BRIDGERPORT SPEEDWAY PRESENTS FIRST URC/360 SPRINTS BIG TRACK CLASSIC
The Bridgeport Speedway is preparing for its first United Racing Club/360 Sprints Big Track Classic coming to the Logan Township speed plant on Friday and Saturday, November 4th and 5th honoring the late, great competitor and URC official, Midge Miller for the First Annual Midge Miller Memorial.
Racing will get underway at 7:30pm on Friday night with the winged 360 machines take to the track for qualifying before competing in a twenty-five lap main event that will pay $2,000 to the winning driver. The sprint cars will compete in a second complete show on Saturday with the first green flag waving at 5pm. Saturday’s twenty-five lap main event will reward the race winner with a $3,000 payday. At the end of the two days of competition, the driver with the best overall point average will receive a trophy honoring Midge Miller.
Midge Miller grew up around racing. The son of a successful midget driver, Carl Miller, Sr., Midge worked at maintaining his father’s cars until he reached the age of twenty-one and was able to get behind the wheel himself. The second generation racer collected several midget titles including two championships with the Super Midget Racing Club – an organization started by his father and Dutch Schaeffer.
In 1985, Midge Miller bought his first sprint car and raced with the United Racing Club as time and money allowed. His only win came with URC at the Bridgeport Speedway on September 8, 2001. Miller served as a Vice President for URC as well as a tech inspector in the years following his retirement from racing. Miller passed away in May of 2013.
A very special trophy is being prepared by Cold Hard Art/20% Skill, 80% Imagination and will be presented on be half of Pioneer Auto Body.
Lap money and contingency prizes will also be awarded including a right rear tire courtesy of Hoosier Tires for both Friday and Saturday.
The Stewart Stainless Crate Sportsman division will also see action during this event. The Crate Sportsman will have a timed hot lap session on Friday night with the fastest Sportsman and fastest Crate competitor each being locked in to the redraw for Saturday night’s twenty-five lap feature. Qualifying will be completed during Saturday’s race card with $1,250 going to the feature winner. This event will pay $200 to take the green flag with two $100 bonuses paid to the to two finishing Crate competitors in the twenty-five lap main event.
Camping will be available at the Bridgeport Speedway free of charge but no hookups are available. URC is planning for some post-race activities on Friday evening following the racing events.
Pit gates will open at 4pm on Friday with the grandstand gates swinging open to race fans by 6pm. On Saturday, the pits will be available at 1pm with the grandstands gates opening at 3pm.
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.
The Bridgeport Speedway is committed to maintaining a safe, fun, family atmosphere, creating life-lasting memories
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.
