WATT, LILICK, DIRKES & HOLDING PICK UP FIRST WINS OF 2015 SEASON
WATT, LILICK, DIRKES & HOLDING PICK UP FIRST WINS OF 2015 SEASON
2013 Bridgeport Speedway Champion, Ryan Watt picked up his first win of the season on the 5/8th mile track as he outran last week’s winner, Jamie Mills to the checkered flag for the win in the twenty-five lap Spirit Dodge Big Block Modified feature event.
Kris Lilick edged CJ Jones to the finish line to claim his first win of the season in the Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman feature event while Jeff Dirkes won a three car drag race to the checkered to claim his first win of the season in the PennCo Tech Outlaw Stock main event. Tom Holding added his name to the list of winners in the D.A. Auto Body & Repair Rookie division.
Watt has finished second on several occasions so far this season and has been a threat in every one of the Big Block Modified events to date. On two occasions, tire issues took him out of the running but that was not the case as Watt drove by race leader, Mike Franz on lap sixteen to capture the eleventh Bridgeport Modified win.
Franz took the lead from the wave of the green flag and held off the challenges of Tommy Beamer for the first fifteen laps of the race. Watt cracked the top five on lap five, using his trademark run on the outside to advance to the front. One lap later he took over third and set his sights on the Franz and Beamer. A move to the inside advanced Watt to second off of turn two on lap fifteen. One lap later, Watt raced past Franz for the lead as the leaders headed down the backstretch.
Last week’s winner, Jamie Mills, quickly advanced through the top five in the closing laps, once again overcoming a near spin between turns three and four. With two laps to go, Richie Pratt, Jr. drew a caution for a flat tire, setting up a single file restart with Watt ahead of Beamer, Dominick Buffalino, Mills and Rick Laubach. Mills took over third and moved ahead of Beamer in turn three but it was Watt who got to the checkered flag first one lap later.
Watt led the way for the win followed by Mills, Beamer, Buffalino and Laubach.
Kris Lilick raced a hard charging CJ Jones to the finish as three times the caution was needed to complete the race’s final lap. A spin by David Crossman came first before Steve Searock escaped injury when his car ended up upside down against the backstretch fence. A third caution was needed Bob Lilick slowed with a flat tire. Each time, Lilick raced Jones for the lead and eventually the win, as Jones got a wheel under Lilick coming for the checkered flag. Trailing Lilick and Jones were two time winner, Pat Wall, Jim Britt and Gary Hieber, Jr.
Tom Wills, Sr. was trying to make it two in a row in the Outlaw Stock feature event when he and Brian Ludwig got hooked together on lap eight. Wills, Sr. headed to the pits to change a tire and returned to the rear of the field as Jeff Dirkes led the field on the restart. Dirkes held the competition at bay. Coming for the checkered flag, Dirkes had his hands full of Wills as father and son raced him off of turn four for the win. Dirkes picked up the checkered ahead of Wills, Sr. Wills, Jr. finished third followed by Jeramy Doerr and Joe Meron.
Tom Holding was a first time winner in the eight lap rookie contest as he took the win over Bryan Olsen, Steve Kemery, JR Burritt and Roger Gaskill.
BIG BLOCK MODIFIED FEATURE (25 LAPS)
- Ryan Watt, 2. Jamie Mills, 3. Tommy Beamer, 4. Dominick Buffalino, 5. Rick Laubach, 6. Ryan Anderson, 7. David Hunt, 8. Howard O’Neal, 9. Mike Franz, 10. Bob Sarkisian, 11. Richie Pratt, Jr., 12. Eric Kormann, 13. Ricky DiEva, 14. Jesse Hill, 15. Ron Roberts, 16. Stan Frankenfield, 17. Scott Irwin, 18. Chuck Potts, 19. Jack Swain, 20. Kyle Hieber, DNS – Sam Martz, Rusty Smith, Wade Hendrickson, Scott Ambruster
CRATE/SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20 LAPS)
- Kris Lilick, 2. C.J. Jones, 3. Pat Wall, 4. Jim Britt, 5. Gary Hieber, 6. Matthew Peck, 7. Steve Kemery, 8. Justin Lilick, 9. Bob Lilick, 10. David Crossman, 11. Tom Holding, 12. Roger Gaskill, 13. Dave Damiano, 14. Steve Searock, 15. Steve Desmelyk, 16. J.R. Burritt, 17. Pete Serra, 18. Dean Conk, Jr., 19. Scott Hulmes, 20. Melissa Scarpati, 21. Jeff Sargent, 22. Jeremy Harrington, DNS – Nick Nicotra
ROOKIE FEATURE (8 LAPS)
- Tom Holding, 2. Bryan Olsen, 3. Steve Kemery, 4. J.R. Burritt, 5. Roger Gaskill
OUTLAW STOCK FEATURE (15 LAPS)
- Jeff Dirkes, 2. Tom Wills, Sr., 3. Tom Wills, Jr., 4. Jeramy Doerr, 5. Joe Meron, 6. Ken Moren, 7. Andew Genail, 8. James Rader, 9. Doug DeBray, 10. Jimmy Avery, 11. Brian Ludwig, 12. Mike Vanimen
Upcoming Events
Friday, May 15, 2015 – OPEN MODIFIEDS – 270 & Wingless 600 Micro Sprints and Four-Cylinder Enduros, racing at 8pm
Saturday, May 16, 2015 – BIKE NIGHT – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman, Outlaw Stocks and Rookies, racing at 6:30
Friday, May 22, 2015 – TSRS Sprints on the 5/8 with 270 & 600 cc Micros and 4 Cylinders on the quarter mile, racing at 8pm
Saturday, May 23, 2015 – NO RACING
Sunday, May 24, 2015 – “All in at the Port” – Poker Series Hand #2 – Big Block, Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman, Outlaw Stocks & Rookies, racing at 7pm (Rain date Monday, 5/25 if needed)