PAUCH SCORES SECOND WIN OF SEASON IN BRIDGEPORT BIG BLOCKS
After a frustrating 2017 season, Billy Pauch picked up his second win of the current season when he raced by Wade Hendrickson in the final laps of the Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modified feature event on Saturday night.
Hendrickson had the Pat Michael owned No. 51m out in front from the first lap and had stretched his lead over the field when the race ran from lap four to the completion of lap nineteen without a caution. Then Ryan Godown and the Atlas Trucking No. 66 came to a stop between turns three and four, bringing out the caution and setting up a shootout to determine the race’s outcome.
Hendrickson led the way on the restart. Pauch quickly moved by Britt for second as Ryan Watt raced into third after racing his way back after an unscheduled pit stop on lap four. Pauch pressured Hendrickson when the green flag waved, taking the lead as the two lifelong friends raced out of turn two on lap twenty-two. Wattalso raced by Hendrickson to take over second but Pauch had quickly pulled away and raced to the checkered for his 61st career Bridgeport victory. Pauch is third on the All Time Feature Winner’s list, behind Jimmy Horton and Doug Hoffman and three wins ahead of Hendrickson.
Hendrickson crossed the finish line in third with Richie Pratt, Jr. finishing fourth and Dave Hunt rounding out the top five as Hunt’s power plant expired as he crossed the finish line. Jim Britt, Mike Franz, Jack Swain, Bucky Kell and Brandon Grosso rounded out the top ten.
“I needed that restart,” Pauch explained after the win. “I never would have gotten Wade if it hadn’t been for that yellow.” “I know how much Wade wanted that win,” Pauch continued, “I’ve been there too.” Pauch dedicated his win to the late Dick “Toby” Tobias who lost his life in a racing accident forty years ago.
Brad Roberts led every lap of the Stewart Stainless 602 Crate Sportsman feature event to capture his second win of the season in just under seven and a half minutes in a race that ran from green to checkered without a caution. Eric Kormann raced in second but was unable to close in on the leader. Chris Jenkins held off Wayne Weaver to take third with Tom Moore finishing fifth. Frank Dorry, David Crossman, Tommy Errico, Danny Buccafusca and Connor King rounded out the top ten.
In a race that saw four lead changes among three drivers, Jeramy Doerr raced to another win in the Pennco Tech Outlaw Stock feature event. Darren Cox led the way for the first five laps before Doerr took over but Brian Ludwig took the lead for one lap following a lap seven restart before Doerr raced back out in front. Tom Wills, Jr. raced by Ludwig for second late in the race with Ludwig taking third over Mike Creamer and Jeff Dirkes.
Sammy Martz, Jr. continued a family tradition when he raced to his second win of the season in the DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookie feature event on his way to capturing the 2018 Rookie Championship. The third generation driver is the son of a former Rookie Champion – his dad, Sam Martz was the 1990 Rookie Champion at the Flemington Speedway. Martz took the lead from Seth Spayd on lap eight of the twelve lap feature event. Spayd finished second over Parker Guldin and Danny Buccafusca.
There is no racing at the Bridgeport Speedway this Saturday night in preparation of the All American 40 to be held on Sunday, July 1st. The Big Block Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman and Pennco Tech Outlaw Stocks will race in the second hand of the 811 Dig Safe Poker Series race, sponsored by Colonial Pipeline. Racing gets underway at 7pm.
SPIRIT AUTO CENTER BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (25 laps): 1. Billy Pauch, Sr., 2. Ryan Watt, 3. Wade Hendrickson, 4. Richie Pratt, Jr., 5. David Hunt, 6. Jim Britt, 7. Mike Franz, 8. Jack Swain, 9. Bucky Kell, 10. Brandon Grosso, 11. Ron Roberts, 12. Sam Martz, 13. Neal Williams, 14. Tom Maccherone, 15. Ryan Godown, 16. Jesse Hill, 17. Stan Frankenfield, 18. Dave Shirk, 19. Ricky DiEva, 20. Roger Manning, 21. Jimmy Horton, DNS – Dominick Buffalino, Brett Ballard
STEWART STAINLESS SUPPLY 602 CRATE SPORTSMAN (20 laps): 1. Brad Roberts, 2. Eric Kormann, 3. Chris Jenkins, 4. Wayne Weaver, 5. Tom Moore, Jr., 6. Frank Dorry, 7. David Crossman, 8. Tommy Errico, 9. Danny Buccafusca, 10. Connor King, 11. Sammy Martz, Jr., 12. Bobby Bracall, 13. Seth Spayd, 14. Tom Sherby, 15. Parker Guldin, 16. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 17. Jeremy Harrington, 18. Rich Wegner, Sr., 19. Roger Gaskill, 20. Tom Holding, 21. Andrew Joslin, 22. Ryan Simmons
PENNCO TECH OUTLAW STOCKS (15 laps): 1. Jeramy Doerr, 2. Tom Wills, Jr., 3. Brian Ludwig, 4. Mike Creamer, 5. Jeff Dirkes, 6. Lee Allen, 7. Rich Stinson, Jr., 8. Billy Wroble, 9. Steven Land, 10. Gary Elliott, 11. Andrew Joslin, 12. Ken Moren, 13. Keith McKinley, 14. Paul Donahue, 15. Darren Cox, 16. Eric Mattson
D.A.’S AUTO BODY AND REPAIR ROOKIES (12 laps): 1. Sammy Martz, Jr., 2. Seth Spayd, 3. Parker Guldin, 4. Danny Buccafusca
Upcoming events
Saturday, June 30 – 4×4 Misfits Show
Sunday, July 1 – All American 40 – 811 Dig Safe Poker Series Hand #2 – Big Block Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman & Outlaw Stocks, racing at 7pm
Saturday, July 7 – Bike Night – Big Block Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman, MASS Sprints & Vintage, racing at 7pm
Tuesday, July 17 – Three for All on Design for Vision/Sunglass Central 3/8th mile track – Super Late Models, Small Block Modifieds and USAC East Coast Sprints, racing at 7pm (Raindate – Wednesday, 7/18 if needed)