WATT RACES TO VICTORY IN DIRTY JERSEY 5 AT BRIDGEPORT
The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) fueled by VP South Region returned to the Bridgeport Speedway for the Dirty Jersey 5 on Saturday night. Ryan Watt has been on a hot streak during the 2017 season and Saturday night was no exception as Watt raced to the win in the forty lap STSS event, collecting the $5,000 winner’s check in addition to several contingency awards. Matt Stangle earned his tenth Bridgeport win of the season, racing to the win in the Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman feature while Jeramy Doerr picked up win number seven in the Pennco Tech Outlaw Stock main event.
The luck of the draw put Watt on the pole for the feature event and he quickly jumped into the lead on the start but a very persistent Jordan Watson wasn’t about to let the Watt get out of his sight. Watson moved past Ryan Godown to take over the runner-up spot at the end of the first lap and kept his radar on Watt and the No. 14w.
Watt led the way, lengthening his lead over Watson, Godown, Billy Pauch, Jr. and Sam Martz through halfway.
With just ten laps to go, David VanHorn broke into the top five after starting in the thirteenth position. A few laps later, VanHorn was feeling the challenge of twelfth place starter, Craig VonDohren
Watson’s night came to an end about two laps later when a mechanical failure brought the Delaware driver to a stop. With five laps to go, the caution waved as Richie Pratt headed to the pits for service, setting a five lap shootout for the finish. Martz and Godown battled it out for the runner-up spot and were soon joined by VonDohren who made it a three car race for second while Watt pulled away. Martz held off Godown but lost the battle to VonDohren who had the Dick Biever owned No. 14s humming in the closing laps. VonDohren took over second with about a mile remaining in the race.
Watt took the win over VonDohren, Martz, Godown and VanHorn. Jimmy Horton, Rick Laubach, Anthony Perrego, Billy Pauch Sr. and Jr. rounded out the top ten.
The win paid Watt an extra $500 bonus as the high point man in the two race weekend where he finished seventh at Georgetown, DE on Friday and then picked up the win at Bridgeport on Saturday. Watt is enjoying the best season of his career behind the wheel of the Roberts Racing No. 14w. “This has been amazing,” Watt said of his ninth win on the 5/8 mile speedway. “This Bicknell car with our Enders power plant has been great. Again, I can’t thank my family – my wife, Lesley, son, Logan – my crew and Ronnie and Fay for all that they do.”
2017 Crate/Sportsman Champion, Matt Stangle, raced by Craig Whitmoyer on lap fifteen to capture his tenth win of the season on the fast Bridgeport Speedway. Whitmoyer held on to finish second with Jeff Bubori finishing a close third. Frank Dorry made a late race move to take fourth over Roger Manning.
Jeramy Doerr raced to his seventh win of the season, taking the lead when Jeff Dirkes pulled off the track with mechanical issues. Andrew Joslin, a protégé of Doerr’s, finished second followed by Spider Ensinger, Darren Cox and Rich Stinson.
DIRTY JERSEY 5 STSS MODIFIEDS (40 laps): 1. Ryan Watt, 2. Craig VonDohren, 3. Sam Martz, 4. Ryan Godown, 5. David VanHorn, 6. Jimmy Horton, 7. Rick Laubach, 8. Anthony Perrego, 9. Billy Pauch, Sr., 10. Billy Pauch, Jr., 11. Jeff Strunk, 12. Brett Kressley, 13. Brandon Grosso, 14. Duane Howard, 15. Jamie Mills, 16. Neal Williams, 17. Richie Pratt, Jr., 18. Mike Barone, 19. Jim Britt, 20. Jordan Watson, 21. Andy Bachetti, 22. Wade Hendrickson, 23. Mike Franz, 24. Ron Roberts, 25. Joseph Watson, DNQ – Travis Hill, Ricky DiEva, Bob Sarkisian, Ernie Miles, III, Bucky Kell, Dave Shirk, Tom Carberry, Brian Hitz
CRATE/SPORTSMAN (20 laps): 1. Matt Stangle, 2. Craig Whitmoyer, 3. Jeff Bubori, 4. Frank Dorry, 5. Roger Manning, 6. Brian Papiez, 7. Dave Damiano, 8. Kris Lilick, 9. Ryan Simmons, 10. John Micek, 11. Andrew Belmont, 12. Tom Sherby, 13. Tom Moore, 14. Jesse Landis, 15. Matthew Peck, 16. Brett Belmont, 17. David Burns, 18. Bill Briggs, 19. John Scarpati, 20. B.J. Joly, 21. Rich Wegner, Jr., 22. Scott Kohler, 23. Kyle Lilick, 24. Chris Jenkins, 25. Tommy Errico, 26. Pete Serra, DNQ – Walt McIntyre, Roger Gaskill, Johnny Bangs, Marty Resnick, Danny Buccafusca, Chris Breman, Ray Cost, Louden Reimert, Joe Reid
OUTLAW STOCKS (15 laps): 1. Jeramy Doerr, 2. Andrew Joslin, 3. Spider Ensinger, 4. Darren Cox, 5. Rich Stinson, 6. Ken Moren, 7. Steven Land, 8. Billy Wroble, 9. Gary Elliott, Jr., 10. Paul Donahue, 11. Jeff Dirkes