WATKINS, BILL & PAPIEZ LEAD QUALIFYING FOR SPORTSMAN NATIONALS
There was excitement in the air.
Something special was happening at the Kingdom of Speed.
The first day of the Harry U Pull It Sportsman Grand Nationals saw nearly sixty Ice Less 602 Sportsman line the pit area of the Bridgeport Motorsports Park in addition to the Mid Atlantic Sprint Series Sprint Cars (MASS) and Giel Four Cylinder competitors.
Following a Thursday evening practice session, Friday night featured the qualifying for the 602 Sportsman. Timed hot lap sessions were used to determine the starting line-ups for three twenty lap qualifiers that would transfer seven drivers each into Saturday’s $10,000 to win 100 lap event.
The field was divided into three groups with each group then split into three smaller sections. Each section was timed during the hot lap session and each group had a quick timer.
The first group saw Howie Finch top the charts at 17.047 seconds; group two saw third generation driver, Luke Bunting turn a lap at 16.99 seconds. Logan Watt was quickest in the third group at 16.971. It was Bunting who had the fastest time of the night.
Twenty-one cars were then qualified through the three, twenty lap qualifying races. The top three in each qualifier would then compete in a five lap Cash Dash on Saturday to determine the first nine starting positions. Precision Hydraulic & Oil was the Cash Dash sponsor.
Brandon Watkins led every lap on his way to the $500 win in the first qualifier presented by Renaldo’s Mechanical, followed by Tommy Moore, Howie Finch, Brad Roberts, Trent Willy, TJ Mayberry and Adam White. Watkins, Moore and Finch transferred into Saturday’s Cash Dash.
Matt Ellery led the first fifteen laps of the second qualifier presented by Izzi Trucking & Rigging until 2024 Bridgeport Champion, Ethan Bill too the lead on lap sixteen. Bill drove to the win in the second qualifier followed by Ellery, Luke Bunting, Ryan Simmons, James Hill, Jared LaBagh and Matt Peck. Bill, Ellery and Bunting moved into Saturday’s Cash Dash.
The third qualifier presented by Ellery’s Pub & Grill saw a lot of action throughout the twenty lap race. After several attempts to score the first lap, Steve Davis took the lead for the first four laps. Brian Papiez raced out in front on lap five and led the way to the win over Davis, Michael White, Travis Hill, Michael Beckett, Steve Kemery and Logan Watt. Papiez, Davis and White would move on to the Cash Dash on Saturday.
Positions of eighth back in each of the three qualifiers would be eligible for Saturday’s Last Chance Qualifier.
The DCB Plumbing and Heating Mid Atlantic Sprint Series ran four qualifiers and a B Main to determine the line-up in Friday night’s twenty-five lap feature event that saw Kevin Nagy race to his second win of the 2024 season.
Jared Kreider and Nagy made up the front row of the sprint car feature and led the field to the green flag. Nagy grabbed the lead on the start. The Stillwaggon brothers, Robbie and Ryan, raced for third behind Kreider.
Nagy caught the back of the field on lap eight which made for some interesting racing as he and Kreider raced through traffic. Kreider actually took the lead on lap eleven as he raced past Nagy as they both picked their way through the traffic. Nagy was back out in front on the next time around the High Banks.
2024 MASS Champion, Buddy Schweibinz broke into the top five with ten laps to go. Schweibinz raced into third two laps later as he passed by Ryan and Robbie Stillwaggon for position.
With just four laps to go, Ryan Stillwaggon got out of shape in turn four, collecting Tim Iulg. The caution waved for the first time in the race, setting up a single file restart.
Nagy and Kreider raced ahead of the field as Schweibinz dealt with the challenges of Robbie Stillwaggon and Dave Brown.
Nagy became the first repeat winner of the season in MASS competition at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park after eight different drivers collected victories during the season. Kreider raced to the finish in second followed by Schweibinz, Robbie Stillwaggon and Brown. Timmy Bittner crossed the stripe in sixth followed by Eddie Wagner, Brian Carber, DJ Tanner and Larry McVey.
With just one more race remaining, Schweibinz led Nagy by four points in the Tanner Brothers Dairy Bridgeport Championship.
The Giels Automotive Four Cylinders put on an exciting fifteen lap feature event, full fender style.
Joe Garey, Jr. and multiple feature winner, Scott Degler, led the field to the start with Garey taking the lead at the wave of the green flag.
While Garey led the way, Degler was right on his bumper, shadowing the leader lap after lap. On lap twelve, the leaders found themselves racing through lapped traffic. Garey and a lapped car made contact and Degler was able to race by. Degler took the lead as Garey headed to the pits with a flat tire.
Degler led the way on the restart with just two laps to go over Colin Gale and 2024 Champion, Lee Allen. Allen went to the outside and passed both Gale and Degler to take the lead.
Allen took the win over Joe Garey, Sr., Gale, Degler who finished with a flat tire and John Parker.
HARRY’S U-PULL-IT 602 SPORTSMAN NATIONALS
Renaldo’s Mechanical Qualifier #1 (20 LAPS)
1. Brandon Watkins, 2. Tom Moore, Jr., 3. Howie Finch, 4. Brad Roberts, 5. Trent Willey, 6. T.J. Mayberry, 7. Adam White, 8. Colin Cox, 9. Matt Martino, 10. Kris Thompson, 11. Kyle Smith, 12. Ryan Anderson, 13. Decker Swinehart, 14. Nate Brown, 15. Pete Serra, 16. Bryan Olsen, DNS – Dave McElroy
Izzi Trucking & Rigging Qualifier #2(20 LAPS)
1. Ethan Bill, 2. Matt Ellery, 3. Luke Bunting, 4. Ryan Simmons, 5. James Hill, 6. Jared Labagh, 7. Matt Peck, 8. Mike Butler, 9. Michael Ballestero, 10. Nick Van Wickle, 11. Ronnie Solomon, 12. Jim Wyers, 13. Chris Martinez, 14. Mike Toth, 15. Ryan Conrad, 16. John Cameron, 17. Erik Mattson
Ellery’s Pub & Grill Qualifier #3 (20 LAPS)
1. Brian Papiez, 2. Steve Davis, 3. Michael White, 4. Travis Hill, 5. Michael Beckett, 6. Steve Kemery, 7. Logan Watt, 8. Joe Toth, 9. Nick Giardini, 10. Jax Yohn, 11. Teague Miller, 12. R.J. Witcraft, 13. Mike Browne, 14. Wayne Weaver, 15. Ryan Graver, 16. Robert Tete
DCB PLUMBING & HEATING MID-ATLANTIC SPRINT SERIES FEATURE (25 LAPS)
1. Kevin Nagy, 2. Jared Kreider, 3. Buddy Schweibinz, 4. Robbie Stillwaggon, 5. Dave Brown, 6. Timmy Bittner, 7. Eddie Wagner, 8. Brian Carber, 9. D.J. Tanner, 10. Larry McVay, 11. Troy Betts, 12. Aidan Borden, 13. Jon Brennfleck, 14. Nick Sweigart, 15. Bobby DeVault, 16. Dave Grube, 17. Tim Tanner, 18. Matt Tebbs, 19. Tyler Graves, 20. Andrew Turpin, 21. Ryan Stillwaggon, 22. Mikey Smith, 23. Jeff Paulson, 24. Tim Iulg, DNQ – Jeff Hartman, Dan Leaper, Shelby Kelly, Stephen Struble, Dave Graber, Dirk Rimrott, Matt McAnally, Keith Anderson, Zach Fields
GIELS AUTOMOTIVE FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE (20 LAPS)
1. Lee Allen, 2. Joe Garey, Sr., 3. Colin Gale, 4. Eric Degler, 5. John Parker, 6. Cody Geist, 7. Brayden Morrison, 8. Jim Backowski, 9. Justin Benz, 10. Dominick Antonelli, 11. Joe Garey, Jr., 12. Kelly Fleming, 13. Ed Ford, 14. Rob Weil, 15. Spider Ensinger, 16. Doug Ensinger, 17. Dan Stein, Jr., 18. John Ciallela