4.17.21 Bridgeport Speedway Results

Bridgeport, NJ – Joseph Watson drove the Blue Hen No. 30 to victory in the thirty lap Foley Cat Modified feature event on Saturday night at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park, becoming the fourth different driver in as many races to capture a feature win.

Sammy Martz, Jr. earned his second win of the season in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Sportsman main event while Tom Wills, Jr. was the feature winner in the Sunbelt Rentals Street Stock feature event. The Mid Atlantic Sprint Series (MASS) were on hand for their second Bridgeport race of the season with Eddie Wagner picking up the win.

Race fans were treated to four divisions of racing sponsored by Delaware Auto Exchange.

Modified rookie, Tommy Errico qualified through his heat race in a handicapped position, earning himself a pole position start for the thirty lap Foley Cat Modified feature. Errico lined up beside Ronnie Roberts for the green flag and jumped out in front to lead lap one but Watson was in hot pursuit and took the lead on the second circuit. Watson drove away from a side by side battle for second between Tommy Beamer and Clay Butler that became a three car race one lap later when Alex Yankowski joined the fray.

Yankowski took over second on lap eight and Ryan Godown raced into third one lap later after starting fourteenth on the grid.

Twenty-nine consecutive green flag laps saw the top three positions remain unchanged. Yankowski was closing in on Watson in the final laps but it appeared that the young driver from Jermyn, PA would run out of time. The leader had just taken the white flag when defending track champion, Billy Pauch, slowed with a flat tire. The caution waved for the first time and set up a one lap shootout to the checkered.

Godown had told Watson before the start of the feature that if there was a restart he would be there and he kept his word. When the green flag waved for the final lap, Godown was able to pass Yankowski for second but he was unable to get to Watson before the checkered flag.

Watson took the victory and dedicated it to Ron Faison, owner of the Delaware Auto Exchange that was not only a sponsor on the No. 30 but was also sponsoring Saturday night’s races. Godown finished second with Yankowski taking third. Two young guns completed the top five with Matt Stangle taking fourth over Billy Osmun III in fifth. Dominick Buffalino finished sixth followed by Tommy Beamer, Ryan Watt, Briggs Danner and Tim Buckwalter.

Sammy Martz, Jr. took the lead from Howie Finch on lap three as the two drivers raced out of turn two. Martz never looked back. Tom Sherby proved to be Martz’s biggest threat as he ran the bottom of the track to perfection and was able to pull even with Martz on several occasions including a lap twelve restart where Sherby led the way until turns three and four when Martz was able to regain the top spot.

A late race caution jumbled the field with Travis Hill racing to second behind Martz. Bob Lineman Jr. finished third followed by Sherby and Steve Kemery. Finch crossed the line in sixth followed by John Micek, Matt Ellery, David Jenkins and Pete Serra. Martz became the first repeat winner in this division.

Tom Wills, Jr. ended his drought and raced to the win in the Sunbelt Rental Street Stocks. Wills was dominant throughout the event but second through fifth was up for grabs on nearly every lap.

Wills drove to the finish line ahead of Mike Hughes, Jeff Dirkes in his first race of the season, Jeramy Doerr and Nick Sandone, III who raced side by side, lap after lap.

Eddie Wagner picked up the win in the MASS main event for the 305 sprint cars and in doing so, became the first driver to win on all four of the Bridgeport tracks over the years. Wagner last won in a 600 Micro Sprint in the quarter mile in 2010 and has won with the sprint car on the 3/8th, 5/8th and now the 4/10 mile track.

Wagner was able to stay well ahead of his nearest challenger but there was plenty of racing behind the leader. Rookie, Cody West raced in second for more than half the race including several laps where he raced side by side with another first year sprint car competitor, Zach Bealer. Larry McVay raced into second late in the race to finish ahead of Dom Melair. West finished fourth ahead of Ricky DiEva.

Doug Dodson, Phil Meisner, Ryan Stillwaggon, John Brennfleck and Aiden Borden completed the top ten at the finish.

A big night of racing coming at the Kingdom of Speed next Saturday as the 2021 DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookies make their first start of the season as do the USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs who will join the Foley Cat Modifieds, the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Sportsman and Sunbelt Rental Street Stocks.

FOLEY-CAT BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (30 laps)

1. Joseph Watson, 2. Ryan Godown, 3. Alex Yankowski, 4. Matt Stangle, 5. Billy Osmun, III, 6. Dominick Buffalino, 7. Tommy Beamer, 8. Ryan Watt, 9. Briggs Danner, 10. Tim Buckwalter, 11. Ryan Krachun, 12. Billy Pauch, Sr., 13. Sam Martz, Sr., 14. Clay Butler, 15. Joe Toth, 16. Ron Roberts, 17. Troy Ale, 18. Neal Williams, 19. Billy Lasko, 20. Mike Franz, 21. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 22. Jim Britt, 23. Justin Eason, 24. Brett Ballard, 25. Frank Cozze, 26. Tommy Errico, Jr., DNQ – Matt Peck, Tom Moore, Jr., Ray Swinehart, Brett Kelly, Brad Roberts, Tom Maccherone

DELAWARE AUTO EXCHANGE MASS 305 SPRINTS (25 laps)

1. Eddie Wagner, 2. Larry McVay, 3. Dominic Melair, 4. Cody West, 5. Ricky DiEva, 6. Doug Dodson, 7. Phil Meisner, 8. Joe Kay, 9. Ryan Stillwaggon, 10. John Brennfleck, 11. Aidan Borden, 12. Buddy Schweibinz, 13. Rick Stief, 14. Dave Bonner, 15. Zack Bealer, 16. Jenna Shotz, 17. Jeff Geiges, 18. Dale Eggert, 19. Rich Janney, 20. Rory Janney, 21. Kevin Nagy, 22. Pat Uselis, 23. Zack Bergof, 24. C.J. Faison, DNQ – Marie McVay, Derek Hauck, Matthew Swift, Kristina Pratt, Craig Pellegrini, Darren Cox, Justin Nowlen, Mike Melair, Cory Connell, Keith Anderson, Mark Bitner, Tim Tanner, Josh Bricker, Bryant Davis

SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOOR 602 SPORTSMAN (25 laps)

1. Sammy Martz, Jr., 2. Travis Hill, 3. Bob Lineman, Jr., 4. Tom Sherby, 5. Steve Kemery, 6. Howie Finch, 7. John Micek, 8. Matt Elery, 9. David Jenkins, 10. Pete Serra, 11. Jimmy Dallett, 12. Sean Metz, 13. Brad Cicio, 14. Billy Chester, 15. Ryan Higgs, 16. Scott Hulmes, 17. Ryan Stangle, 18. Andy Walko, 19. Joe Brown, 20. Wayne Weaver, 21. Mike Creamer, 22. Ethan Young, 23. Ethan Bill, 24. Shane Casseker, 25. Erik Mattson.

SUNBELT RENTALS STREET STOCKS (15 laps)

1. Tom Wills, Jr., 2. Mike Hughes, 3. Jeff Dirkes, 4. Jeramy Doerr, 5. Nick Sandone, III, 6. Terry Chaney, 7. Keith McKinley