BRIDGEPORT & URC PAY TRIBUTE TO MIDGE MILLER THIS WEEKEND
The Bridgeport Speedway joins forces with the United Racing Club to present the URC Big Track Classic with support from Michalski Heating & Air when the cars take to the 5/8 mile speedway on both Friday and Saturday evenings, November 4th and 5th.
The URC/360 sprints will compete in qualifying events and a twenty-five lap feature event on both days with a very special trophy to be presented to the driver with the best point average for the two day event.
Midge Miller was a second generation racer who competed with URC after a very successful career racing midgets – a passion that he inherited from his father, Carl Miller, Sr. The son prepared his father’s rides until he was old enough to get into the cockpit and race himself at the age of twenty-one. Miller collected several midget championships before moving into sprint car competition in 1985.
Miller was well liked and respected by his fellow competitors. He served as an officer with URC and then later became a tech inspector for the organization. According to nine time URC Champion, Curt Michael, Miller performed his official duties the same way he raced – “very prepared.”
“I always had a lot of respect for Midge and the way he ran is race team,” Michael explained. “He always had one of the best looking cars. Midge and his team took pride in having his car prepared and very clean-looking” – something Michael aspires to do with his own team.
“On the track, Midge was a clean driver that tried to finish all of the races so that he could come back and race again next week,” Michael added. He was usually successful.
Cold Hard Art has been charged with creating the trophy for this event – the Midge Miller Memorial Trophy to be presented on be half of Pioneer Auto Body.
A full field of cars is expected for this two day event. 2014 Champion, Davie Franek hopes to secure his second URC title with a strong showing at Bridgeport where he opened the 2016 season with a win. Curt Michael has always run well at Bridgeport and looking for a good weekend to complete his 2016 season. For the first time in many seasons, Michael will be joined by his brother and former URC Champion, Sean Michael who will climb behind the wheel for the first time since 2009.
Josh Weller has had an outstanding 2016 season and has collected a Bridgeport victory during the Three for All program. Ryan Stillwaggon, who has seen considerable success in 305 Sprint Car action at Bridgeport, will be driving the Fred Kennedy No. 89 while his brother continues to recuperate from an injury sustained earlier in the season. Troy Betts, Chris Coyle, Davey Sammons, Justin Barger, Dave Brown, Mark Smith and Lucas Wolfe are just a few of the drivers who are expected to compete for the Midge Miller Memorial trophy.
The Stewart Stainless Crate Sportsman will be part the weekend’s race card. Multiple timed hot lap sessions will be held for the Crate/Sportsman on Friday evening with the fastest Sportsman and fastest Crate competitor being locked into the redraw for Saturday night’s twenty-five lap main event that will pay $1,250 to the winner with $200 to take the green. Qualifying races will be completed during Saturday’s competition to determine the starting line-up.
A special event has been added to Friday night’s race card – The Underdog 20. This race is open to any non-winning Crate Sportsman driver who has not won a feature event at any speedway during the 2016 season.
Racing action gets underway at 7:30pm on Friday with a 5pm start for Saturday’s events.
In addition to the racing action, the Bridgeport Speedway provides plenty of activities for the entire family. There’s the Bounce House, basketball and volleyball. There will be musical entertainment before and during the racing program. All of the Bridgeport Speedway concession stands will be open to provide everything from cool beverages to snacks or a full meal. Take home a Bridgeport Speedway t-shirt or pick up a copy of the Bridgeport Bullet – the official Bridgeport Speedway program and catch up on the action. Take a ride with the Bridgeport Bandit on the Bandit Bus and get to see the drivers and crews prepare for the night’s racing action.
Upcoming event
Saturday & Sunday, November 4 & 5 – URC/360 Sprints Big Track Classic plus Crate/Sportsman Showdown
Friday, November 11 – Wild Card Weekend – 358 Small Blocks, TSRS Sprint Cars, Outlaw Stocks plus practice for Saturday
Saturday, November 12 – Gone But Not Forgotten – 811 Dig Safely Poker Series Hand #5 – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman & Outlaw Stocks
n March of 1987.
Watson, Jr. for the win after former track champion, Pat Conaway spun on the final circuit. Spider Ensinger picked up another solid finish to take third over Mike Creamer and Brian Ludwig.
s he held off the challenges of Billy Pauch to win the twenty-five lap 358 Small Block Modified feature event at the Bridgeport Speedway on the eve of the first running of The King of the Big Blocks! It was Cozze’s seventh Bridgeport Speedway win while Pauch sits tied for third on the track’s All Time Feature Winner’s List with fifty-eight wins.
e by side through the turns but it was Cozze who would roll the outside off the corner to regain the lead. Pauch edged ahead as the leaders raced across the line to complete lap seventeen but Cozze was back in front as the pair exited turn two on the next circuit.
n flag to the checkered. The winner was greeted in Victory Lane by her father and grandfather who have played integral roles in her racing career.
hinking of? Like myself, fans probably think of the headline division at your local speedway. Well, that philosophy alone can lead you down several different roads. Without getting too ‘technical’ which is far, far from my forte, I guess you can say that there are Big Blocks and Small Blocks. But, then you have BIG Big Blocks (Delaware style no cubic inch limit), then the standard DIRT 467 with minimal allowance over that number. 358 Small Blocks – Are we talking the ‘Open’ or the ‘Spec’? What’s the difference you ask? Well, I can tell you that you’re asking the wrong person in this guy. All I can try and tell you is that one’s supposed to be less inexpensive and make less horsepower and falls under scrutiny of a lot more rules than the other. Oooh yea, then we have the wonderful ‘Big Small Block’. You know the 410s and 430s of the racing world. Did I miss any? I know Woodhull
ome was Flemington. Not only Modified Country USA but Big Block Modifieds. I also spent Friday nights at East Windsor, well that was until they dumped the Big Blocks and went to Small Blocks. Honestly, whatever year that was 1980/81…I didn’t return until maybe 1990. Almost a decade of absence from one of the closest tracks around where I grew up at. Gone was Stan Ploski, Ken Brenn, Sammy Beavers and more. I missed all those years of Darryl Carman, Scott Pursell, Freddy D., Newt Hartman, and yes even Doug Hoffman. Sadly to admit, I missed those dominating years when Doug won close to 40 races and several track championships at East Windsor which wasn’t too far away from my home. Why? Because I wanted Big Blocks! Years later, of course I caved and when guys like Horton, Brightbill, Pauch, and Cozze came back so did I…I’m not that stupid.
a $12,000 to win, 50 lap feature event. The Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman and PennCo Tech Outlaw Stocks will complete the line-up in the tripleheader program.
idgeport regulars – 2016 Bridgeport Modified Champion, Ryan Watt, 2012 Champion, Rick Laubach, Sam Martz, The Watson brothers – Jordan and Joseph, Neal Williams, Richie Pratt, Jr., David Hunt, Tommy Beamer, Ron Roberts as well as both rookie Big Block Feature winners, CJ Jones and Jim Britt. Jimmy Horton – the winningest driver in Bridgeport history and multi-time track champion – will be in the field to challenge the Bridgeport regulars along with former Orange County Speedway Champion, Jerry Higbie and young driving sensations – Tyler Dippel, Billy VanInwigen and Brett Kressley who earned his first Big Block Modified win right here at Bridgeport earlier this season. Drivers like Duane Howard, Craig VonDohren, Jeff Strunk, Ryan Krachun, Ryan Godown, David VanHorn, Billy Pauch Sr., Billy Pauch Jr. and Dominick Buffalino are expected to pull double duty this weekend, racing in both the Friday and Saturday night events. Drivers like Mike Barone, Ryan Andersen, Donny Cogdill, Jamie Mills, Scott Ambruster, Mike Iles and both Jesse and Travis Hill will be returning to action for this featured event.
win of the season. Brad Roberts raced side by side with Steve Davis in the final laps of the Crate/Sportsman main event to pick up his third win of 2016. TJ Henry has twelve wins in a row and a total of thirteen victories this season in the Outlaw Stock Division where a $200 bounty has been offered to any driver who can win a feature event with Henry still in competition. Eight different drivers have claimed victory in Tri State Race Saver Sprint Car competitionat the Bridgeport Speedway with only former champion, Mike Haggenbottom able to repeat so far this season.
Laubach trailed Watt to the checkered.