PAUCH & WATT SPLIT THE WINS AT DESIGN FOR VISIONS/SUNGLASS CENTRAL 3/8th MILE AT BRIDGEPORT

 

​It was a full night of racing at the Design for Visions/Sunglass Central 3/8th mile track at the Bridgeport Speedway as the Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modifieds ran two feature events in addition to a full show of 602 Crate Sportsman, Delaware Auto Exchange Mid Atlantic Sprint Series (MASS) 305 Sprint Cars, DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookies, Garden State Vintage and 8 Cylinder Enduros.

The Big Blocks did double duty on Saturday night to make up their feature event that was rained out on Saturday, May 11th.  Todd Neiheiser led the field to the green flag and took command for the first lap but Billy Pauch was on the move, racing to the inside of Neiheiser on lap two to take the lead.  Neiheiser raced in second until a lap seven restart when Jim Britt took over the spot.  Neal Williams moved up to third one lap later as Richie Pratt, Jr., Ryan Watt and Neiheiser race three wide for fourth.

As Pauch left a blazing trail as he pulled away from the field, Pratt caught Williams at half way and the two raced side by side until Pratt took over third.  After the three wide battle earlier, Watt lost several positions but was back knocking on the door as he raced Ryan Anderson to take over fifth on lap eighteen.

Pratt tracked down Britt in the final laps and completed a last lap pass to take over second.  Pauch raced to his third win of the season followed by Pratt, Britt, Watt and Williams.  Anderson, Matt Stangle, Roger Manning, Johnny Guarino and Todd Neiheiser completed the top ten run down at the finish.

Kyle Borror led the line-up to the green flag in the second twenty-five lap feature event, leading the way through the first six laps.  When the Pratt No. 28 overheated during a lap seven caution, Borror gave up the lead to head to the pits, putting Ryan Anderson out in front of Billy Lasko, Watt, Stangle and Pauch for the lap seven restart.

Watt tried outside and inside but Anderson was able to block his every move until Watt went to the inside of turn three on lap eight.  Watt edged ahead of Anderson as they crossed the line to complete lap eight as Pauch moved up to third.  Pauch quickly moved up to second and began to close the gap on Watt.

With Pauch on the bottom and Watt running the higher line, the laps began to count down.  Lapped traffic would become a factor in the final laps as Pauch closed in on Watt.  The leaders split a lapped car on the final lap with Watt winning the drag race to the checkered flag for his first win on the Design for Vision/Sunglass Central 3/8th mile track.  Pauch finished second followed by Williams,  Stangle and Scottie Ambruster.  Tom Beamer, Britt, Neiheiser, Bob Sarkisian and Manning ran sixth through tenth in the second feature event.

After six top three finishes so far this season, Jim Gallagher, Jr. raced to his first win of the season in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Crate Sportsman Feature event.  Gallagher led every lap of the twenty lap contest after his wife drew the pole for his starting position.  Eric Kormann was Gallagher’s closest rival to finish second followed by Brad Roberts, Wayne Weaver and Matt Peck.  Bobby Bracall finished in sixth after battling throughout the race with Rich Wegner, Jr. who finished seventh.  Joe Nappi, David Hartman and Scott Hulmes completed the top ten at the checkered.

Scott Maher, Jr. picked up his second win over Justin Moench in the DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookie feature event.

Andy Best drove the Faison No. 2 to victory in the Delaware Auto Exchange MASS feature event.  Rick Stief led the first lap before Kevin Darling took over on lap two.  Darling was the race leader through lap eight when the race was red flagged when Tim Tanner took a wild ride at the end of the homestretch.  Tanner escaped serious injury but the No. 18 was heavily damaged.  Darling headed to the pits prior to the restart.

Best, who was challenging for the lead before the race was stopped, led the field back to the green and raced to his first win of the season over Rick Stief, Jason Dunn, Dominic Melair and Ricky DiEva.  Larry McVay, Logan Diehl, Eddie Wagner, Tom Carberry and Joe Kay trailed the leaders to the finish line at the end of twenty laps.

Lee Allen picked up his first 8 Cylinder Enduro win on the Design for Vision/Sunglass Central 3/8th mile, taking the lead for lap ten.  Derek Jones trailed Allen to the finish followed by Jason Duvall.

The Garden State Vintage put on a ten lap exhibition with drivers Rob Rindgen, Dave Deerson, Paul Ielmini, Whitey Miller, Connie Joyner and Richard Caramella and Stan Hawk.