureno, 16. Jared Kreider, 17. Cory Cornell, 18. Darren Cox, 19. Justin Nowlen, 20. Dirk Rimrott, 21. Tim Tanner, 22. Dan Leaper, 23. Keith Anderson, 24. Danny Buccafusca, DNQ – Shelby Kelly, R.J. Panella, David Luther, Jon Brennfleck
PRECISION HYDRAULIC & OIL 602 SPORTSMAN (25 LAPS)
- Ethan Bill, 2. Matt Peck, 3. Wayne Weaver, 4. Travis Hill, 5. Jax Yohn, 6. Stephen Yankowski, 7. Robert Tete, 8. Scott Hulmes, 9. Bob Lineman, Jr., 10. David Jenkins, 11. Justin Newhard, 12. Billy Chester, 13. Pete Serra, 14. Luke Bunting, 15. Shane Kassekert, 16. Mike Loney. 17. Aaron Conover, 18. Brian Rogers, 19. Dave Damiano, 20. David Hartman, 21. Dave McElroy, 22. Brian Papiez, 23. Dan Hulmes, 24. Eric Mattson, 25. Thomas Pyrchka, DNS – Howie Finch
PRIME DESIGN LANDSCAPING STREET STOCKS (15 LAPS)
1. Tom Wills, Jr., 2. Drew Brocklebank, 3. Spider Ensinger, Jr., 4. Jeramy Doerr, 5. Mike Hughes, 6. Kevin Hockman, 7. Christian Ensinger, 8. Nick Sandone, III, 9. Lee Allen, 10. Terry Chaney, 11. Doug Ensinger