SIXES ARE WILD IN BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY ACTION
The number six was the lucky number on Saturday night as Wade Hendrickson picked up the win in the Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modified feature in the C&S Equipment No. 6 and Matt Stangle made it two in a row in the Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman in his family owned No. 6.
The Hilborn Tri State Race Saver Sprints (TSRS) rounded out the Saturday night tripleheader action with Ryan Stillwaggon picking up his first win of the season in the Tanner Brothers Dairy & Market/Thayer Performance 2016 Poker Series for the 305 competitors.
With afternoon storms washing out racing programs throughout the area,the Bridgeport Speedway was the only track in the Tri-State area to offer stock car racing on Saturday night.
There were three lead changes within the first three laps of the Big Block Modified twen
ty-five lap feature as Mike Franz and Richie Pratt led the first two laps before three time track champion, Wade Hendrickson drove into the lead. Joseph Watson and Jimmy Horton quickly moved into second and third behind Hendrickson.
Hendrickson led Joseph Watson, Horton, Pratt and Rick Laubach through the half way mark.
A late race caution lined up the field single file behind Hendrickson for a two lap shootout. Hendrickson pulled away from the competition while Laubach was able to use the outside line race ahead of Joseph Watson as they raced down the backstretch.
Hendrickson charged to the finish line trailedby Laubach, Joseph Watson, Horton and Pratt. Jordan Watson, Tommy Beamer, Ryan Krachun, Scott Ambruster and Ryan Watt rounded out the top ten at the checkered flag.
It was Hendrickson’s 58th career Bridgeport victory, tying him for third on the All Time Feature Winner’s list with Billy Pauch. Hendrickson had high praise for the Bridgeport Speedway Management team. “The track was perfect!,” Hendrickson stated. “They’ve made a hundred and eight degree turn here and have everything going in the right direction.”
It was 2016 DA’s Auto Body Rookie Champion, Chuck Sayres who led the Crate/Sportsman for the first half oftheir twenty lap feature event. After starting tenth at the green, Matt Stangle raced by Jeramy Doerr to take second on lap eleven. Stangle raced Sayres for the lead as they headed down the backstretch with Stangle leading the way as the field crossed the stripe for lap twelve.
Stangle led the rest of the way, capturing his third win of the season. Doerr held off the challenges of Steve Davis for his best finish to date. Kris Lilick finished fourth with Sayres capturing his first top five in Crate/Sportsman action.
Five different races and five different winners – that’s the record after Ryan Stillwaggon captured the twenty lap victory in the TSRS Sprint Car feature. With a feature win already to his credit, Christopher Allen, Jr. led the first three laps before mechanical problems sidelined Allen from the competition. Stillwaggon was the new race leader and held off the late race challenges of Jeff Geiges to capture his first win of the season. Geiges finished second with Kyle Purks taking third. Geiges and Purks were the fast timers in the two time hot laps sessions earlier in the night. Tim Tanner finished fourth with Steph Palmai rounding out the top five.
SPIRIT AUTO CENTER BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (25 laps)
- Wade Hendrickson, 2. Rick Laubach, 3. Joseph Watson, 4. Jimmy Horton, 5. Richie Pratt, Jr., 6. Jordan Watson, 7. Tommy Beamer, 8. Ryan Krachun, 9. Scott Ambruster, 10. Ryan Watt, 11. Ron Roberts, 12. Mike Franz, 13. Jim Britt, 14. Corey Andersen, 15. C.J. Jones, 16. Don Cogdill, III, 17. Duane Howard, 18. Sam Martz, 19. Anthony Moran, 20. Ed Firth
STEWART STAINLESS SUPPLY CRATE/SPORTSMAN (20 laps)
- Matt Stangle, 2. Jeramy Doerr, 3. Steve Davis, 4. Kris Lilick, 5. Chuck Sayres, Jr., 6. Jeremy Harrington, 7. Brad Roberts, 8. Brandon Grosso, 9. Brian Lilick, 10. Billy Briggs, 11. Marty Resnick, 12. Scott Hulmes, 13. Kevin Belmont, 14. David Crossman, 15. Tom Sherby, 16. Eric Kormann, 17. Roger Manning, 18. Bob Lilick, 19. Pete Serra, 20. Steve Kemery, 21. Jeff Bubori
HILBORN TSRS 305 SPRINTS (20 laps)
- Ryan Stillwaggon, 2. Jeff Geiges, 3. Kyle Purks, 4. Tim Tanner, Jr., 5. Stef Palmai, 6. Bob DeVault, Jr., 7. Zack Burd, 8. Brendon Poff, 9. Mike Haggenbottom, 10. Doug Snow, 11. Chris Allen, DNS – Samantha Lieberman
Upcoming event
Saturday, July 16 – FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman & Twin 12s for Outlaw Stocks, racing at 7pm
Saturday, July 23 – BIKE NIGHT – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman, Tri State Race Saver Sprints & GS Vintage Cars, racing at 7pm
Saturday, July 30 – JEEP JAMBOREE – Romp in the Swamp for Dystonia – Sponsored by Spirit Auto Center – Big Blocks, Twin 15s for Crate/Sportsman and Outlaw Stocks, racing at 7pm
Saturday, August 6 – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman, Outlaw Stocks PLUS Powder Puff, racing at 7pm