Opening Night Huge Success at Kingdom of Speed, Bridgeport Motorsports Park
Bridgeport, NJ – The Bridgeport Motorsports Park finally, waved the green flag on the 2023 season after several scheduled events fell to the weather.
Joseph “Jojo” Watson drove the Auto Gallery Racing No. 21w to its first win of the season in the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz thirty lap Modified feature event. Travis Hill was victorious in the Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman feature with the Cogdill No. 98 while Tom Wills, Jr. raced for the win in the Amwell Auto Body Street Stock feature event in his family owned No. 856 Street Stock. Brian Spencer overcame a rough start to the night to pick up the win in the North East Wingless Sprint Car feature sponsored by Melton Industries while Joe Garey, Jr. got the season started off with a win in the Amwell Auto Body 4 Cylinder feature event.
Watson was the fourth different leader in Saturday night’s Modified feature event but he led the most important lap of all – the last one!
Mike Franz led the first lap before Cale Ross raced to the outside to take the lead on lap two. Neal Williams raced into second on lap two while Watson took over third on the next circuit. Ross found a great line and raced to a several second lead in the early going.
Williams raced the Sal DeBruno owned No. 0 out in front on lap eleven but Ross was back in front the next time around.
Watson raced into second just beyond the halfway mark and then took the lead on a lap nineteen restart. Positions continued to change in the top five throughout the remaining laps.
Watson raced to the win – his first on the High Banks since the 2021 season and the first for the Auto Gallery Team. Williams raced home in second with Duane Howard and the Getz No. 15G taking third after a late race charge. Cale Ross finished fourth while Richie Pratt, Jr. had a strong showing in the Joel’s Auto Technology No. 19 to finish fifth in his first race in this car. Jordan Watson, Sammy Martz, Jr., Sam Martz, Sr., JR Fulper and Rick Laubach completed the top ten in the running order.
Brian Papiez grabbed the lead at the green flag and then help off the challenges of Ethan Bill and later, Travis Hill in the twenty-five lap Precision Hydraulic & Oil 602 Sportsman feature event. After several attempts, Hill finally secured the lead following a lap seventeen restart and then led the way to the checkered flag.
It was Hill for the win over Papiez. Hill used laps early in the race as well as caution laps to search for the best line on the track which ultimately allowed him the run for the lead. Matt Peck used a late race charge to finish third followed by Ethan Bill and Scott Hulmes who turned in a great performance in his Wiked Motorsports entry. Stephen Yankowski, Bryan Brobst, Howie Finch, Pete Serra and Danny Hulmes completed the top ten at the checkered.
Tom Wills, Jr. had to call in the re-enforcements for help in the pits but that didn’t stop the Tabernacle, NJ driver from capturing his first win of the season over 2022 Track Champion, Lee Allen. With his family on vacation, Mark and Jack Beaumont came to the track to help Wills from the pits and ended up in the Champion Victory Lane with Wills at the end of fifteen laps.
Allen finished second followed by Drew Brocklebank in third. Spyder Ensinger finished fourth with Rich Stinson taking fifth at the checkered flag.
Over being towed from the track during his qualifying race, Brian Spencer came back with a vengeance to take the lead from Rich Mellor on lap fourteen and drive to his first victory of the season. Mellor finished second with Shea Wills finishing third. Al Cheney finished fourth, holding the advantage over fifth place Heidi Hedin.
Joe Garey, Jr. led the 4 Cylinder feature event from green to checkered to capture the win over Tim Jones and Bobby Drayton. John Parker finished fourth, crossing the line in front of Chris Gall.
Racing continues this Saturday on Bridgeport’s High Banks as the Mid Atlantic Sprints (MASS) join the Modifieds, 602 Sportsman and Street Stocks.
DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIEDS FEATURE (30 laps):
1. Joseph Watson, 2. Neal Williams, 3. Duane Howard, 4. Cale Ross, 5. Richie Pratt, Jr., 6. Jordan Watson, 7. Sam Martz, Jr., 8. Sam Martz, Sr., 9. J.R. Fulper, 10. Rick Laubach, 11. Brett Kelly, 12. Cole Stangle, 13. Ryan Krachun, 14. H.J. Bunting, 15. David Hunt, 16. Billy Osmun, III, 17. Jim Britt, 18. Mike Franz, 19. Blaine Bracelin, DNS – Stan Frankenfield, Jr., Jim Gallagher, Jr.
PRECISION OIL & HYDRAULIC 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE (25 laps):
1. Travis Hill, 2. Brian Papiez, 3. Matt Peck, 4. Ethan Bill, 5. Scott Hulmes, 6. Stephen Yankowski, 7. Bryan Brobst, 8. Howie Finch, 9. Pete Serra, 10. Danny Hulmes, 11. Thomas Prychka, 12. Brian Rogers, 13. Billy Chester, 14. Ethan Young, 15. Bryan Olsen, 16. Chris Martinez, 17. James Hill, 18. Robert Tete, 19. Justin Newhard, 20. Ed Owens, 21. David Jenkins, 22. Brianna Olsen, 23. Erik Mattson
MELTON INDUSTRIES NORTHEAST WINGLESS SPRINT FEATURE (20 laps):
1. Brian Spencer, 2. Rich Mellor, 3. Shea Wills, 4. Al Cheney, 5. Heidi Hedin, 6. Walt Fletcher, 7. Stan Polski, III, 8. Joe Byer, 9. Larry Drake, 10. Eric Miller, DNS – Ken Nelis
AMWELL AUTO BODY STREET STOCK FEATURE (15 laps):
1. Tom Wills, Jr., 2. Lee Allen, 3. Drew Brocklebank, 4. Spyder Ensinger, Jr., 5. Rich Stinson, Sr., 6. Christopher Allen, Sr., 7. Terry Chaney, 8. Jeramy Doerr, 9. Jeff Dirkes, 10. Tracey Rocap, 11. Spyder Ensinger, 12. Nick Sandone, III
AMWELL AUTO BODY FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE (15 laps):
1. Joe Garey, Jr., 2. Tim Jones, 3. Bobby Drayton, III, 4. John Parker, 5. Chris Gall, 6. Ed Ford, 7. Dan Stein, Jr., 8. Eric Dengler, 9. Bobby Johnson, DNS – Lee Allen, Joe Garey, Sr.
Thank you to everyone that makes the Kingdom of Speed Possible…..
VP Fuels
Liberty Kenworth
Church’s Auto Parts
Premio Sausage
Precision Hydraulic & Oil
Millville Glass & Door
Design For Vision
Rodota Trucking & Excavating
Scrappy’s Auto Service
Hyper Racing
Izzi Trucking & Rigging
Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz
Vahlco Wheels
Ellery’s Pub & Grill
Ice Less llc.
Hoffman Discount Parts
JPA Masonry
Weaknecht Archery
Spirit Auto Center
Foley Caterpillar
Hisko Lowboy
Lineman Racing
Cenco Oil
Bob Hilbert Sportswear
Cassidy Painting
TW Metals
Hessert Chevrolet
Triple R Truck Parts
John Blewett Scrap & Waste Recycling
Pioneer Pole Buildings
F&L Doors – FLDoors.com
EZ Work Trucks
J&S Electrical
Melton Industries
Pro Tek Roofing
Johns Manville
Beacon Building Products
KOA Camp Grounds
Victory Fuel
Tipico Sportsbook
Champion Brands
DTM Kawasaki
Amwell Auto Body
Williams Napa
Prime Design Landscaping